Chapter 30

In the vast, white expanse of the rain curtain, a person stood, their presence only vaguely discernible through the hazy downpour as a splash of deep red.

Even through the sheeting rain, Ye Zi could feel the gaze fixed upon him.

"Heh..."

He let out a low, cold laugh, instantly swallowed by the roaring rain.

The gale, the thunder, the heavy rain – this storm, which had been brewing for a day, was no accident, nor was it sudden. He didn't want to know when that person had arrived, nor what they were thinking at this very moment.

As the raindrops pounded against his body, Ye Zi strode forward. Within moments, he could clearly see the person standing in the rain, watching him.

Without stopping, without even glancing at the girl, he walked past, facing the rain and thunder.

Kushina ignored the rainwater sliding down her forehead and into her eyes, straining to look into Ye Zi's dark pupils. But as his figure strode past, all she could see was a deep, unfathomable darkness and a dismissive glint.

In the instant they brushed past each other, she distinctly felt the aloof aura that usually flickered around him amplify infinitely in the cold rain, chilling her to the bone and seeping to the edge of her heart.

It seemed he was telling her, in this way: stop.

She bit her lip, her eyelids drooping, hiding the nascent sadness.

The confusion that had arisen after that night would surface from time to time.

What had happened? Why had he changed so suddenly? Why was he acting so inexplicably, making her even more bewildered in the rain at this moment?

After more than a year together, she thought she understood him, only to realize that the him she knew might not be him at all.

Suddenly, Kushina turned, her gaze piercing the curtain of rain. Her mouth opened slightly, but a lump formed in her throat. She wanted to say something, but nothing came out. She could only watch silently as his figure disappeared into the downpour.

Her opened eyes could no longer withstand the onslaught of rain, and her vision blurred.

It was as if the person who always brought Bei Xingye to knock on the door was a phantom, as fragile as a bubble.

"If that's the case, why did you save me?" her low voice was instantly swallowed by the wind and rain.

The sight of him, slumped against a tree, head bowed, covered in blood, was seared into Kushina's mind, perhaps forever.

She stood alone in the rain, hugging herself. Even with the downpour helping to conceal it, she tried hard not to let tears fall.

She just didn't understand. She didn't understand how Ye Zi had become like this.

When she first arrived in Konohagakure, everything was unfamiliar.

Unfamiliar people, an unfamiliar environment.

More than that, there was inexplicable malice.

So she began to deliberately ignore everything around her, gradually pushing it all away.

Until she started to have people she cared about.

But this precious existence to her seemed to be slipping away inexplicably, and she didn't know why.

Rumble...

The wind and rain intensified.

Her ears were filled with the sound of the rain.

The raindrops falling on her head suddenly stopped. A sturdy umbrella, resilient even in such a downpour, shielded her from the rain.

Kushina looked up blankly, only seeing the umbrella. Her heart suddenly warmed, and she quickly turned her head to look at the person holding the umbrella. What met her eyes was a gentle face she had once intensely disliked.

It wasn't him.

Minato silently held the umbrella, his gaze fixed on Kushina with concern.

"Has no one ever told you that you look like a woman when you're this gentle?" Kushina murmured, the large umbrella blocking the rain finally preventing the chill from slowly encroaching on her heart.

Amidst the vast roar of the rain, Minato managed to hear her low voice. He could only offer a gentle smile, saying nothing.

At that moment, he was looking at Kushina, and also thinking of Ye Zi.

He was just as bewildered, just as confused as Bei Xingye and Kushina.

After the Second Great Ninja War ended, the small-scale conflicts showed no signs of ceasing. Within the territories of the Five Great Nations were countless smaller countries and clans bound by blood. They were weak, unable to challenge the great nations, but they could set their sights on equally weak entities.

Nibbling away, plundering, or driven by pure desire.

Regardless of the reason, conflicts between smaller nations never stopped. They seemed to have evolved into creatures in nature, where only the fittest survive.

The great nations and ninja villages, which had begun to focus on recovery and rebuilding, watched the clashes between the smaller countries from the sidelines. While they didn't interfere openly, they secretly accepted missions through their ninja villages to earn profits. Konohagakure was no exception. Higher-difficulty missions were often taken from these smaller countries, including assassination missions of their leaders.

Hokage's Office.

The Third Hokage tapped a piece of paper on his desk with his index finger. Lost in thought, he looked up at the team before him. Their leader was his proud disciple, Orochimaru. Although Orochimaru's team had performed exceptionally well recently, undertaking a mission of near S-rank difficulty still carried considerable risk. He wasn't worried about Orochimaru, but about the juniors who had grown so much.

At a time when everything needed rebuilding, new blood was crucial.

This generation had produced many outstanding individuals, led by Ye Zi, Minato, and Kushina. These were all precious talents for Konoha. While Konoha urgently needed to take on missions to generate income, the preservation of talent had to be prioritized.

After much deliberation, the Third Hokage decided not to assign this mission to Orochimaru's team, as it contained two geniuses, one of whom was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.

"Orochimaru, this mission is not suitable for your team," the Third Hokage said slowly.

A flicker of mockery crossed Orochimaru's eyes as he replied coldly, "Ye Zi excels at assassination, Kushina has excellent sensory abilities, Bei Xingye's hearing can pick up the faintest sounds, and I'm leading the team. Where exactly is it unsuitable?"

The Third Hokage was instantly rendered speechless. He looked at Orochimaru, whose expression was cold, and rubbed his forehead with a helpless look.

Orochimaru knew that the Third Hokage's priority leaned towards talent. Compared to the profit of a mission, preserving talent was the most important thing. However, in Orochimaru's eyes, having grown up amidst war since childhood, if one couldn't even complete a mission that wasn't necessarily fatal, could such an existence be considered talent?

Death is failure.

Life is value.

"Third Hokage, I'm afraid you've underestimated them," Orochimaru said with a cold smile.

The Third Hokage glanced at Ye Zi and the others, then looked back at Orochimaru and said seriously, "Orochimaru, are you serious?"

"Of course," Orochimaru replied immediately.

"Hmm..."

The Third Hokage pondered for a moment, then stopped tapping his index finger. His gaze slowly turned stern. He stared at Orochimaru and said in a deep voice, "I agree to you taking this mission."

He didn't say the rest of his words aloud, because he knew Orochimaru would understand.

A slight smile tugged at the corner of Orochimaru's mouth. After receiving the relevant mission details, he led Ye Zi and the others out of the office.

The Third Hokage watched Orochimaru and his team leave, sighing softly.

Was the man who had never had a surviving student since he started leading a team finally serious this time?

Risk always came with reward. For a ninja to grow rapidly, war was the fastest shortcut, but it also carried the highest risk of death.

"Don't disappoint me..."

The Third Hokage murmured softly. He had noticed that the missions taken by Orochimaru's team had been gradually increasing in difficulty during this period. Inwardly, he seemed to have sensed that Orochimaru, who had a cold personality, harbored some kind of expectation. And that expectation... was most likely for that child who resembled Orochimaru when he was young.

"Will he be the second Orochimaru?"

The Third Hokage shook his head slightly, then thought of another genius, Minato Namikaze...

Ye Zi and the others had no objections to Orochimaru taking on a mission of extremely high difficulty, as Orochimaru had already briefed them beforehand.

Perhaps it was out of trust in Orochimaru's strength, but even Bei Xingye felt no fear about this mission.

In fact, through countless missions, Bei Xingye himself hadn't realized that he was no longer the person he used to be.

"The mission is to assassinate the ruler of the Land of Ash. We'll discuss the details on the way. Prepare to depart immediately."

Orochimaru looked at the three of them and said coldly.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zi immediately turned and walked in the direction of his residence. Kushina and Bei Xingye did the same. They knew beforehand that they would be taking on a difficult mission, but they hadn't expected it to be an assassination mission in a foreign country.

As a qualified ninja, geographical knowledge was one of the essential skills to master.

The Land of Ash was located in the gap between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth. Calling it a gap was relative to the map's plate; the area was not small, and many small countries existed within it.

This time, the mission was issued by the Land of Grass, which was in opposition to the Land of Ash. Because the Land of Grass had always been suppressed by the Land of Ash, their disadvantage in multiple battles had become increasingly apparent, reaching a precarious state. It was only then that the Land of Grass poured all its remaining funds into Konohagakure to issue the mission, hoping to achieve victory in the war by assassinating the ruler of the Land of Ash.

Generally speaking, assassinating a ruler does not guarantee victory in a war. However, for the current Land of Ash, if the ruler were successfully assassinated, it was indeed very likely that the Land of Grass would achieve victory, because the ruler of the Land of Ash was a very capable individual.

After making preparations for the long journey, Orochimaru's team exited the gates of Konohagakure.

Along the way, Orochimaru detailed the brief intelligence provided by the issuer. The more useful information was that the Land of Ash had many ninja under its command, and the ruler of the Land of Ash himself possessed considerable strength.

This intelligence alone indicated the difficulty of the mission.

The Land of Grass was situated in the crevice between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, a territory not included in the major five countries. Adjacent to it was the Land of Ash. The two countries, bordering each other, had been in conflict since their founding. Affected by the Second Great Ninja War, the national strength of both countries had been significantly weakened.

Being caught between larger nations was not a pleasant experience. To break free from this constraint, they could only annex and grow stronger, striving one day to possess a force capable of rivaling the five great nations.

The Second Great Ninja War brought disaster, but also opportunity.

When the major powers were unable to exert their full strength, it was the best time for smaller nations to annex and grow.

Orochimaru's team, after a somber long-distance march, arrived at the border area of the Land of Grass, surrounded by numerous plants, in the evening.

A ninja wearing a forehead protector emerged from the twilight and shouted at Orochimaru and his group, who had stopped, "Halt!"

Orochimaru looked at the ninja and said coldly, "We are ninja from Konoha, here on a commission from your country. This is our token."

With that, Orochimaru took out a scroll. Instead of throwing it rashly at the ninja, he tossed it onto the ground not far in front of him. The ninja's body instantly tensed. He quickly scanned the scroll on the ground, made a strange hand seal, and then swung the thorny vine in his hand, skillfully rolling the scroll back to himself.

Holding the scroll, the ninja slowly retreated a few steps, then opened it. After a moment, having confirmed its authenticity, he put the scroll away. The hostility and vigilance in his eyes lessened considerably.

"You've kept us waiting, Konoha ninja."

After making a gesture to his companions in the darkness, the ninja forced a smile and said politely, "Please follow me."

Orochimaru nodded slightly and followed behind the ninja. Ye Zi and the other two relaxed slightly upon seeing this and followed closely behind Orochimaru.

The twilight quickly faded from the sky and the earth, and night slowly descended.

Orochimaru walked through the woods, his gaze occasionally sweeping through the darkness. He could easily detect the ninja hiding in the shadows.

"Quite a few... Has the ninja system of the Land of Grass developed to this extent? Yet, they are still suppressed by the Land of Ash. It seems the ninja systems of smaller countries are growing rapidly," Orochimaru's eyes flashed with thought.

It wasn't until the silver moon hung high in the sky that Orochimaru's team arrived within the Land of Grass. They were met with a welcome that was neither overly warm nor cold. However, even during wartime, the Land of Grass had made proper arrangements for food and lodging for Ye Zi and his companions.

"Phew, it feels so good to lie on a bed for the first time," Bei Xingye said contentedly, lying on the bed after a hearty meal.

Kushina sat on the bed near the corner, complaining that the Land of Grass had arranged for them to stay in a single room. However, as ninja, this was not difficult to accept.

"Get some rest. We might have to head to the Land of Ash early tomorrow," Kushina said, dusting off a pillow.

"Mhm," Bei Xingye got up from the bed and looked at Ye Zi, who stood silently by the window. "Ye Zi, what are you looking at?"

Hearing him, Ye Zi tilted his head slightly and glanced at Bei Xingye. "Nothing," he replied flatly.

Bei Xingye heard Ye Zi's cold tone and sighed inwardly. He still managed a smile. "Then get some rest. This mission is the most difficult our team has ever faced, so we need to conserve our energy."

Kushina's hand, which had been patting the pillow, suddenly stopped. She stared at the pillow in silence, her peripheral vision fixed on Ye Zi.

Ye Zi turned his head and looked out at the large expanse of unknown plants in the night outside. "I'm not tired. You guys rest first. I'm going out for a walk."

With that, he walked directly towards the door.

Bei Xingye watched Ye Zi open the door and leave. He then looked at Kushina, his expression dejected.

"Let's rest," Kushina said casually, resuming her pillow-patting as if trying to completely remove all dust.

Bei Xingye sighed and obediently lay down on the bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

***

The Land of Grass coexisted with plants, and at night, the chirping of insects was incessant. As soon as one stepped outside, a strong, fresh scent filled the air.

Since the Land of Grass hadn't stated that nighttime strolls were prohibited when they welcomed them, Ye Zi didn't hesitate. He decided to explore before Orochimaru returned.

Suddenly, a whistling sound cut through the air beside his ear.

Ye Zi's expression remained unchanged. He turned his head slightly, and saw a dark shadow graze his neck before landing on the sandy ground. Under the lamplight, it appeared to be a green, pointed spike, seemingly a hidden weapon crafted from an unknown plant, shaped like a senbon.

Surprised by the unprovoked sneak attack, Ye Zi wasn't angry. He turned and looked towards the roof of a house entwined with vines.

"Who are you? I've never seen you before." On the rooftop, a beautiful young woman with striking features stared down at Ye Zi, her tone a mixture of confusion and caution. However, in the darkness, a hidden glint of cunning flashed in her eyes.

Ye Zi, not noticing the cunning in her eyes, assumed she had misunderstood. He politely explained, "I'm a ninja from Konohagakure."

He thought this explanation would suffice. However, the woman pulled out another green senbon and said sternly, "How do I know if you're real or not?"

At this moment, Ye Zi began to understand that she seemed to be deliberately looking for trouble.

His gaze slowly grew cold. Ye Zi watched her aggressive posture, but he didn't draw his sword. He simply stared coldly at the woman on the roof.

"I can understand the first attack as a misunderstanding. If you attack again, even if this is your territory, I won't hold back!"

"Heh heh."

Under the bright moonlight, the girl remained unfazed by Ye Zi's sharp, cold voice. With a giggle, her eyes filled with intense fighting spirit, and her attacking stance became even more pronounced.

Ye Zi took in this action, his right hand reaching for the short sword hanging at his waist, ready to counterattack. If they weren't in the Land of Grass, he would never wait for her to attack before striking; he would have initiated the offensive himself.

Ye Zi tilted his head back, staring intently at the girl. A hint of killing intent brewed in his dark eyes. If someone posed a threat to him, he wouldn't consider any other factors; his only goal would be to eliminate the danger.

"I've always wanted to see how powerful ninjas from the great nations truly are."

The girl drew several dark green senbon from a specially made ninja tool pouch, which glinted under the moonlight.

"Don't blame me for not warning you, Konoha ninja. This spike... it's poisoned!"

As her crisp, pleasant voice fell, the girl on the rooftop suddenly transformed into a swarm of dancing fireflies, slowly drifting in mid-air.

"And I... am also poisonous."

Astonished by the girl's sudden transformation into a swarm of fireflies, a low, cold voice sounded beside his ear. The girl had somehow appeared behind him unnoticed. Ye Zi's expression shifted slightly. The hand gripping the sword hilt moved instantly, then stopped just as quickly. A slender, white hand gently pressed against his palm, yet it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, preventing his hand from moving even an inch further.

"This girl..."

Surprise flickered in Ye Zi's eyes. His left hand was already rapidly forming hand seals.

"You lost, Konoha ninja."

Accompanied by a clear laugh and triumphant words, the girl seemed to lean against Ye Zi's shoulder. One hand held down his hand as he drew his sword, while the other held a green senbon to his neck. Her tender lips brushed against his ear.

Ye Zi's expression was unreadable. Just as he was about to complete the hand seals, an angry shout echoed.

"Kotoha, stop it right there!"

A middle-aged man with the same hair color as Kotoha strode over, his face filled with anger.

At this moment, Ye Zi abruptly stopped forming the hand seals and silently watched the approaching man.

He's thanking this person for saving her, the naive one. Ye Zi thought to himself. Despite the soft warmth behind him, and despite the girl showing no killing intent towards him, once he regained control, he wouldn't hesitate.

"Oh."

Kotoha pouted and obediently released her hands, stepping back a few paces.

The middle-aged man glared at her, then looked apologetically at the expressionless Ye Zi. "I apologize. My daughter is a bit mischievous. Please believe that this action was not taken with my consent."

Ye Zi nodded, his tone indifferent. "May I leave now?"

"Of course, that is your freedom," the middle-aged man said with a slight smile.

Upon hearing this, Ye Zi turned to leave. Just then, the girl behind him asked, "Hey, Konoha ninja, what's your name?"

Ye Zi stopped. After a brief pause, he replied coldly, "Ye Zi." He didn't linger any longer.

Kotoha watched Ye Zi's retreating back and giggled. "My name is Bōjiān Yán Yè. Remember it, it's the name of the one who defeated you. I'll remember you too. You're the first ninja from a great nation I've ever defeated!"

"Bōjiān Yán Yè..."

Ye Zi ignored Kotoha's childish shouting. In truth, the man's strength might not be weaker than Kushina's. If he weren't so naive, he might have truly met his end unexpectedly.

After Ye Zi left, the middle-aged man, without warning, struck at Kotoha's head. The latter nimbly dodged, evading the blow.

Seeing his strike miss, the middle-aged man awkwardly retracted his hand and snapped, "Do you want to die?"

Kotoha rolled his eyes and pouted, "Is this how you talk to your own daughter?"

The middle-aged man was instantly speechless, completely at a loss for what to do with Kotoha.

Kotoha chuckled, stretched, yawned, and lazily said, "Dad, Konoha ninjas aren't that impressive, are they? I warned him beforehand, but that kid was still subdued by me in one move. If I wanted to, I could have killed him easily just now."

The middle-aged man slapped his forehead. As if you're older than him, he thought. He glanced in the direction Ye Zi had left and said gravely, "Don't underestimate people. That person just now, if I hadn't stepped in to stop you, who knows what ninjutsu those hand seals were for."

"Hand seals?"

Kotoha startled, then gave his dad a look. "But I subdued him with one hand! How could he form hand seals? Dad, you're scaring me again."

The middle-aged man fell silent. After a moment, he said seriously, "Single-handed hand seals... perhaps my knowledge is limited. At least among everyone I've fought, no one has ever performed single-handed hand seals."

Seeing his father's serious expression, Kotoha's smile slowly faded. He tilted his head, pondering the possibility of single-handed hand seals. After thinking for a moment, he suddenly shouted as if realizing something, "So that doesn't count?"

"What doesn't count?" The middle-aged man didn't understand what Kotoha was referring to.

"Our spar just now," Kotoha's cheeks puffed out like an angry pufferfish. "No, I have to go find him again."

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man decisively struck at Kotoha's head.

Kotoha leaned back, easily dodging the blow again, causing the former to awkwardly retract his hand once more.

Glancing dismissively at his father, Kotoha lazily said, "Dad, don't be so childish next time."

"..."

At the same time, after exchanging information, Orochimaru returned to the residence arranged for him in the Land of Grass.

On his way back, he didn't take the shortest route. Instead, he deliberately chose a path that was neither too close nor too far.

All along the way, he observed the various strange plants growing in the Land of Grass.

Some of these plants showed clear signs of human cultivation, while others were left to grow naturally. Clearly, those that were cultivated must have a purpose, such as poison...

Compared to biological poisons, some plant-based toxins might be no less potent. Orochimaru himself was skilled in using snake venom, but with a master poison user like Tsunade on the team, he hadn't focused too much energy on poisons. However, this didn't diminish his interest in poisons, or rather, his interest in the properties of these plants.

"If I get the chance..."

A deep interest flickered in Orochimaru's eyes. At this moment, he began to take an interest in these small countries he had never paid much attention to before. To survive in the cracks between major powers, they must possess something extraordinary.