Anko was naturally straightforward, but in Orochimaru's presence, she was as meek as a kitten.
Especially as she gazed upon his unchanging face, Anko felt as though she had returned to the old days when she followed him as her master.
Orochimaru had been her teacher since she was a child. Back then, she had adored him and was immensely proud to be his student. But his betrayal had cost her a piece of her memory. When she awoke, she learned that Orochimaru, in his endless quest for knowledge and greater power, had crossed the line for a shinobi and delved into forbidden jutsu. He had even conducted cruel human experiments. When the Third Hokage finally discovered his actions, he defected from the village.
As Orochimaru's disciple, Anko was subjected to endless interrogations and surveillance. The once-proud title of a Sannin's student had become a brand of shame. She resented and hated Orochimaru. The curse mark on her neck would occasionally flare up, a constant reminder of her connection to him.
Over the years, Anko's hatred for Orochimaru had outweighed her affection. Just as she was beginning to let go, a village announcement caught her completely off guard. Orochimaru had been framed. Anko's first reaction was to seek confirmation from the Third Hokage. After receiving his affirmation, the hatred in her heart lessened, replaced by confusion. If Orochimaru was innocent, why hadn't he taken her with him back then?
Later, Anko was inexplicably kidnapped, only to discover that Orochimaru was an informant within the Uchiha clan. After a period of inner turmoil, she decided to tell the Third Hokage. To her astonishment, he revealed an even greater shock: Orochimaru was an undercover agent planted within the Uchiha.
Today, she had mustered the courage to find Orochimaru, wanting only to uncover that sealed memory.
Orochimaru seemed to have anticipated it. "I thought you wouldn't dare to ask. If you want to know, follow me." With that, he turned and went inside.
Anko calmed her emotions and followed him.
Inside the room was an operating table with a chair placed before it. Orochimaru pointed to the chair, gesturing for her to sit. Anko's heart pounded with anxiety, but she obediently sat down.
Orochimaru flexed his hands and began to form hand seals. Finally, he gently touched the top of her head with two fingers. "Release!"
Black, thread-like marks appeared on Anko's head before snapping and dissipating into nothing. In her mind, memories surged forth like a tidal wave.
Tarō Island, Jirō Island, Haha Island, Kii Island…
In those days, Anko dreamed of becoming an outstanding shinobi like Orochimaru. But when she saw the half-human, half-fish monster in the tank, her world was shaken. As doubts about Orochimaru began to form, he placed the curse mark on her.
"Your desire for power is not yet strong enough. Your conviction, your hatred—none of it is sufficient."
"But as the only survivor, you might have some value. Come with me."
Orochimaru extended his hand, but Anko turned her head away, refusing. Orochimaru was not disappointed. He simply said, "In that case, I will go find a more exceptional child…"
With her memory restored, Anko understood. She hadn't been abandoned; it had been her own choice. However, regaining the memory didn't mean her inner conflict was resolved.
"You remember now, little Anko…" Orochimaru's raspy voice pulled her back to reality. "Do you know why I erased that memory back then?"
Anko shook her head. The memories were indeed filled with the cruelty of human experimentation, yet the village had exonerated Orochimaru, leaving her utterly bewildered.
"Little Anko, the world isn't black and white. Gray areas are everywhere," Orochimaru said, his eyes lowered as if recalling distant memories. "What you saw as forbidden experiments, the higher-ups may have merely seen as a tacitly approved necessity. All powers will stop at nothing to strengthen themselves."
"You were too naive, too ignorant of the meaning of cruelty. When your loved ones meet with disaster, you will hate yourself for not doing whatever it took to become stronger. This is the truth you've sought for all these years."
Orochimaru looked down at Anko, his words striking her heart like a hammer. She was no longer the child she had been ten years ago. She was vaguely aware of certain things but had deliberately avoided them, content to carry out her missions. Now, Orochimaru had ruthlessly torn that veil away.
Naive...
Anko's eyes were vacant. "So the Third Hokage knew about the human experiments back then?"
Orochimaru leaned in close, his presence overwhelming. "What do you think, little Anko?"
Anko's pupils constricted, and her body recoiled instinctively. She leaned back sharply, her back hitting the operating table behind her.
"So, little Anko, will you accept this cruel world? Or will you continue to live in your own naivety?"
The immense psychological pressure left Anko breathless, her forehead beaded with sweat. Her values, held for so many years, seemed to shatter in that single moment. Her thoughts were in chaos, her limbs felt weak, and she couldn't catch her breath.
Knock… knock… knock…
A knock suddenly came from the door. Orochimaru turned his head and stood up. "Come in."
The person who entered was Kakashi. His cloned eye was in the final stages of adjustment, so he was a frequent visitor to the laboratory. As soon as he walked in, he saw Anko. She was drenched in sweat, her face flushed, lying on the table.
Kakashi froze in the doorway, unsure whether to advance or retreat.
Orochimaru gave Anko a deep look. "Little Anko, I hope you'll have thought things through by the next time you come looking for me. Come in, Kakashi." He paid Anko no further mind and walked into the inner room.
Kakashi glanced at Anko's dazed form, lying on the table as if her soul had left her body. He had no idea what had happened. All sorts of terrible images flashed through his mind. He swallowed hard, trying desperately to push the pictures from his head.
Who am I!?
Where am I!?
What did I come here for!?
What did I just see!?
Oh no! Oh no! Am I going to be silenced?
A fine sweat broke out on Kakashi's forehead. He secretly wished his other eye would go blind too, so he could avoid witnessing things he wasn't supposed to see. He gulped, his thoughts racing as he stiffly followed Orochimaru deeper into the lab. As he passed Anko, he dared not look too closely or say a word.
...
In the Uchiha territory, Kawasaki had been back for two days. He had spent the time reflecting on his latest plan and its potential benefits. From the perspective of his system's quests, the Hidden Leaf Village was starting to feel a bit small. Even if Orochimaru successfully became Hokage, as long as the Third Hokage was alive, he could still cause trouble for the Uchiha clan.
The Uchiha had undergone a period of rapid growth several years ago. Some of the children were now four or five years old, and in another couple of years, their education would become a pressing issue. Kawasaki had no desire for the next generation of Uchiha to be indoctrinated with the Will of Fire. To become the strongest power, they needed their own territory.
Kawasaki was leaning toward a coastal region, especially since he had just acquired four islands from the Hidden Mist. He had already proposed the concept of a central factory to Orochimaru, and the Fire Daimyo was likely already implementing it. Although the various formulas were well-protected in the Land of Rice Paddies, promoting them in a major nation carried the risk of leaks. This world was filled with countless secret techniques; if someone was determined to steal a formula, they would eventually find a way. For now, they were deterred by the Uchiha's strength and wouldn't dare to act openly, but covert actions were another matter.
Kawasaki's idea for a central factory was essentially telling the world: Don't bother with the research. Even with the formula, it's a hassle. Just buy the semi-finished products from us—all you have to do is pay. The central factory would be highly profitable initially but would eventually hit a developmental ceiling.
Kawasaki's gaze was already set on maritime trade. Coastal cities were hubs of flourishing trade that could rapidly advance people's livelihoods, economies, and technology. After all, the world consisted of more than just the five great nations. Many countries, though lacking shinobi villages or ninja, possessed unique resources, secret arts, and even technologies that, when combined, represented a formidable force.
Simply defeating Tobi and Madara Uchiha was not enough. He had to prepare for the future invasion of the Otsutsuki. The current technological development was lopsided. They had televisions and refrigerators, yet no telephones; those wouldn't appear until Boruto's era. If they had cell phones, would Nagato even need his Magic Lantern Body Technique?
Kawasaki had thoroughly studied the data on the four islands gifted by the Hidden Mist. They were ideal, complete with multiple ports. The past strength of the Hidden Mist was built on foreign trade. Otherwise, a den of vipers like that would have imploded long ago. In recent years, Tobi's isolationist policies had cut off many of the Land of Water's revenue streams. Coupled with his purges, the country had descended into chaos and a vicious cycle of weakness.
However, the four islands were somewhat scattered, separated by shallow seas. Kawasaki was suddenly reminded of a coastal city he had seen in another world that faced a similar situation. They had simply connected the islands through land reclamation to form a large urban area.
Reclaiming land from the sea! The idea flashed in Kawasaki's mind. If they filled in the area between them, the resulting landmass would be immense. He studied the map carefully and found that the waters between the islands were not deep. With the right materials, it should be manageable. In this world, land reclamation was quite convenient; the Hidden Rock Village was an expert in this field. It was a perfect opportunity for Deidara to shine.
...
Although Deidara wanted for nothing, he was not happy. He had been secretly digging up soil to extract clay, all in the hopes of rescuing his senior, Sasori. But Kawasaki had delivered a sharp blow—Sasori was gone. Kawasaki told him he had already sent Sasori back to the Hidden Sand. Deidara instantly sank into a listless depression.
Kawasaki didn't have much time to console him. Intelligence about a tsunami had just arrived. He had learned about the Hidden Mist's impending attack a full day before any other power. He immediately had Shisui and the others check on the two injured Cloud shinobi from the front lines stationed at their outpost.
After the tsunami, the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Mist would likely race against time. The Hidden Mist, knowing that both of the Cloud's jinchuriki were injured, would undoubtedly launch a fierce assault on their base. If they could capture the jinchuriki before the main Cloud forces arrived, it could change the tide of the war.
News of such a massive event would soon reach the other shinobi villages. Orochimaru and Kawasaki conferred, aligning their story for the Third Hokage so the Uchiha could "logically" become Orochimaru's pawns. They predicted that with most of the Cloud's forces deployed, Ōnoki would surely amass troops to launch a sneak attack on their homeland.
But if the Hidden Leaf sealed its borders to block the Hidden Rock, they would be forced to take a detour. With the Cloud's elite forces away, this was the perfect opportunity. A detour would mean missing their chance. Therefore, if the Leaf extended an invitation, the Rock would certainly send envoys. After all, with the Cloud's main army at sea, their rear would be vulnerable. Ōnoki would never pass up such an opportunity. He would probably bring troops along when he came to meet them.
This played perfectly into Kawasaki's hands; the groundwork he had laid earlier could now be put to use. He tapped the table, and a clansman immediately entered. "Clan Head, your orders."
"Bring Iori here."
Iori was in charge of the clan's summoning beast communications and care. Soon, she arrived.
"Immediately send a message to the Third Elder, Takuya. Have him lead a team to the border of the four countries. They are not to conceal their movements. Let the spies from every power know exactly what the Uchiha are doing."
"Yes!" Iori took her leave.
Kawasaki's goal was to provoke the Hidden Rock into action. By having the Uchiha make a show of intercepting them, he could both increase Orochimaru's credibility with the Third Hokage and delay the Rock forces, allowing more Cloud shinobi to join the battlefield and preventing their homeland from being attacked. But for this to work, Terumī Mei absolutely could not be allowed to capture Yugito or Killer B.
Kawasaki stood up and paced around the room. Terumī Mei was certainly impressive, coming up with a tsunami tactic. Now, not only would the Cloud's reinforcements be slower to arrive, but news of their large-scale deployment had spread rapidly.
The route the Cloud had chosen was the only relatively shallow sea path, with a depth of only about 200 meters. Keeping to this depth was crucial to avoid attacks from deep-sea creatures. The oceans of this world were vast, and their depths were home to unknown creatures, titans of the sea. On land, a Jonin might be able to handle them, but at sea, no matter how strong an individual was, their ships would be unable to pass. The deeper the water, the higher the probability of encountering these beasts.
Thus, years of experience, paid for with human lives, had charted a few relatively safe sea routes. These routes were typically located over shallower parts of the seabed. A shallow seabed also had the added benefit of reducing the risk of natural disasters. After all, crossing the vast ocean without a ship was no easy feat.
Now, the Hidden Mist had used this very fact to turn the tables on the Hidden Cloud, creating an opportunity for a comeback.
...
After dispatching Iori, Kawasaki set out, taking Deidara, who was sneakily preparing his clay, with him.
"Hey! Kawasaki! Give me back my clay! I can fly with it, I'll get anywhere faster, hmph!"
Kawasaki hadn't told Deidara where they were going. If he knew they were going to meet that old geezer Ōnoki, it was debatable whether he would even have the guts to go.
"This, huh?" Kawasaki pretended to think. He then moved behind Deidara. A chill went down Deidara's spine, a sharp pain struck the back of his head, and his vision went black as he lost consciousness.
Kawasaki looked at the unconscious Deidara on the ground and nodded with satisfaction. It was a waste of time to engage in a daily battle of wits with Deidara, constantly watching him hide clay or try to weaken the chakra-suppressing seal. They had plenty of time now; there was no need to ride his clay bird.
Kawasaki hoisted Deidara onto his shoulder and headed straight for the border.
After about a day, Kawasaki was nearing the meeting point with Ōnoki. He was a bit early, so he decided to "brainwash" Deidara first. He casually dropped him on the ground. Deidara awoke, covered in dust.
"Argh! Uchiha Kawasaki! What the hell do you want?"
Deidara had woken up once during the journey, only to be promptly knocked out again by Kawasaki. For the entire day, he was either unconscious or on the verge of being knocked out once more. Waking up now, his mind was foggy, and he had no idea what had happened. He let out a furious roar of frustration.
What was this supposed to mean!?
It was bad enough not getting his clay, but what was with the knocking him out?
Kawasaki stretched his muscles. Carrying the hundred-plus-pound Deidara all this way had been a bit of a workout. A smile played on his lips. Simply handing Deidara over to Ōnoki wouldn't be maximizing his value. But if he could successfully "brainwash" him into willingly becoming Ōnoki's assistant, that would be a much bigger favor.
"I told you on the way here, your method of using explosions to express art is too limited."
"Hmph, I don't believe you! Explosions are the ultimate expression of art, hmph!" Deidara scoffed.
Kawasaki took out a sealing scroll and tossed the clay he had confiscated from Deidara to him. "Here, Deidara. Show me your art."
Deidara caught the clay, surprised. Kawasaki nodded nonchalantly and then released the seal on his body. Deidara felt the abundant chakra flowing through him once more.
"You're the one who said it, hmph!" If he, the great Deidara, could defeat Kawasaki, the head of the Uchiha clan, then his art would surely become known to even more people, hmph!
Deidara's hands trembled as he held the clay. Not being allowed to play with it for so many days had been sheer torture.
Kawasaki beckoned with his finger. "Come on. Use that clay to create some art for me. Let me admire it."