Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

Unlike a simple transplant, with the addition of Ye Zi's cells, the implanted Sharingan could now transform from a normal eye into a Sharingan, as if Shin had truly become a member of the Uchiha clan. This was the "perfect compatibility" Orochimaru had mentioned.

What Orochimaru meant to demonstrate was this, though Ye Zi thought it was just about showing off Shin's Sharingan.

The wooden tendrils created by the Wood Release bound Shin tightly, leaving only his eyes exposed. Under the restraint of the Wood Release, any struggle was pointless. Realizing this, Shin could only glare at Orochimaru with his rage-filled Sharingan.

"This child really hates me," Orochimaru commented nonchalantly, completely unaffected by Shin's furious gaze.

Ye Zi looked at Shin's beautiful 'three-tomoe' Sharingan and suddenly asked, "What about the Rinnegan?"

This was a possibility that had just occurred to him. Since Shin's ears were sealed, Ye Zi didn't worry about being overheard.

Orochimaru was taken aback for a moment. After a brief pause, a cold smile spread across his face. "There's a possibility, but I can't guarantee it until we try."

"Can he use Wood Release now?" Ye Zi asked.

Orochimaru smiled faintly and replied, "Not yet. You'd need to guide him. But before that, how do you plan to make him submit? This boy harbors a lot of hatred for me."

Ye Zi pondered for a moment. This was indeed an issue. He glanced at Orochimaru and said, "If I had taken him with me back then, there wouldn't be so many problems."

Though his tone was calm, his words carried a hint of reproach.

Orochimaru raised an eyebrow and replied indifferently, "Back then, if you had wanted to take him, I wouldn't have been able to stop you."

Orochimaru was right—at that time, he couldn't have stopped Ye Zi, though he could have delayed him. And if Ye Zi had been delayed, the risk would have been too great.

Ye Zi didn't continue this pointless conversation. Instead, he focused on how to convince Shin. He released the Wood Release bindings around Shin's head.

With his mouth now free, Shin only continued to glare silently at Orochimaru, his hatred evident.

"What do you want?" Ye Zi asked directly, his tone blunt and forceful. To convince someone, you had to first understand what they desired.

"What do I want?" Shin turned his gaze toward Ye Zi, a man he had never seen before, and replied coldly, "I want to kill Orochimaru."

"How cheap," Ye Zi responded, expressionless.

Being called cheap, Orochimaru gave Ye Zi a deep look but didn't say anything.

Shin was taken aback, then angrily retorted, "How could you understand the pain Orochimaru has put me through all these years!"

Shin had volunteered to become Orochimaru's test subject because he was interested in cloning technology. Initially, Orochimaru had indeed taught him a lot about cloning, but it wasn't long before Orochimaru became obsessed with Shin's unique body, fully treating him as an experiment subject.

Once Shin was reduced to a mere test subject, there was no longer any time spent teaching him about cloning.

That's when he began to hate Orochimaru.

"So what?"

Ye Zi's icy eyes drew closer to Shin. He placed his fingers at the edge of Shin's left eye, applying slight pressure, and said coldly, "In exchange, you gained power that most people can never have."

This was the Sharingan, a symbol of Uchiha power. After learning more about the human body, Ye Zi realized that even if he transplanted these Sharingan into his own eyes, there wouldn't be any side effects. However, Ye Zi believed his own eyes were good enough, and transplanting the Sharingan would only increase chakra consumption, which wasn't necessary.

"You volunteered to be my test subject in the first place," Orochimaru added lightly.

Ye Zi raised an eyebrow in surprise. Someone had actually volunteered to be Orochimaru's test subject? How absurd.

"The condition was that you would teach me cloning techniques!" Shin shouted angrily.

"I did teach you," Orochimaru replied in a ghostly, detached tone, acting as if it didn't concern him.

Shin was about to say something more when Ye Zi cut him off, "So, you volunteered?"

Shin fell silent at that. It was true—he had volunteered, and Orochimaru had taught him cloning techniques. But he hadn't expected to be reduced to a mere test subject. What use were cloning techniques in that situation?

Suddenly, Ye Zi withdrew his hand and released the Wood Release bindings that had been restraining Shin.

As soon as Shin was free, instead of attacking Orochimaru, his first instinct was to run for the door.

Orochimaru crossed his arms, watching the scene as if it were a spectacle.

"Desiring freedom more than revenge, huh?"

Ye Zi watched Shin's retreating figure coldly and quickly formed a hand sign. In an instant, wooden tendrils sprouted from the ground, sealing the door with multiple layers of wood.

Seeing the blocked exit, Shin's expression changed. He spun around to face Orochimaru and Ye Zi, his Sharingan spinning rapidly. The next second, his body began to distort and fade, as though he was escaping with a space-time jutsu.

Immediately, Ye Zi's chakra flared, creating a shockwave that rippled through the room. From the ground, two wooden tendrils emerged in front of him, binding the air a meter ahead. Shin's body reappeared, caught in the wooden tendrils.

"You…!" Shin gasped in shock, not expecting his illusion to be dispelled so quickly.

Ye Zi remained unmoved, his eyes flashing with cold intent. He changed his hand sign, and another wooden tendril emerged from behind, slithering like a snake. It wrapped around an invisible figure, and as soon as there was movement, the Shin in front of Ye Zi burst into a bubble and vanished. Behind him, the real Shin appeared, bound by the wooden tendril.

Squeak!

The tendrils binding Shin seemed to be stimulated by something and began to grow wildly, sprouting leaves all over.

"My chakra…"

Shin's Sharingan flickered with alarm, and in a matter of moments, he was completely bound by the tree branches.

Freed from the genjutsu, Orochimaru watched with interest, his snake-like eyes gleaming with excitement.

This was the power of the First Hokage's Wood Release, a power Orochimaru had longed for ever since he mastered Hashirama's cells but had failed to replicate—a significant regret in his research.

Now, seeing the might of Wood Release firsthand, his mind was racing like a storm.

Ye Zi slowly turned to face the bound Shin and asked coldly, "I'll ask you one more time—what do you want?"

His icy tone and ruthless gaze pierced into Shin's crimson Sharingan like a sharp spear.

The overwhelming power, unmatched in its strength, left a deep impression on Shin, one that would be forever etched into his memory.

And so... a thought arose within him, without warning.

After a moment of hesitation, Shin spoke with determination, "I want... to be as strong as you."

If he were strong enough, he would never be reduced to a mere test subject.

If he were strong enough, he could control everything.

If he were strong enough, he could fulfill any ambition.

Ye Zi suddenly smiled, his cold expression softening. Shin was momentarily stunned.

"Then follow me, and you will gain this kind of power."

There was no seduction, no coercion, no threats—just a calm tone, as if stating an insignificant fact.

The trees that had been draining Shin's chakra and growing wildly began to retract into the ground. Now free from his bindings, Shin fell to his knees, exhausted, his head drooping as he stared at the wooden floor beneath him.

He wanted to be as strong as the man standing before him. Only with such strength could he control his own fate.

Yes, he needed to be as strong as this man!

Shin slowly raised his head, his expression one of deep admiration, almost intoxicated with his desire for power.

"Fine, I'll follow you!" he declared, his voice firm and without hesitation.

Orochimaru, who had been watching the entire scene from the sidelines, smiled faintly. So, he had been subdued by power after all.

Ye Zi glanced at Shin's power-hungry expression and hid his smile.

The final piece was in place...

Though it would still take some time to fully develop Shin's abilities.

And there was still Kotoe. While Shin could now replace her, the ideal number for performing the Phantom Dragon Nine Seals was ten. Having Kotoe join would only be beneficial.

Moreover, Wood Release was the best technique for suppressing tailed beasts. If Kotoe could also master it, their chances of capturing tailed beasts would greatly increase.

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Currently on Chapter 298 - Encounter a God