Survival at Military Headquarters

"Teacher, I am here."

Early the next morning, I stood on the training grounds facing Orochimaru's back. My eyes were swollen like two walnuts, and I kept my head down, silent.

I knew I was late.

But I had done it on purpose.

My eyes were fixed tightly on the tips of my toes. I heard the sound of extremely light footsteps approaching—step by step, as if treading upon my heart—until they finally stopped right in front of me.

In those few seconds, I felt as though I had forgotten how to breathe.

Immediately after, something cold rested on my shoulder. His black robe was pressed so close to me that I could smell the damp moisture clinging to it, carrying the chill of the morning along with the mottled, dried stains of blood.

Wait, blood?

"You've arrived, Akatsuki."

His voice was as hoarse as ever, seemingly laced with a hint of exhaustion.

I looked up, meeting Orochimaru's eyes, but there was no anger in them.

He was still wearing the same black robe from yesterday. His long hair was slightly disheveled, and his body was covered in grass clippings and rainwater, with mud still clinging to his boots, as if he had just rushed back from somewhere in a hurry.

I felt a bit strange and was about to ask, when I suddenly realized—

He must have gone to carry out another mission after we parted ways last night.

Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, a top-tier combat force of Konoha, a commander in the Military Headquarters, and a man who would one day compete with Namikaze Minato for the position of Hokage.

He was a very busy man.

And yet, a man like that actually had the patience to be my teacher. Furthermore, he was my genin squad leader, the person with the closest relationship and the greatest responsibility toward me.

While I found it hard to believe, this realization birthed a different kind of emotion within me.

Regardless of why he had made this decision, this master-disciple bond was now thoroughly intertwined, inseparable.

"Did you not sleep well last night?" Orochimaru's words pulled me back to reality. The corners of his mouth still held a smile as he stared at me with unusual gentleness.

"I slept very well, thank you for your concern, Teacher."

"That is good." He paused, his tone suddenly turning cold.

"However, Akatsuki, since you have become my student, you must follow my rules."

"Respecting your teacher is the first priority, is it not?"

"...Yes, Teacher."

Strangely, he didn't make things difficult for me. He simply watched me for a long time—so long that I broke into a cold sweat—before finally speaking:

"Then... my dear disciple, what is it you wish to learn?"

That question caught me off guard.

I suddenly realized that standing before me was the encyclopedia of the ninja world. He was the unparalleled authority on ninjutsu, secret techniques, and even various forbidden arts!

If one were to ignore the danger, he was the teacher every transmigrator dreamed of having.

Whatever I wanted to learn, he could likely teach it!

My heart began to race. I opened my mouth and said, "Teacher, I want to learn swordsmanship." I gripped Murasame, looked up, and stared at Orochimaru with the utmost solemnity, filled with hope for the future.

"I want to be able to use this blade well."

Orochimaru was silent for a moment, lost in thought.

"If you want to learn swordsmanship, you must first master taijutsu."

After a long while, he stepped forward and grabbed my arm, seemingly checking my bone structure.

"Teacher, my taijutsu..." I had just started to speak when his hand, gripping my forearm, suddenly exerted force, violently twisting my arm backward! The strength was so great it nearly snapped my limb!

My heart skipped a beat. I followed his momentum to flip my body, kicked out at Orochimaru, and forced him back. Only then did I stand my ground, shaken and glaring at him in anger!

Damn it... bastard, doing this again!

I could feel the veins on my forehead throbbing. The pain in my shoulder, which had nearly been torn apart, left my face deathly pale. I was furious and terrified, but I could only shout "Teacher!" without daring to say anything else.

Because Fugaku had already handed me over to him.

The Military Headquarters was my second training base, and Orochimaru was the second threshold I had to cross; I was in no position to say a single word of refusal.

"Draw your blade." Before I could even catch my breath, Orochimaru issued another sudden command.

I was stunned for a moment, still reeling. The Kusanagi Sword came slashing down from above! Startled, I hurriedly blocked it! The blades collided with a heavy, metallic clang that seemed to vibrate right through my heart!

Here we go again!

The two famous blades crossed, both trembling and screeching, neither willing to give way. I gritted my teeth, the meager muscles in my arms bulging, my legs braced, putting my entire body into the effort. In contrast, Teacher Orochimaru remained indifferent, controlling the situation with a single hand.

"Teacher, what are you doing!"

I struggled to maintain my balance, but the blade slowly sank lower. Soon, the tip of the Kusanagi Sword was inches from my head, pressing down on my hair!

"From this moment on, you will attack me with everything you have. Otherwise, you will die."

As he finished speaking, a surging killing intent erupted from Orochimaru's body. I went rigid almost instantly; my legs turned to jelly, then began to tremble. I felt an urge to kneel, and it wasn't until the Kusanagi Sword sliced into my arm and warm blood splattered out that I realized he was telling the truth.

Thus, a new round of survival training began at the Military Headquarters.

Under the sunlight, Kusama Shigeo clung to a tree, watching the tragedy unfold on the ground below. He couldn't help but swallow hard, his entire body breaking out in goosebumps.

This was a one-sided beating of the Uchiha brat, so brutal that even he, an old enemy, couldn't bear to watch any longer.

...Why would big brother hand me over to this pervert? No, that's not right. Big brother wouldn't be that heartless; it must have been my eldest sister's instigation! Kusama Shigeo thought of his eldest sister, who acted like a mother to him, and his expression immediately turned bitter.

You've really ruined me this time! Falling into the hands of this pervert, I'll be lucky to escape with my skin intact, let alone my life!

He wallowed in melancholy for a good while, but when he looked back at the West Training Ground, the hunting game was already nearing its end.

With a loud bang, gravel sprayed into the air. On the vast, rocky ground, a small figure was kicked away by the man. A blade spun through the air and embedded itself into the earth, glinting with the light of blood.

I rolled several times before lying limply on the ground. My whole body ached so much I couldn't move, and my eyelids kept drooping, leaving only a sliver of white blurring in the darkness.

How long has it been?

If not for the pain racking my entire body, I would have thought I had died several times over.

The blade... where is my blade...

I reached out to grope for it, completely unaware that a black snake had lunged forward and coiled around my body! The wet, sticky sensation wound around my skin, and my bones began to creak and crack under the pressure!

"Urgh... mm..." My vision was a blur, but acting on instinct, I twitched my fingers. Steel wires shimmered at my fingertips, ruthlessly shredding the black snake into chunks that fell to the ground!

Panting, I knelt on the ground. Snake blood and sweat dripped from my forehead together; I didn't have a shred of strength left.

It was only then that I realized that back with Fugaku, I hadn't even reached my true limit.

Limits are only broken when one truly faces death and danger.

"Too weak."

Under the midday sun, Orochimaru approached me, looking down at me from above.

"Your speed is too slow, your strength is insufficient, and your reaction time is lacking..."

As he critiqued me, he crouched down, stroked my drenched head, and smiled faintly.

"Fortunately, our Little Akatsuki... still has a decent brain."

I was dazed from the beating, my face covered in blood and sweat. I couldn't hear what he was saying; I just tried desperately to stand up. My legs gave out, but before I could hit the ground, he grabbed me and hoisted me up, leaving me dangling and swaying.

"Why are you crying?"

"Who's crying!" I broke free from his hand, gritting my teeth so hard they nearly shattered as I stood up. Trembling, I picked up Murasame, sheathed the blade, and glared at Orochimaru.

Even though... I could only see a blurry shadow.

He wasn't angry; he simply handed me a strange pill and said, "Eat this."

I lowered my head and took a step back, feeling extremely resistant.

Who wants to eat these ghostly things every single day!

"Our time is short. For every minute wasted here, the mortality rate on the front lines could potentially rise."

"You also want to grow up quickly and become a powerful ninja, don't you?"

"..."

Gritting my teeth, I swallowed the bitter pill. I endured the waves of chakra surging through my body, feeling dizzy and nauseated.

As expected, every medicine has its poison.

I hate taking medicine.