Training Begins

Chiyu settled into Orochimaru's underground base.

Orochimaru had already drawn up a comprehensive training plan for Chiyu.

But Chiyu had no idea that the days ahead would become his nightmare.

Early the next morning, before dawn had even broken, Chiyu was awakened by a snake.

The moment the snake crawled onto Chiyu's bed, he jolted awake.

And the snake could speak human language. It had to be a Summoning Animal summoned by Orochimaru.

"Lord Chiyu, Lord Orochimaru is already waiting for you."

It was the first time someone... no, a snake had called him "Lord." It felt strange.

When Chiyu arrived at Orochimaru's office, Orochimaru was already reading a Ninjutsu Scroll.

"Since you're up, let's begin. Come with me."

Orochimaru led Chiyu to the underground base's training ground.

In the center of the training ground, Orochimaru summoned a large number of snakes.

Orochimaru said to Chiyu, "We'll start with taijutsu training this morning. You may not use Lightning Release Chakra to activate your body. Using only your physical strength, strike as many snakes as possible within one minute. You may only stop when I tell you to. Are you ready?"

Chiyu had only just woken up and was still a little dazed. This was too sudden—he had not even eaten breakfast!

Chiyu took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm ready, Teacher Orochimaru."

"Then begin. The timer starts now."

Chiyu instantly dashed forward, striking the snakes' bodies with his hands.

Every snake Chiyu struck turned into smoke and vanished.

Orochimaru went to the edge of the training ground, sat in a chair that had been prepared beforehand, and continued reading the unfinished Ninjutsu Scroll.

One minute quickly passed, and Chiyu still felt relaxed.

After all, it had only been one minute.

Just as Chiyu was about to report that the minute was up, Orochimaru said without even looking up, "Continue."

Chiyu continued striking the snakes.

One minute after another, then yet another minute passed.

Chiyu no longer knew how many one-minute intervals he had endured.

And Orochimaru always gave the same two words.

"Continue."

The snakes in the training ground had already been replaced several times over.

After enough repetitions, Chiyu stopped asking and began each new minute on his own.

At first, Chiyu had been quite relaxed, but the longer it went on, the more exhausted his body became.

Chiyu had gotten up at five in the morning to begin training, and it was now nearly ten.

The one-minute training was still continuing.

Chiyu's movements grew slower and slower, and his steps became heavier and heavier. Several times, he was bitten by snakes.

Fortunately, these snakes were not venomous. If they had been, Chiyu had no idea how many times he would have died by now.

However, after he was bitten for the first time, Orochimaru allowed Chiyu to activate his Sharingan for training.

After activating the Sharingan, the enhanced dynamic vision made Chiyu's training somewhat easier.

But the Sharingan could not increase Chiyu's stamina, and the snakes remained just as fast. Before long, the training became difficult again.

Ever since Chiyu stopped asking, Orochimaru had kept reading the Ninjutsu Scroll over there as if he had forgotten Chiyu entirely, which left him quite frustrated.

The moment Chiyu lost focus, a snake bit his arm.

Chiyu shook the snake off and was about to begin the next minute when Orochimaru's voice came through. "That concludes the taijutsu training."

Chiyu had never found Orochimaru's hoarse voice so pleasant to hear. He immediately collapsed onto the ground and gasped for breath.

This training seemed simple—and it truly was simple—but it severely tested accuracy, concentration, endurance, and speed.

Especially his eyes.

Keeping his full attention fixed on the snakes' movements had left Chiyu's eyes sore and dry. It felt as if he was seeing double.

Orochimaru closed the scroll in his hand, stood up, and walked over to Chiyu.

Orochimaru began explaining Chiyu's problems. "Your problems are significant. Your speed and endurance are entirely reliant on Lightning Release Chakra stimulating your body and activating it.

Without the boost from Lightning Release Chakra, you could strike an average of around 120 snakes per minute at the beginning—roughly two snakes per second. That speed is already quite outstanding compared to others your age, but for someone pursuing speed, that level of efficiency is completely unacceptable.

As for your endurance, after one hour, your rate of striking snakes began to plummet. In other words, after one hour in battle, your combat strength would be drastically reduced.

Your concentration is barely acceptable. You were only bitten after around two hours, but your use of the Sharingan is far too poor.

Activating the Sharingan enhances your dynamic vision. That means you do not need to focus only on the few snakes in front of you as you did before activating it. You should make full use of your dynamic vision, assess the movements of more snakes around you, and react in advance.

You rely too heavily on the enhancement Lightning Release Chakra gives you. What you need to do now is work hard to improve your own physical qualities. Once your physical qualities improve, using Lightning Release Chakra to activate your body will greatly increase your speed and endurance as well.

So tomorrow morning's taijutsu training will include strength training in addition to what you are doing now."

As Chiyu listened to Orochimaru explain his problems, he humbly accepted every word.

At the same time, he felt a little disappointed.

Chiyu had thought he had always worked hard and should have been fairly impressive, but in Orochimaru's words, he seemed rather inadequate.

I have to work harder... much harder.

Chiyu thanked him. "Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru. I'll work hard!"

Orochimaru nodded. "Come eat with me first. We'll begin Ninjutsu training this afternoon."

Chiyu followed Orochimaru out of the training ground.

Chiyu had never expected Orochimaru to cook lunch himself, and to make Omurice at that.

Looking at the Omurice before him, covered in sauce, it seemed like it would taste good.

After taking a bite, it really was delicious.

Chiyu was somewhat awestruck without understanding why.

And Orochimaru was truly a Ninjutsu fanatic. Even while eating, he held a Ninjutsu Scroll and read it.

The afternoon's Ninjutsu training began as well.

Ninjutsu training was no easier than taijutsu training—if anything, it was even more demanding.

Since Chiyu currently knew no other Ninjutsu besides Thunder Breathing, Orochimaru first taught him C-rank Ninjutsu of Lightning, Fire, Water, and Earth, allowing Chiyu to practice them first.

Chiyu continuously exhausted the Chakra within his body while practicing Ninjutsu.

Once his Chakra was depleted, he refined Chakra on the spot, then continued practicing.

The time spent refining Chakra was Chiyu's brief rest period.

It was not until around six in the evening that Chiyu's day of training finally came to an end.

After hastily shoveling down a few bites of dinner, Chiyu lay sprawled on his bed like a corpse.

There was simply not even a drop left to squeeze out of him.

His physical strength had been drained dry in the morning, and his Chakra had been drained dry in the afternoon. The very first day of training had already been so torturous.

Thinking about the days ahead, Chiyu could not help but shudder.