Chapter 197: Anko Mitarashi 4

"Tell me, Anko, who gave you and is still the main summoner of the Snake Contract?" Tsunade started, continuing with her tactics of leading Anko to the answers rather than outright telling her.

Anko's eyes widened at the question, her mind comprehending the meaning behind it as her lips set into a frown. "You want to tell me the reason why I am distrusted is that I am a Snake Summoner?" She asked a bit miffed.

Tsunade just shook her head, "It's more than that. You see, the Summons are not exactly allied to a village. Let's talk about something famous... for example Toads of Jiraiya. They will listen to him and work for him in exchange for whatever he promised them. But if, hypothetically, someone new performed the Kuchiyose no Jutsu and got into the Mount Myoboku because of his compatibility with toads, the Toads would not refuse him just because he is from Iwa, Suna, or whatever village. The person would probably not become the main summoner of Toads until Jiraiya's death and only in case, Jiraiya doesn't find a worthy successor. Such a person would be in a very similar situation you are currently in."

Anko scrunched her eyebrows as she thought about the implications before a conflicted look appeared on her face, "My snakes will not betray me. I can't command most of them but those I befriended and use I believe are loyal to me." She said.

Anko never thought about it this way but it made sense. If Orochimaru was the main and only summoner of snakes, he had decades to form a trusting, or at the very least, profitable relationship with them. Adding to that the fact snakes are not the most trustworthy animals... yeah, Anko could see why Snake Summons could be a bit of a problem. But she still believed in her snakes!

"Maybe, maybe not, nobody can know for sure." Tsunade uncaringly shrugged, causing Anko to grow irritated. "That's not the point. You should be glad Orochimaru never saw a point in creating a cordial relationship with his summons as I and Jiraiya did. For him, Snakes were tools to use that had a certain price in sacrifices. That was it. And that is the only reason why your own snakes are most likely not spying on you." Tsunade sighed tiredly and Anko looked as if she just ate something sour, "You gotta understand Anko, most ninjas, maybe even some clan heads, do not know nor care about these small nuances of summoning contracts but the Hokage and the Elders certainly do know. In their eyes, the main summoner of snakes is Orochimaru and he had it for decades before you were added. They have no idea or care in the world that Orochimaru probably never formed enough trust for snakes to betray their secondary summoner. For them, you are a constant threat but they can't just get rid of you. That would simply send a bad message and the Snake Contract can, after all, be still useful to the village."

Anko was listening in rapt attention. Orochimaru never really went all that deep into the theory of the contracts. He simply told her to get a few snakes, make a deal with them or beat them in combat. As long as they find her worthy, they will help for a price. Thankfully, Anko didn't always listen to every word and so she managed to befriend several snakes, rather than making them business partners of a sort.

It was when she realized that, her eyes flashed with surprise, "The Hokage is waiting to see if I can get more Snake Summons. He..." Anko stopped in disbelief.

"He hopes you would get enough snakes on your side to be able to spy on Orochimaru. He knows exactly what kind of a man Orochimaru is and what kind of relationship he has with his summons. He also probably grossly underestimated Orochimaru in this particular matter, though. In your place, I would be glad if there is no spy among my own summons rather than trying to subvert animals so deceitful as snakes. Say, are there some snakes who joined you and provided support for you right after Orochimaru abandoned you?" Tsunade trailed off, seeing the answer clearly on Anko's hurt and betrayed expression. In order to prevent the girl from making some kind of hasty mistake, Tsunade quickly added, "Well, there is always a chance they really wanted to help you."

That seemed to calm Anko, if only slightly. By now, she heard enough revelations, suggestions, and logical assumptions about her standing in the village, how others... people who actually matter... see her, and how even her own damn summoning contract can fuck her side-ways. Anko, while outwardly looking only slightly peeved, was inwardly a total mess.

"I guess that is not the end of it, heh?" Anko bitterly chuckled and put her hand on the left side of her neck. So many reasons people hate her and still, the main one was not even touched upon. She always believed that if there was one reason why the people of Konoha were justified in their actions against her, it would be the Cursed Seal.

"Yeah, but you already knew that." Tsunade rolled her eyes at the self-pitying girl. "I won't give you the spiel about how you are Orochimaru's apprentice and how untrustworthy that makes you. Adding to that the seal on your neck? Orochimaru might as well have branded you as his property and shipped you off to his enemies. Nobody knows what he can do to you through the seal. Can he control you? See through your eyes? Feel what you feel? Gain access to your memories? Seals can do many nasty things and all Konoha knows is that he can easily paralyze you through pain and honestly, that is enough to never send you on a mission pertaining to Orochimaru. You are simply useless against him and he could, potentially, torture you to compliance through the seal." She finished and quieted down, letting Anko process what she just told her.

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Judging by the quickly changing twisted expression on Anko's face, the girl finally put her brain to use and understood that nobody ever told her the function of the Cursed Seal. She knew it was supposed to make her stronger. She also knew Orochimaru had fail-safes in the seal. But... she never really thought about it from the angle of, 'what else could be in the seal'. After Jiraiya examined it, he never informed her of his findings, after all. Only that it was impossible for him to erase because it was far too complex.

After three minutes of thoughts and emotions raging in her head, trying to make heads and tails of her current situation, Anko's shoulders slumped down in defeat. "Fine, lay it on me, Tsunade-sama. What do you want from me?" She resignedly asked.

Tsunade was not about to insult the girl's intelligence by denying it. Free lunches were very rare in the world and anyone who survived being a ninja for a certain period of time knows that a seemingly selfless helping hand is usually guided by hidden benefits. Hence, it is very dangerous to accept offered help without knowing what exactly would the other get out of it. Tons of people earned their traitor status by simply believing in the wrong 'samaritan'.

The blonde relaxed and looked at Anko with a knowing smirk that announced her victory. Simply theoretically, Anko could go back to Konoha, pretending nothing ever happened, but it would be hard to act clueless and never slip up now that she knows certain motivations of the higher-ups. Both knew no matter how good of a kunoichi the girl is, she was no long-term infiltrator. She WILL slip up if she refused Tsunade and returned. And once the higher-ups see that Lil' Anko got a bit smarter, that she doesn't fully trust Hokage as she used to... with her current status in the village, Anko wouldn't be surprised if the council thought her new cautious behavior was somehow influenced by Orochimaru and that would be the end of her.

After all, the only good weapon is one who doesn't ask questions. And Anko was not nearly as delusional to believe she is important enough to keep alive if she started showing curiosity and knowledge of things people didn't want her to know.

It was only now that Anko, in her resigned and defeated state, actually understood what Tsunade did. She closed all paths to retreat by informing her of things that will forever bug her and affect her behavior while also giving her a reason to not trust her superiors.

'She played me. Coming back from a mission where I met Orochimaru's subordinates and completely changing my behavior? I would be doomed without even being able to justify the change! I can't really say to the Hokage's face that I now know what a bastard he is.' Anko realized with grudging respect while also feeling a bit betrayed as she motionlessly stared at her clenched hands.

"What if I told you I can resolve pretty much all of your problems?" Tsunade tilted her head, "I am still the head of the Senju Clan, you know? I can give you the much-needed protection of a clan."

"And the price?" Anko whispered, causing Tsunade to grin.

"Mah, don't worry. If anything this will be more beneficial for you than me, girl. I want..."

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