Previously on Konoha no Yoko: Chuunin Exam, Team 7 had just faced a monster fitting for the lowest pits of hell. And with Naruto and Sasuke badly injured, there is only Sakura left to defend them all. Will she find the inner strength to rise up and protect what she holds dear - even at the cost of her life - or will she crumbled beneath the crushing pressure?
~Scroll 14~
The full moon rose high above the trees as Anko raced through the tree branches. It's already dusk! She feverishly thought as her blood pumped through her veins. There were a few times in her entire life that she had known true fear, and each of those times involved around one particular man. I have to find him soon! The darker it gets… the worse this situation will get! The question is… why did he choose to show up now? What's he playing at?!
Not that it matters… if it really is you, then we'll end this. Right here. Right now. Slowly her fear became overridden with her sense of duty and a deep-seated self-loathing. Because you've become a Bingo Book, Level S threat - the worst kind of security risk. And I'm going to kill you, even if it cost me my life! And at that moment, Anko suddenly felt a calmness within her that came with the acceptance of her own possible death. A death that she would gladly accept. And if I can't manage that, then… She stopped on a branch, at least I'll slow you down until the Black Ops teams can get here. It's my duty. It's what I learned from my greatest teacher ever… what I learned from you…! Isn't it…
"Orochimaru…" Anko called as she sensed the familiar killer-intent of her former teacher.
"Impossible…!" Orochimaru hissed as his genjutsu dissolved into nothing.
In a blink of an eye, Anko jumped into the air with senbon in hand.
Orochimaru instantly whipped his serpent tongue.
Anko turned around to strike him down.
His tongue lashed onto her wrist, forcing her to drop the senbon.
She dropped to a tree. She clasped onto the pinkish-gray appendage.
Twin serpents emerged from the sleeves of her coat and wrapped themselves around the tongue.
"You can't escape… Striking Snake technique!" She screamed as she pulled Orochimaru free from his hiding spot.
Suddenly he slammed himself into her.
With a flick of her wrist, she pulled a kunai out and slammed it through her left hand… through his right hand and pinning them both into the tree.
"Got you!" Anko maliciously grinned and sang, "Orochimaru, could you lend me a hand? The left one?"
She then forced his hand to match her hand-seals.
His eyes grew wide in realization at what she was planning to do.
"That's right…" She sang in a dark glee, "We're going to die together. Here. Ninja Technique - Twin Snakes Kill Each Other!"
"You mean to commit suicide? How precious!" Orochimaru's cruel voice purred from… behind Anko.
She gasped in horror.
"But that's a doppelganger…" He chuckled from a safe spot before he sneered, "Since, for the time being, it appears you have become one of this village's Jounin ninja elite…" His right hand reached up to tear the charred flesh-mask off of his own face while his left hand made the Tiger hand-seal, "You mustn't just… squander every secret I taught you."
Another gasp slipped pass Anko's lips as her blood suddenly seared through her veins as if it was on fire.
She dropped to her knees in pain.
"Why?" She whimpered through clenched teeth, "Why are you here? Why now?!"
"For old times' sake, of course, my dearest Anko! But from your cold reaction…" Orochimaru tsked as he removed the rest of the flesh-mask and revealed his ashen-grey complexion and his cold yellow serpentine eyes - eyes more fitting on a demon than a human, "… one might almost suspect you're not glad to see me!"
"Oooh…" She struggled against the blood poison coursing through her, "What is it? An assassination attempt? Are you after Lord Hokage?"
"Heavens, no!" The pale monster honestly dismissed, "I lack the hubris - and the proper number of subordinates - to attempt anything of that magnitude! My targets are any ninja of the village who display extraordinary abilities."
Anko moaned but kept fighting against Orochimaru's black taint.
"In fact, I just left my mark as a little parting gift…" He casually stated.
She scratched at her neck, subconsciously trying to claw out the three-pong mark - his mark - that painfully throbbed in concert with her own heartbeat.
"… on one of the boys." He airily breathed.
"Uhh…! You monster! It's a time bomb… He'll be dead in no time!"
Orochimaru darkly grinned when he heard the underlying hope in her former pupil's pained and weak voice. He knew that she hoped that his prize would die from the curse mark despite not knowing who it was that bears it.
"There's a nine out of 10 chance that you're right, of course…" But he did not sound too troubled by his own admission, "But just the same… he may survive… as you did." He purred.
"And the thought of him gives you… a charge?" Anko spat out.
"Oh, my dear! Jealous? After all this time…" He sickly cooed, "… are you still angry that I used you and abandoned you?"
She gasped in pain, both physical and mental. She had thought he had loved her. She had given him everything. But all that changed when she began to change… as it was the nature of her gender…
"This child seems quite exceptional… unlike you." His serpentine orbs stared down at his former pet and knew that whatever he said next, she would not remember it. Her body had begun to shut itself down in order to preserve itself. "His bloodline is that of the Uchiha Clan… his face and his body are very beautiful." His voice became thick with lust. "He could be the perfect vessel… to succeed me."
Anko then collapsed; the blood poison winning.
"I foresee interesting times… assuming he survives." And Orochimaru had no doubt that his newest pet would survive, "And don't get any clever ideas about trying to end this exam."
The serpentine monster stood to leave.
"I plan to savor this. Three of my protégés have taken the places of three of your own. If something should happen to rob me of my enjoyment… it will spell the end of Konoha village!" Orochimaru promised as he disappeared into the night.