I do not own Naruto or Boruto; those manga's rights belong to Masashi Kishimoto and Ukyo Kodachi. Nor do I own or claim ownership of the world map created by Michael-Madlock. This story is just for fun and isn't part of the original properties. Please, enjoy.
Chapter 2: Sole Survivor
Around four hours after departing from the Leaf, Anko approached the caves that Kakashi had marked on the map. She slowed her pace and dropped to the ground as the openings of several caves came into view.
Looking around, she strolled into the mouth of a cave and found an old lantern hanging from a spike in the wall. She grabbed the lantern and pulled a lighter from her coat pocket. The lantern gave off a dim orange glow when she lit it, and she stepped onward into the cave.
She wandered down connecting paths that moved further underground until coming to a village overgrown with bioluminescent moss. Admiring the green-glowing structures, Anko blew out her lantern and stepped down the empty streets of the mock town.
"Hello?" She called out, her voice echoing around the cavern.
Getting no response, Anko began to search the buildings. The interior of some of the structures was untouched. Moldy plates sat on tables, and the glowing moss had crept through the cracks and illuminated the insides. Clothes were left in dressers, and rotten chunks of food hung in pantries.
It's a fuckin' ghost town.
After walking to the other side of the little village, she found the buildings ransacked. Doors and windows were shattered, broken weapons littered the street, and dried blood stained the floorboards of the ransacked buildings.
Anko searched the village for a couple of hours. She found no clues and sat down on a stone bench in the center of the town. With her backpack on the ground between her legs, she dug through it and pulled out a package of rice crackers.
Anko snacked on her crackers and continued through the caves, relighting the lantern as she moved away from the glowing moss. She heard running water and walked down a sloped path that led to an underground river.
Kuzora sat on his bed, lost in thought, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions and memories. He couldn't understand why Anko, his former teammate, would need to be killed. The framed photograph of Team Orochimaru stared back at him, a bittersweet reminder of the bonds they had once shared.
As he pondered the situation, a white snake emerged from under his bed, slithering up his leg. Intrigued, Kuzora watched as the snake deposited a purple scroll onto his lap. With a mix of curiosity and apprehension, he unrolled the scroll and read the words penned by his Master, Orochimaru.
The poor girl has gone stir-crazy in my absence. The Tiger is already in my audience and awaiting further instruction.
He rolled up the scroll and placed it back in the snake's mouth, witnessing it transform and disappear into the floor, returning to Orochimaru. Kuzora felt a surge of conflicting emotions within him, a mixture of duty and doubt.
The Tiger… But I saw them on my way back to the apartment. What the hell is going on?
Tossing the empty rum bottle against the wall, Kuzora released his frustration, the shattering glass echoing his inner turmoil. He fell back onto the bed, his thoughts consumed by memories of their past missions and the camaraderie they had shared as a team.
In the midst of his contemplation, Kuzora questioned himself. The loyalty he felt towards Orochimaru warred with the memories of his friendships with Anko and the others.
"What are you gonna do, Kuzora?" he whispered to himself, the weight of his decision pressing upon him. He knew he had to make a choice, one that would shape his future and the lives of those around him.
He remembered going on missions with Team Orochimaru and how much fun they had celebrating their success.
What are you gonna do, Kuzora? He thought to himself.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with amusement as he listened to the report. "She's gone to the Iburi Caves?"
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru," A man in a tiger mask said, kneeling before Orochimaru. He wore a black cloak over gray clothes and a hood over his mask. "I came here as soon as Kuzora told me of Anko's plans to search for you. I left one Shadow Clone in the village to take my place and another outside the Main Gate to follow her once she left," The Tiger explained.
Orochimaru chuckled, his voice tinged with anticipation. "Return to the Leaf," he commanded, his eyes gleaming with a twisted delight. "I have just the surprise in store for Anko."
"Understood, Lord Orochimaru!" The Tiger vanished from the chamber, his mission clear.
"I've been keeping a watchful eye on you, my dear," Orochimaru mused, his voice filled with a cilling amusement. "I'm eager to see just how far you've come."
Chuckling to himself, Orochimaru rose from his stone chair, a sense of purpose guiding his steps. He traversed the hideout, making his way toward a specific door. With calculated confidence, he knocked loudly upon it, a harbinger of the task he had in mind.
"Oh, Kemuri, dear," Orochimaru called out, his voice carrying a mix of authority and intrigue. "I have a special assignment for you."
After hours of exploring the caves, Anko decided to retrace her steps and follow the river back to the incline leading to the village. She returned to the familiar stone bench, placing her backpack down and taking a seat beside it. Letting out a sigh, she extinguished the lantern and surveyed the desolate buildings with disappointment.
Sitting on the bench, Anko opened another package of rice crackers and sipped from her waterskin. As she finished drinking and stowed away her waterskin, a loud door slamming echoed through the village, causing her to abruptly stand up.
Alert and cautious, Anko scanned the structures around her. "Hello?!" she called out, hoping for a response.
Walking down the street, her eyes caught sight of a girl standing in a second-story window. Anko swiftly dashed into the house, bounding up the stairs to reach the spot where she had seen the girl. However, to her dismay, the room was empty. Anko groaned in frustration.
"I'm not an enemy," Anko explained, her voice echoing in the vacant room. "I'm friendly!"
There was no immediate response. Anko checked under the bed and in the closet but found no sign of the mysterious girl. Curiosity piqued, she decided to peek out of the window, only to discover the girl standing in the street, looking up at her.
Anko calmly descended the stairs and stepped into the street where the girl patiently waited. The girl, standing at five-foot-seven with a slim figure, fair skin, short brown hair, and chestnut brown eyes, wore a light gray long-sleeve jacket, dark blue pants, and shinobi sandals. Kunai adorned her left thigh, and tool pouches hung from her belt.
"Hey there," Anko greeted, offering a friendly smile.
The girl stared for a moment, shaking her head slowly. "You shouldn't be here," she warned.
"Yeah, I'm starting to get that feeling about this place," Anko chuckled, brushing off the caution. "I'm just looking for clues."
"Clues?" the girl repeated, intrigued.
Anko nodded, "I'm searching for Orochimaru."
The girl nodded knowingly. "So I've been told."
Anko narrowed her eyes, carefully studying the girl's appearance. "Who are you?" she inquired, her tone tinged with suspicion.
"My name is Kemuri Iburi," the girl revealed. "Lord Orochimaru has sent me to deal with you."
"I see," Anko reached into her tool pouch and pulled out a kunai, spinning it around in her left hand.
The tension in the air grew palpable. Without warning, Kemuri swiftly grabbed four shurikens from her tool pouch and launched them toward Anko. Reacting swiftly, Anko deflected the projectiles with her kunai.
Anko lunged forward, aiming for Kemuri's vital spots, but her opponent's nimble footwork evaded the attacks effortlessly. Kemuri, in turn, retrieved a kunai from her thigh. The two kunoichis engaged in a fierce exchange of lightning-fast strikes, their kunai clashing and creating sparks.
Amid the whirlwind of their intense battle, Anko couldn't help but be impressed by Kemuri's agility and skill. Determined, Anko ducked down and executed a spinning kick toward Kemuri's legs. However, Kemuri gracefully leaped into the air, evading the kick with ease.
In a swift and calculated motion, Kemuri spun like a cyclone, extending her leg downwards in an attempt to strike Anko's head. Anko, displaying her own vigilance, twisted her body, narrowly avoiding the savage blow. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Anko lunged forward as Kemuri landed on her feet, plunging her kunai toward Kemuri's chest.
To her shock, Anko's hand and kunai passed through Kemuri's body, revealing the illusory nature of her opponent. Fuck, I forgot! Anko cursed, realizing the trap she had fallen into.
Seizing the moment, Kemuri swung her kunai upward, slicing Anko's left cheek as she staggered backward. With relentless pursuit, Kemuri chased after Anko, launching a relentless assault of kicks and kunai strikes. Forced into a defensive position, Anko skillfully evaded the onslaught, countering with her own kunai attacks. However, her strikes passed through Kemuri's ethereal form.
In a synchronized motion, both kunoichis began weaving hand signs simultaneously. "Ninja Art: Smokescreen!" Kemuri announced, exhaling a dense cloud of smoke that engulfed the immediate area.
Anko, undeterred, swiftly retaliated. "Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!" she proclaimed, spitting a powerful blast of flames into the smokescreen.
Flames and smoke intertwined, creating a chaotic and hazy environment. Anko stood amidst the swirling elements, ready for Kemuri's next move. She maintained a vigilant gaze, searching for any sign of movement while gripping another kunai tightly in her hand.
Suddenly, smoke snaked around Anko's throat, constricting like an iron grip. Choking and struggling to breathe, she desperately swung her kunai through the smokescreen. However, her weapon was easily knocked away, and the grip around her throat tightened mercilessly.
Fighting against the suffocating grip, Anko frantically weaved hand signs. Wind Release: Gale Palm! She clapped her hands together and unleashed a powerful gust of wind that dispersed the surrounding smoke and sent Kemuri hurtling backward, solidifying her physical form once again.
From the tender age of four, Kemuri had known nothing but the darkness of Orochimaru's grasp. The Iburi clan, afflicted with a unique Kekkei Genkai, became the subject of his insidious experiments. Promising to cure their debilitating side effects, he lured them into his clutches, stealing away their loved ones one by one. Kemuri watched helplessly as her grandparents, aunt, uncle, and friends were taken, their prayers for salvation echoing through the caves.
Orochimaru, driven by his insatiable thirst for knowledge, subjected the Iburi to his vile Curse Marks, delving deeper into the secrets of their Kekkei Genkai. He found ways to enhance their control over their abilities through trial and error, manipulating them like pawns on a chessboard. Though they knew they were being used, the Iburi couldn't help but feel a twisted satisfaction in the results.
At the tender age of six, Kemuri's life drastically changed. Orochimaru, now a fugitive from the Hidden Leaf, sought refuge in their village. Panicked and pursued by ANBU, he called upon the Iburi for assistance. With unwavering loyalty, they stalled the pursuing forces, granting Orochimaru the opportunity to escape. Among them, Kemuri witnessed a man named Kakashi, who seemed to understand the gravity of their situation. He allowed them to be, returning to his own path.
Kemuri and her clan remained in the dark for three long years, cut off from Orochimaru's reach. But the day eventually came when he returned, snatching away more of the Iburi to continue his relentless research. One by one, her kin vanished, leaving her standing alone amidst the fading remnants of their once proud lineage. Soon, Kemuri found herself relocated to a hidden hideout in the east.
It was within those walls that Kemuri endured countless modifications, subjected to Orochimaru's stringent tests. The Curse Mark adorning her body made her a perfect specimen, a living weapon to serve his sinister purposes. As she witnessed her fellow clan members succumb to their cruel fate, Kemuri harbored a deep-rooted resentment, vowing to seek revenge against the man who had destroyed her world.
Years passed, marked by unquestioning servitude to Orochimaru's every command. Kemuri's heart, broken and scarred, yearned for the day when she would finally strike back. The thought of Orochimaru meeting his demise brought a flicker of solace to her shattered soul, propelling her forward in her relentless pursuit of vengeance.
Anko watched Kemuri fly through the air and land hard on the ground. A chunk of her abdomen had been blasted away, the wind being her clan's weakness. Blood quickly pooled around Kemuri, and a shredded length of intestine hung out of her wound.
Anko stood there, looking down at Kemuri, the remnants of her clan's curse-ridden existence now reduced to a mere memory. As the blood pooled around Kemuri, their encounter's weight settled on Anko's shoulders. She couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the girl whose life had been torn apart by Orochimaru's twisted experiments.
Just like me...
Anko approached Kemuri, watching as she gasped and choked on blood. Bending down, Anko retrieved her kunai from the ground and locked eyes with Kemuri as she weakly extended a scroll toward her.
"What's this?"
"T-Take it," Kemuri croaked. "The Eastern Hideout… In the heart of… Land of… Hot Water…."
Anko tucked the scroll safely into her tool pouch, the weight of the information pressing upon her. Tears welled in Kemuri's eyes, a mixture of pain, regret, and perhaps even relief. Anko knelt beside her fallen opponent, acknowledging her valiant struggle, before ending Kemuri's suffering with a swift strike to the heart.
Driven by a sense of respect, Anko set out to give Kemuri a proper farewell. She scavenged a nearby building for a shovel and diligently dug a grave, laying her fallen foe to rest. With the finality of the burial, she plunged the shovel into the grave. Anko couldn't help but offer a sincere apology for the simplicity of the makeshift headstone. It was a humble tribute to the life that had been lost in the pursuit of vengeance.
Returning to the stone bench, Anko sought solace in the company of her thoughts. Opening her backpack, she retrieved a bottle of sake and took a long swig, allowing the alcohol to ease the weight upon her shoulders momentarily. With the lantern relit, she retrieved the scroll from her tool pouch and unraveled its contents. There were detailed instructions leading to Orochimaru's Eastern Hideout, with a message for Anko at the end.
He has many hideouts across the ninja world. You won't find him in the Eastern Hideout, but there are documents that the Hidden Leaf would like to get their hands on. I'm betting my life on you. You'd better come through, Anko Mitarashi.
Anko rolled up the scroll and placed it back in her tool pouch. With lantern in hand and backpack slung over her shoulder, Anko bid farewell to the village and journeyed out of the Iburi Caves. Leaping gracefully through the forest, she pressed on for several miles until finding a suitable spot to make camp.
Leaning against a sturdy tree, a small fire crackling in the center of a circle of rocks, Anko reflected on the path that lay before her. She took another swig from her bottle of sake, relishing the taste as it fueled her determination. The flames danced, casting flickering shadows upon her face as she muttered firmly, "I'm gonna get you, you bastard. I'm gonna get ya."
With the night settling in around her, Anko embraced the warmth of the fire; her mind focused on the relentless pursuit of justice and retribution. As the stars emerged in the darkened sky, she allowed herself a moment of respite, knowing that her journey toward Orochimaru's downfall had only just begun.
To Be Continued