Konoha, Third Training Ground.
This had once been a place where countless genin poured out their sweat and youth, witnessing countless clashes of shuriken and explosive tags.
Today, however, the atmosphere was heavier than a budget report in the Hokage Office.
Led by Minato Namikaze and Senju Nawaki, over a dozen elite ninja who had just undergone the "Divine Baptism" sat ramrod straight, their expressions as solemn as if they were about to attend the Five Kage Summit.
The power within them lay quietly dormant, like a tamed beast. But the occasional flicker of cold indifference in their eyes reminded everyone that the beast could open its eyes again at any moment.
Standing before them was their "attending physician"-Orochimaru.
"Good morning, everyone." Orochimaru adjusted the nonexistent glasses on his nose, wearing his signature smile, somewhere between kindly and deranged.
In his hand was a thick booklet with "Clinical observations on strengthening mental thresholds and emotional attachment" written on its cover. "After a night's rest,
I believe your bodies have begun to adapt to the new energy circulation pattern. But this is only the first step."
He opened the report and spoke unhurriedly, in the tone of someone presenting an academic paper:
"Our 'bowls,' meaning your mental cores, still contain varying degrees of 'hairline cracks.' To prevent the 'Divine Soup' from spilling out and causing unnecessary 'personality formatting,' we will begin the second phase of adaptation training today."
Everyone, including Minato, held their breath.
They had already prepared for the worst.
Would it be brutal genjutsu interrogation?
Or extreme sparring that had them trying to kill one another?
Knowing Orochimaru's style, whatever it was, the process would definitely not be pleasant.
Orochimaru closed the report and swept a gaze brimming with "goodwill" over them. Then, from behind his back, he produced...