Chapter 183: Master-Disciple Play (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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As Sasuke activated his Mangekyo Sharingan, Anko, who had received news of Orochimaru's appearance in the Forest of Death, was anxiously scouring the area. The burning Curse Mark on her neck caused her to clench her teeth in agony.

"My dear disciple, what are you searching for?" a slightly hoarse voice came from behind Anko. Listening closely, one could discern a biting harshness hidden within.

"Orochimaru…" Anko stopped instantly, turning to face Orochimaru with eyes full of fury. "How dare you return to Konoha?!"

"Heh, what do I have to fear? Given Konoha's current strength, nothing can stop me from doing as I please!" Although Orochimaru's face wore a smile as he spoke, a deep apprehension flashed in his eyes—a wariness for the Third Hokage, and even more so for Sakura.

"What are you planning, Orochimaru, coming to Konoha?" Anko trembled slightly. The pain from the Curse Mark on her neck was almost enough to make her pass out, but seeing Orochimaru before her, she forced herself to remain conscious.

"Nothing much, just interested in a little fellow with decent talent," Orochimaru remarked nonchalantly. Seeing the anger in Anko's eyes, he sneered, "What, my cute disciple, are you angry that your master abandoned you?"

"I'm warning you, Orochimaru, don't cause trouble in Konoha, or else…" Anko took a deep breath, not directly responding to Orochimaru's taunting. However, her clenched fists betrayed her inner turmoil. She had been under Orochimaru's tutelage since a very young age, relying on him for survival. But then, one day, he left, abandoned Konoha, and didn't take her with him. That feeling of being left behind had turned into deep-seated hatred within her.

"Or else what?!" A snake suddenly appeared from behind Anko, binding her tightly. In the next instant, Orochimaru materialized behind her, while the figure she had been facing turned into a mound of mud.

"Orochimaru…"

Anko's body shook even more violently. The incomplete Curse Mark on her reacted whenever she was near Orochimaru. Being this close, the pain was nearly enough to cause her to faint. Her persistent consciousness was solely due to the stubborn obsession deep within her.

"Judging by your reaction, little Anko, you must really appreciate the gift I've given you, huh?!" Orochimaru chuckled lowly. Watching her struggle to escape the snake's bind, he narrowed his eyes, "What's this? Unwilling to be close to your master? Little Anko, didn't you happily say before, hmm? That you'd even turn your master into a woman without payment? That you were tricked by your master?"

The anger in Orochimaru's words was unmistakable, thinking about what Anko had said in front of so many people, he felt an urge to punish his impudent disciple.

"Ah…"

Anko's struggle froze, and cold sweat broke out on her face. Her previously indomitable aura deflated instantly. Why would Orochimaru know about those words she spoke?

"Well? Little Anko, aren't you going to explain to your master what those words meant?" Orochimaru asked, his voice laced with venomous rage, his anger and the humiliation he faced with Sakura almost materializing. "You seemed to enjoy throwing around your master's name. Weren't you the one claiming to have been deceived by your master? Do you believe I could make that prophecy come true today?!"

"I... I was just making a joke..."

Right now, Anko no longer felt any distinct emotions like anger or resentment. She just had a mournful expression, internally she felt like a massive, 200-pound Titan python was choking her. It was all meant as a joke at the time; who could have known it would be overheard by the very person she talked about?!

"A joke? Well, your joke really went far enough!" Orochimaru extended his long tongue, licking Anko's neck, the damp, slippery sensation causing her extreme anxiety.

"I... I'm sorry, please, don't do anything rash..."

Anko, usually nonchalant, was finally seized by fear. Knowing all too well the kind of person her teacher was, she wanted to slap herself right then. 'What made you come here alone, seeking death? Why did you have to show off, thinking you could handle Orochimaru by yourself? Now you’ve done it, haven’t you? Everything’s ruined, old grudges and new combined.' Anko began to silently wonder if she'd even be left with a complete corpse.

"Hehehehe..." Orochimaru's laugh was as cold as ever. "Since little Anko harbors such deep resentment towards her master, how could I not offer some form of compensation? To think of it, what angers little Anko the most is being abandoned by her teacher. Well, let's show you the truth about what happened back then and make up for it with a gift!"

"What are you going to do?"

Anko had just cried out when she felt a sudden surge of pain from her Curse Mark, as Orochimaru bit her once again.

The Curse Mark chakra, initially intended for Sasuke, was now all injected into the Curse Mark on Anko's body. With the infusion of this chakra, a wave of pain flooded Anko’s mind, and fragmented memories started reappearing.

"So, it was me who didn't want to leave back then?!"

Anko's eyes reflected a complex mix of emotions. She had always believed that Orochimaru abandoned her, but as the seals in her mind were released, she realized that it was she who had adamantly refused to leave with Orochimaru. In other words, it was Orochimaru who had been abandoned.

With the last thought flickering in her mind, Anko's body went limp, and she lost consciousness. After assessing Anko's condition and confirming that the Curse Mark hadn’t malfunctioned, Orochimaru carefully laid her down and turned to leave.

Perhaps because her body had long been accustomed to the presence of the Curse Mark, although the one Anko initially had wasn’t complete, the infusion of a brand new Curse Mark chakra didn’t cause her any harm.

Anko, unconscious, was soon discovered by the searching ANBU and taken to the hospital. However, no matter how they checked, they couldn't detect foreign chakra within Anko's body but a new kind of chakra was there. The final conclusion was a mere guess that Anko's unconsciousness was due to the influence of this strange chakra.

As for Anko's predicament, Sakura and the others were unaware. They were currently surrounding a trembling girl, looking amazed.

"Sasuke, you've finally gained your sense! Decided to bring a girl back for the Uchiha to continue the lineage, have you?"

Sakura patted Sasuke's shoulder with her left hand, a gratified smile spreading across her face.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 184: Sasuke's Little Fangirl [Part 1]