Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

In the shinobi world, countless intelligence operatives worked tirelessly in the shadows, delivering valuable information to their respective villages. Among these networks, the one established by Danzo had been particularly impressive. However, after Danzo's death, Root was integrated into the Anbu under Minato's leadership. Members who had remained loyal to Danzo were dispersed, causing the collapse of his intelligence network.

Minato had attempted to take control of the network, but it proved too difficult. Danzo's ability to manage it had been unique to him.

Although the network was dismantled, Minato managed to retain a few skilled operatives, deploying them to fulfill critical tasks and maximize their value.

Among the many intelligence operatives active in the shinobi world, White Zetsu's abilities far surpassed the rest. Beneath him, Jiraiya stood out as one of the most capable.

Listening to White Zetsu's steady narration, Ye Zi absorbed an ever-increasing amount of information. With an attack on the Hidden Cloud Village approaching, this wealth of intelligence gave him a solid foundation to proceed.

White Zetsu spoke non-stop for most of the day, relaying all the gathered information. For an ordinary person, such an effort without water would have left their throat raw, but White Zetsu's unique physiology allowed him to deliver the information smoothly, like spilling beans, without issue.

After receiving so much intelligence, Ye Zi couldn't help but marvel once more at White Zetsu's irreplaceable utility. From the moment one becomes a shinobi, one of the first lessons instilled is the primacy of intelligence.

It was no surprise that critical intelligence was highly valued by all the major shinobi villages. White Zetsu's capabilities would be a godsend to any of them.

"I'm giving you ten days. I need you to do something for me," Ye Zi said, without immediately organizing the information he'd just received. He had another task for White Zetsu.

"What is it?" White Zetsu, aware of his role as a perpetual workhorse, sighed internally. Seeing Ye Zi assign him yet another mission without pause, he had no choice but to accept.

"Find the spies planted by the major shinobi villages," Ye Zi said calmly.

Over the past year, Ye Zi had limited his outings and exercised extreme caution during those rare excursions. Initially, the spies from other villages had been relatively quiet, but they had grown increasingly active in recent months, to the point where they could no longer be ignored.

These spies gathered intelligence on both the Hidden Rain Village and Ye Zi's movements, creating a mounting pressure on him.

With the execution of his plan drawing near, Ye Zi couldn't afford the base's location to be compromised, forcing him to expend resources on relocating. The best course of action was to eliminate these "rats" beforehand, easing his burden.

"Understood," White Zetsu nodded in agreement.

"But before that, come with me to Konoha," Ye Zi said, his eyes glinting faintly.

White Zetsu was slightly surprised. Given that their relationship wasn't purely superior and subordinate, he asked curiously, "What are we going to Konoha for?"

Ye Zi didn't hide his intent and answered directly, "To take some Sharingan."

White Zetsu froze momentarily, silently marveling at Ye Zi's sheer confidence. The single word "take" encapsulated his unwavering assurance in his strength.

"When are we leaving?" White Zetsu asked. He already understood his role, to collect the aftermath.

"Tomorrow morning," Ye Zi said after a brief moment of thought.

White Zetsu nodded and replied, "I'll be around. Call me when it's time."

With that, White Zetsu left the room without hesitation.

After White Zetsu departed, Ye Zi visited the training ground to check on the children. He didn't stay long before heading to meet Nanako.

The survival of sixty-eight children owed much to the efforts of Orochimaru and Nanako. As for the unfortunate ones who didn't make it, Ye Zi had quietly collected their bodies.

Even with so many now accompanying him, there were things Ye Zi chose not to share with anyone.

Though sacrifices had been made, the children who survived had grown significantly. The youngest among them was Karin, who had recently been brought to the base at just over six years old. The oldest was fifteen, with most falling in the twelve-to-thirteen age range.

This group of children had become a force Ye Zi couldn't underestimate. However, they still lacked over thirty pairs of Sharingan.

The original stock of Sharingan in the base had been limited, with only a few two-tomoe eyes among them. Ye Zi had prioritized transplanting them to the stronger children. Fortunately, all transplanted two-tomoe Sharingan had evolved into three-tomoe Sharingan, likely due to the influence of Hashirama cells.

Ye Zi's high standards demanded only three-tomoe Sharingan. Despite efforts to collect more over the past six months, only ten additional pairs had been acquired, bringing the total to just over thirty pairs.

A month ago, over sixty children survived the Hashirama cell implantation surgery, quickly depleting the Sharingan stock and leaving a shortage of thirty pairs.

Thus, Ye Zi planned a trip to Konoha, intending to infiltrate the Uchiha compound and acquire the necessary Sharingan in the shortest time possible. His recent outings had all been preparations for this operation.

After chatting briefly with Nanako, Ye Zi left the research lab.

He had advised Nanako to rest, but she merely smiled and declined. Though she had completed all tasks assigned by Ye Zi, her habitual industriousness drove her to find more work to occupy herself.

Ye Zi felt helpless but didn't force her to take a break.

That night, Ye Zi stayed at the base. The next morning, he set out with White Zetsu toward Konoha.

He was determined to obtain the thirty-plus three-tomoe Sharingan. This time, it wouldn't be a full-scale assault but a covert infiltration of the Uchiha compound using the Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation for stealthy assassinations.

Targeting three-tomoe Sharingan exclusively, obtaining thirty pairs in one go would be nearly impossible without a direct assault. However, attacking the Uchiha compound in Konoha would inevitably provoke the entire village's response.

Instead, Ye Zi chose to infiltrate under the cover of night to eliminate specific targets and collect the eyes.

Such an operation required detailed intelligence: the number of Uchiha with three-tomoe Sharingan, their locations, household details, and other relevant information. Once this data was gathered, Ye Zi could identify the easiest targets.

Without proper intelligence, the mission would be impossible.

Fortunately, Ye Zi's intelligence network surpassed that of any shinobi village. In a month, he had gathered all necessary information, and White Zetsu had returned just as the intelligence collection was completed.

"Why not wreak havoc in Konoha again?" White Zetsu suggested mischievously, trying to egg Ye Zi into causing more chaos in Konoha for his own entertainment.

To have White Zetsu handle the cleanup, Ye Zi naturally needed to share the plan with him. However, the plan focused solely on stealthy assassinations which left White Zetsu somewhat disappointed.

He preferred grand spectacles over silent assassinations. He wanted to see Ye Zi wreak havoc in Konoha again, showcasing intense, thrilling battles. More than that, he was curious to see how much Ye Zi's strength had grown in the past year and whether he could continue his awe-inspiring displays of power.

White Zetsu occasionally tried to prod Ye Zi into causing a bigger commotion, but Ye Zi had no patience to explain or entertain him.

The plan was clear and methodical: first, acquire the Sharingan and have them transplanted into the remaining children. Next, task White Zetsu with identifying spies from the various shinobi villages and use them as training targets for the children.

Finally, distribute the assignments for capturing the tailed beasts. All of this needed to be accomplished within two weeks. Properly orchestrating the tailed beast capture missions would take an additional ten days.

Acquiring the Sharingan was non-negotiable. However, Ye Zi wasn't willing to cause a large-scale disturbance to achieve this goal. Weakening Konoha further could have unforeseen consequences and would make Nagato's attempt to capture the Nine-Tails significantly easier, it was a scenario Ye Zi wanted to avoid. He intended to use Konoha's strength to counterbalance Nagato.

Thus, if the Sharingan could be obtained through covert assassinations, that was the route Ye Zi would choose.

Ye Zi and White Zetsu traveled swiftly, reaching the forest near Konoha within three days.

Beneath the deep moonlight, the two stood atop the tallest tree, their gazes fixed on the silhouette of Konoha under the night sky.

A cold killing intent flashed in Ye Zi's eyes, while most of the Uchiha clan remained sound asleep, unaware of the danger looming ever closer.

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