The forest's edge was a tapestry of meticulously laid traps, a lethal ballet choreographed by Anko Mitarashi. Hidden tripwires, explosive tags, and Genjutsu-laced illusions formed a deadly gauntlet, a testament to her ruthless efficiency.
Alongside her, a small team of Chunin, their faces grim, and a sensory-type Jonin, his eyes darting through the foliage, stood ready. Anko's eyes were narrowed, her kunai gleaming in the dim light. "He's coming," she hissed, her voice a low, dangerous whisper. "Stay sharp. He's not going to be easy."
A ripple in the air, a subtle shift in the chakra flow, announced Orochimaru's arrival. He moved with a serpentine grace, his movements fluid and unpredictable, his eyes gleaming with a cold, reptilian intensity. He stepped into the ambush zone, his gaze sweeping across the terrain, dissecting Anko's carefully laid traps.
"Anko," he hissed, his voice a low, chilling rasp. "Always so… predictable."
Before Anko could react, Orochimaru moved, a blur of motion. He bypassed a tripwire with a casual flick of his wrist, neutralized an explosive tag with a wave of his hand, and dispelled a Genjutsu illusion with a chillingly precise hand seal.
The Chunin, caught off guard, were swiftly eliminated, their screams cut short by Orochimaru's ruthless efficiency. The Jonin, attempting to pinpoint Orochimaru's location, was struck down with a swift strike to the neck.
Anko, her eyes wide with a mix of fear and rage, launched herself at Orochimaru, her kunai flashing. "You bastard!" she screamed, her voice raw with emotion. "What do you want?"
Orochimaru met her attack with a casual ease, his movements fluid and precise. "Such… passion," he mused, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Always so… emotional, Anko."
Their blades clashed, the sound echoing through the forest. Anko, her movements fueled by a desperate fury, pressed her attack, her kunai a whirlwind of deadly strikes. Orochimaru, however, remained unfazed, his movements effortless, his attacks precise and calculated.
"You were always my most… promising student," he said, his voice a low, almost affectionate murmur. "Such… potential. Wasted on sentimentality."
"Shut up!" Anko snarled, her voice thick with hatred. "You're a monster!"
"A monster?" Orochimaru chuckled, a low, chilling sound. "Perhaps. But a monster with… curiosity." His eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Anko. "Tell me, Anko. What do you know of… external influences?"
Anko paused, her eyes narrowing. "What are you talking about?"
Orochimaru continued, "A power, Anko. A force, that can eradicates what should be there. A soul. My soul."
Anko, her eyes widening, understood. "Curse mark?," she breathed.
"Yes" Orochimaru replied. "I placed a seal on someone special, but something… suppressed it. Something took what was mine. An anomaly. A disturbance. What do you know?" Orochimaru slipped, showing his interest in Sasuke.
Anko, seeing an opening, tried to press her advantage. "I don't know," she lied, her voice tight. "But whatever it is, it's stronger than you."
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. He was not fooled. He then moved back. "A pity," he said, his voice a low, chilling rasp. "I had hoped for a more… informative reunion."
He vanished into the shadows, leaving Anko standing amidst the carnage, her breath little ragged, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and hatred.
Moments later, a small insect, its wings fluttering, landed on Orochimaru's hand. He then received the information from Kabuto. His eyes widened, and he became even more interested in Sasuke. "Intriguing," he muttered, his voice a low, guttural rasp. "This… anomaly. This disturbance. As i predicted. It changes everything."