The Celestial Copy - Chapter 30

I’d spent the last week preparing.

With Naruto starting the Academy, his social calendar had filled up almost overnight. Between class and spending time with his new friends, specifically his future wife and his reincarnated brother, he didn’t need his “Big Bro” hovering over him. He still sought me out for training, ramen, and also stories of how his day went, but that was about it. He finally got to act like the little boy he was, and I had a bit more breathing room to deal with one of the village’s lingering poisons.

Of course, there were no live prisoners with cursed seals for me to practice the Evil Releasing Method on. But that was fine. My purification of Gintoki served as the highest quality practice I could have asked for. As such, the majority of my preparation was concentrated on theory.

Fuinjutsu had never been my strongest field. It was rather ironic. Minato-sensei and Kushina were two of the greatest sealing masters in the history of the village, and they had taught me plenty. However, my youngest self hadn’t been particularly interested in it beyond the convenient stuff a shinobi should know, like being able to create explosive tags on the fly or a storage seal, and so they never forced it.

To be honest, I still wasn’t interested in it, but the current situation forced my hand. At least Skilled Development gave me peak talent in the field. Because of that, I was able to figure out how to use the Evil Releasing Method within a day, then it became a matter of becoming absolutely sure I’d make no mistakes. It also helped that it was far simpler than its counterpart, which I already knew how to apply.

“I didn’t expect us to finish the job so quickly,” Tsura commented, breaking my train of thought.

Daisuke clapped her on the shoulder. “All thanks to you for tracking them down so fast!”

Right now, I was walking back from T&I with my team. Our mission was to track down and capture a trio of traitors who had attempted to flee the village, then deliver them to Inoichi for processing. Standard ANBU work, really. Team Ro had managed to finish what should’ve been a day-long operation in a few hours.

“Since it’s so early, I’m going back to training,” Yugao said, falling into step beside me. “Captain, if you aren’t busy… could you help me refine that thrusting technique?”

“Ayo?” Akito chimed in. “You want the Captain to help you with thrusting?”

Yugao froze, then sputtered indignantly. “N-not like that!”

“Hmm, I do have the time,” I said, cutting off any further teasing. “Does anyone else want to join for a second session?”

A chorus of agreement answered me. It was barely past noon, and none of us had other plans. Besides, training was a default activity for any serious shinobi with free time.

We arrived at our private training grounds a few minutes later, everyone starting to go through their routines while Yugao stayed with me.

“I’ll be with you in a few minutes,” I told her. “Get warmed up in the meantime.” She nodded and moved to a corner, immediately falling into a rhythm of practice swings. 

I approached Anko, who was currently stretching her arms.

“Yo, Captain. You here to show me something first?”

“Not exactly,” I replied. “Today, I want you to run continuous spars with Akito, Tsura, and Daisuke. High intensity. Don’t bother conserving your chakra reserves.”

She paused mid-stretch. “Are you sure…?”

“Absolutely. Fight until you’re physically exhausted and your chakra’s almost completely drained. Let me know when you’re down to barely enough for a single Body Flicker.”

Her hand instinctively drifted toward her neck before she stopped herself. “Alright. If you say so, Kakashi.”

She turned and yelled for Tsura, masking her unease with her usual loud persona. The two of them began their spar shortly after.

Now for the next step, the fragment of Orochimaru inside her curse mark would need a body to occupy if I was bringing it out. I obviously wasn’t giving him a real human body, but I had an idea of a vessel he’d find attractive. Even if he suspected a trap, a fragment of consciousness wouldn’t care about the risk if the bait offered valuable knowledge or potential.

I made my way over to one of the few people who could use wood-style. “Hey, Tenzo, I need a favor.”

“Of course,” he replied instantly. “What is it?”

“Create a Wood Clone for me,” I instructed. “Well, not a true clone. I just want a life-sized construct. As close to a living body as you can manage without giving it consciousness.”

“A mannequin? That’s no problem, I can easily do that.”

Tenzo brought his hands together, causing a thick pillar of wood to erupt from the ground. It twisted and tightened until it formed a faceless humanoid shape.

“Will this do?”

“Perfect. Thank you, Tenzo.”

I unrolled a storage scroll, sealing the wooden construct inside before tucking it securely into my pocket.

Now it was just a waiting game for Anko’s reserves to bottom out. Until then, I’d help Yugao as she’d asked.

Walking toward her, I saw her cycling through a series of fluid kenjutsu forms. 

Even though she often asked me for my help, my guidance was usually limited to combining ninjutsu with her swordplay. When it came to the pure art of the blade, she was the real specialist in the squad. With the new Holy Weapons perk, I’d be using my sword more often. I didn’t really have a style, relying on the simple reality of me being the stronger individual. It would likely still be more than enough to deal with almost anyone, but I wanted something more refined now.

Yugao sensed my approach and reset to a neutral stance. “Ready, Captain? I was hoping you could look at my chakra output during the thrust. I think I’m leaking too much wind before the point of impact.”

“We can look at that later,” I said, then paused. “I actually have a different request today.”

Her posture shifted, attentive. “Yes?”

“I want you to teach me.”

“Teach you?” she repeated.

“I know all the forms and how to use a sword to kill,” I explained. “But you’re a true kenjutsu master. Your fundamentals in fluid combat are better than mine. That’s why I want to learn from you today.”

Yugao went still. Her sword tip dipped slightly toward the ground. “You… want me to teach you?”

That was a cute reaction. To her, I was the infallible Captain who knew everything. The idea that I was asking her for instruction was a reversal she clearly hadn’t anticipated.

“If you’re willing,” I added gently.

“Of course, sir!” she exclaimed. “I’d be… I mean, yes! It’s the least I can do after all your guidance.” She took a ready stance. “Please, draw your blade.”

------------------------------

[Anko Mitarashi]

Grunting, Anko drove her heel, enhanced by chakra reinforcement, into Daisuke’s forearm. The Akimichi just endured it like it was nothing, using his partial expansion jutsu on his arm combined with that new favorite defensive technique of his, the Iron Skin Jutsu.

She rebounded off him, landing in a crouch a few feet away, sweat sticking her bangs to her forehead after nearly an hour of nonstop sparring. Her previous opponents had been more fun. Tsura was a chaotic brawl to start things off. Against Akito, it was a game of evasion and counter-attacks. But then there was this big lug. Fighting him was like throwing herself at a mountain. Especially since he wasn’t really fighting back anymore, already knowing that the final goal was to exhaust herself.

Still, that boredom was nothing compared to the sensation on her neck.

You lack the drive. That is why I left you behind. If you had the will to use this power, I would have taken you with me. But you were unworthy.

The Curse Mark had already woken up when her previous spar ended. As her reserves continued depleting, the three tomoes on her neck burned even hotter.

She gritted her teeth, ignoring the whisper. She knew exactly what would happen if she drained herself dry as Kakashi had ordered. And she knew he knew. There was no way a man like him would just overlook a major detail like that. So why ask her to do this?

He is just like the village. He doesn’t trust you. He is watching, waiting for you to snap so he can put you down. He rejected you just like I did. Accept my power. Show him you are not a failure.

…No way.

If the slimy bastard had tried a different angle, maybe it would’ve had a chance of working. But comparing Kakashi to that snake was just laughable. He wasn’t even remotely like that.

She was one of the newest ANBU agents, but in her months as part of Team Ro, she’d heard enough rumors to scrape it together. The man the voice was talking about was the one who’d dragged Tenzo out of some fuckass secret division of ANBU run by an old geezer who was all about getting rid of emotions and really embracing the worst parts of being a ninja. And Kakashi went against that geezer just to help someone who wasn’t even his comrade yet.

Then he’d put his reputation on the line to bring her into Team Ro, showing her trust when the rest of the village still whispered about her being the traitor’s student and a spy.

He’s got a plan. And he’s never hung a comrade out to dry. So shut your scaly ass up, roach!

Anko focused on the last dregs of chakra in her coils. She formed the Tiger seal, drew in a deep, ragged breath, and exhaled.

Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!

The stream of fire traveled along the ninja wire she had subtly set up during the last few minutes of futile punching, rushing toward Daisuke.

The Curse Mark blazed with agonizing heat now that she was completely empty of the chakra that usually kept it suppressed.

Daisuke lowered his arm, smoke curling off the reinforced skin. “Ouch. That one even got past my defenses.”

Anko dropped to her knees, her vision blurring. “My bad… I really wanted… to be done here.”

“No problem, it’s just a minor injury!” Daisuke laughed it off. “Some bandages and healing ointment from the Nara clan and my arm will be fine in a few days. Looks like we’re done here, though.”

Anko forced herself back up, her legs trembling. She ignored the voice in her head that was getting louder, demanding she take the corrupt power it was offering to fill the void. “Yeah. Thanks for the spar, Daisuke.”

He nodded and stepped away.

Now that she’d done as Kakashi asked, Anko stumbled over to the other side of the field.

Kakashi was training with Yugao, their two blades moving in sync. She watched them with a bitter taste in her mouth.

He probably likes dutiful ones like her. The “good girls” who follow orders and don’t have baggage from a traitorous Sannin. Even if he accepts me, that doesn’t mean he has to like me that way.

Shaking her head, Anko tried to clear the thought. It wasn’t him. She was the problem.

Ever since that embarrassing night when she’d tried to throw herself at him like a cheap whore and he’d politely sidestepped it, she had been the one to keep her distance. She had assumed he was disgusted. But looking back, Kakashi treated her the exact same way he always had. If she’d just walked up and asked for extra training like Yugao did, he would’ve said yes. The only person she was punishing with this awkwardness was herself.

Kakashi looked up as she approached. He nodded to himself, seemingly satisfied with her trembling form.

“Yugao, we’re done for today. Thank you for your help.”

Yugao bowed, sheathing her sword. “Of course, sir. Again tomorrow?”

“Sure.”

He walked over to Anko. “We’re moving locations. I’ve reserved Training Ground Seventeen so we won’t be disturbed.”

Ohhh, right. He’d said to keep enough for a Body Flicker. She’d forgotten all about that with how much the curse mark was acting up.

“Ah… about that,” she muttered. “I kinda followed your orders too well. I can’t even walk straight, let alone Body Flicker.”

“No problem.”

He reached out, sliding one arm around her waist firmly. Then he lifted her slightly, pulling her against his side.

…Maybe I should be out of chakra more often.

“Brace yourself.”

The world warped and they reappeared in the secluded clearing of Training Ground Seventeen.

Kakashi set her down gently.

“Okay, so we’re here,” Anko said, swaying slightly on her feet. “Now what are we even doing? Why did I need to drain all my chakra?”

“Oh, we’re just getting rid of that Curse Mark of yours.” 

What the fuck.

He said it like he was talking about taking out the trash, which yes, the seal was trash, but that was too nonchalant! He had to be eye-smiling under his mask.

She blinked once. Then again. “Hah? Getting rid of it? Not even the Old Man or Lord Pervert could do something like that when they looked at it.”

“My method’s a little different from theirs,” Kakashi explained. “There’s a specific component Orochimaru added to the seal that prevents them from removing it safely. A component I can deal with. It took me some time to get this method down, but I promise it’ll work.”

He spoke with absolute confidence. There was no “I think” or “maybe” or “this should.” He stated it like a fact that had already happened.

She stared.

I can finally be free of him?

“What do I need to do?”

“I need direct access to the seal, so move—”

Anko immediately stripped out of the ANBU armor and threw it to the ground, followed by her fishnet undershirt, leaving her upper body bare to the cool air.

“…Your shoulder strap to the side,” he finished dryly.

She didn’t feel a hint of shame. Tilting her head, she exposed the ugly brand on her neck.

Equally unfazed, Kakashi pulled a storage scroll out and unrolled it. With a puff of smoke, a wooden mannequin appeared on the ground. As he placed it right next to her, Anko noticed something off about his fingernails. They were longer. Sharper. They looked almost like Tsura’s when she was fighting. The only difference was that Kakashi felt controlled rather than feral.

“Alright. This is going to hurt,” he warned. “I can do it when you’re unconscious if you prefer not to feel it.”

“No,” she said. “I want to see this happen. A little pain is nothing if it’s getting rid of this damn thing.”

He reached up and removed his ANBU fox mask, setting it aside. Beneath it was his usual one. Then he stepped behind her. A moment later, his other mask was dropped on top of the first.

Anko tensed as she felt his breath on her neck, and then he sank his teeth into the junction of her neck and shoulder, right over the Curse Mark.

“Ghh!”

She immediately felt the pain, but there was something else. Like something pulling at something dirty inside of her. The Curse Mark reacted instantly, burning with a heat she’d never felt before.

Kakashi pulled back. “Don’t resist it.”

She did as he commanded, and felt a pressure building under her skin. A lump began to grow on top of the mark, pushing outward like a tumor. It was the most violating sensation she’d ever experienced, like something was trying to get out of her body.

“Curse Unsealing!” Kakashi exclaimed, placing a palm on the lump.

Anko screamed as the pressure broke.

A thick white snake exited from her shoulder, dripping with viscous fluids. It shot straight toward the wooden mannequin, burrowing into the wood. The mannequin began to warp, turning pale and fleshy. Long black hair sprouted from the featureless head. 

In seconds, the wooden dummy was gone. Standing in its place, rising from a crouch with a sickeningly familiar smirk, was Orochimaru.

Anko stumbled back, her hand flying to her neck. It was covered in blood, but the skin beneath… It was smooth. She craned her head, trying to see it directly, the three-pronged mark that had defined her for years…

It’s gone.

The figure standing before them looked exactly as he had the day he branded her, even wearing the same Jōnin flak jacket from back then. Logically, Anko knew it wasn’t the real him. It was a construct of wood and whatever vile chakra had festered inside the Curse Mark. But the aura of pure malice radiating from it was terrifyingly authentic.

She gagged. “The bastard was inside of me this entire time?”

Kakashi, with his mask back on, stepped forward, putting himself between her and the Sannin. His presence eased the pressure.

“Just a small piece. Don’t worry about him.” He looked back at her, giving her an eye-smile. “I’ll end it right now.”

Orochimaru rolled his neck, the vertebrae emitting a series of dry, popping sounds. “How arrogant of you, Kakashi Hatake,” he hissed, his voice also an exact match. “Do you recall what happened when you tried to face me on your own four years ago? Even when I was injured and cornered, you froze in my presence. And now you think you can face me?”

Kakashi didn’t respond or even adopt a fighting stance.

One second, he was standing before her. The next, he was inside Orochimaru’s guard, his body surrounded by a cloak of lightning. He drove a fist into the Sannin’s chest, and he was launched backwards, smashing through a tree trunk before skidding to a halt against another.

Orochimaru laughed as he sat up, the hole in his chest already reforming. “Magnificent! This body… It may not be flesh, but it’s like the cells of Hashirama Senju! It’s from that boy with you in our last encounter, isn’t it?! I’ll have to pay him a visit and give him my improved Curse Mark!”

He pushed himself upright.

“And Wood Style… I have always wanted to try this!” Orochimaru’s hands blurred through a set of seals, stopping at the Snake seal. “Wood Style: Wood Dragon Jutsu!”

The earth rumbled. A colossal dragon made out of wood burst sprouted from the ground, its serpentine body charging toward Kakashi.

Kakashi reached over his shoulder and unsheathed the White Light Chakra Saber.

Anko blinked. The blade gave off its usual white streak, but there was a subtle golden light radiating from it. That was new. Even from this distance, a strange feeling washed over her. A good strange, though. The exact opposite of the dread the Curse Mark used to emit.

As the wood dragon wrapped itself around Kakashi, he swung so fast that she could only see multiple lines of white-gold chakra. Seconds later, the massive wooden head slid off, then the rest of the dragon’s body fell apart in segments.

Orochimaru’s eyes widened. For the first time, the smirk vanished. He frantically began to weave more signs. But before he could mold the chakra, Kakashi reappeared directly in front of him. The golden-white blade was already thrusting forward.

For a split second, nothing happened. Then, the light encasing the blade detonated. Anko threw her arms up, shielding her eyes as a beam of pure white light engulfed the Sannin completely.

When the light faded, only Kakashi was left standing. At his feet, only the legs of the wooden mannequin remained. Then he sheathed his sword, as if nothing had happened.

Anko couldn’t breathe. Her heart was hammering against her ribs, but not from the fear Orochimaru’s presence brought.

Her hand went to her neck a second time. A traitorous voice in the back of her mind whispered that killing the fragment might have made the mark return, a final parting curse. But no. Her skin was still clear. The chain that had connected her to a monster, the brand that had made the entire village look at her with suspicion and fear, was gone.

She stared at Kakashi. He said he would remove it, and he had. But he had done so much more than just that. He’d summoned her biggest nightmare, the traitor who even the Third Hokage couldn’t stop, the rogue Jiraiya had been searching for and could never catch…

And he crushed him like a bug.

------------------------------

[FEAT ACHIEVED: DEFEAT “OROCHIMARU”]

[50 CP GRANTED - 150 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

Later.

I dismissed the notification with a thought.

The reason I had my current total instead of fifty was because I’d received a hundred points a few minutes ago for the feat of removing the Cursed Seal of Heaven from Anko. 

The points I’d received for defeating Orochimaru were interesting.

Then again, I didn’t actually battle the real one. That was just a wooden construct animated by a fragment of his soul that I’d beaten. Essentially, my opponent was a slightly stronger shadow clone.

However, even if he was a clone, his words were concerning.

Orochimaru had recognized the body he was inhabiting was made via Wood Style, and he’d explicitly mentioned wanting to put a Curse Mark on Tenzo.

I might’ve screwed things up for Tenzo by getting him involved.

Fortunately, I could remove the Curse Mark now, so even if he succeeded, it wouldn’t be a permanent problem. The real question was whether the information from this encounter would transfer back to the main body. If so, Orochimaru now knew I had a direct counter to his seal.

I wasn’t certain if that would actually change his methods. The infusion of Senjutsu chakra and a piece of himself was a necessary component for his immortality. My method of removing the seal was targeting the fundamental nature of the seal itself. He couldn’t easily change that without reinventing the seal entirely, and he’d never do that. After all, how was he supposed to master every jutsu in existence if he wasn’t immortal?

Besides, I was overreacting. Orochimaru already knew about Tenzo for a long time now. Acquiring the First Hokage’s legendary power had to be the ultimate prize, so he was always going to target him eventually.

Still, he was a genius researcher. I wouldn’t get arrogant and underestimate him.

But, that was something to worry about later. Right now, I had someone who went through a life-changing experience waiting for me.

I turned my attention to Anko, who was staring at me from the ground.

Walking over, I picked up her mesh shirt and ANBU armor and held it out to her.

“Cover up, Anko,” I said gently. “I promise it’s over now.”

She just continued to look up at me, breathless. Her brown eyes were wide and glassy. There was no trace of the brash mask she wore for the world, nor the defensive walls she’d put up recently between us. It was a look of total vulnerability.

[FEAT ACHIEVED: SECURE ANKO MITARASHI’S UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.]

[100 CP GRANTED - 250 TOTAL]

[WOULD YOU LIKE TO ROLL?]

Not right now. This is far more important.

This felt like deja-vu. A few months back, when I’d delivered the news about her becoming a full member of Team Ro, I’d achieved a feat of making her feel truly welcomed. Now that foundation of trust and belonging had just evolved into something far deeper. Her unconditional love.

Do whatever I feel is right…

That was what I promised myself. There was no point in pretending anymore or trying to rationalize this. I could tell myself it was just a rush of gratitude for me removing the Cursed Seal of Heaven, but I knew exactly how serious she felt about this. And looking at her now, baring herself wide open to me in every sense of the phrase, I realized I had no desire to ignore it either.

“Do you remember what happened that night after we escorted the Daimyo to the village?” I asked. “When Asuma came back and invited everyone to Shushuya?”

She flinched. “I-I was drunk,” she mumbled, using the same excuse I had given her that night to let her save face. “Really. I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“I already know you weren’t,” I countered, making her curl in on herself. 

“And I gave you that escape route back then because I wasn’t sure if making a decision like that so quickly was right,” I continued. “You were hurting and you wanted a distraction. If I said yes back then, what would have happened? A one-night stand to make you feel better. But the next morning?” I paused, letting the image form. “You’d have woken up, maybe satisfied, but then you would’ve relegated yourself to just that. You would convince yourself that a moment of comfort was all you deserved.”

A bitter laugh escaped her lips. “Maybe it would’ve been more than I deserved. I’ve had a monster’s chakra pumping through me for years now, Kakashi. Look at me. I’m a mess. I’m tainted. Dirty!”

“Are you really?” I reached out, my fingers tracing the line of her shoulder, hovering over the bite mark that replaced the three tomoe of the Curse Mark. Anko trembled at the touch, but she didn’t pull away. “That mark was always in the way. It made you doubt everything, made you think you were so much less than you really are. But now it’s gone. There is no monster. Not in you. All that’s left…” 

I waited until those uncertain eyes found mine again.

“…is Anko Mitarashi.”

She leaned into my hand, closing her eyes as a tear slipped out. “Just me…”

“Just you,” I agreed. “And now that you can see it too, I think it’s about time I amend what happened that night.”

“Huh?”

“If you’re still willing, I’d like to take you out. Something simple. Dinner sounds nice, don’t you think so?”

She didn’t respond, scanning my eye for any sign of dishonesty. She smiled when she found none.

“You’re serious… Okay. Let’s do it.”