Teacher

Hui ran a few steps, then gradually slowed down, her whole body enveloped in a heavy gloom.

She lowered her eyes to the ground and raised her arm to look at it. It was still as thin and frail as before, as if it could snap with the slightest touch. Yet now she could easily send a grown man flying.

Her nimble responses in battle, her calm and steady mindset, even her extraordinary strength—had all of them been given to her by Orochimaru?

Without Orochimaru, was she completely useless?

Without Orochimaru, would she still be that child who couldn't even beat a Genin?

Besides, Lord Orochimaru was the one who saved you when you were on the brink of death this time. You're not grateful, and you're still holding a grudge?!

Hui Youling felt an inexpressible sense of hurt and misery welling up inside her. Her thoughts grew more and more tangled, and her mind turned to mush. That feeling of panic struck again. She clutched her chest in pain and crouched down, then raised a hand to hold her head tightly. Silent tears slipped from her eyes.

She hadn't cried in a long time, and she didn't want to seem so weak. But the tears were beyond her control, and all she could do was desperately stifle the sound of her sobs.

It shouldn't be like this. She wasn't like this. She didn't rely solely on everything Orochimaru had given her. It wasn't like that...

But why was she still crying? She wasn't wrong. She wasn't wrong...

The sound of a door opening made Hui Youling's body stiffen. She raised her head, her neck rigid, and saw that it was Orochimaru.

"Orochimaru... Teacher..." She stared at him in shock, her words tinged with alarm as tears still ran down her face.

Orochimaru furrowed his brows as he looked at Hui Youling, noticing that she was crying—like someone caught weeping in secret.

He found it rather amusing and curled the corner of his mouth. Then he crouched down to look into Hui Youling's eyes and said in his distinctive, hoarse voice, "I'd almost forgotten you were a girl."

Hui's eyes widened further in surprise. She parted her lips to speak, but no sound came out.

Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Hui, you absolutely have the potential to be every bit as capable as a boy. But you have to become as strong as one, too. A girl who's too fragile can never become powerful."

Only by becoming as strong as a boy could she become powerful...

The words echoed in Hui Youling's mind like a spell. A conviction told her that if she followed them, she could become someone different. It was as if the road she had sought for so long had suddenly opened up before her. Flowers bloomed across the dark world, and a wonderful, soothing feeling washed over her.

A flicker passed through Hui's eyes as countless emotions crossed her gaze. In the end, only resolve and composure remained.

"I understand, Teacher Orochimaru," she said.

Orochimaru looked at Hui Youling and slowly smiled. His snake-like eyes rested on her, his deep gaze inscrutable.

For the next few days, Orochimaru stayed in the laboratory and didn't ask Hui Youling to do anything. It seemed he was leaving the choice up to her. She spent a few days sorting through her thoughts, then still followed the path she'd taken that day to find him.

She really couldn't afford to be weak anymore.

Sensing the chakra inside, Hui guessed that Orochimaru was conducting some kind of experiment on that Grass Ninja. She waited outside for a while, but when he still didn't come out, Hui Youling began thinking back on what had happened over the past few days.

She'd gone to the black market to earn money, only to expose her identity. Those people had probably been watching her ever since she left Sunagakure. Once they'd confirmed she was alone, they'd attacked immediately. They must have gauged her strength beforehand, which was why they'd sent those two people.

Hui Youling clenched her fists at the thought. If she hadn't still been so weak back then, and if she hadn't been afraid of running into danger while traveling with Orochimaru and asked for that scroll, she might really have died there.

The person who'd left her helpless that day had been killed so easily by Orochimaru. Just how strong was he? Now she finally understood. His strength was truly unfathomable.

When Orochimaru came out, his snake-like eyes settled calmly on her. Hui hurried forward.

"Teacher Orochimaru..." Hui Youling suddenly didn't know what to say. Orochimaru had no patience to hear her explain anything.

"Hui, you've been far too lax," Orochimaru said coolly, his words full of disappointment.

Hearing the disappointment in his voice, Hui froze for a moment. An indescribable sense of dejection rose in her heart. She furrowed her brows and slowly said, "I hope Teacher Orochimaru will help me."

In his distinctive hoarse voice, Orochimaru replied calmly, "Hui, if you keep wasting your time on unnecessary things, you'll never get stronger. You haven't been training properly lately, have you?"

Hui Youling lowered her head. Her lips had a faint purplish tint, and her eyes seemed misty. She said softly, "I understand... I just wanted to see if I could handle different situations."

"Heh, can you use Hidden Shadow Snake Hands now?" Orochimaru suddenly asked, moving on from the previous topic as if letting her off the hook.

Hui looked at Orochimaru in surprise, a flicker of astonishment in her eyes. He'd deduced her technique from the traces left by the battle.

Hui pressed her lips together, then decided to tell the truth. "Yes... Also, Teacher Orochimaru... that Wind Style: Instant Kill still uses up too much chakra."

"Heh... It's still in the experimental stage. I've always thought that jutsu could do more damage than it does now," Orochimaru said in a low, raspy voice, his eyes gleaming with confidence.

Hui didn't answer. She just looked away, her mind turning over what she should do.

"Hui, you can sign a contract with a summoning beast now," Orochimaru said, abruptly changing the subject again.

Hui looked at Orochimaru in surprise, still feeling a little delighted. She smiled. "I understand, Lord Orochimaru."

Orochimaru smiled faintly without replying and turned toward another area. Hui followed him. Though her face remained expressionless, she was very happy inside. She could finally have a summoning beast of her own.

Orochimaru took out a giant scroll. Hui accepted it and unrolled it, found a blank spot, wrote her name, then bit her finger and pressed it to the scroll.

Orochimaru simply watched from the side. Hui glanced at the name written above hers and saw that it was Anko. That surprised her a little, since she hadn't met Anko yet.

"Can I try it, Teacher Orochimaru?" Hui asked excitedly, looking at him.

Orochimaru gave a low chuckle. "Do you know the Hand Seals?"

Hui was stumped, suddenly unsure how to respond. If she said she didn't, wouldn't that be shameful for one of his students?

Orochimaru merely glanced at her, then handed her another scroll. Hui took it blankly. She'd thought he might demonstrate it for her, but it turned out she'd been expecting too much.

"I'll go try it at the training ground," Hui said slowly. Orochimaru only gave a soft "Mm."

Hui turned to leave, but Orochimaru suddenly spoke. "Hui, that Wind Release Ninjutsu of yours can still be improved."

Hui turned back to look at Orochimaru and lifted the corner of her mouth. "I may still have to trouble you with it, Teacher. But I'm looking forward to seeing that jutsu perfected, too."

"Heh." Orochimaru chuckled quietly. "Also, we'll be moving our base next week. You'll leave with me."

"Okay. By the way, Teacher Orochimaru, where did Qingsi go?" Hui suddenly remembered that she hadn't seen him since she returned.

"He went where he was supposed to go," Orochimaru said coolly, his eyes cold.

Hui furrowed her brows as she looked at him, a vague sense of unease stirring in her heart. But she didn't intend to argue with Orochimaru. "All right, I understand. I still hope someone can teach me Medical Ninjutsu, though. I've only learned the basics so far."

"That depends on the results of your training." Orochimaru's snake-like eyes fixed on Hui. He had never objected to her learning more; after all, he too was fascinated by the unknown.

"All right. I won't disappoint you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Hui turned and left. Orochimaru watched Hui Youling's retreating figure with his snake-like eyes. She seemed to have made up her mind. Unlike before, when she had been lost and uncertain, she now had only one goal: power.

He was growing more and more curious to see whether Hui Youling could become someone who truly dazzled people.