Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

How can I break through?

The Byakugan could see through any illusions, leaving forceful breakout as the only option. Orochimaru had only a little over 50% of his chakra left. If Jiraiya had been more ruthless, Orochimaru's chakra reserves would have been even lower. In a twisted way, Orochimaru had Jiraiya's foolishness to thank.

Orochimaru's mind raced. There was one other way to deceive the Byakugan: using Shadow Clones. By distributing chakra between the clones, it would be harder for the Byakugan to determine which was the real one. The clones could also divert some of Konoha's forces, reducing the pressure on his real body. However, this approach carried risks. Splitting his chakra would weaken him, and if the surrounding forces were too strong, he might be trapped.

Looking over the perimeter, the weakest link was where the young Kakashi was stationed. Should he target that point?

"No choice. I don't have time to consider whether they'll figure it out. The best point for a breakthrough is Kakashi," Orochimaru quickly decided.

Poor Kakashi, still a boy, was participating in a battle far beyond his years. Despite being a Jonin, Orochimaru viewed him as the weakest point.

Orochimaru swiftly pulled out a smoke bomb and threw it at his feet. With a puff, white smoke erupted, and he quickly formed the "Ram" hand seal.

The usually simple smoke bomb became invaluable in this moment.

"Huh?" The surrounding Konoha shinobi fixated on the white smoke, waiting for the Hyuga's instructions.

"It's a... Shadow Clone...!" the Hyuga clan shinobi shouted after observing that the smoke concealed three bodies, each with identical chakra levels.

Swish, swish, swish!

Three figures darted from the smoke, each heading in different directions.

"Stop him!" Jiraiya's expression changed. Orochimaru had little chakra left, and now splitting it between three bodies was a desperate, all-or-nothing move.

The three identical Orochimaru figures were indistinguishable, even to the Byakugan. But it didn't matter which was the original — they just had to stop them all.

With this resolve, the Konoha shinobi charged toward each of the fleeing Orochimarus.

Despite his limited chakra, Orochimaru's experience and mastery of ninjutsu were far beyond that of any Konoha shinobi present.

Kakashi, seeing one of the Orochimaru figures heading straight for him, felt a surge of pressure. Gripping his chakra-infused short blade, which shone with white light, he prepared to act. The blade was already showing the potential of the legendary White Fang.

"Are you targeting me as your weak point? Do you underestimate me?" Kakashi muttered, suppressing his nerves as he concentrated on Orochimaru's movements. In an instant, he attacked, his blade descending from above, aiming at what he perceived as a weak spot.

"Kakashi!" Two nearby Jonin, alarmed by Kakashi's reckless move, quickly moved to back him up.

"Too inexperienced," Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with disdain. He had deliberately shown a weak spot, and Kakashi had fallen for it. With a quick sidestep, Orochimaru easily dodged Kakashi's blade. As they passed each other, Orochimaru didn't strike. It wasn't out of mercy, but because even a slight pause to attack would jeopardize his escape.

As they brushed past each other, Kakashi's eyes widened, his body frozen in place. He had been mere inches from Orochimaru's killing intent. For a moment, he thought he was going to die. But then, he realized Orochimaru hadn't harmed him.

Sweat beaded on Kakashi's forehead as he turned, only to see Orochimaru in mid-air, wounding two of the Jonin who had rushed to help him. Orochimaru killed them in an instant. The other Jonin nearby, witnessing this, immediately rushed after him. This was the real Orochimaru.

Kakashi stared at the fallen bodies of the two Jonin, his eyes filled with regret and confusion.

"Is this... because of me?" His eyes trembled as he struggled with guilt, influenced by his friends, Obito and Rin.

Meanwhile, one of the other Orochimaru clones managed to break through, while another was intercepted by Kushina, but turned out to be a Shadow Clone. The fleeing clone led several Konoha shinobi away, buying the real Orochimaru some time. Though injured, the real Orochimaru successfully escaped, with Konoha shinobi hot on his heels.

"Damn it," Jiraiya cursed, trying to chase after him. However, his knees buckled, and he knelt on a tree branch, his face showing signs of pain. With his chakra depleted, he could only watch helplessly as Orochimaru fled.

Kakashi, still reeling from the shock, suddenly sprang into action again. His eyes gleamed like daggers as he leaped after Orochimaru, chasing after the trail left behind.

"Follow him!" Kushina shouted, joining the pursuit as the other Jonin followed suit. The Konoha shinobi who had been dealing with the Shadow Clone returned in time to continue the chase.

Though Orochimaru had used two clones to break through, the cost of splitting his chakra left him with little left. Injured, his threat level had significantly dropped, and with the help of the Hyuga's Byakugan, Konoha's shinobi were confident that Orochimaru wouldn't escape.

The Konoha forces believed they had Orochimaru cornered. What they didn't realize was that someone else was closing in on the scene.

As Orochimaru fled, his teeth clenched in frustration. With the Hyuga clan in pursuit, he had no chance of shaking them. Without the Byakugan, he could have used the blood and carnage to create a diversion and slip away.

"What now?" Orochimaru pondered, feeling trapped.

On the other side, Ye Zi, now much closer, could sense the chakra signatures. Although he couldn't identify them specifically, he knew someone was approaching.

He stopped at a strategic point along the path of the incoming chakra and coldly observed. His chakra and stamina were severely depleted. If he rushed in recklessly, he might end up losing his life. He needed to assess the situation first and find an opportunity to replenish his chakra.

Moments later, a figure appeared within his line of sight.

"Orochimaru." Seeing the figure, Ye Zi's eyes flashed. Orochimaru was injured — he looked utterly beaten.

When Orochimaru spotted Ye Zi, he was equally shocked.

"What is he doing here?" Orochimaru's brow furrowed in suspicion. In his current state, facing Ye Zi would be disastrous.

"No need to be tense. I'm here to help," Ye Zi said calmly, noticing Orochimaru's wariness.

Orochimaru stopped on a tree branch, keeping a distance of over 200 meters between them. Given the circumstances, he wasn't going to trust Ye Zi easily.

"You don't trust me? Let me show you a little good faith," Ye Zi remarked.

He looked past Orochimaru, his gaze locking on the group of Konoha Jonin closing in. Orochimaru had sensed them too.

A gust of wind stirred the leaves, making a rustling sound.

In the split second that Orochimaru glanced toward the approaching Konoha shinobi, a flash of lightning suddenly appeared in his peripheral vision.

His heart skipped a beat. Had Ye Zi attacked? Before Orochimaru could fully process the situation, a lightning-clad figure streaked past him.

Even in his weakened state, was this really Ye Zi's power now?

Orochimaru whipped around, astonished, as he watched the lightning-imbued Ye Zi disappear into the distance.

Ye Zi's soul emerged from his body, and he moved toward the incoming Jonin. These elite shinobi were now exactly what Ye Zi needed: chakra to replenish.

The sudden flash of lightning and Ye Zi's signature Spirit Transformation Jutsu caught the attention of the Konoha Jonin at the front.

"That's... Ye Zi!"

The Jonin's expressions shifted as the lightning streak shot toward them. The Jonin at the front swung his sword at Ye Zi, but his blade passed through empty air.

"What the..." The Jonin was left confused as his vision told him his strike had landed.

Meanwhile, Ye Zi's spirit entered the Jonin's body, greedily absorbing his chakra. At the same time, Ye Zi's body didn't miss a beat, slashing through the arms of the two remaining Jonin with his lightning-enhanced blade.

"He's too fast...!"

The two Jonin, unable to react in time, collapsed in agony. Facing Ye Zi head-on, they realized his speed was beyond what any ordinary shinobi could handle.

"Three isn't enough," Ye Zi muttered coldly, standing on a tree as he watched the two disarmed Jonin fall. He retracted his spirit after draining the third Jonin of all his chakra. The Jonin, now lifeless, plummeted to the ground.

Chakra, the life force of a shinobi — once it was drained, death was inevitable.

Having absorbed the third Jonin's chakra, Ye Zi turned to the remaining two and drained them of their chakra as well.

Orochimaru didn't take the opportunity to escape but instead watched the scene unfold.

"Has he grown this strong?" Orochimaru thought, his expression complicated. The last time they met, he hadn't realized how much Ye Zi had developed. Now, the change was clear.

After draining the chakra from three Jonin, Ye Zi had recovered about 60% of his own chakra.

"Sixty percent, that should be enough," Ye Zi murmured. In a flash of lightning, he disappeared and reappeared a hundred meters away from Orochimaru.

"Can I earn at least a little of your trust now?" Ye Zi asked calmly, his eyes fixed on the weary and injured Orochimaru. Orochimaru's snake-like eyes narrowed slightly, showing his skepticism and wariness.

Seeing Orochimaru still doubting him, Ye Zi sneered. "What? Are you still thinking about carrying out what you said last time? That you'd kill me?"

Orochimaru snorted in response. In his current state, killing Ye Zi wasn't an option—his own survival was now in Ye Zi's hands. His raspy voice revealed his suspicion, "What's your motive? I don't believe you're here out of the kindness of your heart to save me."

"You once told me that a person who has no value is no better than a pile of rotten meat," Ye Zi replied, suddenly turning his back toward Orochimaru, exposing a fatal weakness in front of him.

Seeing this, a dangerous glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, but it quickly disappeared. For a brief moment, he considered taking advantage of the situation and attacking Ye Zi, but after witnessing Ye Zi's strength firsthand, he suppressed the thought. His current state was simply too weak.

As Ye Zi looked into the darkness behind him, sensing one chakra signature after another, he continued speaking, "Do you really think I would come all the way here to save a pile of rotten meat? Orochimaru, I need your talents. You give me what I want, and I'll give you what you want."

The inverted nature of the statement irritated Orochimaru. Based on status alone, he felt that he should be the one saying such things, while Ye Zi should be the one listening.

However, circumstances forced him to suppress his irritation. At that moment, the child he had watched grow up was now standing on equal footing with him.

"Do you even know what I want?" Orochimaru asked, his voice filled with disdain as he looked at Ye Zi.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I can give it to you," Ye Zi responded without hesitation, boldly claiming his words. Before Orochimaru could mock him further, Ye Zi's expression hardened, and he said, "We'll talk about it later. For now, you go ahead. I'll delay them and meet you later."

Orochimaru swallowed the taunt he was about to make, his gaze shifting to the direction Ye Zi had just glanced at. He could feel the Konoha shinobi approaching, the first ones to arrive being the Jonin closest to Kakashi—the very ones Ye Zi had already killed.

"Aren't you afraid I'll just run away?" Orochimaru asked.

"You can't escape," Ye Zi replied confidently. With White Zetsu's assistance, could Orochimaru really think he could flee now?

Orochimaru didn't understand where Ye Zi's certainty came from, and once again, a sense of annoyance rose within him. He had known Ye Zi for so long, but tonight was the first time he found himself genuinely irked by him.

As the silhouettes of the Konoha pursuers grew closer, Orochimaru snorted and turned to leave. With his limited chakra and injuries, without Ye Zi's help, he would undoubtedly be caught by the Konoha shinobi. But with Ye Zi buying time, he could widen the gap and create a trail of blood and clues to throw off the trackers.

Even if there were expert trackers among them, Orochimaru was confident he could escape.

As he turned to flee, despite Ye Zi's assurance, Orochimaru planned to break free from Ye Zi's grip if he could just make it to his next hideout.

Given his current predicament, even if Ye Zi intended to establish some sort of partnership, Orochimaru didn't have the leverage to negotiate.

"What do you really want? Could it be the nonsense you mentioned back then?" Orochimaru pondered, gradually increasing the distance between himself and Ye Zi. Meanwhile, Ye Zi stood still, silently watching the approaching Konoha shinobi.

"They're here," Ye Zi whispered coldly. He needed to stay behind—not to eliminate them, but to buy time.

He wasn't like Orochimaru. If he wanted to escape, there was no way this group of Konoha shinobi could stop him. Even the Hyuga clan's Byakugan wouldn't be enough to track him down, given his speed.

As the Konoha Jonin gradually appeared, they halted their pursuit, spreading out on the trees. Their reason? The man standing before them.

"Ye Zi...!"

Eight Jonin stared at Ye Zi, unmoving. Below them, the bodies of the three dead Jonin served as a grim warning.

What had happened? In such a short time, the three Jonin who had been leading the pursuit were dead?

"Why is he here? Is he here to help Orochimaru?"

"If that's true, then someone leaked information."

In an instant, the Jonin exchanged glances, formulating countless theories. Soon, Kakashi also arrived, his eyes widening in shock upon seeing Ye Zi.

This was the second group of Konoha Jonin in pursuit, with two more groups following closely behind. The closest to arriving was Kushina.

She was still a short distance away, but she had already sensed Ye Zi's distinct chakra. A bright expression of joy spread across her face, and she couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. There was no time to wonder why Ye Zi was here—just knowing that he had appeared gave her hope that her long-held desire might finally come to fruition.

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Currently on Chapter 287 - Just in the Mood