Chapter 79: Setting the Hook for Anko

Knock, knock, knock!

Outside Miroku's study, Shishou gently knocked on the door.

"Mr. Lurigan," greeted Miroku's personal maid, Shirin, as she opened the door and respectfully invited Shishou in.

"Mr. Lurigan," Miroku addressed him after dismissing her maid, "what brings you here today?"

"Can't I just come to see you?" Shishou teased, instantly appearing behind her with a teleportation jutsu, wrapping her in his arms and inhaling her fragrance with evident pleasure.

"M-Mr. Lurigan..." Miroku's face turned a deep shade of red.

"Let's go for a walk," Shishou suggested, releasing her and using the Flying Thunder God Technique to transport them both to the capital city of the Land of Fire.

"I didn't even get to change my clothes," Miroku complained, casting a reproachful glance at Shishou for not giving her time to change out of her shrine maiden attire.

"Don't worry, we can buy new ones," Shishou replied, taking her hand and leading her towards the commercial district with practiced ease.

If she changed at home, he wouldn't get to enjoy the sight of her trying on different outfits.

After half an hour of shopping, they both donned traditional attire. Miroku wore a beautiful pink and white kimono, while Shishou sported a black traditional outfit. They strolled and snacked, leisurely spending the rest of the afternoon together.

That evening, carrying a cup of cola each, Shishou and Miroku returned to the Miko Palace in the Land of Demons.

"By the way, Miroku," Shishou began as they entered her room, sitting on her vanity chair and taking a sip of his cola, "any updates on the Soul Stone?"

"Not yet, there's no news at the moment," Miroku replied, frowning as she sipped her cola, finding the taste still unfamiliar.

"No rush. If I manage to find some Uzumaki clan sealing technique scrolls, would you like to learn them?" Shishou asked, pulling Miroku onto his lap.

Miroku's sealing techniques were already powerful, but the long preparation time was a drawback. Shishou hoped to teach her the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques to further enhance her abilities. His ultimate goal was to defeat the Ōtsutsuki clan and gain immortality, so he needed Miroku to be as strong as possible.

"I don't have much to do anyway, so it would be a good way to pass the time," Miroku said, blushing and fidgeting on his lap.

"Alright, it's settled then. How about you teach me some sealing techniques in return?" Shishou suggested, burying his face in her neck.

"Sure," Miroku agreed, her face turning even redder from Shishou's close proximity.

"We should get to work," Shishou said, lifting her up.

Miroku averted her eyes, nodding shyly.

A few days later, in Fire Source City, on the top floor of the Kakegurui building...

"Mr. Lurigan, did you call me to inform me that you've completed the mission given by Lord Third Hokage?" Anko Mitarashi asked, standing before Shishou, curiously looking around but not finding the girl named Ikari.

As the liaison between Shishou and the Third Hokage, Anko frequently traveled between Fire Source City and Konoha. Thanks to Shishou's generosity, she had made quite a bit of money in the casinos, so she had a great deal of respect for him.

"Yes," Shishou replied, his gaze briefly lingering on the Heaven's Curse Mark on Anko's neck. "I've completed the investigation requested by the Third Hokage, so I hope he prepares my reward in advance."

Anko nodded, talking to herself, "So the Third Hokage asked Mr. Lurigan to find someone?" Then, addressing Shishou, she said, "Alright, I'll return to Konoha and inform Lord Hokage immediately."

As Anko turned to leave, Shishou moved to the floor-to-ceiling window, looking out and muttering to himself, "I didn't expect to run into Orochimaru... I wonder what he's up to."

Anko froze upon hearing the name "Orochimaru" before the office door closed, cutting off her view of Shishou and his words.

Orochimaru! The mention of that name made Anko tense up. She had been tracking Orochimaru ever since he abandoned her but had found no leads.

Looking at the closed office door, she hesitated to push it open. After a moment's thought, she decided to leave.

First, she had a mission to report back to the Third Hokage. Second, she wasn't sure of Lurigan's relationship with Orochimaru, and she didn't want to act rashly without knowing his intentions.

"Stay calm," Anko told herself, "I'll investigate after completing the mission. The mission comes first."

With these thoughts, she left the Kakegurui building and started her journey back to Konoha.

"Heh, she didn't take the bait," Shishou chuckled, watching Anko leave from the window.

He knew all too well Anko's obsession with Orochimaru. That was why he had deliberately mentioned Orochimaru's name in her presence.

Since parting ways with Orochimaru, Shishou hadn't seen or heard from him, leading him to wonder if Akatsuki had dealt with him.

Bringing up Orochimaru to Anko was a calculated move to target the curse mark on her neck. Shishou had already acquired Wood Release and the Mangekyo Sharingan, so his next target was Sage Mode.

The three major sacred lands—Shikkotsu Forest, Mount Myoboku, and Ryuchi Cave—were still out of his reach. And Orochimaru, being on the run from Akatsuki, was nowhere to be found.

Thus, Shishou turned his attention to the curse mark on Anko. He planned to see if he could use Phosphorus Worms to absorb the curse mark's power and gain access to Sage chakra.

Even if he couldn't master Sage Mode directly, he could at least understand Sage chakra better.

Killing Anko wasn't an option, so he set a trap to lure her to him, aiming to gain control over the situation.

The next day, Anko returned with the Third Hokage's response, impressively fast.

Standing before Shishou, she suppressed her urge to inquire about Orochimaru's whereabouts and said, "Lord Hokage wants you to come to Konoha for a face-to-face discussion. He will introduce you to the people you want to meet."

Shishou squinted his eyes, cursing under his breath, "That cunning old fox!"