Chapter 29: Soon Bound for the Battlefield
As the battle came to a close, Anko and Hayate finally returned to the training ground, still reeling from what they had just witnessed. Fresh out of the Academy, neither of them had ever seen combat on such a terrifying scale.
They were stunned—not only by Orochimaru's overwhelming strength as a top-tier shinobi—but also by Nan's performance, which appeared to match Orochimaru blow for blow. It was hard to believe someone their age could already rival a legendary Sannin.
Of course, that was a misunderstanding on their part.
In truth, Nan was still far from being Orochimaru's equal.
This had only been a mock battle, not a real fight to the death. If they had truly gone all out, Orochimaru could've unleashed high-level destructive jutsu that would've forced Nan to activate his Mangekyō Sharingan—and perhaps even kill Orochimaru in an instant...
But neither side had used their trump cards. This was, after all, just a friendly spar.
In terms of pure strength without the use of unique kekkei genkai or forbidden techniques, Nan still lagged behind Orochimaru by a wide margin.
The only reason he lasted so long was because the combination of his Sharingan and Divine Speed happened to counter Orochimaru's fighting style rather well.
Seeing Nan admit defeat, Anko and Hayate didn't feel the slightest shame in doing the same. If someone as strong as him couldn't win, they certainly had no chance.
With that, the training session officially came to an end.
Originally, Orochimaru had been most interested in Nan's potential as a medical ninja. But now, seeing the boy's combat abilities, he felt a new wave of uncertainty.
At only six years old, Nan already possesses this much power... What will he become in ten years?
For the first time, Orochimaru wasn't so sure he could control this disciple as easily as he had assumed.
Conflicted emotions began to stir within him. On one hand, he was eager to continue cultivating Nan's talents—curious to see how far the boy could go. On the other hand, he couldn't help but wonder:
What if Nan walks a different path?
What if he becomes my enemy someday?
If that happened, not only would all his efforts be wasted—it could end up being a threat to his own ambitions.
But then he reassured himself: Nan was still just a child, with no family, no real ties. In time, Orochimaru believed he would become the most important person in the boy's life.
Besides, Orochimaru had immense confidence in his own charisma and influence. He believed he could mold Nan, shape his beliefs, and guide him down the same path he walked.
There was just one last concern nagging at him—Nan's mysterious jutsu.
That speed-based taijutsu… it wasn't something just anyone could develop.
Finally, Orochimaru asked, his tone probing:
"Nan, that strange body technique of yours… where did you learn it? Would you mind telling me?"
It was a fair question.
The only shinobi known to use that kind of lightning-speed taijutsu was the Raikage—Nan shouldn't have had any access to it.
Nan had anticipated this question. He wasn't worried—his Divine Speed was the product of a perfectly legitimate origin.
With complete honesty, he explained to Orochimaru that the technique had been developed jointly by himself and Kakashi, combining lightning chakra control with advanced knowledge of human anatomy.
Orochimaru's expression changed slightly as the pieces clicked into place.
So, it was developed alongside Kakashi...
He had heard long ago that Sakumo Hatake had been researching techniques involving speed enhancement through lightning release. It made sense that Kakashi inherited part of that knowledge. Combined with Nan's deep understanding of the human body, the two of them had simply pushed the technique further, refining it into something far more potent.
Orochimaru then asked about another technique that had caught his attention—Dragon God of Leaf.
This move was known to have been created by Chen, who was supposed to be dead. Logically, Nan shouldn't have had any way of learning it.
This time, Nan hesitated.
Chen had explicitly told him and Might Guy to keep his survival a secret. So Nan couldn't just reveal the truth.
He quickly spun a half-truth and said:
"I copied it using the Sharingan—from Guy-senpai.
As for how he learned it, I'm not too sure."
He figured Orochimaru wouldn't bother digging too deeply into this.
And if he did?
Well, worst-case scenario, Nan would simply admit that Master Chen was still alive and swear Orochimaru to secrecy. That would still keep the secret more or less intact.
Heh... No one understands secrecy better than I do.
Orochimaru smirked inwardly.
So it was Guy.
He had heard that the kid was a taijutsu specialist. If Guy had happened to witness the Dragon God of Leaf technique somewhere and then begged Chen to teach it to him, that would explain how Nan had learned it too.
That seemed like a plausible enough explanation—and more importantly, it meant there was no shadowy figure behind Nan.
With that final concern settled, Orochimaru felt reassured. The boy was operating independently, without the influence of some hidden master. That was all he needed to know.
What genuinely delighted Orochimaru, however, was the realization that Nan already had the ability to develop new jutsu on his own. With talent like that, Nan could become an even more valuable asset in the future.
---
After facing off against one of the top shinobi in the ninja world, Nan finally got a clearer sense of his own strength.
He had sparred with Kakashi and Guy before, but they were still in the early stages of their growth. It had been difficult to accurately gauge the limits of his power against them.
But today's battle with Orochimaru—even though the Sannin clearly hadn't gone all out—proved that Nan could hold his own for a respectable amount of time.
That confirmed what Nan had already suspected:
In terms of raw combat ability, he was already equal to—or stronger than—any elite jōnin.
Of course, he wasn't arrogant. He knew he still lacked combat experience, and real battles were chaotic and unpredictable. There was much he still needed to learn and endure.
And Orochimaru? He was the perfect person to help him acquire those things.
---
After the mock battle, Orochimaru gathered the three of them and gave a brief assessment of the day's results.
Overall, he was very pleased—especially with Nan.
As for Anko and Hayate, they had a long way to go, but were still passable as genin. Still, Orochimaru urged them to intensify their training if they hoped to keep up with Nan.
"As his teammates," Orochimaru said coolly, "you shouldn't be dragging him down."
Motivated by Nan's example, both Anko and Hayate quickly swore to work harder and catch up.
Orochimaru then informed them to head home and pack their things—they would soon embark on their first official mission:
Accompanying him to the Wind Country battlefield.
After listing what they needed to prepare, Orochimaru left.
---
As the commanding officer of the Wind Country frontlines, Orochimaru couldn't afford to be away from the battlefield for long. This visit to the village had been a rare exception—made solely for the sake of his students.
Thankfully, everything had gone smoothly.
But now, he had to return immediately.
And since the three of them were officially his subordinates and students, they would accompany him to the front as well.
---
If they were ordinary genin, they would likely start with minor missions to build experience.
But as disciples of Orochimaru, they had no such luxury.
The news that they'd be heading to the battlefield filled Anko and Hayate with a mix of nervousness and excitement.
They had always dreamed of becoming useful to the village—but now, that dream was colliding head-on with the terrifying reality of war.
Nan, however, felt only anticipation.
His confidence stemmed from strength. He was calm, composed—and not the least bit afraid.
Besides, their squad leader was Orochimaru.
As the overall commander, Orochimaru was unlikely to lead charges on the front lines himself. His students, therefore, probably wouldn't be exposed to direct combat right away. They'd most likely remain in the rear as personal guards, only engaging if something unexpected happened.
---
Once Orochimaru departed, the three students left the training grounds and returned to the village. Then, they each went their separate ways to prepare.
Anko and Hayate still had to pack weapons and supplies—and say goodbye to their families.
But Nan had no one to say goodbye to.
His entire family was gone. The rest of his clan were mere acquaintances at best.
The only people he felt close to were Kakashi and Guy.
But Kakashi had been away on a mission for some time now, and Guy had also left the village after their recent sparring match.
So for Nan, all that remained was to pack a few sets of clothes and the necessary tools.
Within no time, he was fully packed—his gear neatly arranged in his bag, ready to depart with Orochimaru the following morning.