Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

Where there is light, there is darkness…

The neon lights dazzled people's eyes. Beneath the paper-thin glamour, an insatiable desire continuously bred.

Ye Zi stood silently at the alley entrance, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the crowd moving under the lights. His tall figure blocked out the darkness behind him. From the depths behind him, one could faintly hear sounds of pain and the dull thud of fists hitting flesh.

Half an hour ago, at the boss's signal, he had intercepted a few slightly drunk men and dragged them into the alley.

The purpose, of course, was to pry some money from these decently dressed men.

This bustling metropolis could satisfy all human desires, and the darkness it nurtured could destroy any meaningless fantasy. Those attracted here by the glamour might be fortunate or miserable…

"Ye Zi, the boss wants you. I'll keep watch here." After a while, a red-haired youth with a defiant expression walked up behind Ye Zi and patted his shoulder.

Ye Zi glanced at him and nodded slightly. Without saying a word, he walked into the alley.

The red-haired youth looked at Ye Zi's departing figure with a hint of disdain.

"Someone coming out of that place thinking they can fight?"

He turned his gaze back to the street under the bright lights, muttering coldly, "Too bad. We're going to lose a frontline pawn."

He seemed to foresee Ye Zi's fate: not just crippled, but dead.

After walking a short distance, Ye Zi could hear the unmistakable sounds of laughter and the pain-stricken cries of men. He furrowed his brows and quickened his pace.

The alley was lit by a few dim bulbs on the walls, the yellowish light enough to illuminate the filthy ground, providing enough visibility for Ye Zi to avoid tripping over unseen obstacles.

Turning a corner, the sounds of pleading and suffering became more distinct.

A burly man with a scarred face sat on a pile of junk, smoking a cigarette. In front of him, three men in long coats and trousers were cornered by a crowd, occasionally receiving a punch or a kick.

Ye Zi's indifferent gaze, filtered through the dim light, clearly saw one of his companions holding three bulging wallets and some watches and gold chains. However, even though they had gotten what they wanted, they didn't let the men go, likely just to satisfy their pointless urge to hit someone.

He had anticipated this outcome as soon as he entered, and he was used to his companions stirring up more trouble even after achieving their goal. He did not agree with this practice, nor would he voice any objections.

Ultimately, these three men had nothing to do with him.

After watching for a moment, Ye Zi withdrew his gaze and walked towards the man sitting on the pile of junk. "Boss, you called for me?"

"Do you want to fight?" The man exhaled the smoke from his cigarette and looked at him with an indifferent expression.

"Yes." Ye Zi met the man's calm gaze and nodded firmly.

The man's lips curled slightly, instinctively touching the scar on his chest. He said plainly, "Even if I were to step into the ring, I might not be able to defeat a single opponent."

"I have to go." 

The firmness in his voice made the man pause for a moment. After a while, he said, "I'll give you a recommendation tomorrow. You'll then have to step into the ring the day after."

He paused, and his gaze suddenly turned cold. "If you dare to back out after I recommend you, I'll make sure your life is worse than death."

Ye Zi's heart tightened, and he nodded heavily, indicating that he understood.

Seeing this, the man's cold gaze gradually softened.

"Once you enter only one of you have leave the stage. I hope it will be you."

Ye Zi couldn't help but clench his fists, making a sound from his throat. He knew the rules here. This wasn't underground boxing but a deadly fight for spectators. Once on the stage, insufficient ability meant death, there was no room for luck.

He really didn't want to step into a such a hellish place like this, but he had no choice. He needed a large amount of money for , or rather, a large amount of medical expenses.

This was the only way he could do it in such a short time.

"Wait for me… Rui." Ye Zi silently thought in his heart.

Two days later, the highly anticipated death match took place in the underground of the city's largest entertainment venue.

The arena was an iron-caged ring, brightly lit, making it look like a cold, large birdcage.

The ring was brightly lit, but the audience seats were in a dim shadow, only vaguely seeing the outlines of people.

Suddenly, passionate music filled the venue, igniting the crowd's excitement. Waves of cheers rose and fell with the music because… the death match was about to begin.

The commentator, as usual, gave a passionate and lengthy introduction for the popular fighters. Every time a key point was mentioned, the audience erupted in excitement.

Those who could sit here were either rich or influential, and at this moment, they sat in the dim corners, indulging in the negative aspects of human nature.

When the commentator introduced Ye Zi, he deliberately added a unique mocking tone.

"Let's see if this 16-year-old little pudding can land a hit on Ghost Bear's cute face, shall we?"

"Haha…"

The audience burst into laughter.

"Alright, no more talking. Let's have the two fighters come on stage!"

Creak…

The iron gates on both sides of the ring slowly rose, revealing an entrance for the fighters.

Ye Zi walked out from the passage, stepping heavily into the iron-caged birdcage. Facing forward, a tall, muscular man over two meters high bent through the entrance and walked onto the stage.

In terms of physique alone, this was a fight without suspense. For the audience, this was merely an appetizer.

Ye Zi's eyes were filled with suppressed anger. As he stepped onto the stage, he realized he had been set up. The opponent facing him wasn't a regular fighter but a seasoned veteran. Even knowing he had been tricked, he had no choice.

To step onto the ring meant death.

To turn and flee also meant death.

This place was as lawless as the slum he had struggled to escape from. The only difference was it filled with glitz and glamour here, while there, it was linked with every filth imaginable.

The opponent 'Ghost Bear' looked coldly at Ye Zi, waiting for the starting bell to ring. It was clear he was aiming to tear Ye Zi apart as quickly as possible. This was merely the beginning of his night in the ring.

Ye Zi, with a grim face, stared at Ghost Bear. The imposing figure of his opponent gave him a heavy sense of oppression.

Facing such an opponent, he could only use speed to maneuver and look for a chance to strike at a weak point, hoping for a chance of winning.

Ding!

The bell rang suddenly, without any prior announcement from the commentator.

Ghost Bear, already accustomed to this, lunged towards Ye Zi as soon as the bell rang.

Ye Zi was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted. By then, Ghost Bear was already close, and his large hand swiped through the air towards Ye Zi's head.

The tearing sound of the wind left no doubt that Ghost Bear could smash Ye Zi's head with a single blow. Instantly, the crowd erupted into the first wave of frenzied cheers.

A strong gust of wind hit Ye Zi. His eyes narrowed, and he swiftly crouched, narrowly avoiding the swipe. Taking advantage of the size difference, he moved forward and threw a punch towards Ghost Bear's groin.

Ghost Bear didn't expect Ye Zi to be so quick and was momentarily caught off guard, unable to defend in time.

Bang!

A dull thud echoed as Ye Zi's fist hit Ghost Bear's vulnerable spot. The male audience fell silent instantly.

The searing pain from his groin made Ghost Bear cry out, his eyes turning red. Ordinary people would have been incapacitated by such a blow, but someone who had fought in the ring for so long had extraordinary endurance. He did not lose his fighting capability due to this strike.

"You...!!!!!"

The brutal blow made Ghost Bear roar, pulling Ye Zi forcefully into his embrace.

"Damn it…"

Ye Zi didn't expect him to counter so quickly after being hit. His face changed, and just as he was about to react, a tremendous force slammed into his back.

"Pfft!"

The powerful force shifted Ye Zi's internal organs, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood, which splattered onto Ghost Bear's abdomen, pressing his face tightly against the rocky muscles.

"Oh! The cute little pudding, after a dazzling lower-body strike, has been pulled into Ghost Bear's loving embrace without any resistance. Looks like the little pudding can't last even a minute." The commentator said mocklingly as the old microphone reverberate slightly.

The ringing in Ye Zi's ears drowned out the sounds from the crowd. His vision was blurred and rendered meaningless, as his face was pressed against the unyielding muscles.

Ye Zi suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of fear and coldness… That sensation was more terrifying than the intense pain at that moment.

I'm going to die…

The three cold words echoed in his mind.

If he died here… what about Rui?

His body trembled violently, seemingly ignoring Ghost Bear's immense strength.

"Hm?"

Noticing Ye Zi's desperate struggle, Ghost Bear sneered coldly and tightened his grip, instantly stilling Ye Zi's writhing form.

Endless darkness slowly consumed Ye Zi…

In the last moments… he saw a picture of a girl sitting on a hospital bed, smiling brightly.

"Brother, when I get better, I want to eat lots and lots of snacks."

"Hmm."

...…

Splashing…

An icy sensation from his face and body woke Ye Zi. He opened his heavy eyelids to see a gloomy sky and a torrential downpour.

"I'm still alive?"

A slight sense of surprise was quickly drowned out by the incessant rain. The pain of the rainwater hitting his eyes made him close them involuntarily.

Realizing he was still alive, Ye Zi felt an intense pain all over his body. Despite this, he was incredibly relieved. He didn't understand why he was alive after losing, but as long as he was still alive…

Enduring the pain, he lifted his arm to shield himself from the pouring rain and then slowly opened his eyes. He saw his arms were as thin as bamboo sticks and was stunned.

"This is…"

Staring at his arms in disbelief, Ye Zi widened his eyes, unable to process what was happening.

These weren't his arms…!

Ignoring the pain, he struggled to get up in the cold rain and checked his body. After a moment, he stood dazed in the rain, letting the icy water seep into his bones. Gradually, the last bit of warmth in his heart disappeared.

He had become a child, a frail child suffering from long-term malnutrition. He couldn't tell how old he was now.

This was shocking and unbelievable, even though he might think it was just a dream. But what he thought more about was a name—Ye Rui.

"Where is this? Where…?"

Ye Zi stood in the rain, murmuring to himself, his mind a mess. The tangible pain and the biting cold rain constantly reminded him that this was not a dream but reality.

The sky was ominously dark, and the relentless rain showed no sign of stopping. With Ye Zi's current physical condition, continuing to be exposed to the rain would surely lead to death within a day.

Fortunately, his heart was resilient. Realizing the danger he was in, he prioritized survival and glanced around.

This was a small village, with disordered and sparsely placed buildings.

He couldn't identify where he was, but seeing human structures gave him some comfort. Looking up at the sky, he walked slowly to a building's overhanging eaves, finally escaping the freezing rain.

Leaning against the equally cold wall, he stared blankly at the world outside the eaves. He noticed that the roofs of the buildings here were all extended outward, with wide drainage systems, indicating frequent rain and that the rain was never light.

Observing the silent village only punctuated by the sound of rain, he suddenly felt his mouth dry and his stomach growling with hunger. Compared to these, the chilling cold was the worst.

He extended his small hand to catch some rainwater and drink it, alleviating his thirst.

"I can't go on like this. I need food."

Enduring the pain, Ye Zi's gaze searched the street for any means to find food.

Coming from the slum, he had never relied on others, despite his currently feeble state.

As he pondered how to find food, he did not notice the village's oddities until nightfall, when he realized the village's strangeness.

There were no lights!

In this small village, after night fell, it was eerily quiet, with not a single light lit.

The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, making the world pitch black, only the incessant sound of wind and rain.

Ye Zi looked at the endless darkness before him, rubbing his arms with the remaining strength, finally feeling fear.