The boat was far too slow, so Xuanhui used his left eye's Dojutsu to speed it up.
The journey that should have taken three days took the two of them only one.
Throughout that day, Xuanhui not only accelerated the boat but also listened to Orochimaru's instructions as he refined water- and earth-nature chakra.
Orochimaru offered only the occasional word of guidance, spending most of his time studying Sealing Jutsu.
The island where the Land of Whirlpools lay was frequently shrouded in thick fog.
Much like Amegakure, it rarely saw sunlight.
Orochimaru looked around but could not work out where they were on the map.
Xuanhui extended his senses and soon detected people two kilometers away.
Enveloped in mist, the two of them could barely make out their surroundings.
They walked for roughly half an hour before buildings finally emerged through the haze.
This was not a village, but a small town.
"The people here prefer to gather in larger groups."
Small villages could not give them enough of a sense of security.
Xuanhui stopped a young woman.
"Miss, which way are the Uzumaki Clan's ruins?"
"Are you a child of the Uzumaki Clan?"
"I am."
"This is the first time I've seen someone return to the old ruins! Little Uzumaki, that place was burned down. Nobody lives there anymore!"
"That's all right. I'm just going there to pay my respects."
"All right, then. Follow this road to Central City, then keep heading toward the Southeastern Front. You should recognize the burned ruins at a glance."
"Thank you, miss!"
After thanking her, the two followed the main road straight into the fog.
By the time they found the ruins amid the ashes, night had fallen.
It was so dark they could not even see their hands in front of their