The death of Yoru was like a trivial stone dropped into a lake, creating only faint and fleeting ripples.
Yoru's parents were devastated by the news of his death. They clung to each other, stumbling back home, a place that now held no hope.
Once, they had been proud of their son for being a ninja. At this moment, despite their deep sadness, there was still pride, but the sadness overshadowed the pride. Even with a generous compensation payment, it could not ease the persistent sorrow they would feel in the future.
Kushina watched from afar as Yoru's parents huddled together, seemingly having much to say but ultimately only able to watch from a distance.
Ye Zi leaned against a wall nearby, watching the two depart with a calm expression. He felt regret for Kitayoru's death but was not saddened by it.
Kushina turned and met Ye Zi's eerily calm gaze, then looked at him as if he were a stranger, saying, "You've really changed."
Facing Kushina's gaze, he felt an inexplicable irritation, but his expression remained calm, as if Yoru's death were just an inconsequential joke.
"This is who I am." he replied succinctly.
Kushina bit her lip, her voice filled with sorrow. "If this is who you are, then why did you come to save me?"
Ye Zi paused to think. He too wondered why. Was it because of the similar appearance?
He didn't want to answer that question, so he avoided it. Facing Kushina's probing eyes, his irritation grew stronger.
"It was just a whim. It won't happen again."
"This is really you?" Kushina seemed to touch only a fragment of Ye Zi's true self. Just a fragment, and she could feel the chilling indifference and selfishness. Thinking back to the bloody path of their escape, the survival will displayed by the person leading the charge made her thoughts about him even more ambiguous.
She shook her head, unwilling to think further, and turned to leave.
He watched her retreating figure, remaining silent.
At that moment, the team was truly falling apart.
Yoru's death and Kushina's withdrawal from the team meant that Orochimaru's team could no longer be called a team.
Kushina had trained in medical ninjutsu because of Ye Zi but had never used it for him. Now, it seemed she would never have the chance again, but she continued learning medical ninjutsu from Tsunade.
She had precise chakra control and talent in this area.
With Yoru's death and Kushina's withdrawal, Orochimaru's team no longer existed as a cohesive unit.
The failure of this mission did not leave any blemishes on Orochimaru or Ye Zi's records. The mission was a failure internally but appeared completed on the surface.
The team fell apart but had no intention of reorganizing. Neither the Third Hokage nor Orochimaru had any such plans. The reasons were numerous, but the biggest reason was the pressure.
That night, two Iwa ninja youths died. Unfortunately, these two were direct descendants of high-ranking Iwa officials. Consequently, there was significant anger in Iwa, and the angry parties sought an explanation. There was no shame in their demands; their goal was clear.
The fuse for war was lit in a baffling manner. Any reason could ignite a war, so no justification was necessary.
That day, one person from Konoha died quietly, remembered by only a few, while another's name became widely known. It might have been exaggerated, but that night's blade left a deep impression on many and would instill fear in many others in the future.
The Little White Fang of Konoha.
This was the name that spread among Iwa ninja. It sounded juvenile and a bit amusing, but those who knew what Ye Zi had done wouldn't find it amusing. This boy with a blade had once killed the Cloud ninja Kyocho, known for his formidable blade.
The Little White Fang of Konoha gave a few hints about the name.
First, Little White Fang used a blade.
Second, the Little White Fang's blade was very fast.
Thus, Ye Zi was placed on the watch list by other ninja villages.
A youth, who might grow into the second White Fang of Konoha, was not someone anyone wanted to let grow peacefully.
Iwa's goal was Ye Zi. They openly declared that they would only cease their offensive if Ye Zi was handed over.
Compared to this troubling issue, no one cared about reorganizing the team.
Deaths during missions were commonplace. Kyocho, who had shone during the Second Shinobi World War, died at Ye Zi's hands due to misfortune. Even though the Cloud ninja knew Kyocho had died at his hands, they had no recourse. Ultimately, it came down to Kyocho not being strong enough.
Similarly, Dai-iwa and Dick dying at Ye Zi's hands during a confrontation was also due to their lack of strength. It could only be blamed on their weakness.
However, Iwa's demand for Konoha to hand over Ye Zi was like having their faces covered by a hard layer of rock—thick and almost shameless.
They demanded Konoha hand over Ye Zi because Dai-iwa and Dick bore significant surnames.
This was such a ridiculous and shameless demand. Sadly, Konoha, which had just begun to recover from the aftermath of war, did not wish to re-enter the flames of conflict so soon. Facing Iwa's shameless threats, the conservative faction thought handing over Ye Zi was the best option, even if it meant being slapped in the face.
"This was a decision made after weighing the pros and cons." Hiruzen said, staring at Orochimaru's cold expression, tapping his finger lightly on the table.
Yes, even though Ye Zi had killed Kyocho and might become the second White Fang, that was in the future, not the present.
"What those old fools think doesn't matter. I only want to know what you think."
Perhaps stirred by the long-absent anger, Orochimaru addressed Hiruzen without honorifics, directly using "you."
Hiruzen stopped tapping his finger, his eyes showing a hint of fatigue. Sometimes, being confined by the position of Hokage became apparent. Pressured by the higher-ups, he could not decide such crucial matters on his own. It required a majority vote, and he was just one person. After a moment of silence, he said, "I cannot guarantee there is room for negotiation, but I will try again."
"Ha." Orochimaru sneered coldly. Once the old fools made a decision, there was no room for negotiation. If there were really any, they wouldn't be so insistent.
Hiruzen was taken aback and suddenly saw a very serious expression on Orochimaru's face, as if, no matter what, he was determined to protect Ye Zi.
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