Chapter 30

"We should probably get going." Moksai slurred, muffled by the linen mask he wore.

"We could, but what's the hurry?" Shiore sat in front of his teammate.

Resting in an isolated park on the outskirts of Konoha, these Kusa shinobi were bathing in grass. Accompanied by their third teammate, an obese shinobi known as Suski, he was obscured by his knee-length cape.

"I don't know, I have a weird feeling about this Exam." Moksai muttered.

Without warning, a gust of wind rushed through the air, briefly blinding each of the foreign shinobi. Afterwards, the pale skinned silhouette of a petite kunoichi came into view, defined by shoulder-length red hair.

An elite bodyguard for Orochimaru, this 14 year old girl was known as Tayuya, a rogue kunoichi. Characterized by brown eyes with prominent eyelashes, crimson bangs were pinned against her nose.

Held in place by a fluffy black hat with linen bandages, Tayuya used this cloth to maintain her wild hair. A perfect match for her black wrist guards and the skin-tight shorts she wore, she had an obsession for hats.

Dressed in a short-sleeved tan tunic, this attire stretched to Tayuya's knees, opening into a wide flap. Restrained by the rope-like belt around her tiny waist, her pale legs and black sandals were exposed.

Regaining their composure, Shiore, Moksai and Suski all glanced at Tayuya, judging her slime figure. But instead of responding with words, she exposing a silver flute, raising this object against her mouth.

"H-...?!" Suski tried to speak, but a chakra-filled soundwave ruptured his ears.

Slaughtered under the hypnotic power of Tayuya's music, these foreign shinobi fell limp in front of her. Kicking each of their corpses with her grass-covered feet, she snarled with rage.

"Nice work there..." Kabuto cut in, walking from the tree-line.

"Fuck you." Tayuya snorted her reply.

"That's so unlady-like..." Jirobo sighed with exhaustion.

Looming over the petite outline of Tayuya, Jirobo was a 14 year old giant, and a bodyguard for Orochimaru. Defined by fair-skin and beady orange eyes, these pupils matched his well-trimmed mohawk.

Adorned with the same tunic as Tayuya, Jirobo's most noticeable feature was the red-beaded necklace he wore. Also, he wore a pair of black wrist guards, the same as his red-haired teammate.

"Shut up fatass!" Tayuya spat.

"Same old, same old." Sakon chuckled, strolling beside Kabuto.

A 14 year old bodyguard for Orochimaru, Sakon was an elite shinobi for his age. Characterized by pale skin and ear-length ocean blue hair, his face was framed by loose bangs.

Smacking his lips together, Sakon wore a bright emerald shade of lipstick, contrasting his pale skin. Like his teammates, Sakon was dressed in the iconic tunic of the Sound Five, except for his extended sleeves.

"Honestly, I like her because she's a pain in the ass, it adds some depth to her character." Kidōmaru interrupted the conversation.

With sun-baked skin and shaggy black hair, tied into a ponytail, Kidōmaru stood among his teammates. The fourth member of the Sound Five, this group of teenagers were elite bodyguards for Orochimaru.

Distinguishing himself from his team, Kidōmaru wore an official headband of Oto, draped across his forehead. However, the most prominent feature was his pair of six spider-like arms, each covered with a wrist guard.

"I hate you, I hate you all, I hate every single one of you." Tayuya foamed at the mouth.

Glancing from side-to-side, Tayuya observed the group of traveling teammates she was stuck with, she merely sighed in frustration.

"Haven't you learned to get along?" Orochimaru hummed, erupting from a whirlwind of leaves.

"Where's Kimimaro?" Slurring his speech, he was quickly trailed by his favorite student.

A 15 year old member of the deceased Kaguya clan, Kimimaro had shoulder-length white hair, clipped by red ornaments. Denoting his status as a bodyguard for Orochimaru, he wore the purple belt of Oto.

Proof of his favoritism, Kimimaro wore a prominent grey-colored tunic, adorned with long sleeves. Also, his collar was extremely cut and low, exposing his bare and naked chest.

Crouching down without delay, Kimimaro bowed his face with respect, kneeling beside Orochimaru. Unlike his teammates, Kimimaro wasn't fueled by a desire for power, he was powered by genuine loyalty.

"I was delayed. Please, forgive me my lord." Kimimaro pled, begging with sincerity.

"I forgive you... Now, let's begin." Orochimaru chuckled, leaning over Shiore's corpse.

Clasping both hands together, Orochimaru discreetly weaved through a forbidden array of hand seals. Afterwards, he promptly slammed both hands against Shiore, absorbing his dead face.

Suddenly, Kimimaro flung into a sensation of pain, fueled by an sharp ache in his lungs. Coughing for several minutes into one hand, he gasped after seeing his own blood, leaking from his mouth.

"What's the matter? Is something wrong?" Kabuto asked, pushing his glasses up.

"No - nothing at all." Kimimaro shot out, secretly wiping the blood from his hand.

Standing up with Shiore's youthful and stolen face, Orochimaru spoke with a new voice. Using this disguise to get close too Naruto, he oozed with anticipation, dreaming about his Rinnegan.

"My informants tell me that Anko is the next proctor." Shiore spoke with a twisted laugh.

"Whatever, what am I supposed to do?!" Tayuya interrupted angrily.

Eager to be heard, Tayuya viscously kicked the limp corpse of Suski, grinding her teeth in protest. Kicking this corpse without any second thought, Shiore laughed at her display in utter amusement.

"You and Jirobo will stay inside Konoha, disguised as citizens. While Kidōmaru and Sakon return to Oto." Shiore explained, pouring fuel onto Tayuya's fire.

"I have in this shitty village?" Huffing with annoyance, Tayuya instantly broke under Shiore's glare.

Bowing her head with reluctant respect, she was gifted a bag of Ryo from Kabuto. Ordered to stay and hide inside of Konoha, the next two weeks would be spent alone, accompanied only by annoyance and frustration.

Ten hours later.

Anko's feet dashed and across the tops of several tree branches, ignoring the flames beneath her. Traveling through the Forest of Death, this training ground was engulfed by fiery flames.

Who the fuck is burning my forest? Anko asked.

Annoyed and surprised that such a large portion of the forest could burn, she rushed without delay. Bathed by the crackling embers of loose fire, her silhouette was painted in a tone of orange and red.

Searing a lethal ravine across the Forest of Death, the surrounding chain-link fence barely contained it. Shuffling through this blaze, Anko knew that Orochimaru was close, she could feel it

Dampened by the metallic shin-guards she wore, Anko's trench coat wavered in the breeze. Cracking the burnt branches under feet, she advanced without any concern for her safety.

Gasping as a glimmer of blue bridged the crescent horizon, Anko leapt to the ashy forest floor. Spewing soot and scorched cinders on impact, she stood over a 40ft deep crater, filled with water.

"U-" Anko uttered in shock, dropping both arms to her side.

Jumping into the gorge, Anko plummeted over 10ft before landing atop the water's surface. Sending distinct ripples and bubbling shockwaves in all directions, her bulging chest bounced.

Narrowly contained by the skin tight fishnets she wore, her chest was partially naked. Concealed only the the folded collar of her jacket, she was almost shirtless, devoid of any cloth.

First a fire, now a lake? Anko awed.

Directing her gaze across the surrounding cliffside, Anko recognized the signs of battle. A veteran of the 3rd Shinobi War, she regularly experienced conflict, lethal and brutal.

No doubt it was him... She concluded her suspicions about Orochimaru.

But who was he fighting? A Genin couldn't do this... Cut off by searing pain in her neck, Anko moaned.

Falling to the water's surface, Anko gripped the cursed seal plastered on the left side of her neck. Raising her face with anticipation, she could sense a familiar presence, the chakra of her fallen sensei.

"How... Nostalgic." Shiore's voice polluted the air.

Oozed, merged and conjoined to a rotten tree branch, Shiore rested from his previous battle. Taking several moments to stand up straight, his legs burst from the bark beneath him.

"You're an S-rank wanted criminal." Anko snarled.

"That's why, as your student, I'm going to kill you!" Rustling the sleeves of her jacket, senbon slid into both hands.

"Right... Orochimaru!" Screaming Shiore's real name, she hurled a barrage of senbon.

Cackling at these approaching projectiles, Orochimaru snapped his neck at an inhuman angle. Effortlessly dodging Anko's attack, the air was pierced by his eerie laughter, chuckling.

"After all these years, the first thing you do is attempt to kill me, you're so sweet." Orochimaru moaned.

Throwing a second hail of senbon, Orochimaru unlatched his jaw before swallowing them whole. Using this opportunity to advance, Anko rippled the water below, move with Jonin-level speed.

Outstretching his right arm, Orochimaru's limb abrupt morphed into a white-scaled snake. Wrapping itself around Anko's wrist, she was plunged against the cliffside, buried under dislodged rock.

"Get over here, snake!" Anko pulled Orochimaru's tongue with all her might,

Dispersing the debris around her, she clenched her left hand before striking Orochimaru's cheek. Snapping his neck on impact, he casually fell to the ground, limp and devoid of life.

Laughing without pause, Orochimaru realigned his own neck, snapped back into place, Rising to his feet, he brushed the dirt from his outfit, acting like nothing bad had ever occurred.

"I'm not done yet!" Anko pierced Orochimaru's neck with a kunai.

"Hmphhmphhmph." Orochimaru hummed, phasing out from the nearby ground.

Known as the Hiding In Surface technique, Orochimaru was a master at its craft. Great at infiltration, flawless at subversion, he was the best Konoha had to offer, that's why his betrayal struck so deep.

It's now or never... Anko concluded, pulling off the coat she wore.

Revealing the massive and bulking outline of her chest, these breasts clung to fishnets. Oblivious to the naked nipples of his student, Orochimaru displayed no interest, because he was already bored of the encounter.

"My my, how far are you willing to go?" Orochimaru mused with a sinister smile.

"No second chances, no forgiveness." Anko spoke, illuminated by the crimson glow on her neck.

Sprawling out with an aura of orange, fiery markings spread over Anko's net-covered torso. Emboldened by the vow she once took, she would pay any price to defeat her traitorous sensei.

"You have dishonored our village for the last time." Spitting, the white in her eyes became as black as coal.

As flame-like markings continue to spread, her breasts changed in color and tone, resembling ash. Also, her pupils turned yellow and slatted, like the vertical slits of an animal.

"Do you expect to kill me using the seal I created? The seal I gave you? The Jutsu I taught you?" Orochimaru groaned.

"You are nothing but a pathetic knock-off, you'll never be me. That's why I stopped wasting time on you." Enthralled by these words, Anko growled.

Lunging forward, Anko revealed a handful of shuriken, tossing their swirling blades. Conjoined by a thin cord of black steel, this wire became wrapped and contorted around Orochimaru.

Using the increased speed and power granted by her cursed seal, she leapt into the air. Holding the connected cords of her shuriken, she ensnared her reptilian sensei, trapped by wires.

"Fire Style:..." Clasping both palms in midair, she weaved into the snake seal.

"Dragon Fire Jutsu!" Screaming, a torrent of fire erupted from her lungs.

Running along the wires she laid, they were each dipped in flammable oil and ooze. Empowered by this liquid, Anko's attack scorched Orochimaru's entire body, burning the white skin he possessed.

For several moments the sound of burning leaves and tree bark could be heard, crackling. Eventually, the geyser of soot in front of Anko was disrupted by Orochimaru's charred corpse.

Striking the ground, a white hand ruptured from his singed and seared mouth. Regurgitating a new body, Orochimaru crawled out from his cooked corpse, devoid of any wound or injury.

"Hmphhmphhmph." Orochimaru's twisted laughter echoed.

Suddenly Anko appeared to the right of Orochimaru, using the increased speed granted to her seal. Flinging her left leg out, she tried to kick Orochimaru's jawline, dodged at the last moment.

Throwing more shuriken, these rotating blades forced Orochimaru on to the water's surface. Chasing after him, Anko leveed kick after kick, punch after punch, failing each of her blows.

"I'm done with you." Orochimaru clapped his flat palms together.

Releasing a powerful and abrupt current of wind, this current was empowered by Senjutsu chakra. Well beyond Kage-level, Anko was overwhelmed by this display, hurled into the cliffside.

"You're here to assassinate the 3rd Hokage, aren't you?" Anko slurred, struggling to breathe.

"It would be quite funny, murdering my own sensei? It's what you're trying to do right now." Orochimaru spoke with humor.

"I am nothing like you." Anko snarled, her hatred becoming visibly apparent.

"What's wrong? We haven't seen each other in years, and you're acting so cold to me." Orochimaru slurred with an innocent tone.

Leaning forward, Orochimaru's forked tongue slithered from his lips, licking Anko's cheek. Chuckling without end, he used one hand to stroke and comb her hair, treating her like a child.

"Are you still angry that I used you? Then cast you off like worthless trash?" Teasing, he licked his own mouth.

In the past, Orochimaru had hope in Anko, he thought she could be groomed into a fine kunoichi. But now, he was more interest in Kabuto, and the whiskered face of Naruto complete with Rinnegan eyes.

"Because, a new child has caught my eye, a prodigy, one worthy of being called a shinobi." He shuddered with envy.

Draining the cursed seal that he planted, Anko's strange skin and discolored pupils reverted back to normal. Highlighting the black tomoe symbols around her neck, she slid to her knees before groveling in pain.

"Hhhh-..." Anko heaved, barely able to breath.

Raising an outstretch hand, this palm was swatted aside by a cackling Orochimaru. Caught off guard by distant clapping, his black hair was battered by chakra-filled currents of wind.

Radiating out from a boar masked Anbu, this shinobi stood atop an overhanging boulder. Utilizing Wind Style: Great Breech, this technique was magnified by Earth Style: Golem Jutsu.

As wind thrashed and surged against Orochimaru, he tried to scale the rocky cliffside. Gripped and crushed by a gigantic hand of earth, his body dissolved into hundreds of white snakes.

Trailed by six separate Anbu, four of these shinobi rushed after the fleeing snakes. Tossing shuriken, senbon and kunai, they began they hunt, managing to save Anko at the last moment.

"About damn time, the Anbu finally showed up." Anko complained as her body quivered and shook as she collapsed to the ground utterly exhausted.