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Anko Mitarashi heard the familiar voice and spun around, face lighting up.
“You’re back!”
In that moment, A’s rough, dark face was the most endearing thing she’d ever seen.
Handsome, even.
“Ah, back indeed.
What’s this?
We were barely apart and you’re already like this, miss me that much?” A let out a low chuckle, voice dripping with amusement.
“As if I’d miss you!
Stop kidding yourself!” Anko turned her head away, embarrassment getting the better of her.
She refused to look at him.
Her cheeks, however, had other ideas.
The blush spread across them without permission.
[Get a grip, Anko Mitarashi!
How do you lose your head the second he shows up!?]
“Ha.
Says one thing, means another.
You’re really hopeless.” A shook his head.
With women, you just listened to the opposite of what they said.
He held out the dango and red bean soup, steam curling through the bag.
“Eat while it’s hot.
The owner said both are new items he’s pushing.
They’ll go cold.”
GULP.
Anko caught the smell drifting toward her and couldn’t help swallowing hard.
In the end, she fought back the craving and kept her hands at her sides.
“Later.
I need to go—”
“Go find Orochimaru?” A cut her off flatly.
Anko stiffened.
“How do you know!?”
A set the bag down and his expression shifted.
Serious now.
Apparently, he was going to have to talk some sense into this woman.
“Don’t worry about how I know.
You’re a special jōnin, one special jōnin, and you’re planning to go after that slimy snake alone?
Anko Mitarashi, I genuinely want to crack your head open and see what’s rattling around in there.”
Anko shifted, uncomfortable.
She frowned and fired back, “He showed up in Konoha out of nowhere.
He’s planning something.
I can’t just do nothing.”
“Konoha?” A’s voice went cold.
“Even if he showed up on the moon, what does that have to do with you?
What a sense of duty you’ve got.” The fury in his eyes shut her up completely.
“What do you think your life is worth?
A laugh?” He stepped forward.
His massive frame cast a long shadow over her.
“I…
“Even if you don’t care whether you live or die,” A spoke slowly, each word deliberate, “—half of your life belongs to me.”
The words had barely left his mouth before he pulled her face straight toward his.
“Mmph…” Anko had no time to react.
His lips sealed over hers.
She went rigid, mind wiped blank.
The noise of the world fell away.
All she could hear was her own heartbeat and his, pounding in sync.
All she could feel was the heat of his gaze.
They parted after a long moment.
“Hah…
hah…”
Anko gasped for air, eyes dazed, cheeks so red they looked ready to bleed.
She slumped against A’s chest, legs barely holding her up.
[Why did it end up like this…
my first kiss, just like that…
such a strange feeling.
My head is spinning…]
A looked down at her, boneless in his arms.
The anger in his eyes was gone.
He asked quietly, “Do you understand what you did wrong?”
“Mm…
y-yeah.
Sorry…” Anko’s voice came out barely above a whisper, soft and small, like a kitten that had been completely tamed.
“Good.
As punishment, hold out your hand.”
Training Ground 44.
The Forest of Death.
Naruto in his berserk state was considerably stronger than before.
That said, it only meant so much.
At the very least, he’d upgraded from “instantly killed” to “lasting a few moves before being instantly killed.”
It couldn’t be helped.
The gap was simply too vast.
A completely one-sided mismatch.
Orochimaru put down slit-pupil Naruto without breaking a sweat.
“Heh heh…
How interesting.
Over a decade and this child has grown to this point, Minato…”
“Still, it would be very troublesome if you were allowed to come out.” Orochimaru studied the seal markings on Naruto’s stomach and muttered to himself.
Sealing Technique, Five Elements Seal.
“GAAAH!” Five fingers wreathed in purple flame pressed into Naruto’s abdomen one by one.
Naruto’s scream tore through the trees.
THUD.
He hit the ground hard, dust rising around him, and went completely still.
“Naruto!”
“Bastard, I’ll kill you!” Sasuke Uchiha had watched every second of it.
Fire blazed in his eyes, hot enough to burn through the cowardice, through the fear, through everything that had been holding him back.
“The Uchiha blood is finally stirring?
Those blood-red eyes of Sasuke’s: to him, there was no finer treasure in existence.
CLANG.
CLANG.
Sasuke and Orochimaru traded blow after blow, the crack of kunai ringing out without pause.
[I can see it.
I can win.] Sasuke bit down hard, Sharingan spinning as he read and dodged each attack.
“I’ve had my fun, Sasuke.
Be a good boy and die…” Orochimaru’s expression went cold and flat.
The kunai in his hand accelerated, driving straight for Sasuke’s neck.
“You’re the one who dies!” Sasuke roared and drove a kick into Orochimaru’s chest with everything he had, sending him crashing into a massive ancient tree.
Wire already in hand, Sasuke sprinted around him in fast, tight circles.
Layer after layer of wire wrapped around Orochimaru, locking him in place.
He looked mildly surprised.
“Sharingan Windmill — Three-Blade Strike?”
Sasuke bit the other end of the wire and formed the hand seals.
Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique.
Flames erupted from his mouth, igniting the wire and Orochimaru along with it.
“AAAAAAHHHH!” The screams tore through the forest, wild and desperate.
Sasuke braced himself against a nearby trunk, completely drained.
[Finally.
I got him.]
CLAP.
CLAP.
CLAP.
Sasuke’s expression caved.
Orochimaru stood in the distance, completely unharmed, applauding with an appreciative smile.
“Splendid, Sasuke.
A real shame.
You came up just a little bit short.
From start to finish, you were fighting my Earth Clone.”
He stretched his neck forward and pressed his lips to Sasuke’s neck, leaving a mark, a tender little token of the beautiful bond between them.
“Sasuke, if you want power, then survive.
Come to the Chūnin Exams and show me everything you’ve got.
Heh heh heh heh…”
Sasuke watched Orochimaru’s figure fade into the trees and collapsed.
His eyes were dark with helpless fury.
Sakura Haruno knelt beside them, pulling the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke into her arms, completely at a loss.
Tears ran down her face without stopping.
“Sasuke…
Naruto…
what am I supposed to do…”
(Immense thanks to [Feidianhuo Da Zunshi] boss for the 3x Love Generator donations, and [Belial Vasily] boss for the 3x Love Generator donations.
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