Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

Amidst the white, misty curtain of rain, an indistinct figure stood, with a hint of deep red barely visible through the hazy downpour. Despite the heavy rain, Ye Zi could still feel the gaze directed at him.

"Ha..."

He gave a low, cold laugh, which was soon drowned out by the roar of the rain.

The storm, with its wind, thunder, and rain, had been brewing all day. It was neither random nor hurried. When that person had arrived and what they were thinking at this moment, he did not want to know.

Raindrops clustered and pressed against his body as he stepped forward, and within moments, he could clearly see the person standing in the rain.

He did not stop or cast a glance at the girl; he walked past her, facing the rain and thunder.

Kushina ignored the rainwater sliding down her forehead and tried to focus on Ye Zi's dark eyes. But even as he passed by her, she could only see an abyss of darkness and an indifferent glare.

In the instant they brushed past each other, she felt the usual elusive air of rejection magnified to an extreme in the cold rain, causing her body to shiver and her heart to chill.

It seemed he was trying to tell her: Stop.

She bit her lip, lowering her eyelids to hide the sadness that had just surfaced.

The doubts that had arisen after that night would sometimes resurface in her mind.

What happened? Why had he changed so suddenly? Why was he so strange at this moment in the rain?

After more than a year of interactions, she thought she had come to understand him, only to discover that perhaps the person she knew was not truly him.

Suddenly, Kushina turned around, her gaze piercing through the rain curtain. Her mouth opened slightly, but a sudden pang in her throat made her unable to say anything. She could only silently watch as his figure disappeared into the rain.

Her open eyes could no longer withstand the ravaging rain, and everything before her became blurry.

It was as if the person who always came knocking on her door with Yoru was a lie, as fragile as bubbles.

"Why did you save me if this is how it is?" Her low voice was instantly swallowed by the storm.

The image of him sitting against a tree, drenched in blood, had already been deeply etched into Kushina's mind and might never be erased.

She stood alone in the rain, hugging her shoulders. Even though the heavy rain helped conceal her tears, she still struggled to prevent them from falling.

She simply couldn't understand why he had become like this.

When she first arrived in Konoha, everything was unfamiliar.

Strange people, a strange environment.

Not only that, but there was also unfounded malice.

So she began to deliberately ignore everything around her, gradually resisting it.

Until she started to have people she cared about.

But now, this precious existence to her seemed to be inexplicably slipping away, and she didn't understand why.

Boom, boom, boom...

The sound of the storm grew louder.

The rain that was relentlessly falling suddenly stopped. A sturdy umbrella, which had managed to hold up against the storm, shielded her from the downpour.

Kushina looked up in confusion and saw only the umbrella. Her heart suddenly warmed, and she turned sharply to see the person holding the umbrella. What she saw was a face she had once found extremely annoying but was now filled with warmth.

It was not him.

Minato silently held the umbrella, watching over Kushina with concern.

"No one's ever told you that you look like a woman when you're so gentle?" Kushina murmured. The umbrella that blocked the rain finally obstructed the cold that had been slowly encroaching on her heart.

Amidst the deafening roar of the rain, Minato managed to catch her quiet words. He could only smile gently, saying nothing.

At this moment, he was watching Kushina while also thinking of Ye Zi.

He too was confused, just as Yoru and Kushina were.

After the Second Great Ninja War, small-scale conflicts showed no signs of abating. Numerous small countries and bloodline clans existed within the five great nations. They were too weak to shake the great nations but could still turn their eyes towards similarly weak existences.

Whether due to encroachment, plunder, or pure desire, conflicts between small nations continued unabated, as if they had become creatures in nature, surviving through the struggle of the fittest.

The great nations and ninja villages, which had begun to focus on recuperation, turned a blind eye to the clashes between small countries. On the surface, they did not interfere, but secretly, they had the ninja villages undertake tasks to gain profits, and Konoha was no exception. Tasks with higher difficulty were often taken from small nations, including those involving assassinating a country's ruler.

------

In the Hokage Office.

The Third Hokage tapped his finger slowly on a piece of paper, lifting his gaze to the small team in front of him. Leading the team was his proud pupil, Orochimaru. Despite the team's outstanding performance recently, taking on a mission nearly at the S-rank level still carried great risks. He was not worried about Orochimaru but was concerned about the now-grown junior ninjas.

In times of rebuilding, new blood was crucial.

Among the current generation, there were many outstanding individuals, with Ye Zi, Minato, and Kushina being the foremost. These were valuable talents for Konoha. Although Konoha needed to undertake missions for profit, it was equally important to consider the preservation of talent.

After much deliberation, the Third Hokage decided not to let Orochimaru's team take on this mission. After all, the team included two prodigies, one of whom was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Orochimaru, this mission is not suitable for your team." the Third Hokage said gently.

A trace of disdain flickered in Orochimaru's eyes as he coldly replied, "Ye Zi excels at assassination, Kushina has excellent sensory abilities, and Yoru's ears can detect subtle sounds. With me leading the team, where is the problem?"

The Third Hokage was momentarily speechless. He looked at Orochimaru, rubbing his forehead with a look of helplessness.

Orochimaru understood that the Third Hokage focused on talent. Compared to the profit from a mission, preserving talent was more important. However, to Orochimaru, who had grown up in the midst of war, if they couldn't even handle a non-critical mission, were they truly worthy of being called talents?

Death was a failure.

Survival meant value.

"Third Hokage, you may be underestimating them." Orochimaru said with a cold smile.

The Third Hokage glanced at Ye Zi and the others, then looked back at Orochimaru, asking seriously, "Orochimaru, are you serious?"

"Of course." Orochimaru replied immediately.

"Hm…"

The Third Hokage pondered for a moment, and his tapping finger suddenly stopped. His expression grew stern as he stared at Orochimaru, saying in a deep voice, "I approve of your team taking on this mission."

He left unsaid the rest of the words because he knew Orochimaru would understand.

Orochimaru's lips curved slightly as he took the mission details and led Ye Zi and the others out of the office.

The Third Hokage watched them leave, sighing softly.

The man who had not had a single student survive under his leadership—would this time be different?

Risks were always accompanied by rewards. If a ninja wanted to grow rapidly, war was the quickest shortcut, but the risk of death was also the highest.

"Don't disappoint me…"

The Third Hokage murmured softly. He had noticed that Orochimaru's team had been taking on increasingly difficult missions, and he seemed to sense that the indifferent Orochimaru had some expectations, which likely included the child who resembled a younger version of Orochimaru.

"Will he become the second Orochimaru?"

The Third Hokage shook his head slightly and thought of another prodigy, Minato…

Regarding Orochimaru's decision to take on a highly challenging mission, Ye Zi and the others had no objections, as Orochimaru had already discussed the matter with them.

Perhaps due to their trust in Orochimaru's abilities, even Yoru showed no fear about this mission.

In fact, Yoru had not even realized that he was no longer the person he once was.

"The mission is to assassinate the ruler of the Land of Ash. We will discuss details on the way. For now, prepare to depart immediately." Orochimaru said coldly.

Ye Zi immediately turned and walked toward his residence, while Kushina and Yoru did the same. They had known they would be assigned a challenging mission but had not expected it to be an assassination mission in a foreign land.

As a competent ninja, geographical knowledge was essential.

The Land of Ash was located in the gap between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. Although it was called a gap, it was relatively large. In that area, many small countries existed.

This time, the mission was issued by the Land of Grass, which was in opposition to the Land of Ash. Due to being increasingly suppressed by the Land of Ash, the Land of Grass, in a dire situation, had invested its remaining funds to Konoha to issue this mission, hoping that by assassinating the ruler of the Land of Gray, they could achieve victory in the war.

Generally, assassinating a ruler alone would not secure a victory in the war. However, the ruler of the Land of Ash was quite special. He had a unique bloodline ability, allowing him to enhance his strength and have a significant impact on the surrounding small nations.

If this ruler were eliminated, the balance between the small nations would be disrupted, and the situation would change. The Land of Grass would then be able to seize the opportunity to expand its territory.

Regarding this mission, Kushina still had concerns.

"Are you sure it's just an assassination?" she asked, her expression serious. The strength of a ruler often indicated his influence, so simply assassinating him would not necessarily lead to easy success.

"Don't worry." Orochimaru said with a cold smile. "It's just an assassination. Our focus is on eliminating the target without getting involved in the larger conflict. We must remain hidden and not draw unnecessary attention."

Kushina and Ye Zi were somewhat relieved. They had confidence in their ability to handle this mission. As long as they maintained their role as assassins and avoided unnecessary confrontation, they would have no problem.

The next day, the team set off.

Through the familiar forests, over tall mountains, and across numerous rivers, their journey was filled with danger and unpredictability. Despite the rigorous training they had undergone, they had not yet fully adapted to the harsh conditions of the battlefield.

Still, they had to press on. Orochimaru, with his advanced abilities and extensive experience, was an excellent leader for this team. Under his guidance, they gradually adapted to the mission.

As they ventured deeper into the Land of Ash, they encountered numerous small battles and skirmishes between small countries. However, the team remained focused on their mission, avoiding direct conflict and keeping their primary goal in mind: assassinate the ruler and return safely.

The infiltration into the enemy's territory required excellent stealth and intelligence-gathering abilities.

Ye Zi, with his exceptional skills in assassination, took the lead in gathering information, while Kushina utilized her sensory abilities to detect any potential threats. Yoru, with his unparalleled hearing, provided valuable insights during their journey.

This mission required patience and precision.

Orochimaru's team worked diligently and cautiously, trying to avoid unnecessary risks. However, as they neared the target, they encountered a challenging obstacle. The ruler of the Land of Ash was well-protected, with a formidable guard and numerous traps set up around his stronghold.

The infiltration required not only skill but also careful planning.

Under Orochimaru's guidance, they formulated a detailed plan. Each member had a crucial role, and they executed the mission with the utmost precision.

The success of the mission would not only test their abilities but also determine their future in Konoha. As they prepared to carry out their plan, they knew they had to rely on each other and their skills to achieve their goal.

The outcome of this mission would have a significant impact on their future and on the larger conflicts between the small nations.