Lord Fourth, this matter must be thoroughly investigated!
I understand. The Uchiha clan is vital to the village, and the Sharingan is one of Konoha's greatest assets. I will pursue this investigation to the very end!"
Minato Namikaze's expression was grave. Fugaku Uchiha's anger softened as he exhaled. "Minato, I must take responsibility for the Uchiha. Whatever happened with that individual on Higashimatsuyama must never happen again."
"Besides, the two children who went missing are both elite young members of the clan. They had only just returned from the battlefield not long ago, and now..."
"I understand."
Minato clenched his fists. Orochimaru's stern face flickered in his mind.
"I hope it's not you…"
"Lord Fourth!" The Hokage's office door slammed open. Hiashi Hyūga stood there, face pale and eyes wide with alarm—his usual composed demeanor gone.
Seeing Hiashi like that made Minato's heart skip a beat.
"What is it, Lord Hiashi?"
"Haru and Kōsuke's children have disappeared!" Hiashi's voice shook. "Last night, both their families discovered their children were gone!"
"What?!" Minato and Fugaku's eyes snapped open, shock etched on their faces.
"Even the Hyūga?" Fugaku's tone dropped. "No… Haru and Kōsuke are from branch families, right? If the bloodline were at risk, the Caged Bird Seal should have activated!"
"They are branch family children, yes—but only one-and-a-half and two years old," Hiashi replied. "Too young to have the seal implanted, so—"
Hiashi trailed off. He stared at Fugaku. "What did you mean 'even the Hyūga'? Are you saying your clan's children… too?"
"Yes," Fugaku confirmed grimly. "Last night, Shōta and Yūhi's children were taken as well. Both under three."
Children from both the Uchiha and Hyūga—the two pillars of Konoha—vanishing at once was unimaginable even across the entire shinobi world. The Uchiha oversaw Konoha's security, and the Byakugan made stealth almost impossible.
"This matter will be thoroughly investigated—"
Minato's promise stopped cold on his tongue. He, Hiashi, and Fugaku froze.
Not a single jōnin in Konoha moved. Every face in the village mirrored complete disbelief.
Through the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer Technique, the Third Hokage relayed stunning news: Orochimaru had conducted forbidden experiments, attacked Anbu, and defected from Konoha.
"How…?"
"Orochimaru… defected?!"
"Forbidden experiments… attacking the village… he couldn't—!"
Whispers of shock rippled through the offices.
Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, Hiruzen's personal pupil, the current front-line commander, Konoha's foremost operative—the news was beyond belief.
Was pushing him to the limit what broke him? Or was there more?
Minato's gaze darted to Hiashi and Fugaku—an unsettling thought struck him.
"Fugaku, mobilize the Police Force at once. Lock down every exit—seal the entire village!"
"Hiashi, assemble the Hyūga. We need Orochimaru's location now!"
"Yes!"
Minato vanished with Flying Thunder God. Fugaku and Hiashi, realizing the crisis—and suspecting their missing children were Orochimaru's doing—used Body Flicker to summon all available jōnin from their clans.
As nearly the entire village stirred in a frenzy over the shocking news of Orochimaru's defection, the man himself calmly wandered through various underground labs hidden within Konoha, collecting every scrap of research and experiment data he had accumulated over the years.
Orochimaru felt no fear of being trapped.
He had been part of Konoha's upper ranks for years. The secret escape routes under his control weren't something a simple "village lockdown" could intercept.
Even if all of the sensory-type ninja clans were mobilized, Orochimaru had full confidence in his ability to escape.
His only dilemma was this—once he left Konoha, should he follow Yuki Yoru's advice and head toward the Land of Waves… now known as Wave City?
"Delving into the secrets of the soul, refining the Living Corpse Reincarnation Technique—it's urgent, yes. But if I lack leverage, won't I just become a pawn under Yuki Yoru's thumb?"
"But if I form my own hidden village, using those children as the foundation…"
With his plan taking shape, Orochimaru weaved hand signs. A massive serpent roared to life and consumed everything inside the lab, ensuring no trace remained.
But just as he turned to leave, a tear-streaked figure appeared in the doorway.
"Sensei…"
It was Mitarashi Anko, eyes full of tears as she looked up at him.
"The whole village is saying you defected… that you betrayed Konoha…"
"But I don't believe them! You're one of the Legendary Sannin! You wouldn't do something like this… right? Sensei, I…"
"Anko," Orochimaru said calmly, his golden serpent-like eyes flat. "They're not wrong. I am leaving the village—to pursue something that belongs to me."
"The world never gives you everything you want. Things crack, break, and fade. You didn't come here just to hear me say goodbye, did you?"
"N-no… that's not it!"
Anko shook her head frantically, her voice trembling. "I just… I don't want to leave you, Sensei! I just…"
"Do you think you have the worth… the value to be taken with me?"
"I…"
Anko's voice faltered. Her eyes were clouded with hesitation.
She knew the truth—she was clumsy, lacking in talent. Despite being the personal disciple of a Sannin, she had mastered only a few basic snake jutsu.
If Orochimaru defected, he would become a target of Konoha. What could she, a weak disciple, possibly offer? She'd only slow him down.
"You know the answer already, don't you, Anko… but still—"
Suddenly, Orochimaru's neck extended like a serpent. Before Anko could react, his fangs sank into her neck.
Chakra surged at the wound, forming a fiery-hot seal shaped like three tomoe—the Cursed Seal.
"Sensei… Lord Orochimaru… it's so hot… it hurts…"
The searing pain made Anko collapse to the ground, clutching her neck and convulsing.
Orochimaru's gaze was unreadable—until a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
The cursed seal—normally over ninety percent failure—had successfully imprinted itself on her. Was this fate's way of telling him to take her along?
"Se…nsei…"
"It seems you do have some value after all."
Orochimaru leaned down, lifted Anko's chin with a finger, and said softly, "If you truly want to follow me—if you're loyal—then prove it."
"I'll smuggle you out of the village and conceal your chakra signature so no one will notice. Your mission: head east, to what used to be the Land of Waves—now Wave City. Find the one I plan to work with."
"If he accepts you, then you'll remain my disciple."
"Wave City…"
Anko sniffled, then nodded hard. "I understand, Sensei. I'll do it."
"Very good… now, rest for a while."
Orochimaru gently tapped the cursed mark on her neck. A searing wave of chakra pulsed through her, and her consciousness faded. A giant snake emerged and swallowed her whole.
His gaze lingered for a moment on the now-empty lab. Then he vanished into the darkness.
Konoha's so-called village-wide lockdown meant nothing to Orochimaru. Without that relentless white-haired sage chasing him down like in the past, he left the village effortlessly, making his way toward the Land of Rice Fields—a place he had already chosen as his future stronghold.
But Anko wasn't nearly as fortunate.
After Orochimaru smuggled her out of Konoha, she slowly regained consciousness and began her journey toward Wave City.
The distance between Konoha and Wave City was significant, and it made her journey far from easy.
Rogue shinobi. Bandits. Highwaymen.
And just before she crossed the Fire Country's border, her chakra was picked up by a patrolling Konoha squad.
As the apprentice of one of the Legendary Sannin, Anko was a familiar name in the village. Now, with the entire shinobi world buzzing over Orochimaru's betrayal, the moment this patrol discovered her trail—they sprang into pursuit.
They had no leads on Orochimaru, but if they could capture his unpredictable disciple, perhaps they could extract crucial information from her.
"Stop running, Mitarashi Anko! Surrender now!"
"Tell us everything you know about Orochimaru, and we guarantee you'll be spared!"
"You're still young—he just misled you. If you come back peacefully, the Fourth Hokage won't hold it against you!"
Their voices echoed behind her, urging surrender.
But Anko clenched her teeth and kept running—toward Wave City.
Her speed was impressive. Whenever she pushed herself to the limit, the cursed mark on her neck would burn hot, pumping surges of chakra through her system. That power kept her one step ahead of the Konoha squad—a team made up of a jōnin and two chūnin.
"This isn't good. If she makes it into the Land of Water, we won't be able to engage her freely."
"How does she still have so much chakra? She's just a kid—and she was never even labeled a prodigy."
"She's still the Sannin's disciple. Watch this—Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A spiraling gust tore across the surface of the water, flinging up a spray of mist. Anko felt the wind bearing down behind her, her face tightening. She whipped her arms back, sending out a burst of snakes from her sleeves.
The snakes were shredded instantly. The storm raged on, barreling toward her.
With no other choice, Anko leapt out of the way—but that single moment's delay was enough.
The jōnin flashed behind her, seized her ankle, and slammed her into the lake. But in the next instant, steam hissed from the water's surface—waves boiling with heat.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
A cluster of thick snakes burst from the water, striking at the jōnin.
But such a frontal attack? It didn't stand a chance.
The jōnin dodged in a flash, his hands plunging into the water—chakra surging—forcing Anko to resurface.
"I won't let it end like this!"
She bit her lip hard, defiant.
"I will earn Sensei's acknowledgment! I'm his only student!"
"I won't—can't—let him down!"
"Hidden Shadow: Multi-Snake Strike!"
Her hands moved rapidly. She lunged forward, and a dozen serpents launched toward the Konoha shinobi.
But—
"That's enough, Mitarashi Anko."
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"
"Wind Release: Wind Net!"
Blades of wind sliced effortlessly through the snakes. A crisscrossing whirlwind formed into a net and surged toward her.
Anko didn't have time to dodge. The net slammed into her body.
Countless razor-thin cuts slashed across her skin. Blood painted her body crimson.
"I won't fall here…"
Pain tore through every inch of her—but she kept whispering, kept fighting.
The cursed mark on her neck glowed a deep red. Pulses of cursed chakra poured into her.
But it wasn't enough. This was still just the early-stage curse mark—it couldn't match a jōnin's raw power.
In only a few exchanges, Anko's body was riddled with wounds. She crashed onto the lake's surface, bleeding and exhausted.
The cursed mark dimmed, its glow fading.
For an incomplete seal, it was already a miracle she had lasted this long.
Weakness washed over her like a flood. Her entire body ached. Even keeping her eyes open felt like dragging a boulder.
Did I… fail again?
Wave City… it's so close. Sensei's mission… just a little more…
Am I still not good enough…?
No—I can't go back. Even if I die… I can't let them take me back…
Even at her young age, Anko understood what awaited her if she was captured.
Dragged back to Konoha. Tortured until she broke. Exposing Orochimaru's secrets. And even if, somehow, she survived… her life would never return to normal.
She'd be treated like a traitor. Judged. Abandoned. Even her friends would turn their backs.
Better to die than live like that.
"Snake… Dragon… Hare…"
She started forming the hand seals for the Twin Snakes Mutual Death technique—a suicide jutsu.
But just as her fingers locked the next seal, a silhouette appeared in front of her.
A smooth, elegant back. A wooden token hanging at the waist.
Anko paused.
"If I'm not mistaken… you're one of Orochimaru's followers, aren't you?"
A familiar voice came from beneath a white mask. Anko stopped mid-seal and nodded.
"I'm… Anko. His direct disciple."
"Good. I remember you now."
Pakura turned her eyes toward the wary Konoha shinobi.
"Hand her over. Do that, and I'll let you live."
"She's a Konoha ninja!"
"What—you're declaring war on us?!"
"Wait… that uniform… that badge on her belt…" The jōnin's eyes narrowed. "You're from that group—Soul Society. The one causing a stir in the shinobi world lately!"
"So you do know who I am. Then you should know your place."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
The jōnin drew a kunai, dropping into a stance.
"If she's headed for Wave City, and you're here to intercept her—then Soul Society must be allied with Kirigakure! And you're colluding with Orochimaru?!"
"…I really hate Konoha jōnin who are actually smart."
Pakura exhaled softly—and vanished.
In a blur, both chūnin were sliced in two.
The jōnin barely reacted, escaping via Body Flicker—but not fast enough. Pakura severed his shoulder, blood spraying and dyeing the sea red.
"You're not getting away."
Pakura murmured, already in pursuit.
Her Shunpo was leagues faster than any Body Flicker. Within seconds, she was in front of the retreating jōnin.
"What is your village planning?!" he roared.
His right arm was gone, a gaping sword wound slashing from armpit to gut.
Still, he glared straight into her eyes.
"You make peace with Konoha in public, but work with Orochimaru behind the scenes? You created Soul Society to destabilize the world?! Has Kirigakure's ambition grown that reckless?!"
Pakura said nothing.
She raised her Zanpakutō—and swung.
One clean strike. His head hit the water.
She glanced at the corpse. Her hand rose—Sōkatsui. A torrent of blue fire consumed his remains, erasing all evidence.
The major nations might've heard of Soul Society—but Kirigakure couldn't publicly acknowledge it.
Especially not now.
Orochimaru was on the verge of joining forces with them—possibly even pledging to Yuki Yoru. Pakura couldn't leave any survivors.
After all, the Land of Water had started presenting itself as an open, commercial, industrial power—especially in its dealings with the rich and resource-heavy Land of Fire.
Any sign of underhanded plotting? It would destroy everything.
"They didn't go for a killing blow," Pakura murmured, scooping the unconscious Anko from the water. "Looks like they wanted you alive."
Her gaze fell on the back of Anko's neck. The cursed seal still pulsed faintly. Her brows drew together.
She said nothing more.
In an instant, she was gone—taking Anko with her.