The S-rank rogue ninja, Hara Kanyoru, had died, his death being a horrific one, his body severed and scattered in the rain.
Nagato's gaze pierced through the layers of wind and rain, fixated on the indifferent Ye Zi, as he hesitated and weighed his options. The soul technique that had caused him some concern had shown some effect, but at this level, he was not afraid. Thus, whether to leave Ye Zi and his companions alive was a matter of choice.
After a moment's thought, Nagato decided against the risky choice. Creating unnecessary trouble would only deplete his own strength. Furthermore, their current threat was Hanzo of the Salamander, not Ye Zi and his team.
"Let's go."
Facing Ye Zi, Nagato made his decision and began to withdraw slowly, with the others following suit.
Before Konan's figure disappeared into the dense rain and mist, she cast a calm glance at Ye Zi. In that moment, it seemed as though time had rewound to the past. Just as today, with the rain pouring heavily, she and Nagato had encountered him in the dilapidated town. Back then, that emaciated child had a determined expression, and his retreating figure had been resolute.
Watching Nagato and the others leave, Ye Zi let out a silent sigh of relief. He had no desire to fight Nagato; it would be pointless for them and, more importantly, he had no idea what kind of abilities those strange eyes possessed, making it extremely dangerous to face such an enemy.
Avoiding this meaningless battle was the best outcome.
After sealing Kanyoru's body in a scroll, it signaled the completion of the S-rank mission.
For ninjas, an S-rank mission is a mark of honor, and for Kotoe and the Uchiha siblings who completed their first S-rank mission, it was especially significant. However, for Ye Zi, S-rank missions had become a routine.
He wasn't as excited as them. As he gazed at the stormy skies, his thoughts drifted back to his first visit here, and he was reminded of how time had passed.
Ye Zi clenched his fists silently, shaking his head slightly, forcing himself not to think about the passage of time. He gathered his team and set out for the journey back to Konoha.
A few days later, Ye Zi's team returned safely to Konoha. Upon arriving, the four of them headed straight for the Hokage's office.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was delighted with the successful completion of the mission by Ye Zi's team, though he was somewhat regretful that they could not capture Kanyoru alive. After offering his encouragement, he sent Ye Zi's team off to rest.
After every mission, a detailed report had to be submitted. Instead of resting immediately, Ye Zi first wrote and submitted the mission report to the Third Hokage before heading home to rest.
Initially, he had underestimated the strength of the Uchiha siblings and Kotoe, which he admitted. In the report, he highlighted their combat effectiveness, subtly suggesting that this team should continue to operate together.
Hiruzen, upon reading the report, smiled slightly and murmured to himself, "It's not easy to gain your recognition. It's a pity that Kotoe is not a Konoha ninja." He thoughtfully stroked his chin, feeling a complex mix of emotions as he thought of Ye Zi, who bore a resemblance to Orochimaru.
He suddenly stood up and went to the window, staring silently at the village in the gathering dusk.
Perhaps exhausted, Ye Zi slept soundly and woke up around noon.
After a simple wash, he headed to the kitchen to prepare a meal. However, before he reached the kitchen, he was greeted by the aroma of food coming from the dining room.
He was slightly taken aback, turned, and headed toward the dining room, where he saw the table laid out with dishes. Orochimaru was sitting alone at the table, slowly eating a bowl of rice.
Ye Zi glanced at the table, which was almost entirely covered with egg dishes, and gave a wry smile before sitting down. He asked, "Didn't expect you to be home."
Since he and Orochimaru joined Root, they rarely came home, especially Orochimaru, who had become elusive. Given their frequent missions, it would be a long time before they saw each other again.
Orochimaru looked up at him and said indifferently, "Eat."
"Of course."
Ye Zi started eating, quickly finishing one bowl of rice, and then got another bowl. He began devouring the array of egg dishes. One could only wonder why Orochimaru had such a penchant for eggs—perhaps it was because he was like a snake?
Soon, the table was cleared of food, and Ye Zi, feeling quite satisfied, rubbed his stomach.
After eating, Ye Zi did not immediately clear the table. Instead, he turned to Orochimaru and said, "Orochimaru, during this mission, I encountered someone with strange eyes."
Orochimaru was momentarily taken aback and asked with interest, "What kind of eyes?"
At this time, Orochimaru had preliminarily reached an agreement with Danzo. As a token of their meeting, Danzo used his position to give Orochimaru access to a secret room containing forbidden jutsu scrolls.
Orochimaru had learned many forbidden techniques from those scrolls and was quite pleased. He had since begun his research on human anatomy, so he was particularly intrigued by Ye Zi's mention of the eyes.
Ye Zi frowned and said, "The eyes looked like concentric circles of ripples. I'm not sure what specific powers they have."
Hearing Ye Zi's vague description, Orochimaru's eyes changed, and he stood up excitedly.
Ye Zi noticed Orochimaru's reaction and realized that those eyes might be extraordinary.
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