27 Obsession

"Sasuke? You're wounded!?"

Sakura quickly rushed toward Sasuke, she unwrapped the bandage around his thigh to treat his wounds.

"That feels better"

Sasuke sighed a breath of relief. He got up and stomped his injured limb. It didn't hurt, Sasuke smirked.

"Night's falling"

Naruto mumbled, the clouds bright orange in color. Sasuke and Sakura nodded toward him, they prepared a camp inside a cave.

***

'It's already dusk!! I have to find him soon! The darker it gets... The worse this situation will get!'

Anko was rushing toward the forest of death, Orochimaru, her former master had infiltrated Konoha! She frowned and increased her pace.

'The question is... Why did he choose to show up now? What's his goal!?'

She blitzed through the branches, her eyes becoming cold.

'Not that it matters... If it really is you, then we'll end this right here, right now'

'I'm going to kill you, even if costs my life!!'

Anko steeled her resolve, she was going to behead him this time!

"Isn't it, Orochimaru?

She halted in her tracks, a man with long black hair emerged from a tree.

"Impossible!"

He muttered, how was she able to sense him!?

She closed her eyes, taking out 4 senbons in between her fingers, she leaped in the air, ready to strike him down.

'!!'

Orochimaru's tongue extended, it swirled and wrapped around her senbon-held wrist, her weapons dropped from her hand as he tightened the grip.

She landed on a branch and pulled his tongue using both her hands, Snakes emerged from her sleeves and wrapped around his tongue!

'You can't escape [Striking Snake] Jutsu!'

"Ghra!"

Orochimaru's eyes widened, she pulled him out of the tree and lunged him toward herself.

"!!"

His body crashed into hers, her back collided against the tree behind her. She coughed out saliva. Pulling out a kunai, he slammed his hand on the tree and pinned his hand through hers into the tree.

"Huff... Huff... Huff... Got you!"

Anko smirked, Orochimaru frowned.

"Orochimaru, could you lend me a hand? The left one?"

"!!"

She held his left hand with her right, forcing to perform a hand sign.

'that's the sign of...!'

"That's right... We're going to die together. Here"

Anko grinned, finally, she could end this!

'Ninja technique: Twin snakes kill each other!'

But her hopes were crushed, she felt another chakra signature behind her. Her eyes darted off behind her.

"You meant to commit suicide? How precious! But that's just a Shadow clone"

"!!"

Her eyes widened as the clone popped. Orochimaru rested his back on the tree trunk.

"Since, for the time being, it appears you have become one of this Village's Elite Jonin.."

Orochimaru began to peel off the extra layer of skin, revealing his pale skin and golden eyes.

"You mustn't just squander every secret I taught you"

Anko knelt on the ground, she slammed her fist on the ground, shaking in anger.

"Why? Why are you here? Why now!?"

"For old time's sake, of course, my dearest Anko! But from your cold reaction... One might almost suspect you're not glad to see me!"

Anko wiped the sweat on her forehead and gazed at Orochimaru.

"Ohh... What is it? An assassination attempt? Are you after lord Hokage?"

"Heavens, No! I lack the hubris and the proper amount of manpower to attempt anything of that magnitude! My targets are any Ninja of the Village who displays extraordinary abilities"

Anko groaned, she held her neck, feeling a burning sensation spread through her.

"In fact, I just left my mark as a little parting gift... One one of the boys"

Anko fixated her eyes on Orochimaru's.

"Urgh! You monster! It's a time bomb... He'll be dead in no time!"

"There's a Nine out of Ten chance that you're right, of course... But just the same... He may survive as you did"

Anko breathed heavily, her smirk still plastered on her face.

"And the thought of him gives you... Adrenaline?"

"Oh, my dear! Jealous? After all this time... Are you still angry that I used you and abandoned you?"

Her smirk faded away, her eyes widened and breathing became more unstable.

"Urgh"

"This child seems quite exceptional... Unlike you, his bloodline is that of Uchiha... And his power... At such a young age..."

Orochimaru grinned wildly, imagining himself in that body brimming with unlimited potential, the lad was already powerful... And with his different ways to exceed one's limits...

The thought alone ran shivers down his spine.

"His face and body are very handsome. He could... No, he IS the perfect vessel for me to succeed"

Anko lost the power in her limbs, her body laying on the branch.

"I foresee interesting times... After he survives. If something should happen to rob me of my enjoyment... It will spell the end of Konoha!"

His body vanished, leaving only dust.

Anko was somehow able to stay conscious. She had to inform the Hokage about this! And quick!

***

"Three"

Sasuke mumbled, Naruto and Sakura went full alert at that.

***

Hidden behind the bushed, three sound Nins peeked at the trio sitting on the ground.

"Hehehehe, there they are"

A spikey-haired boy mumbled under his breath.

"As lord Orochimari commanded, we'll strike at dawn! And our target is Sasuke Uchiha!"

Wrapped face in sports bandage, a short guy with a rigid voice stated.

"If the other two get in our way, we can take 'em out, right?"

The spikey-haired idiot asked.

"Of course!"

The short guy replied. The girl beside them kept quiet throughout the conversation.