The Hope of the Senju Clan

Chapter 20: Inner Darkness

-With Anko later that Night-

As Anko travelled that night through the large forest looking for the intruder, she sensed a familiar Chakra signature nearby and instantly realized who it was and headed straight for it.

"I feel him..." thought the purpled haired Tokubetsu Jōnin, as she closed in on her target.

Soon enough she landed on a large tree branch and found her target, the former Snake Sannin and S rank Missing Ninja, Orochimaru, who was partially merged with the trunk of the tree that she was standing on.

When Orochimaru saw her, he smiled in amusement at seeing his former apprentice, "It's been a long time...Anko-chan."

"You can cut the pleasantries Orochimaru, as you're a wanted S class criminal and I' am going to kill you, even if it cost me my life", spoke Anko with the utmost seriousness, where four senbon needles appeared out of her right hand coat sleeve and into her hand.

"It's my duty after all, given how I was once your student and I learned everything I know from you" continued Anko, where she then prepared to throw her senbon needles at the former Sannin.

Orochimaru of course just smiled at this, where he then spat out his tongue, which stretched to an impossible length and headed straight for Anko. Who quickly jumped up into the air to avoid it and landed on the trunk of another tree opposite the one that Orochimaru had merged with, where she channelled her Chakra to her feet to keep from falling off the tree.

Sadly though, Orochimaru's tongue followed after her, where it then wrapped itself around Anko right arm and pulled her back onto the tree branch she was previously on.

Anko although quickly countered by holding out her left hand and the cried out "Sen'eijashun (Hidden Shadow Snake Hands)!" after which several snakes erupted from the sleeves of her arms and flew towards the Snake Sannin and pulled him out of the tree trunk.

"There's not a chance in hell that I going to let you escape!" cried Anko as she pulled Orochimaru towards her and slammed him into the tree behind her and retracted her Snakes.

Once she had retracted her snakes back into her sleeves, Anko then pinned Orochimaru to the tree by piercing both their left hands together with a Kunai. While at the same time she took hold of his other hand with her right and formed a seal with them.

"I have you now" said Anko with a smile, as she saw the realization dawn on Orochimaru when he recognised the seal.

"That's right, you and I are going to die together here", said Anko, as she prepared her Jutsu and thought "Sōjasōsai no Jutsu (Twin Snakes Mutual Death Technique)!" But before she could finish the Jutsu, she suddenly heard Orochimaru speak from behind her.

"I'm afraid you will die alone here Anko-chan..."

Surprised at this, Anko quickly turned around, where at the same time, the night moon came out of from behind the clouds, showing Orochimaru standing directly behind her.

Seeing the confused look on his former apprentices face, Orochimaru decided to explain, "...I'm afraid all you have there is a replacement."

Hearing this, Anko quickly turned around and saw that the Orochimaru that she had caught was indeed a clone, where when she turned it immediately reverted into mud, revealing it as a Doton: Kage Bunshin (Earth Style: Shadow Clone).

"You shouldn't use the forbidden technique that I taught you Anko-chan, since you're one of Konoha's Tokubetsu Jōnin now" said Orochimaru with a smile as he slowly walked to Anko.

Angered by how she had been tricked by the former Sannin, Anko quickly pulled the Kunai she had stabbed herself with and threw it at Orochimaru.

But before it could hit the Sannin in the head, he caught it with ease between his two front fingers.