A small campfire drove away the darkness around them.
Orochimaru picked up a piece of wood by his feet and tossed it into the fire. It slowly began to crackle as it burned.
"Your stamina and speed are still lacking." Orochimaru calmly commented on Nawaki and Mikoto's shortcomings from the day.
"Speed and stamina are important to every ninja. Over the next few days, I'll teach you some methods suited to each of you."
"But before you learn, you need to understand the ways speed can be improved." As Orochimaru spoke, he roasted a wild boar over the fire.
The wild boar's black skin slowly began to seep golden oil under the intense heat.
"There are many ways to increase speed. The first is high-speed movement through pure taijutsu. This type of movement is based on physical conditioning, so it requires you to train your taijutsu day after day."
Orochimaru sighed. "Some people can move quickly relying entirely on taijutsu alone. Such people are rare. Your teacher, Nishimura Shin, is an expert in this area."
Uchiha Chen showed a surprised expression.
He had never expected Uncle Nishimura, who looked so unreliable, to be someone so deeply concealed.
Since even Orochimaru admired him, it seemed Uncle Nishimura was not entirely bragging in his usual boasts.
But why was Teacher Nishimura still only a Chunin?
Could it all have been an illusion? Teacher Nishimura looked so poor he could not even afford a house, and he had been rejected after going on blind dates so many times. Could all of that have been deliberately put on display?
Uchiha Chen seemed to have discovered something.
Perhaps Uncle Nishimura's true identity was the Third Hokage's illegitimate son. Or perhaps he was actually some Kage Level expert.
Yet he bore a blood feud and quietly