Marching Onto the Battlefield

"Mmm..."

Qi woke up after an unknown duration of sleep, awakened by hunger...

"Where... is this place..."

He only remembered that the moment Orochimaru moved his hand, everything had gone black.

"You're awake..."

This voice brought Qi to full alertness...

This was a room...

Hazy moonlight shone through the paper sliding door onto the tatami mats, lending the space a unique, tranquil atmosphere.

The speaker was currently kneeling to the side, appearing as though they had maintained that posture for a long time...

"Who are you?"

Qi sat up and checked his body; for now, there seemed to be nothing unusual about him.

"Young man of Konoha, there are countless people who wish to study under Lord Orochimaru, let alone become his disciple. Yet you seem somewhat resistant; how rare..."

The speaker finally revealed his form, showing his true face to Qi.

He was a man of about thirty, wearing a smile on his face, though there was not a hint of warmth in his eyes.

"Would you like something to eat? It is evident that you haven't rested properly for a long time."

He held a square, low-rimmed wooden tray, upon which sat a bowl of rice and several side dishes, both meat and vegetable.

After a moment of hesitation, Qi nodded.

He had begun to realize that Orochimaru did not seem to have captured him to be an experimental subject; otherwise, there would be no need for this.

Come to think of it, was this Orochimaru's residence in Konoha?

The large estates in Konoha seemed to be in a Japanese style he wasn't familiar with. Subconsciously, he looked toward the paper sliding door that let in the moonlight—he didn't even know what to call it.

"It's too dark in the room; this is the most comfortable time of the night, after all."

The man wore a look of sudden realization. He placed the wooden tray in front of Qi, then slid open the paper door, revealing the courtyard outside.

It was just like what he had seen in the anime—a very Japanese-style courtyard. The room he was in must be the main hall; wasn't this where the master of the house usually entertained guests?

A gentle breeze blew in, and Qi couldn't help but take a deep breath. The thing that made him feel most comfortable in this world was the natural environment; most things here were completely pristine.

"Feeling better? Please, eat. Afterward, I will have someone take you to bathe."

Seeing the look of enjoyment on Qi's face, the man smiled, opened the other door completely, and walked out.

"It is not too late yet; you can still rest tonight. After all, tomorrow, you are going to the battlefield."

"The battlefield?"

Hearing the latter half of the sentence, Qi turned his head in confusion; he didn't quite understand what that meant.

"Lord Orochimaru believes that your current foundation is not suited for training in a stable environment. The battlefield is the best way to train."

The man was quite understanding and resolved Qi's confusion.

"I see... then what about Master Ogata?"

"As for your Ogata, I do not know who that is, so I cannot answer you."

The man gave a strange look this time, but it was his final sentence:

"However, your master now is Lord Orochimaru. He is also the only person you may call 'Master' from this moment forward. I hope you keep that in mind in the future!"

Having finished, the man's figure vanished outside the door. It was clear that he was no ordinary person either...

"This guy seems to be a ninja too..."

Qi was somewhat surprised. It was evident that Orochimaru was by no means as isolated in Konoha as he appeared on the surface; at the very least, his influence was not weak.

It was no wonder he would be able to establish a ninja village in the future...

Following the habits he had developed in this world, he quietly finished his meal while enjoying the breeze blowing in from the courtyard.

Just as he finished eating, the man from before appeared again like a ghost.

"It is time for you to bathe."

He gestured for Qi to follow.

"..."

Nodding, Qi followed the man to the bathhouse and finished his bath with the utmost speed.

Ever since he became a ninja, he had learned that everything must be done quickly.

"Will you go to your room to rest, or stay in the courtyard?"

The man seemed to notice that Qi was enjoying the courtyard environment and did not want to sleep.

"I'll go to the courtyard."

After thinking for a moment, Qi replied.

He truly liked that kind of environment, even if this was the residence of Orochimaru.

The man nodded, led Qi back to the hall from before, and took out a set of bedding, spreading it out on the floor.

"Everything has been prepared for you. We set out very early tomorrow, so I suggest you get some rest. There are only four hours left until departure."

"Understood, thank you."

Since the man had treated him like a guest, Qi felt it would be rude not to offer a word of thanks.

"You're welcome. Since you are a disciple of Lord Orochimaru, such treatment is only appropriate."

Hearing Qi's thanks, the corners of the man's mouth curled into a faint smile.

"This is the first time Lord Orochimaru has brought someone back to his residence. I hope you cultivate diligently and do not let the Lord's expectations go to waste."

After finishing, he vanished like a ghost...

As expected of a ninja. Although Qi didn't know how to perform it, he knew this was the Body Flicker Technique.

"The battlefield, huh..."

Qi laid out the bedding and lay down, looking at the night view outside the room, his eyes flickering with an inexplicable light.

"A ninja can only truly grow on the edge of life and death. Regardless of anything else, Orochimaru is a top-tier ninja of Konoha; I finally have a shortcut to improve my strength!"

Strength was the most important thing; he had already learned this lesson well.

Soon, he closed his eyes. There were only four hours left, and he had to conserve his energy. He didn't understand Orochimaru, but he was certain that Orochimaru would not look after him the way Ogata had.

After a while, he fell into a deep sleep. When he opened his eyes again, he found that the sky was already beginning to brighten...

Without a moment's hesitation, he climbed out of bed. Although no one had come to call him yet, he believed that the time for departure was not far off.

"You're awake?"

Just as he finished folding the bedding, the man from last night appeared again. He nodded slightly.

"Put these clothes on."

He handed over a set of Konoha attire, along with a ninja tool pouch.

"Once you're dressed, I will take you to see Lord Orochimaru."

Qi didn't speak; he took the items and immediately began to change. This set of clothing was actually only qualified to be worn by those at the Chunin level; clearly, this was a special favor shown to him.

Such ninja attire was designed specifically to maximize a ninja's combat efficiency, and Genin were not qualified to wear it.

In a few quick motions, Qi finished dressing. At this moment, he looked like a standard Konoha ninja—forehead protector, tactical vest, and tool pouch, all complete.

Orochimaru liked long sleeves, and this habit had actually extended to the clothing given to Qi; it was almost a replica of Orochimaru's own set... the same black inner garment, the same long-sleeved outer robe...

To be honest, this style was quite unconventional.

"Now you look like the Lord's disciple. I hope you don't bring shame to this outfit."

The man wore an expression of admiration.

"Wearing this, you really do look quite like the Lord..."

What kind of talk was that!?

Qi finally managed to refrain from cursing. How did that sound like a compliment, even though he knew the other party was praising him?

However, there was no time left for him to complain. After he finished dressing, the man impatiently led Qi out of the residence and headed toward the outer gate of Konoha.

It had to be said that this outfit was very eye-catching. Almost everyone passing by was looking at Qi, which made him very uncomfortable. For years, he had been accustomed to being ignored by others, not being the center of attention...

Fortunately, this process did not last long, as they finally arrived at the gate.

At this moment, Qi also saw Orochimaru. He was wearing a larger version of the same outfit, standing at the gate with a smiling expression as he watched them approach.

At this moment, Orochimaru lacked the cold, gloomy feeling he had the previous night; instead, he radiated a sense of ease.

At the main gate of Konoha, more than a dozen ninjas had already gathered, and more were arriving one after another.

"You're here."

Orochimaru looked at Qi with a smile.

"I thought you would arrive even later."

He waved his hand at the man, who bowed and then departed.

"Do you find it strange why I would take you as my disciple?"

Qi nodded honestly. He had never considered himself a genius; what exactly did Orochimaru see in him?

"The reason is simple: I am quite interested in your bloodline limit, and your performance last night also satisfied me. I think we will spend a pleasant time as master and disciple."

Orochimaru did not hide his thoughts at all.

"My instruction to you begins now. This journey is your opportunity to cultivate, and afterward, I will let you slaughter on the battlefield. That is the best training. Do you have any thoughts on this?"

"None at all. Whatever you say, I will do!"

Qi replied. He didn't dislike this method of instruction; a ninja was a profession forged in a vat of blood.

If he didn't dare to step onto the battlefield, what kind of ninja was he? If he didn't even have that much courage, then how would he face the great storm of the ninja world that Madara would eventually unleash more than a decade later?

"If I die just like this, then that is all I am worth."

He added this with ironclad certainty.

"Hehe... If you can survive, I wouldn't mind teaching you everything I know. So, work hard, Qi."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

"Your Ice Release is a fusion of water and wind nature transformations. I shall start by teaching you how to manipulate chakra transformations. I assume you already have a decent foundation, yes?"

Qi nodded upon hearing this. The process of cultivating his bloodline limit had essentially been a process of training his ability to manipulate chakra; the Thousand Flying Water Needles were a manifestation of water chakra shape transformation.

"I have read your file, and you have a foundation in Water Release. Therefore, I will teach you how to apply wind chakra to taijutsu."

Orochimaru flipped his hand, and a kunai appeared in his palm. The chakra transformation technique he was about to explain was still a basic skill, not some exclusive secret technique that couldn't be shared, so there was nothing to hide, nor was he concerned about the others nearby.

"Watch the kunai in my hand."

Before Orochimaru's voice had even faded, a layer of cyan chakra coated the kunai. Not only that, but Qi could clearly see that this cyan chakra was not static; it was in a state of rapid, frictional motion. Even more terrifying was the fact that it made absolutely no sound.

However, no sound did not mean no power. Even without touching it, Qi knew just how sharp that thing was right now.

"This is nature transformation. I trust you understand the benefits of this."

Orochimaru dissipated the chakra and looked at Qi with a half-smile.

"It's just that your previous master was a taijutsu specialist; he couldn't teach you this kind of thing. The application of chakra in taijutsu requires an entirely different approach."

Qi had to admit this was a fact. Ogata truly couldn't teach him a single thing when it came to ninjutsu.

"I will tell you the secret to this cultivation now. I will only say it once, so listen carefully, and then go try it yourself."

Having said that, Orochimaru recited the key points of the cultivation, and Qi committed every single word to memory, not daring to miss a syllable.

This concerned his chances of survival on the battlefield; he dared not be anything less than serious.

Although this was only a basic technique, a master of Orochimaru's caliber possessed top-tier insights into chakra control. Even for the cultivation of basic skills, his method of instruction was far superior to that of ordinary people.

Did you not see the people nearby, looking as if they wanted to listen but didn't dare to? What the Sannin taught was no longer just a skill; it contained the Sannin's unique concepts of ninjutsu, which could be considered extremely valuable experience.

Clearly, for them, such opportunities to listen in were rare, and the fact that Orochimaru was teaching his basic skills here without any reservation showed that these people were not outsiders.

"Alright, everyone is here. You can ponder it on the road."

Patting Qi on the shoulder, Orochimaru turned to look at his subordinates. By now, dozens of people had gathered at the entrance, all of them at the level of Chunin or higher—clearly an elite squad.

Wherever his eyes landed, his subordinates would puff out their chests, their expressions filled with excitement.

Watching this scene, Orochimaru nodded with satisfaction, then waved his hand.

"Move out!"

"Yes!"

The elite ninjas responded in unison and followed Orochimaru out, filing through the gates of Konoha Village. Naturally, Qi was among them.

As he took the final step out of the village gates, he had a premonition.

From this moment on, he was embarking on a path completely different from the one he had originally envisioned.

Not for any other reason, but simply because he had become a disciple of the Konoha Sannin—and specifically, a disciple of Orochimaru.

He also knew that shortly after the Third Great Ninja War, Orochimaru would defect from Konoha. The hero of the past would become a villain reviled by all. If he did not possess sufficient strength before that time, he would become a casualty of this upheaval.

And in the ninja world, there was no other ending for a casualty than death.

Therefore, he had to become stronger—by any means necessary, with his heart and soul. Apart from that, he would not, and had no right to, consider anything else.

Just like that, Qi left Konoha Village. Throughout the journey, Orochimaru did not speak another word to him. Just as Orochimaru had said, this journey was the time for Qi to understand and master the skills he had been taught.

Except for the most basic rest, Qi spent almost all his energy on the cultivation of wind chakra. The mantra Orochimaru gave him was simple—a few sentences that said everything that needed to be said. It all depended on his own comprehension and luck.

Qi's stroke of luck was that he had begun training his chakra while still in the Yuki Clan, without a single day of interruption, even when being hunted by Mist Ninja. This had given him an excellent foundation.

As a result, when he reached his destination, he was very happy to discover that he had finally mastered the method of applying nature transformation to his weapons, even if it was only at a preliminary stage.

Indeed, the foundation was the most important thing. Without the deep foundation accumulated while he was in the Yuki Clan, given his talent, it would have been impossible for him to achieve this in such a short time.

"The camp is just ahead. The Rock Ninja have been acting very crazily lately; it seems they have reinforced their troops again."

Standing on a hillside, Orochimaru pointed with a smile toward the vast expanse of tents in the distance. His expression was completely indifferent, as if he had no concerns about the Rock Ninja, who were also one of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

"Qi, how is your progress?"

Orochimaru turned his head. This was the first time he had spoken to Qi since leaving Konoha. The others looked over as well; they had been watching Qi's performance along the way, and now it was time to verify the results.

"I have not disgraced my master; I have successfully entered the gate."

Qi pulled out a kunai. With a thought, chakra flowed according to his will, coating the kunai and beginning to circulate.

A faint humming sound emanated from the kunai, and the cyan chakra quickly took on a jagged, saw-toothed appearance.

Although it wasn't as silent and peerlessly sharp as when Orochimaru did it, it clearly met the standard—it was still something you wouldn't want to touch.

"Very good. You did not disappoint me."

Orochimaru smiled with satisfaction.

"Go into the camp and rest first. Tomorrow, we engage the Rock Ninja!"