Chapter 75: Two "Good Teachers"
Ten minutes later—
"Teacher!"
Watching Asuka bite his finger and continuously paint strange symbols across Anko's back with his own blood, Yugao asked anxiously,
"Is it serious?"
"Not particularly."
Hearing that answer, Yugao finally let out a relieved breath.
Then something occurred to her.
"What exactly is that?"
Asuka pursed his lips.
"It's an incomplete Curse Mark."
"It doesn't have much practical value yet, but its side effects are severe."
He didn't understand its exact principles.
However, after examining it just now, one thing was obvious—
The backlash was terrifying.
When it flared up, the pain alone could rob someone of their ability to fight.
"Orochimaru..."
"...actually entrusted unfinished research to his own student."
"What a pitiful child."
He glanced at Yugao's guilty expression and sighed inwardly.
From a certain point of view...
She was a genius as well.
She had somehow managed to trigger the Curse Mark through purely physical means.
Shaking the blood from his fingertips, Asuka pressed his hands together.
One seal after another flowed effortlessly.
Tiger. Rabbit. Snake. Horse. Ram. Rooster.
Tiger. Rabbit. Snake. Horse. Ram. Rooster.
Tiger. Rabbit. Snake. Horse. Ram. Rooster.
A massive amount of chakra rapidly gathered in his palm.
Evil Sealing Method!
Slap!
The moment his palm landed on Anko's neck...
The blood-red tadpole-like markings covering her back suddenly came alive.
They wriggled toward the curse seal on her neck before disappearing into it.
"Mmm—! Mmph—!"
Hearing the muffled groans before him, Asuka looked at Anko.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, teeth clenched tightly together, refusing to scream despite her trembling body.
He couldn't help but praise her.
"Your willpower is impressive."
Her entire body shook violently.
"T-That..."
"O-Of course..."
Asuka smiled.
He picked up a towel from the bed, rolled it into a thick bundle, and spoke in a tone of complete sincerity.
"Your blanket slipped off."
"Those little accessories of yours are quite unique."
"Wha—?!"
Anko's eyes flew open.
She instinctively looked downward.
Finding the blanket still perfectly covering her chest...
She immediately turned back and glared furiously at Asuka.
"You bas— Mmph!!"
Before she could finish...
He stuffed the rolled towel straight into her mouth.
While continuing to channel chakra into the seal, Asuka casually waved toward Yugao.
"Yugao."
"If you ever encounter something like this again..."
"Stuff something into the patient's mouth first."
"When people experience extreme pain..."
"...they might bite off their own tongues."
"Never trust those people who insist they're tough."
"If the towel fits, shove it in."
"Otherwise..."
"...they'll come asking you for compensation afterward."
"Your teacher has already learned that lesson several times."
"I... I understand."
Watching Anko glare daggers at her teacher, Yugao lowered her head and stared awkwardly at her own toes.
So...
In Teacher's eyes...
Those count as 'little accessories'?
---
"Asuka-kun."
Yugao suddenly heard an eerie voice behind her.
Turning toward the doorway...
She froze.
One of the Legendary Sannin stood there.
Orochimaru slowly licked his lips.
His golden snake-like eyes rested calmly upon everyone in the room.
Yugao instinctively took half a step backward.
"Lord Orochimaru..."
"Hey, hey."
"Lord Orochimaru."
"Tone down that killing intent."
"You're frightening the children."
Without even turning around, Asuka rested one hand on Anko's shoulder and calmly spoke while looking at Orochimaru's reflection in the window.
"That girl..."
"...is my student."
Silence filled the room.
Only Anko's muffled groans could still be heard.
Orochimaru lowered his eyes toward Anko before looking back at Asuka.
A trace of amusement appeared on his face.
"She's also my subordinate."
Asuka wiped the sweat from Anko's forehead without changing expression.
"So..."
"Are you sexist?"
"Not at all."
Orochimaru chuckled softly.
"Nawaki's talent simply exceeded hers."
"You should consider accepting students from the Uchiha Clan instead."
"They generally live longer than the Senju..."
"...and they're stronger as well."
Asuka finally withdrew his chakra.
The curse seal had completely calmed.
He picked up Anko's clothes from beside the bed, draped them over her, then rose to his feet.
Step.
Step.
Step.
Each footstep echoed throughout the silent room.
Yugao felt as though every one of them landed directly on her heart.
She swallowed nervously.
The atmosphere...
Had become incredibly strange.
Out of the corner of his eye, Orochimaru watched Asuka walk past him.
The corners of his lips slowly curled upward.
"I will."
"Oh, right."
Asuka suddenly stopped behind him.
"I almost forgot."
"What is the meaning of life?"
Orochimaru looked at Asuka's reflection in the window and answered slowly,
"There isn't one."
"...Sigh."
Asuka let out a helpless sigh as he continued toward the door.
"My young Clan Head told his mother the exact same thing two days ago."
"He said someone told him..."
"'Life has no meaning.'"
"His mother immediately assumed some morally questionable member of the clan had corrupted her precious son."
"Then..."
"...she practically pointed at my nose while scolding me by name."
"I'm terribly sorry."
Orochimaru smiled apologetically.
"Come."
"It's time for lunch."
Asuka simply patted Yugao's shoulder before walking out.
Watching their reflections disappear through the doorway, Orochimaru finally turned toward Anko.
She had already gotten dressed.
Smiling faintly, he said in his hoarse voice,
"We should go eat as well."
"Lord Orochimaru!"
Anko hurried over beside him.
"What is the meaning of life?"
"Hm..."
Orochimaru looked toward Asuka's retreating figure outside.
"Everyone has a different answer."
"Some live for others."
"Some live for themselves."
"Some pursue ideals."
"Some pursue dreams."
"And some simply live because they're alive."
"Only by experiencing life yourself..."
"...will you discover something worth pursuing."
"Isn't that interesting?"
Anko blinked.
"Then..."
"Why did you tell Uchiha Itachi that life has no meaning?"
Hearing that question, Orochimaru glanced toward the distant cemetery.
A smile spread across his face.
"We met in a graveyard."
"He asked me the meaning of life."
"But mourning the dead..."
"...is itself a meaningless act."
"What meaning can the dead possibly possess?"
Anko stared at him blankly.
"...That's all?"
"What else did you expect?"
"Oh..."
She absentmindedly kicked the doorframe.
Lord Orochimaru really did mislead that poor Uchiha boy...
No wonder he walked away believing life had no meaning.
Still...
She quickly shook her head before happily jogging after her teacher.
The village often said...
That both Orochimaru and Jiraiya were excellent mentors.
Perhaps it was true.
Teachers wouldn't deceive their students.
Just as family wouldn't deceive family.
---
"Teacher."
"What is the meaning of life?"
Yugao asked the same question while following Asuka through the streets.
Asuka lazily picked his teeth with a senbon needle.
"Are you still planning to make breakfast for me tomorrow?"
"Yes!"
Yugao answered without hesitation.
Asuka reached over and gently rubbed her head.
"Then..."
"That's the meaning of life."
"...Teacher?"
She looked up in confusion.
"I remember..."
"...didn't you once tell Uchiha Itachi that life has no meaning?"
Asuka casually dug at his ear.
"Compared to the endless universe..."
"...human beings are unbelievably small."
"What significance could one person's actions possibly have..."
"...within a cosmos that vast?"
Gulp.
Yugao swallowed nervously.
"But Teacher..."
"...didn't you just say—"
Asuka secretly looked around to make sure no one else was listening.
Then he grinned.
"How could a teacher fool his own student with that kind of nonsense?"
"...Oh."
A smile slowly spread across Yugao's face.
She quickly caught up with him, happiness written plainly across her expression.
Family...
Didn't lie to one another.