Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

Land of Lightning.

This country was known for its towering peaks that seemed to touch the sky, where deafening thunder often echoed through the mountains, hence its name.

The central mountain ranges were crisscrossed by rivers that created winding coastlines as they reached the sea. It was a unique land of steep mountains near the ocean, also blessed with numerous hot springs.

While the Land of Lightning's economic development might not rival the Land of Fire, its military power was already on par with it. This was thanks to the Third Great Ninja War. Even if the strength of Kumogakure wasn't superior to Konoha, it was certainly not far behind.

Tracing clues left in ancient texts, Orochimaru sought fragments of truth, attempting to pry open the door to ultimate knowledge. While he may not force the door fully open, perhaps he could glimpse what lay just beyond its threshold.

After leaving the Earth Country stronghold, Orochimaru's first destination had been the Land of Wind.

He avoided all human settlements and oases along the way, traversing every inch of the Wind Country's barren lands with a heart accustomed to solitude. Eventually, his efforts bore fruit and he found what he had been seeking.

This search was not driven by mere curiosity, but by an ambition unparalleled in this world.

Having scoured the Land of Wind, Orochimaru now turned to the Land of Lightning, known for its clouds and storms.

White Zetsu, always tracking Orochimaru's movements, reported his location to Ye Zi. After handling his affairs, Ye Zi made his way to the Land of Lightning.

On a high mountain plateau, lower than the surrounding peaks, the sky overhead was shrouded in drifting white clouds. In the distance, a vast blanket of thunderclouds hovered over the mountains, lightning flickering and thunder rumbling intermittently.

Orochimaru stood at the edge of the plateau. The wind howled, whipping his long hair and clothes around him. His snake-like eyes, accented by eerie markings, were quietly fixed on the mountain lake below.

The lake's water was as blue as jade, encircled by steep cliffs. The mountain wind, blocked by the surrounding walls, left the lake's surface calm, as still as a mirror.

For reasons unknown, Orochimaru had stood there for quite some time.

With his head lowered toward the lake, Orochimaru's mouth curved into a sly, sinister smile. He didn't turn around, but his sharp ears caught the sound of a pebble being displaced.

Someone was approaching, walking up the steep incline with the ease of a stroll. The figure was still about 200 meters away.

The newcomer had short black hair, with bangs brushing his brows, and piercing dark eyes filled with determination. He wore a black combat outfit, with a long sword hanging at his waist, its scabbard etched with crimson ripples.

It was Ye Zi, who had followed Orochimaru's trail. He walked toward Orochimaru at a measured pace, while Orochimaru continued staring at the lake below, unmoved.

When Ye Zi reached Orochimaru's side, gazing down at the tranquil blue lake as well, Orochimaru finally spoke.

"It seems my movements have been under your surveillance this whole time."

"I won't deny it," Ye Zi replied calmly.

Orochimaru let out a raspy chuckle. "So, what brings you to me now?"

Ye Zi didn't answer the question. Instead, he asked, "What are you searching for?"

Hearing this, Orochimaru's snake-like eyes gleamed with a terrifying light, like a famished serpent that had just spotted its prey. It was a gaze of unparalleled hunger, capable of making even the coldest blood boil.

"Fragments," he replied.

"Fragments?" Ye Zi asked, puzzled, turning to look at Orochimaru's sharp, otherworldly face.

This man was the first person Ye Zi had met when he arrived in this world. From that moment to this very day, Orochimaru had been a constant presence in his life. What exactly lay hidden in those cold, serpent-like eyes? No one knew.

Orochimaru chuckled softly and said, "Humans are creatures bound by 'time.' I seek to liberate myself from that constraint. To do so, I will traverse every inch of the ninja world, searching for the fragments lost to history, the pieces that will complete the puzzle of 'truth.'"

He extended his pale hand, his gaze fixed on his palm. "I want immortality… It is the process of mastering the truth of the world and the most fundamental requirement."

Orochimaru revealed his ambition without reservation, baring it openly to Ye Zi.

Immortality?

Ye Zi remained silent. In a world where resurrection techniques existed, immortality hardly seemed unattainable. His own goals, by comparison, were far more ambitious... Perhaps even absurd.

"You still haven't answered my question," Orochimaru reminded him.

Ye Zi looked at him and said, "I want power."

Orochimaru raised a brow in surprise. "Even with the First Hokage's abilities, it still isn't enough for you?"

Ye Zi's eyes were cold as ice. "It's not enough, far from it."

Orochimaru fell silent for a moment.

Ye Zi continued, "I'm interested in what you're searching for. You said before that it's related to the Sage of Six Paths, didn't you?"

Orochimaru gave a slight nod. The information he had painstakingly gathered from ancient texts all pointed to the legend of the Sage of Six Paths.

Ye Zi's lips curled into a cold smile. "You give me what I want, and I'll give you what you want."

It was the same phrase that had formed the basis of their partnership in the past.

"Is power the only thing you seek?" Orochimaru's gaze shifted from the lake to Ye Zi's face.

Ye Zi was silent for a moment before finally replying, "I want to find a way back."

....

Orochimaru's gaze shifted slightly, his thoughts drifting back to the moment when Ye Zi had just graduated from the ninja academy. Back then, during his self-introduction, his dream had been exactly this. And on that night when the Rinnegan and the Sage of Six Paths were mentioned, Ye Zi had momentarily lost his composure.

"Where exactly… do you come from?" Orochimaru asked.

"My soul comes from a world you cannot comprehend," Ye Zi replied, his expression cold and detached.

Orochimaru had laid bare his ambition, and now Ye Zi had revealed his secret and his true goal.

The more Ye Zi encountered in this world, where souls could be toyed with at will and where space itself could be traversed, the less surprising this truth seemed.

His soul came from another world, but what did that world look like? How did it differ from the ninja world?

Ye Zi distilled all of that into one simple sentence: "A world you don't know."

Such simplified words were not enough to truly shock Orochimaru.

"This is truly… fascinating." A glimmer of surprise flashed across Orochimaru's face, but it did not reach the level of astonishment. Based on Ye Zi's past words and actions, Orochimaru had already suspected something of the sort. Now, hearing it directly from Ye Zi's mouth, his suspicions were confirmed.

The surprise lasted only a moment before his expression returned to calm.

Given Orochimaru's extensive knowledge of forbidden jutsu and his wide breadth of research, he was able to accept Ye Zi's revelation almost instantly.

Ye Zi's existence was undoubtedly unique and his soul did not belong to this world. If he were to die, where would his soul go? Would it travel to the Pure Land?

Moreover… how exactly would Ye Zi find a way back? Such a goal seemed almost intangible, like chasing a mirage.

These questions gave rise to a flurry of thoughts and imaginations within Orochimaru, stirring waves of emotion that he could barely suppress.

"You don't seem surprised?" Ye Zi asked, observing Orochimaru's calm demeanor.

"Why would I be surprised?" Orochimaru replied with a cold smile. His life experiences... What he had seen, done, and learned had prepared him to accept even the most impossible truths.

He looked at Ye Zi with growing interest and said, "You're becoming more and more intriguing to me."

"I don't want to attract your interest," Ye Zi said flatly, his voice tinged with annoyance. Being stared at by Orochimaru with such a look made his skin crawl, as if a chill had settled on his flesh.

Orochimaru maintained his cold, serpentine smile, his eyes filled with an eager expectation.

"If you succeed… what kind of scene would that be, I wonder?"

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Currently on Chapter 413 - Konoha's Future vs It's Dark Past