Chapter 76 – Mitarashi Anko vs. Orochimaru! Power from Heroic Spirits!
Konoha.
"Your Excellency, are you just letting them go?"
Seeing Su Li let Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame leave, Kakashi couldn't help but wonder.
Uchiha Itachi was Konoha's traitor — arresting him would have been the right thing to do.But since Su Li had decided to let them go, Kakashi wouldn't defy that decision.He was simply confused.
"They can't die yet — at least not now. I still need them to show me the way,"Su Li explained calmly.
Although he knew Akatsuki's base camp was in Rain Shinobi Village, he knew little beyond that.Even if he went there directly, it would be useless — most Akatsuki members were away on missions, and likely only Nagato and Konan remained in the village.
A reckless attack would only alert Obito. If Obito hid within Kamui, it would be nearly impossible to deal with him.
So Su Li planned to plant a spy within the Akatsuki organization — to use that spy to gather every member together.Once they assembled… it would all be over.
That spy, of course, was Uchiha Itachi.
"Besides," Su Li added, "if I kill him, Sasuke will hate me. This is his grudge — it should be settled by him."
"That's true. But I still don't understand why Itachi would do such a thing."Kakashi sighed.
Others might not know much about Uchiha Itachi, but Itachi had once served under Kakashi.He was not the kind of man who would commit genocide.
"Well, then I have to mention our Elder Danzo," Su Li said, revealing to Kakashi the truth about Itachi.
When Kakashi learned the truth, he fell silent for a long moment.
Why was it always Danzo's fault?
"The choice between the village and the family… Itachi… ah." Kakashi exhaled softly. "That guy loved sweets more than anyone — but in the end, he could only suffer alone for a lifetime."
Kakashi couldn't say whether Itachi's choice was right or wrong. It was a choice few could make.Now that it was done, there was no point in questioning it. All he could do was sigh.
"It was his own decision," Su Li said quietly. "We aren't his parents or his clan. In any case, don't tell Sasuke yet."
"I understand."
Kakashi nodded. Even if Su Li hadn't said it, he wouldn't have known how to explain it to Sasuke.Could he really say, 'Your brother was forced, and the real culprit was Konoha's elders'?Sasuke might defect on the spot.
Just as Su Li was about to continue speaking, a mechanical chime echoed in his mind.
[Ding! Orochimaru entered the dungeon by reading your manga "How Many Danzos Can You Beat?" and successfully cleared the first level!][Ding! You receive 100 system points!]
"...Hm??"
Su Li frowned. Orochimaru?How did he get the manga?
To prevent leaks, every manga Su Li distributed within Konoha was numbered and assigned per ninja team.If a ninja went missing, defected, or died, it had to be reported immediately.The system left no room for stray copies.
Yet there had been no reports of disappearances or defectors.
"Could it be that someone inside the village secretly gave Orochimaru a copy?Or maybe…"
His eyes narrowed. "Ah. I almost forgot — Sand Shinobi and Kiri also received manga. Orochimaru must have gotten his hands on one of theirs."
Because Konoha was his base, Su Li had focused on internal control there.He cared little about Sand or Kiri — their copies only contained low-tier abilities anyway.He couldn't dictate the internal affairs of other villages, so he had already expected leaks.
He just hadn't expected it to happen this soon — and certainly not to Orochimaru.
"Your Excellency, what happened?" Kakashi asked, noticing Su Li's change in expression.
"Orochimaru somehow got hold of one of my manga."
"Orochimaru?" Kakashi blinked. "Did it come from Sand Shinobi? He killed the Fourth Kazekage — they wouldn't let that go. They must have sent a team after him, and he killed them and took the manga. That's likely what happened."
Kakashi's analysis was sharp — and correct.
"It's probably that," Su Li agreed. "But it's not a big problem. It's just low-level manga. It's impossible to keep everything secret forever. Still… Orochimaru dared to use my work without permission? He must be itching for trouble."
Su Li, having read the original timeline, knew that Orochimaru's current base was in the Land of Fields, where he had founded the Sound Village.
Since becoming Konoha's acting Hokage, Su Li had been too busy — dealing with Ōtsutsuki Urashiki, the second Ten Tails, and possibly even more hidden Ōtsutsuki in the shadows.He hadn't had time to deal with Orochimaru.
But now that Orochimaru had "dug his own grave," a lesson was due.
Still, Su Li considered that Orochimaru was a rare talent — the only true man of science in the entire Shippuden era.His research was invaluable. Killing him outright would be a waste.
Recruiting him would be far more useful.
As for Konoha's hatred of Orochimaru?That was manageable. He could simply shift the blame onto Danzo, portraying Orochimaru as a victim.At worst, he could make Orochimaru "atone through service," like in the original story.
There were plenty of options.
"Alright," Su Li said, turning to Kakashi. "Go call me Anko and Sasuke. I have a mission for them."
"Understood."
Kakashi, guessing the nature of the task, quickly left to find Mitarashi Anko.
Land of Fields — Sound Village
Only half a day had passed since Orochimaru had obtained the manga.
"Lord Orochimaru, as ordered, the village's ninjas have been assembled," Yakushi Kabuto reported.
"Good," Orochimaru said, smiling — a rare sign of genuine excitement.
He was in a very good mood.First, because of the comics.Second, because he had enjoyed killing Danzo repeatedly in the comic world.
At first, Orochimaru thought those Danzos were using Izanagi to revive themselves.But as time passed, he realized they were just dungeon enemies, not the real Danzo.Still, being able to blast that old fox to pieces over and over again was extremely satisfying.
It also deepened his fascination with the manga's power.
Now he planned to let his subordinates read it — and then send four of them to Konoha to bring Sasuke back.Although his condition was stable, the pain in his sealed hands would only worsen with time.He had to act quickly.
Soon, Orochimaru and Kabuto arrived at the village's central square, where rows of Sound ninjas stood waiting, tense but excited.
They weren't afraid of Orochimaru — they worshiped him.
"Everyone," Orochimaru began, licking his lips, "I've called you here today to show you something."
Beside him, Kabuto unsealed several manga volumes from a scroll.
Although the crowd couldn't see the covers clearly, they knew these were books of some kind.
"This," Orochimaru said with a smile, "is something that can make you stronger — something that will allow you all to possess bloodline limits!"
The statement left the crowd stunned.
Everyone could have a bloodline limit?
Eyes widened, excitement flaring.Everyone knew how precious kekkei genkai were.Now they had a chance to gain one themselves.
If anyone else had said it, they might have doubted it.But this was Orochimaru.They believed him unconditionally.
Not everyone, though.
Two figures in the crowd were less than thrilled.
"Heh," a voice whispered from the shadows. "You're actually using the Deputy's works to build power for yourself?"
Sasuke smirked, then glanced at the person beside him."Senior Anko — it's your turn next. Don't let the Deputy down."
"Tch. I don't need you to remind me," Mitarashi Anko snapped, pulling off her Konoha forehead protector.Her eyes gleamed coldly.
In the next moment, violet-red light enveloped her.
Her hair lengthened, flowing and alive like serpents.A snake-shaped crest glowed on her forehead.A purple eyepatch materialized across half her face.A shimmering chain and short blade formed in her hands.Black battlewear and over-knee boots accentuated her form.
This was no ordinary transformation — it was a manifestation of magic.The power of Medusa, Heroic Spirit of the Rider class.
With a sharp whoosh, a purple flash streaked through the air.Before anyone could react, the figure shot straight toward Orochimaru on the platform.
BOOM!
Orochimaru was blasted off his feet, crashing heavily into the ground.Cracks spider-webbed across the floor.
"What—?!"
The entire square fell silent in shock.Every Sound ninja stared, mouths agape.
"Who are you!?" Orochimaru roared, fury and killing intent in his eyes.
He looked up at the figure — long purple hair, snake crest, eyepatch, violet chain.The voice was familiar… Mitarashi Anko?But Anko had never looked like this.
He couldn't believe it.
"Orochimaru…" Anko said coldly, staring at her former teacher. "You're bold, I'll give you that. But you're under arrest. Come quietly, and perhaps you'll be spared — for now."
The crowd gasped.
"She dared to say that to Lord Orochimaru!"
"Who is she?!"
"Just looking at her makes me tremble!"
Orochimaru's expression darkened."Let you capture me? Heh… hehehe…"
For the first time in years, someone's arrogance amused him.
"Not surrendering, then?" Anko said icily. "Fine. Then you'll taste the pain of your own flesh being torn apart — the retribution you deserve."
Anko's life had been miserable.Because she was Orochimaru's former student, she had borne his stigma for years.After his experiments and his betrayal of Konoha, people treated her like a remnant of his crimes.And after his attack on Konoha, her situation only worsened.
Her feelings toward Orochimaru were tangled — both gratitude and hatred.But now, she had her chance.
Otherwise, back during the Chūnin Exams, she wouldn't have tried to kill him with her twin snakes.
But this time she had orders to bring him back alive.
"Listen to your tone…" Orochimaru began with a sneer. "Do you bear a grudge against me? Who—"
Before he could finish, his eyes widened.
Anko had vanished.
No — she had moved.
She didn't intend to waste breath on him.Fueled by Medusa's power, her strength, speed, and reflexes had multiplied many times over.
Her speed was especially terrifying —like a flash of purple lightning, she appeared before Orochimaru in an instant.
"This speed…?!"
Even Orochimaru, who had underestimated her earlier, now realized —this was no ordinary opponent.