Naruto: The Scourge

Several days later, at Orochimaru's residence.

Ye Zi sat quietly eating, while Orochimaru sat opposite him, dressed in casual, ordinary home attire that softened some of his usual coldness and murderous aura.

Silence during meals...

Ye Zi and Orochimaru embodied this perfectly, with their meal passing in complete silence.

After eating, Ye Zi sat idly in the corridor, staring at the lone tree in the yard whose leaves were almost gone.

Orochimaru's residence was large; the yard alone was comparable in size to an ordinary home. Yet, there was only one old tree planted in the yard. Perhaps, when this tree completely withered, the large yard would become a barren, desert-like space.

When he first learned that Orochimaru would be responsible for his future, Ye Zi was immediately disheartened. But remembering Orochimaru's peculiar abilities gave him some comfort. After all, the sooner he could return to Earth, the better—having access to such abilities was ideal.

Over these past few days, after bringing Ye Zi to his residence on the first day, Orochimaru had essentially disappeared. Ye Zi was unsure if he had forgotten about him. The vast residence lacked even a basic supply of food, leaving Ye Zi hungry for days.

When Orochimaru finally returned and saw Ye Zi looking like he was on the brink of starvation, he didn't say a word. Ye Zi, with resentful eyes, watched as Orochimaru went into the room to change into another set of casual clothes. He then left briefly and returned with a simple meal prepared.

Due to often having to leave the village for missions, sometimes for long periods, Orochimaru never kept food stocked at home and only went out to shop when needed.

"That kind of person can even cook," Ye Zi thought, looking at the old tree and recalling the delicious meal, shaking his head in disbelief.

"If you were smart, you would have seen the money on the table in the living room."

A cold voice suddenly spoke from behind, and it was Orochimaru. Ye Zi wasn't sure if he had heard his earlier thoughts.

Ye Zi was stunned. He really hadn't noticed the money on the table in the living room. The house was so large that he focused more on searching the kitchen for food.

Orochimaru sat down beside Ye Zi, seemingly lost in thought. Although he had sought custody of Ye Zi, having another person in the empty, cold house felt unfamiliar and awkward.

Ye Zi glanced at Orochimaru's pale profile, hesitating. He wanted to ask many things, but he didn't know how to start.

They sat there in the corridor, looking at the lonely old tree in the yard without speaking.

"If you're free, you can go for a walk," Orochimaru suddenly said after a long pause, then stood up and walked toward the room.

Ye Zi stared at Orochimaru's back in surprise, unsure of what to say.

People weren't machines; they needed rest. Orochimaru had just completed a mission and wanted to relax during his brief time at home.

The current situation was turbulent, with conflicts everywhere. There seemed to be no end to the small-scale battles, keeping Konoha's ninjas busy every day. Thankfully, the Second Great Ninja War had ended, giving all the ninja villages some time to rest and recuperate.

Although Ye Zi had been in this world for nearly a week, he knew nothing about it. Since being brought back to Konoha, he had been stuck in Orochimaru's residence without venturing outside.

"Should I go for a walk...?"

Ye Zi stood up and walked toward the living room. As soon as he entered, he noticed the small pile of copper coins on the table. He walked over, picked them up, and casually put them in his pocket. He had no idea what he could use them for, but it was better to have some money on him, so he kept them in his pocket.

Leaving Orochimaru's residence, he walked a bit further and reached the street.

There weren't many people on the street, but there were plenty of shops lining both sides. One could gauge the prosperity of a village by the number of shops operating, and Konoha had a variety of them, making it evident that the village was more prosperous than others. Konoha's geographic location was much better than that of other villages, making it fertile land for growth.

The usual bleak atmosphere of war was not so apparent here...

Ye Zi walked casually down the street. No one paid him any special attention, even when he made eye contact with them; instead, they would smile and nod at him, which was surprising and made him feel a bit embarrassed, prompting him to stop looking around so freely.

Due to his thin frame, the clothes Orochimaru had left from childhood looked baggy on him, making him appear awkward. The clothes would slip off him as he walked, forcing him to adjust them frequently.

"Although I don't know much about this world, it does seem much better here."

After wandering around the street, Ye Zi compared the deserted small village he first arrived in to the bustling Konoha and felt the stark difference.

While lost in thought, Ye Zi didn't notice a young boy walking around a corner, and they collided. The impact wasn't strong, but it caused Ye Zi to fall backward to the ground.

"Damn."

Ye Zi frowned in pain as he looked up at the boy, who was slightly taller than him. He was once again reminded of how frail his body was. The only solution was to get stronger quickly.

The boy who knocked into Ye Zi appeared to be around seven or eight years old, with golden hair and delicate features. His sapphire-blue eyes were full of guilt as he looked at Ye Zi.

"Are you... alright?"

The young Minato Namikaze's face was full of apologies as he reached out a hand to help Ye Zi up.

Ye Zi looked coldly at the outstretched hand and ignored it, standing up on his own. He dusted off the dirt from falling and then walked past Minato without a word.

Minato was stunned, still holding out his hand, unsure what to do. After a few moments, he lowered his hand and watched Ye Zi's departing back, confusion written all over his young face.

The encounter with Minato was just a minor episode. Ye Zi walked expressionlessly toward Orochimaru's residence, his back aching slightly from the fall. His current weak body was prone to injuries, and he needed to get stronger quickly. Even if it meant reluctantly talking to Orochimaru, he had no choice.

To access that strange ability sooner and to return to Earth as quickly as possible...

Ye Zi resolved to confront Orochimaru as soon as he got back.

He needed to strengthen his body, which required proper meals.

He needed to learn about this world as soon as possible to get back to Earth.

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