Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

In the seemingly endless downpour, Ye Zi stared at the two figures before him with deep suspicion.

Clang…

Without hesitation, he tossed the hard-earned food—the small dog—aside, gripping the bloodstained stone tightly and stepping back slowly.

Though he was extremely hungry and in desperate need of food, the dog's carcass would only be a burden if he tried to escape.

"Who are you?"

He didn't want to give up the food he had just found, but he was taken aback by his own question. The language wasn't familiar to him, yet it came out so naturally, and he understood the meaning of his own words.

"Black hair, black eyes…"

Orochimaru looked at Ye Zi, who had turned around, and didn't immediately answer the question. Black hair and black eyes were often associated with the Uchiha clan, but it wasn't an exclusive trait of theirs. He glanced at the discarded dog and a faint, amused smile appeared on his lips. His interest in him grew stronger.

"Tsunade, this child is quite intriguing…"

"Hmm?"

Tsunade glanced at him and asked, "What do you intend to do?"

"Take him back to the village," Orochimaru replied indifferently.

Tsunade was momentarily taken aback, then decisively said, "That's impossible."

"Impossible? Heh… It may be difficult, but I still want to try."

"Orochimaru, you…" Tsunade scrutinized Orochimaru with a probing gaze. If it were Jiraiya, she might not be as surprised, but the fact that it was Orochimaru saying this made her uneasy.

Orochimaru thought to himself, It was not initially my plan to bring him back to the village. But my growing interest in him makes me want to try. If he wasn't someone who could potentially grow into something greater, I would have no qualms about killing him.

Ye Zi overheard their conversation and immediately turned to run. He saw Tsunade and Orochimaru as potential kidnappers, and he had no intention of staying any longer.

His escape caught the attention of the two. Orochimaru snorted coldly and quickly formed hand signs.

"Summoning Technique: Serpent's Shadow!"

Several large, brown-patterned serpents burst forth from his sleeves, quickly catching up with Ye Zi and wrapping around him. Fortunately, Orochimaru had carefully controlled the force of the serpents; otherwise, they might have crushed Ye Zi to death.

Even so, he cried out in pain, drenched in sweat.

"Snakes?!"

Seeing the snake tongues flicking toward him, his heart raced with fear.

Thud thud…

Orochimaru walked slowly toward Ye Zi, who was ensnared and lying in the rain.

Tsunade stood silently, watching Orochimaru's back, feeling a fleeting sense of unease…

Why is Orochimaru so determined to take this child back to the village?

She could understand why Jiraiya took care of the children out of guilt and a sense of responsibility, but she didn't understand Orochimaru's motives.

"Child."

Orochimaru stood over Ye Zi, gazing down at the unyielding eyes.

"If you want to survive, follow me… It's your only choice."

Ye Zi weakly lifted his head and looked into the cold, serpentine eyes. At that moment, he realized that the world he was in was far from ordinary, and indeed, he had no other choice.

Exhausted, he nodded faintly before losing consciousness and falling into a faint.

Seeing Ye Zi lose consciousness, Orochimaru suddenly smiled, feeling an unexpected thrill. The reason for this feeling was subtle and unclear, but it was there nonetheless.

Bending down, Orochimaru lifted him and slung him over his shoulder, then turned to walk towards Tsunade.

"Let's go."

Tsunade glanced at Ye Zi's pale face and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are you really planning to take him back to the village?"

"Of course," Orochimaru said firmly, not looking away.

Tsunade bit her lip and said, "Then you should at least do something about his condition. I don't think he'll survive the trip back to the village in his current state."

"Heh…"

Orochimaru responded coldly.

"No need for treatment or food. He can ask for them if he wakes up. If he doesn't, we'll just find a place to discard him."

Tsunade gave Orochimaru a deep, searching look before saying nothing more.

The heavy rain continued, falling relentlessly as if it would never stop.