Naruto: The Scourge

Amid the seemingly endless downpour, Ye Zi fixed his gaze on the two figures in front of him, his eyes filled with deep vigilance.

Plop...

The hard-earned food in his hand was unceremoniously thrown to the ground at his feet. Clutching a blood-stained stone tightly, he cautiously took a step back.

Despite his extreme hunger and desperate need for sustenance, the corpse of the small yellow dog would only burden his escape at this moment.

"Who... are you?"

Reluctant to abandon the food he had just acquired, Ye Zi forced himself to ask. But the words startled even him. The language wasn't familiar, yet it flowed naturally from his mouth—and he understood its meaning.

"Black hair, black eyes…"

Orochimaru observed Ye Zi, who had turned to face him, but didn't immediately respond. Black hair and black eyes often called to mind the Uchiha clan, though these features weren't exclusive to them. His gaze lingered briefly on the discarded dog, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his lips. His interest only deepened.

"Tsunade, this kid is quite interesting…"

"Hm?"

Tsunade cast him a sidelong glance and asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Take him back to the village," Orochimaru replied flatly.

Tsunade was momentarily taken aback before decisively refusing, "That's impossible."

"Impossible? Heh… It might be difficult, but I'll still try."

"Orochimaru, you—" Tsunade stared at him with a probing expression. If it were Jiraiya making such a suggestion, she wouldn't have found it too surprising. But coming from Orochimaru, it was unusual.

Tsunade, I am not Jiraiya. Orochimaru mused silently. He stayed behind to care for those children out of guilt and a sense of atonement. I, however, want to bring this child to the village because I see him as a sapling with the potential to grow into a mighty tree. If he weren't, I wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

Initially, Orochimaru hadn't thought it feasible to bring Ye Zi back to the village. But his growing curiosity about the boy made him want to try.

Ye Zi overheard their conversation and immediately turned to flee. He had mistaken Tsunade and Orochimaru for human traffickers—if he didn't run now, when would he?

His attempt to escape naturally caught their attention. Orochimaru snorted coldly and quickly formed hand seals.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Thick, brown-patterned pythons shot out from Orochimaru's sleeves, swiftly catching up to Ye Zi and coiling tightly around him. Fortunately, Orochimaru controlled the snakes' strength carefully; otherwise, they might have crushed Ye Zi to death.

Even so, Ye Zi cried out in pain, cold sweat pouring down his face.

"Snakes?!"

Staring at the serpents hissing and flicking their tongues near his face, Ye Zi's heartbeat accelerated, and fear surged within him.

Tap, tap...

Orochimaru approached the boy, now lying restrained in the rain.

Tsunade stood still, quietly observing Orochimaru's back. For a fleeting moment, she felt uneasy.

Why was Orochimaru so intent on bringing this child back to the village?

She could understand Jiraiya's decision to stay behind and care for children, but she couldn't comprehend Orochimaru's current resolve.

"Kid."

Orochimaru stopped in front of Ye Zi, looking down into the defiant eyes staring back at him.

"If you want to survive, come with me… This is your only choice."

Ye Zi struggled to lift his head, staring into those icy, serpentine eyes. In that moment, he finally realized that this world was anything but ordinary. Indeed, he had no other choice.

Mustering all his remaining strength, he nodded slightly before losing consciousness and slipping into darkness.

Orochimaru, gazing at the unconscious boy, suddenly smiled. For some reason, he felt a strange excitement—a subtle but undeniable thrill.

Bending down, he picked Ye Zi up and slung him over his shoulder before turning toward Tsunade.

"Let's go."

Tsunade glanced at Ye Zi's pale face. After a moment of hesitation, she asked, "Are you really planning to bring him back to the village?"

"Of course," Orochimaru replied firmly, without looking back.

Tsunade pressed her lips together and said, "Then at least do something to stabilize him. I don't think he can survive the journey in this state."

"Heh…"

Orochimaru chuckled coldly.

"There's no need. If he wakes up, he can ask for help himself. If he doesn't, we'll just leave him somewhere along the way."

Tsunade shot him a deep, searching look but chose to remain silent.

The rain continued to fall, endlessly, as though it would never stop.

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