The Outside World

"Senior Orochimaru, you're back."

After clearly seeing who it was, Aburame Keiichi stepped forward two paces and spoke.

"Ah, it's Keiichi. Thanks to you a while ago, without your perfect infiltration, cutting off the supply line at Kannabi Bridge might not have been successful." Hearing this, Orochimaru's eyes shifted as he praised him.

"Isn't the situation a bit more stable now? I'm taking my disciples for some special training." Orochimaru shifted his body slightly and gestured to Red.

"Red, say hello. This is your senior, Mr. Aburame Keiichi, one of the strongest ninja in the village."

Standing behind Orochimaru, Mitaraishi Anko tilted her head up and blinked as she replied.

"Hello, Senior Keiichi, I am Mitaraishi Anko."

"Haha, she's a very outstanding child," Aburame Keiichi praised.

Orochimaru smiled and nodded, glancing at the group.

"So you've started taking in newcomers too? Have you been out on missions?" he asked softly.

"Yes, I took a few unaccomplished disciples out to broaden their horizons, so they don't go out and know nothing, not only embarrassing me but also suffering the hardships of cruel reality," Aburame Keiichi said softly, his gaze sweeping over the group.

"Mmm... that's true. The Ninja World doesn't tolerate flowers grown in greenhouses. It's good to adapt early," Orochimaru nodded, completely agreeing with Aburame Keiichi's words.

"They are all good children, descendants of the Hyuga Clan, the Senju..." Orochimaru's gaze swept over them, pausing briefly on Hyuga Rei and Morino Kei.

"Especially Kai... he's very..." Orochimaru began to speak slowly, but his gaze froze when it landed on Uchiha Kai.

He then incredulously confirmed with his eyes before speaking softly.

"Uchiha Kai... interesting." Orochimaru's tone was playful.

"What's wrong? Is there something wrong with Kai?" Hearing this, Aburame Keiichi asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Orochimaru waved his hand and chuckled.

"No, nothing. I just met him once when he graduated. He was a true genius... to have improved so much in such a short time..." The effeminate man's eyes flickered with curiosity.

Uchiha Kai was startled by this and felt a chill down his spine.

This old schemer, did he figure something out? He's an anomaly even among Ninja Scientists, I always feel like he's dangerous. Uchiha Kai thought.

On the surface, however, he remained composed and replied respectfully.

"Lord Orochimaru, thank you for your help last time. It was a great help to me."

Orochimaru chuckled and waved his hand.

"Heh heh... it was just a small matter, no need to mind it. Helping a junior is a trivial thing. However, your progress speed surprises me. As expected of a genius from the Uchiha Clan."

"You flatter me, I'm just on my way." Uchiha Kai responded neither subserviently nor arrogantly.

"Hahaha..." Hearing this, Orochimaru suddenly let out a light laugh.

"On your way... a good mindset. I look forward to the light and heat you will bring in the future. I'll be going now."

Orochimaru's gaze was intense, and his words revealed unreserved admiration.

The girl behind him immediately flinched upon hearing this, her delicate face showing a hostile expression, her pupils contracting to reveal a dangerous aura like a predator.

After greeting them, Orochimaru bid farewell and walked towards the village. Mitaraishi Anko, who followed closely behind, suddenly spoke as she brushed past Uchiha Kai.

"Just wait, I've completed Lord Orochimaru's special training and mastered a secret technique you could never possess. I'm waiting to surpass you and defeat you soundly."

The girl's clear voice was not loud, but it reached everyone present.

Orochimaru shook his head slightly with a helpless expression. Aburame Keiichi, on the other hand, seemed to have caught some special information, his gaze shifting back and forth between Mitaraishi Anko, Hyuga Rei, and Uchiha Kai.

"Damn you, you arrogant woman, just you wait until I catch you... I'll tear that foul mouth of yours apart sooner or later..."

Veins bulged at the corners of Hyuga Rei's eyes, faintly forming a 'well' shape. Snow Fang instinctively rubbed against her, making a creaking sound.

"Oh my... this is getting interesting." Seeing the girl's reaction, Aburame Keiichi grinned mischievously, looking like an experienced person who understood everything.

"Youth..."

In the breezy air, the old man wore a playful smile.

"Clack... clack..."

The sound of horses' hooves striking the uneven dirt and stone road echoed, and the wooden carriage creaked under the bumps.

Inside the carriage sat Uchiha Kai and the others, who were out on a mission.

"Ugh... cough!"

By the carriage window, Morino Kei held onto the window, his face pale, and coughed violently.

"Are... are we almost there? Teacher Keiichi."

The pale, tall, and sturdy young man was miserable, clearly carsick.

"I can't... ugh..."

Aburame Keiichi, sitting beside him, patted his head, looking troubled. He watched the tall, sturdy young man whose back was being continuously patted by Uchiha Kai, and said with a playful tone.

"Well... I really didn't expect you to look so sturdy, yet you get carsick. Didn't you know that before?" the man asked, a little confused.

"Is there necessarily a connection between carsickness and being strong, Teacher... Besides, I never left the village before I graduated, how could I have known I get carsick..."

Morino Kei looked utterly dejected, feeling like he was about to throw up stomach acid.

"Ah, judging by the journey, we should arrive in a few more minutes," Aburame Keiichi said after sticking his head out to observe.

"That's great! Is it finally over!?" Morino Kei cried weakly, his eyes vacant as if his soul had been drained.

Upon hearing this, Morino Kei was about to rejoice, but was plunged into despair again by Aburame Keiichi's subsequent words.

"However, if we're going to the Land of Hot Water next, we'll have to transfer. You..." the man paused.

"Don't tell me you'll get seasick too."

A few minutes later, Uchiha Kai and the others arrived at their destination.

"Just come back to pick us up at the agreed time, understood."

Aburame Keiichi casually exchanged a few words with the carriage driver before leading the group off the vehicle.

A strange smell wafted through the air, a mixture of fishiness and earth.

The carriage sped on, and the group arrived at a fishing village pier.

The afternoon sun cast its light on the nearby sea, the water murky and rust-colored. Several fishing boats were moored along the old pier, and piles of tattered fishing nets lay on the shore.

The street was eerily quiet. Villagers in ragged clothing, walking to and fro, merely stared at the sudden strangers with curiosity and caution.

The entire fishing village, inside and out, exuded an atmosphere of oppression and despair. Everything here was alive, but barely.

"Isn't this near the Land of Hot Water?" Looking at the dead, silent fishing village before him, even the usually boisterous Morino Kei felt a pang of sadness.

"Didn't they say the Land of Hot Water is a safe haven with no wars?" the tall, sturdy boy questioned.

But it was a question no one could answer accurately.

"This is the Ninja War. The conflicts and whirlpools between great nations, even a slight ripple can bring a small village to its knees."

Aburame Keiichi's voice was low and cold.

"This is reality, an unavoidable, inescapable reality."

"And this is precisely what I want you to witness. Open your eyes and face it all. Until you have the power to change it."

Aburame Keiichi's voice was devoid of any emotion, a mere cold statement.

He strode forward, ignoring his surroundings, and walked towards the pier.

Uchiha Kai and the other two fell silent, quickly following him.

Suddenly, Hyuga Rei felt someone tugging at her sleeve.