Jealous, Little Girl?

"What, is there something on my face?" Seemingly sensing Sōkyū Hatake's gaze, Orochimaru quickly reined in his expression, returning to the unapproachable look he had worn at the start.

"Not that. Looks like I'll have a junior disciple sister someday." Sōkyū Hatake wasn't about to say anything about it.

After all, Mitaraishi Anko was someone Orochimaru truly cared about.

Mitaraishi Anko had been Orochimaru's disciple before he defected, going on missions with him at just twelve years old. But when Orochimaru prepared to defect, he did not want Konoha to know anything about him, so he used a forbidden technique on Mitaraishi Anko, making her forget their missions together. She had never been able to remember them.

Mitaraishi Anko excelled at the various ninjutsu Orochimaru had taught her and bore the Cursed Seal of Heaven he had left on her body. She had been his student as a child, and after Orochimaru betrayed Konoha, her relationship with him as his disciple often troubled her. Her attempt to die together with Orochimaru showed how tangled their relationship was.

But once, when Mitaraishi Anko revisited an old location on a mission with Naruto and the others, it triggered a memory:

Back then, just as Orochimaru was about to leave Konoha, Mitaraishi Anko, a test subject for the Cursed Seal, grabbed his ankle. Orochimaru asked Anko whether she wanted to come with him, but Anko herself refused.

Yes, it wasn't that Orochimaru had never considered taking Mitaraishi Anko away with him. It was Mitaraishi Anko herself who had turned him down.

And in the end, Orochimaru had not disposed of Mitaraishi Anko either. Instead, he had done some cruel things to her so she could remain in Konoha.

"That isn't certain yet. Whether she can pass my test remains unknown." Orochimaru wasn't about to make such a simple declaration.

"I believe she'll succeed," Sōkyū Hatake said outright. Come on, even if she doesn't, Orochimaru will definitely take her under his wing anyway.

"You have that much faith in her?" Orochimaru looked at Sōkyū Hatake in surprise. He hadn't expected Sōkyū Hatake to have such... trust in Mitaraishi Anko.

"It's just a feeling, Teacher Orochimaru. My instincts are very accurate." Sōkyū Hatake pointed at his head, sounding a little boastful.

"Indeed. I've always felt that your brain is structured a little differently. How about this? Let me study-"

"Ahem, we're almost at Konoha's gates. We can drop this subject." Sōkyū Hatake knew what Orochimaru wanted to say and cut him off just as he was about to finish.

"Hmph!" Orochimaru glared at Sōkyū Hatake and picked up his pace, heading straight back to the Ninja Academy.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Minamikawa Ōzora, who had just been about to head to class, hurriedly stood at attention when he saw Orochimaru enter.

Minamikawa Ōzora had fought on the battlefield before and held Orochimaru and the others in the highest regard.

"I recall... you're Little Sōkū's teacher, aren't you?" Looking at Minamikawa Ōzora, Orochimaru suddenly remembered that, according to the files, this man seemed to be Sōkyū Hatake and Mitaraishi Anko's homeroom teacher.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru, I'm Sōkyū Hatake's homeroom teacher!" Minamikawa Ōzora hurriedly stood at attention. He still did not know what Orochimaru wanted to do, so it was best to be cautious.

"Good. This little brat snuck out, so I brought him back. Keep a close eye on him from now on. Don't let him sneak out again." Orochimaru set Sōkyū Hatake down in front of Minamikawa Ōzora and gave Sōkyū Hatake a sinister smile.

"You fucking-"

"Little Sōkū, are you swearing?" Orochimaru turned his dangerous gaze straight toward Sōkyū Hatake.

"Ahem, I didn't say anything. Teacher Minamikawa, I'm going to class." Sōkyū Hatake coughed twice.

Hold it in, hold it in. I still can't beat Orochimaru!

But Sōkyū Hatake also secretly swore that if he could beat Orochimaru someday, he would definitely give his ass a good thrashing!

Of course, he still lacked the confidence to do that now.

"I'll be leaving, then. Little Sōkū, I've seen your school now, too. I'll be waiting for you in six months." Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as he spoke. It seemed that only now was he the Cold Lord Orochimaru, one of the Konoha Sannin!

"No problem. Make sure you protect yourself on the front lines too, Orochimaru... Teacher!" Sōkyū Hatake chuckled, then turned and walked toward his classroom.

As Sōkyū Hatake left, Orochimaru kept his gaze fixed on his retreating figure, a peculiar smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

When Sōkyū Hatake returned to the classroom, every sound in the room stopped.

Everyone's eyes focused on Sōkyū Hatake, as though they were witnessing something.

"Sōkyū Hatake! Where did you learn the Shadow Clone Technique?" While everyone else remained silent, Uchida Uchiha walked straight up to Sōkyū Hatake and stared at him intently.

"I learned it ages ago. Did you need something?" Sōkyū Hatake looked at Uchida Uchiha. After spending these past few days with him, he knew Uchida Uchiha was just a boy with a very overdramatic streak.

He did not even have much of a mind for plotting all sorts of schemes.

"I'll definitely defeat you!" After hesitating for a long while, Uchida Uchiha finally said it.

"Um... that came out of nowhere..." Sōkyū Hatake watched Uchida Uchiha leave, somewhat speechless. What exactly was this guy trying to do?

"Sōkyū Hatake, did you just come back with Lord Orochimaru?" Just as Sōkyū Hatake was feeling rather speechless, Mitaraishi Anko walked right up to him.

With her purple hair and a slightly stubborn expression, she still looked at Sōkyū Hatake somewhat nervously.

"Yes. Are you looking for Teacher Orochimaru?" Sōkyū Hatake looked at Mitaraishi Anko. He knew what she wanted to find out.

"You're already Lord Orochimaru's disciple?" Mitaraishi Anko clearly hadn't known that Orochimaru had just returned and had only found out after hearing what others said.

"Yes, I already was before enrolling." Sōkyū Hatake glanced at Mitaraishi Anko, finding it rather amusing.

Jealous, little girl? Want big brother to teach you how to become that guy Orochimaru's disciple?

Fufufu, why does this feel like some middle-aged man asking a little girl whether she wants to catch goldfish...?

Um... it really is a little creepy...