At two in the morning.
Anko lay in bed, pretending to sleep, while sneaking a glance at Yugao Uzuki, who was diligently watching over her.
"So diligent!" she thought sarcastically, noticing Yugao was engrossed in reading a ninjutsu scroll.
Anko closed her eyes again, entering a state of fake sleep. This technique, taught by Orochimaru, allowed her to rest while ensuring she would wake up at a precise time.
At three in the morning.
Anko awoke from her fake sleep to find Yugao gone. Her heart leaped with joy.
"Finally, that shadowy ghost is gone," she thought, feeling a mixture of relief and frustration towards Yugao. Not only was Yugao stronger and more diligent, but she was also just as beautiful. It irritated Anko to no end that even Yugao's pet bears were bigger than hers.
After confirming the room was empty, Anko sat up straight.
In the courtyard.
"Bang!"
The window of Anko's room flew open as she used the Body Flicker Technique to dash out of the mansion.
"Heh..."
Yugao appeared in the courtyard, coldly blocking Anko's path.
"Hehe..."
Instead of feeling discouraged, Anko grinned at Yugao.
Another shadow jumped out of Anko's window, fleeing in a different direction. It was another Anko!
"This way is blocked!"
Uchiha Mikoto appeared in the courtyard, looking at Anko with pity. Mikoto doubted Anko could escape Shishou's grasp.
Despite Mikoto's expression, Anko smiled slightly. Another Anko had already escaped through the window, heading in yet another direction.
"Well, which one do you think is the real me?"
The first Anko teased Yugao with a grin.
"I'll just beat you all up to find out," Yugao responded boldly.
Yugao immediately attacked the first Anko, who dodged and threw several snakes from her sleeves. Yugao evaded them effortlessly.
On the other side.
Shishou appeared, blocking the third Anko's path, and smiled.
"Miss Anko, could there be another one of you?"
The third Anko also smiled.
"How did you know?"
Just as she spoke, another figure leapt out of the window, mocking Shishou and the others.
"Haha, I'm the real one!"
The fourth Anko ran in a fourth direction.
"Hehe, someone's about to fail,"
the Anko in front of Shishou laughed as the fourth Anko seemed to be escaping the mansion.
In the next second, Shishou grabbed the Anko in front of him and reappeared in front of the fourth Anko.
"What's going on?"
"Your Body Flicker Technique is that advanced?"
Both Ankos were stunned by Shishou's sudden change in position. They assumed it was due to his skill in the Body Flicker Technique, unaware of his Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Heh, Miss Anko, are you ready to reveal your true self?"
Shishou smiled at the two Ankhos.
Yugao and Mikoto had already dealt with the other two Anko clones and joined Shishou, surrounding the remaining two.
"Yes, yes, I surrender! I surrender, okay?"
The fourth Anko raised her hands in surrender. The Anko Shishou was holding turned into white smoke.
Now, only one Anko remained.
"It looks like this is her real body,"
Yugao said, checking Anko's room and finding it empty. She returned outside, looking at Shishou.
"Miss Anko, let's go back,"
Yugao grabbed Anko's hand.
"I know, I'll go back,"
Anko protested loudly, being dragged back to her room by Yugao.
"Idiots!"
A small white snake, hiding where Yugao had fought, glanced at Shishou and the others, thinking to itself.
All four Ankos had been fakes.
The real Anko had transformed into a snake and was thrown out by the first Anko to attack Yugao.
Even with advanced teleportation, they couldn't outsmart her strategy.
The snake Anko slithered towards the mansion gate, feeling pleased with herself.
As she neared the gate, she felt her tail being stepped on.
"Ah, who stepped on my tail!"
Anko froze, turning to see Shishou smiling at her.
"Miss Anko, where do you think you're going?"
You...
Anko shivered, unable to maintain her transformation, and with a 'poof,' returned to her human form.
"How did you know?"
Anko sat on the ground, hands behind her, staring in shock at Shishou. She had thought her diversion strategy was foolproof.
Shishou, of course, wouldn't reveal that he had planted phosphorus bugs on Anko, tracking her every move. He had just been playing along.
"Miss Anko,"
Shishou squatted beside her, pinching her cheek to retrieve the phosphorus bugs from her body.
"Hmph! What do you want?"
Anko huffed, afraid Shishou might tie her up and tickle her again. She hated that torturous feeling of helpless laughter.
"You'll see,"
Shishou grabbed Anko's shoulder, vanishing from the spot.
Nearby, Yugao and Mikoto exchanged glances and returned to their rooms, not wanting to interfere.
Several minutes later.
In Anko's room.
Anko was tied up in a spread-eagle position on the bed.
"What... what do you want?"
Anko's voice quivered with fear. She dreaded Shishou might do something strange to her.
Shishou chuckled softly.
"You came to me for this, didn't you?"
He pressed his hand on the Heaven Curse Mark on Anko's neck.
Feeling the curse mark, Shishou used the phosphorus bugs to locate Orochimaru's cells hidden within it.
Cursed Seal Release!
Rejuvenation!
In the next moment.
Shishou pulled a large white snake head from Anko's neck.
Orochimaru's figure slowly emerged from the snake's mouth.
Anko was stunned.
"Lord Orochimaru!" she gasped.