Chapter 24: New Team

Kuzo gazed at the two shinobi standing by his room's window. He had sensed their presence all along, so it didn't come as a surprise. A tall masked man with brown hair stood beside a girl with spiky purple hair tied in a ponytail. She had a curvy, slender body, and her open chest revealed a large cleavage. Realizing he had stared for too long, Kuzo decided not to appear rude and looked at her face.

He waved his hand, signaling them to enter, and they obliged, sitting down to face him.

"So, you must be my team. Anko and the black ops member, if you don't mind, introduce yourself," Kuzo said.

The two exchanged glances, and Anko spoke first. With a raised eyebrow, she remarked, "I thought it was a joke pulled by HR when they showed us his picture. But it's him leading the mission. He's still living with his parents. Someone like him would piss himself when he sees Orochimaru."

From her words, Kuzo sensed her underestimation.

The masked man, now revealed as Tenzo Yamato, lowered his mask, revealing black eyes. He stared at Kuzo and said, "I'm Tenzo Yamato. As for you, Anko, you shouldn't determine a shinobi's power by his age. Itachi Uchiha, Kakashi sempai, all became jonin young. The Hokage recognized him as a jonin, and so we should obey."

"I've seen his file. He failed the academy test six times in a row? I'm sorry if I seem doubtful. But I don't see the reason for the Hokage's decision," Anko replied.

Remaining calm, Kuzo spoke, "I've killed Orochimaru's bodyguards on my own, plus Kimimaro. I see that you two were personally chosen to be on my team. I can tell that other people may be more qualified than you, but the only reason I see you chosen is that you have motivation. That's all. I should be the one to question your qualifications first."

"My qualification? I can kick your ass. What's yours?" she mocked.

Instead of responding, Kuzo pointed to the corner of his room with two fingers, signaling a shadow clone that appeared through the window. Anko stared at the puppet, and at that moment, the shadow clone used Mind Transfer Jutsu on her.

"My qualification. I can make you do things you don't want," he smiled and approached Anko's body.

Those affected by Mind Transfer Jutsu retained awareness but lost control of their bodies. The clone vanished, and Anko regained control, clenching her fists. She smiled, suppressing any signs of frustration, and said, "Fair enough. You can be useful in a battle. But how do you know the Yamanaka clan's secret technique?"

"I won't reveal all my cards to you," Kuzo replied. "But I think you guys are going to be fine for now. So, want to discuss the mission somewhere other than my room?"

-x-X-x-

"You're a wood-style user, like the First Hokage, Yamato. And Anko-san, you used to be a student of Orochimaru, specializing in different techniques," Kuzo said.

After leaving his home to discuss their mission, they ended up at a training ground to talk. Because Kuzo was a sensory type, it was easy to guarantee that no one was spying on them. Besides, the jonins around him had enough experience to find out if there were spies.

Anko and Yamato nodded. Kuzo had to act as if he were curious about them, as not many knew about Yamato and his wood style.

"So, what's the plan?" Anko asked.

Kuzo drew a line on the ground. "From some of Orochimaru's subordinates that I mind-read, I could figure out the locations of many hidden facilities. We will sneak into some of them and set up a summoning formation. Moreover, we should focus on the Sound Village. And once the Chunin Exam starts and Orochimaru comes to Konoha, we will attack those villages simultaneously. I'll personally destroy the Sound Village."

Kuzo had a hidden agenda from visiting the hidden facilities: to get a power boost for himself in preparation for the next battle. He didn't feel like blowing them up, as there were many innocent people being captured and tortured by Orochimaru. He didn't know them, he didn't care about them, but he didn't want to have their lives on him without any conscience. After all, it would leave a bad taste in his mouth.

But as for the Sound Village, annihilating it would be the best step to get rid of Orochimaru.

Anko looked at him with a tilted head.

Yamato nodded, "From what the Hokage told me, you have a jutsu capable of doing that. If we catch them off guard, it will be an easy mission.

"But still, there are many capable shinobi in Orochimaru's hands. God knows how many of them he used for his technique experiments," Anko said, teeth slightly clenched and eyebrows furrowed. She showed a mix of disdain and pity. Kuzo could understand. She had been a part of those experiments as well. As for Yamato, he didn't show anything on his face, but he knew that he was a clone created by Orochimaru. Yamato also had a personal reason to work hard on this mission.

In short, this team was motivated.

Kuzo took a deep breath and said, "We can take them down."

"It won't be an easy mission. Besides, you know about the Curse of Heaven. It won't be a problem against the weak ones, but some can cause trouble if they have it," Anko replied, unconsciously putting her hand on her neck.

"Can you use that seal of yours?" he asked her.

Although his question triggered a flinch on her face, she calmly shook her head and said, "The last thing I want is to use the power from that snake. The most thing I hate is waking up in the morning and being reminded that it's on my neck."

"That's a shame," Kuzo replied, shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" she replied, her voice raising. She was clearly triggered by that question.

Kuzo continued, "I have a lot of knowledge about Fuinjutsu. I could use the curse mark and let you use its power. Well, you passed the initial stage, so it's not impossible."

If the cursed seal had that clan's DNA to enter imperfect sage transformation, then the seal itself isn't necessary since the DNA was already injected into her body. The seal could store nature chakra and make transformation easy. But it's not necessary. It was possible if one gave her a seal to collect nature chakra and another seal to store it would make her able to transform.

Kuzo had been planning to make a small seal of Life Technique Release: Creation of Heaven and Earth on his body, with another seal to store chakra. After all, the Life technique release allowed the user to act as a vessel for nature chakra and collect it. If he could store it, then he would have more time in curse seal mode.

"You can throw that snake away?" she said, quickly holding his collar and shaking him. "From my body."

"I can. That's how I defeated his subordinate," Kuzo replied, shaking her hand off his collar. "Do you want to get rid of the seal or modify it?"

It would be to his benefit if she got strong. Against Orochimaru, she would be weak if she had her curse mark. But if she got to use it, she would turn useful. 

"I don't care, as long as that man is out of my head," she replied.

Kuzo smirked. "Sure, but one condition."

"What?"

"Apologize for being rude to me, and I'll consider that."

"You're just salty, after all," she smiled, teeth clenched, few veins appearing on her forehead. Kuzo wasn't sadistic. But he enjoyed seeing her like that. It was cute, but not as appealing as her cleavage. "You stared at my boobs for too long as well." 

Kuzo scratched his chin. Who could blame him though? 

"You owe me an apology, I owe you one. So we're just even," she replied, exhaling heavily, her breasts growing, and Kuzo ended up taking another gaze. 

She was surely stubborn and doesn't like apologize for her mistakes. He liked that personality trait of hers. Too bad. He was like that as well. Maybe he should ask her on a date? 

Not yet. They weren't even. 

"Why out of all the people who are staring, it's me who have to apologize." He said, pointing with his head to Yamato, who quickly turned his head. 

"How about this little brother," She sighed, and then smiled and said, "How about a deal. I let you touch them, and you get rid of the curse seal."

Kuzo frowned, and Anko almost took a step back.

"A team willing to go this far to achieve a mission. I like it." He smiled, placing his hand on her neck.