Chapter 7

Black—nothing but bone-chilling blackness...

Yamanaka Genya, who had invaded Ye Zi's mind, had never expected such a situation. Floating in midair, he saw nothing but unfathomable darkness in every direction. He could not see anything at all, save for his own body.

He had encountered such darkness before, but he could not find any entrance resembling a door or window. No matter whose mind he invaded, there had to be an entrance shaped like a door or window. Yet Ye Zi had none—only endless darkness.

Yamanaka Genya still could not determine Ye Zi's identity, but one thing was certain: Ye Zi was absolutely not an ordinary child.

"I can only use more extreme measures, though this is not what I want."

Floating in Ye Zi's dark world, Yamanaka Genya spoke to himself as his hands rapidly formed seals, his gaze turning grave.

The human brain had always been fragile, especially that of a child. One misstep, and he could become an idiot.

"Don't blame me..."

His hands stopped. The seal was formed.

Boom...

Clusters of flames suddenly erupted from the darkness. Within a few breaths, they became a towering inferno, and a row of low houses could vaguely be seen struggling helplessly amid the firelight.

Yamanaka Genya silently watched the scene that had suddenly appeared within the darkness. This was the scene the target most did not want to remember.

Riiip...

A soft sound rang out, yet it was like spring thunder exploding.

Yamanaka Genya's expression abruptly changed as he looked toward the tear in the darkness. Dazzling white light impatiently poured out from the crack.

"It's coming..."

Inside the hospital room, Ye Zi held Ye Rui's cold little hand expressionlessly. He merely stared at her tightly shut eyes, his gaze utterly motionless.

The young nurse standing behind him let out a soft sigh. There was a trace of pity in her gaze as she looked at Ye Rui, but working in a hospital, she had seen such scenes far too often.

"Mr. Ye, please accept my condolences..."

Ye Zi's hand tightened slightly, then immediately loosened, as if he were afraid of hurting Ye Rui.

"We didn't owe you a single cent. So why did it end like this?" Ye Zi asked calmly, though beneath that tranquil exterior was a volcano on the verge of eruption.

The nurse was immediately speechless. Though Ye Zi seemed calm, she did not know why, but she felt a chill run through her heart.

"Why..."

Ye Zi slowly closed his eyes.

"What did we do wrong?"

Crack!

Ye Zi abruptly opened his eyes. The tears trapped in them rolled down his face. Everything before him seemed like an image reflected in glass, and now that glass had cracked—a crack that happened to cut across Ye Rui's peacefully closed eyes.

"No!"

At the sight, Ye Zi roared. The world became like a room with its lights switched off, plunging into darkness in an instant.

"Release!"

Yamanaka Genya, his face covered in cold sweat, staggered several steps back. His gaze toward Ye Zi was full of shock and disbelief.

"What happened?" An Anbu wearing a mask suddenly appeared and placed a hand on Yamanaka Genya's shoulder, stopping his retreat.

Yamanaka Genya wiped the sweat from his forehead and said with difficulty, "It's hard to explain in a few words."

The Anbu fell silent at once. His face was concealed by the mask, revealing nothing. After a moment, he asked coldly, "Has he met the standard for disposal?"

He did not care what had happened. He only cared whether Ye Zi should be disposed of.

Yamanaka Genya's brow twitched. He subconsciously glanced at Ye Zi, whose eyes remained shut even as tears continuously slid down his face. He opened his mouth, yet could not say a word.

He had met it...

Those had been the words he originally intended to say, but when he thought of the final scene he had seen, he simply could not bring himself to say them.

"No," he said slowly after hesitating for a moment.

"Are you sure?" The Anbu's gaze sharpened. He had noticed Yamanaka Genya's hesitation.

Having changed his answer, Yamanaka Genya no longer hesitated. "I'm sure," he said firmly.

The Anbu nodded. "I'll report to the Hokage first. Someone will come to take him back later. Prepare your follow-up report."

With that, his figure flashed and vanished.

After the Anbu left, Yamanaka Genya wore a complicated expression as he looked at Ye Zi's tear-streaked face. "Just what are you... Hm?"

He sensed signs that Ye Zi was waking up and fell silent in surprise.

"How is that possible..."

Staring wide-eyed at Ye Zi as he slowly woke, Yamanaka Genya's mind filled with questions.

When had the power of genjutsu become so weak? The target was just a child without Chakra.

With that doubt in mind, he heard a voice filled with lingering fear.

"So... it wasn't real."

After waking, Ye Zi looked around at his surroundings. Thinking of everything that had happened before, as dreamlike as it had been, he could still seem to feel the pain of his heart splitting apart. He did not know why he had fallen into such a realistic dream, but one thing was certain: the person responsible for all of it was the man before him.

"Should I thank you... or hate you?"

Still shaken, Ye Zi tried to wipe away his tears, only to remember that his hands were tightly bound.

Yamanaka Genya fell silent at once, unsure how to answer. He had not expected Ye Zi to wake up at this moment, much less remember everything so clearly.

"What will happen to me?" Ye Zi did not press the matter further. Instead, he asked calmly, as casually as if asking whether someone had eaten.

"I can tell that you don't understand what we did, and that you may even be hostile toward us," Yamanaka Genya said seriously. Ye Zi's sudden awakening and the fact that his memories had not been erased made him feel that he had to say something.

Ye Zi remained expressionless and said nothing.

"I would like to explain it to you, but it seems pointless. Perhaps someday, you'll understand why we had to do this. For now, at the very least, you'll be able to live on in a relatively safe environment. So, I hope you can put aside your hostility. Someone will come to take you away shortly, but before that..."

As Ye Zi listened to Yamanaka Genya's words, his taut nerves gradually relaxed. He was certain that the danger had passed. But then, he suddenly caught a trace of apology in Yamanaka Genya's eyes.

"Before that, you need to remain unconscious. It's for your own good."

A flicker of astonishment appeared on Ye Zi's face. Then he saw Yamanaka Genya move behind him with incredible speed, followed by a familiar pain at the back of his neck.

"I—"

Before even half of the full string of curses could leave his mouth, it came to an abrupt stop.

Yamanaka Genya withdrew his hand and looked at Ye Zi, whose head hung low as he slipped back into unconsciousness. He muttered to himself, "I hope I didn't do the wrong thing..."

The Hokage's office.

Yamanaka Genya stood respectfully before the desk.

Hiruzen looked over the detailed report on the desk, pondering for a moment before slowly raising his head. His gaze was sharp and piercing like needles, yet heavy and solid like a mountain.

The report was detailed and complete. If he had not first had Genya give a verbal report, he might not have noticed any problems.

"Genya, I can tell you've concealed something."

Yamanaka Genya, who had been keeping his head lowered, felt his heart jolt. But he quickly calmed down and prepared himself to be punished.

Hiruzen looked at Genya and sighed. "You naturally have your reasons for doing this, and I have always trusted you. You possess exceptional ability, yet you lack the heart of a shinobi. Even I don't know whether I should advise you to correct that. Putting you in that position has truly wronged you."

"Lord Hokage..." Yamanaka Genya raised his head, his eyes filled with emotion.

Hiruzen shook his head slightly, then said, "This child possesses outstanding talent for genjutsu. But as you described, he seems to have developed hostility toward Konoha. That is rather troublesome."

"If possible, please grant me guardianship of him," Yamanaka Genya said solemnly.

Hiruzen was somewhat moved by the suggestion, but he shook his head. "I'm afraid not. This child will be placed in Orochimaru's care."

"I see..." Yamanaka Genya nodded.

"I will not pursue the matter of your concealment this time, but there will not be a next time. You may leave."

"Yes."

Yamanaka Genya answered, turned, and walked out of the office. After leaving the Hokage Building, he could not help but sigh.

Hiruzen looked toward the office doors, his gaze shifting constantly.

Genya had always been a shinobi Hiruzen thought highly of. Unfortunately, he was not ruthless enough and lacked decisiveness in many matters. Thus, despite his outstanding abilities in every respect, he was even less suited than an ordinary Jonin, leaving him only fit for the Interrogation Department rather than taking missions for the village.

Because Hiruzen understood Genya, and because he trusted him, Ye Zi's situation left him half pleased and half worried.

In the end, would this exceptionally gifted child prove beneficial or harmful to Konoha once he grew up?

Hiruzen rubbed his temples. If Genya were allowed to raise this child...

"Alas."

But when he thought of Orochimaru, Hiruzen could only let out another sigh.