Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

One day, Konoha might have a second White Fang. Even if the likelihood was low, Danzo did not want to miss any opportunity. His goal was to become Hokage, which required not only many talents but also the support of influential figures within Konoha. As a clandestine organization, Root was not as conspicuous as the prominent Leaf Ninjas. Tsunade, Jiraiya and Orochimaru were all part of Sarutobi's faction, and the White Fang of the Hatake clan would also not support him. For now, he had no chance to vie for the Hokage position. So the opportunity to seize the position would only come after Sarutobi's death or retirement.

The timing was uncertain—perhaps ten years, or perhaps one year later. No one could predict that; he could only wait silently for the chance to come.

When that time arrived, he would seize the opportunity with all his might and he needed to better prepare himself now to maximise his chance.

If he could not gain the support of prominent figures, he would cultivate a group of influential people himself.

Thus, he had arrived.

At this moment, under the full moonlight, Danzo offered Ye Zi a choice.

Faced with such a choice, Ye Zi found himself unable to decide. He was no longer as destitute as when he first arrived in this world. He now had the means to survive, so staying in Konoha was not a necessity. But reality was often cruel and helpless; one was forced to make choices.

After a long silence, Danzo remained patient. The murderous intent in the air did not waver; it remained calm and unhurried.

"Why should I trust you?" Ye Zi asked, gripping the hilt of his sword.

Asking this question indicated his concession. The reason was as clear as the choice Danzo had presented: death or joining Root. He had no choice because he did not want to die.

In any world, there are hierarchies of strength and weakness. The weak can only choose, and he was still weak. Thus, on this moonlit night, he had to make a choice. The reason for choosing was simple: if he refused, he would certainly die here, not far from the gate of Konoha.

The other party was well-prepared, having arranged a blockade based on his strength, eliminating any possibility of escape.

After hearing Ye Zi's concession, Danzo's coldness eased somewhat. He said, "You can only trust that the Iwa Ninja's demand for you to be handed over does not specify whether you should be alive or dead. Since they want you handed over, they would be satisfied with a corpse."

The implication was that if Danzo was to hand Ye Zi over to Iwa Ninja to avoid war, then killing him would suffice. No need for more words.

"Do you really think you can keep me here?" Ye Zi, after a moment of silence, said unwillingly.

"Ha ha."

Danzo, who had been stern-faced, suddenly laughed. The lines etched by time on his face seemed to move with his skin, making him look particularly eerie and glaring.

The man's gaze turned ice-cold.

"Even with the beastly nature within you, you have chosen to concede at this moment. You know as well as I do that the trees, stones, even the moonlight and the air around us form a net or a trap. With such a web, you might be able to escape in the future, but not now. I am certain of this, and so are you."

Ye Zi, unwilling, lowered his head, sheathed his sword, and gave up on the idea of escape. The fact that the other party was waiting for him at this place and time meant that he was destined not to leave.

In a stroke of misfortune, he did not need to be handed over to Konoha's enemies because he still had value in the eyes of some people in Konoha. Or rather, his potential for growth was highly anticipated.

"I will join."

His words carried a hint of resignation as he walked towards the gate of Konoha, backlit by the moonlight.

Danzo watched him walk towards the gate with a touch of appreciation in his eyes. He sincerely hoped that Ye Zi would grow into Konoha's second White Fang, or perhaps... Lightning Fang!

A Lightning Fang that would serve only him—ruthless and fierce, capable of tearing apart anything in its path.

A figure landed before Danzo, dressed in a white cloak and wearing a white fox mask. The figure knelt on one knee before Danzo and asked, "If this person is strong enough, he might become an unstable factor."

Danzo's gaze was cold, emitting a light similar to Orochimaru's. He replied, "Everyone has their needs. As long as he remains in Root, I will always know what he wants. As long as we give him what he desires, he will stay. I don't need his loyalty, just the means to control him."

"And as for being strong… Ha, if I cannot stay ahead, what right do I have to seek anything? Moreover, he is not Orochimaru and has no right to converse with me on equal terms, nor any chance of surpassing me."

The masked Root member paused and asked, "Should we arrange for someone to monitor Ye Zi?"

Danzo thought for a moment and said, "No need."

The Root member hesitated, seemingly wanting to say something.

Danzo, sensing this, looked at him coldly and said, "Speak your mind."

"Yes." The Root member, upon hearing this, stopped hesitating and said, "I don't think this person is worth the effort you're putting into. Even forcing others to create this environment—such actions will soon be known to the Third Hokage."

"Not worth it?"

Danzo looked up at the bright moon, feeling the gentle breeze rustling the leaves along the road, making a rustling sound. He gazed at the moon in the sky, as if reflecting on a critical crossroads in his life. It was because of evaluating worthiness that he missed the most crucial opportunity.

After a long silence, his voice was cold: "There is no such thing as worth or not worth. There is only doing or not doing."

Back at the residence, just as Ye Zi had taken off his shoes at the entrance, he heard soft footsteps behind him.

Orochimaru, dressed in a white robe, looked at him coldly, saying nothing.

Ye Zi's movements paused slightly before he continued removing his shoes. After changing into slippers, he turned to face Orochimaru and said calmly, "Someone gave me a choice, so I stayed."

Orochimaru's eyes shifted slightly, as if he had guessed something at that moment. He asked coldly, "Who?"

Ye Zi replied, "Root."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, hiding the dangerous glint.

"I assume you know about Root and the man with the cross-shaped scar on his chin. I did not, though." Ye Zi said, his tone calm but his inner turmoil evident. He disliked this feeling.

Orochimaru nodded and said, "I know. You will also come to know in time. Rest now."

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