C-rank Mission

Chiyu underwent grueling training in Orochimaru's base.

Orochimaru's training was unlike that of other teachers, who gave you a heavy training regimen right from the start so you could prepare yourself mentally.

His training looked easy at first, making you think you could finish it without much effort. But once it truly began, you realized it was nothing of the sort.

It was a double torment of body and mind, the kind of despair that made it feel as though there was no hope left for the future.

Still, Orochimaru's teaching ability truly was top-tier.

Orochimaru tailored his instruction to the student. Whenever Chiyu had a problem, he pointed it out immediately and intensified training around Chiyu's weak points.

If only Orochimaru summoned fewer snakes.

Chiyu had already trained in the underground base for nearly a month.

Ordinary snakes no longer posed any threat to Chiyu.

Not only was Chiyu now wearing weighted blocks, but the snakes training with him were all from Ryūchi Cave—genuine Chakra-using snakes, far stronger than ordinary ones.

More than once, those snakes had left Chiyu in a miserable state.

Chiyu had also learned the Shadow Clone Technique. Not the A-Rank forbidden technique, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique, but the ordinary Shadow Clone Technique. Chiyu could only create one Shadow Clone.

Chiyu wanted to try training with Shadow Clones like Naruto did.

Good grief, that time, Chiyu nearly got knocked unconscious.

The clone's memories and experience would return to the original body, and so would its fatigue.

Double the exhaustion. The feeling was practically enough to send him to heaven.

Still, it was nothing compared to the unforgettable agony of the time the system had used his body to simulate Thunder Breathing. Even now, just thinking about it made Chiyu shudder.

So now, Chiyu had his Shadow Clone study ninjutsu theory and send the memories back to the original body, saving time.

Every day, Chiyu pushed his stamina and Chakra until they were completely drained.

However, Orochimaru gave Chiyu a cup of special liquid every day.

Orochimaru said it was a nutrient solution he had developed. Not only could it replenish the nutrients the body needed, but it could also eliminate fatigue.

Every night after drinking the nutrient solution and sleeping until dawn, all the exhaustion in Chiyu's body would vanish.

It could be said that Chiyu was able to keep up this kind of high-intensity training every day thanks to the nutrient solution.

Today, Orochimaru was unusually absent from the underground base. In the morning, he had simply said, "Train on your own," before leaving.

But even with Orochimaru gone, Chiyu did not slack off in his training.

After all, he trained for himself, not for anyone else.

Morning training ended quickly. Chiyu removed the weighted blocks from his body, wiped away his sweat with a towel, and prepared to eat something and rest for a while before beginning his afternoon ninjutsu training.

Orochimaru cooked every day, while Chiyu only had to train.

With Orochimaru gone today, Chiyu could only cook for himself.

Just as Chiyu was about to make udon for lunch, Orochimaru returned.

Orochimaru had changed into ninja attire. "I accepted a C-rank Mission for you. Let's leave immediately."

Chiyu put down the greens he had been preparing as a side dish and asked in surprise, "Huh? So suddenly?"

With his arms crossed, Orochimaru leaned against the doorframe and looked at Chiyu. "It's about time. This C-rank Mission is to wipe out a group of bandits. It's also time to test the results of your month of training."

Chiyu shook the water from his hands. "All right. I'll get my Longsword."

At that moment, Orochimaru tossed something to Chiyu.

Chiyu caught it and saw that it was a Ninja Tool Pouch.

Inside the Ninja Tool Pouch were five Kunai, several Shuriken, and a few Explosive Tags, all neatly arranged.

"Thank you, Teacher Orochimaru."

Chiyu put on the Ninja Tool Pouch.

As a poor guy, Chiyu could not afford ninja tools like these, especially Explosive Tags. They were expensive as hell, several times the price of Kunai.

Chiyu was currently eating Orochimaru's food, drinking Orochimaru's supplies, and living under Orochimaru's roof.

Now Orochimaru had even bought him ninja tools. Chiyu felt rather embarrassed about it.

Chiyu picked up his Longsword and followed Orochimaru out of Konoha.

After being apart for so many years, leaving Konoha once again left Chiyu in a daze.

Thinking of his parents, Chiyu's mood sank.

They really had been wonderful parents. They had loved him deeply.

If not for those happy four years, leaving aside whether Chiyu could have survived at all, he felt that in this ninja world where people devoured one another, he would most likely have become a walking corpse without hope or purpose.

Because he had experienced happiness, Chiyu now struggled for himself, for Kushina Uzumaki, and for the future.

"Did something come to mind?"

Orochimaru was extremely sensitive to changes in people's emotions and noticed Chiyu's low spirits.

After taking a deep breath, Chiyu smiled. "Nothing. I was just thinking that this is my first time leaving the village since returning to Konoha, so I'm a little excited."

Orochimaru glanced at Chiyu and chuckled softly. "Is that so..."

Orochimaru could naturally tell that Chiyu was not excited. He was clearly reminiscing about something.

As for what he was reminiscing about, Chiyu only had one friend in Konoha: Kushina Uzumaki. Kushina Uzumaki was still alive, so he could not be reminiscing about her.

Then Chiyu had to be reminiscing about his parents.

The destination of this mission was the Land of Rice Fields.

The Land of Rice Fields was a small country bordering Konoha, and it had no ninja village.

Because the daimyo of the Land of Rice Fields was incompetent and neglectful, bandits ran rampant throughout the country.

The C-rank Mission Orochimaru had accepted for Chiyu this time was to eliminate the bandits in the Land of Rice Fields who had already burned, killed, and looted several villages.

Chiyu and Orochimaru stood atop a hill, looking down at the noisy village below.

The village was now filled entirely with bandits. The villagers had already been slaughtered to the last.

It looked like they were holding a feast to celebrate.

Orochimaru said, "For this mission, you must kill every bandit in this village. At the same time, you may not use Thunder Breathing. However, you may use your swordsmanship, ninjutsu, taijutsu, and Sharingan. Do you understand?"

Chiyu nodded. "Understood."

"Then begin."

Chiyu used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the spot in an instant.

Chiyu entered the village alone.

Chiyu first investigated the village and confirmed their numbers.

The village had suffered a massacre at the bandits' hands. The houses were filled with corpses; not a single man, woman, elder, or child had been spared. Only the bandits remained in the village.

All the bandits were gathered in the open area at the center of the village, holding a feast.

The bandits gathering together made things much more convenient for Chiyu.

After making a few preparations, Chiyu secretly approached the bandits' gathering place.

The bandits held cups of liquor in their hands. Looted valuables were piled in the middle of the area, while the blood staining their bodies had dried into a dark brown. They laughed wantonly, treating how many people they had killed and how they had killed them as topics of conversation.

Chiyu pulled a Kunai from his Ninja Tool Pouch and stared coldly at the celebrating bandits ahead, killing intent surging from him.