Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

For every 30 POWER STONES there will be an extra chapter!

Two years can change many things.

Amegakure, isolated from external affairs, had developed steadily. With continuous financial support, the village had taken shape. The effort was not without results—the ninja being trained included a number of elites, and after purging Hanzo's remaining loyalists, these elites were also highly loyal.

The spread of the "Will of God" was slowly taking root in the minds of Amegakure's people.

These elites would become a significant force in the future.

As a result, the plan to collect the tailed beasts had been delayed, but it had recently begun to move forward.

The country where Nanako once lived had long been engulfed in war. Nations rose and fell in an endless cycle, leaving the land in chaos and its population dwindling.

This was a land with no established sovereignty, naturally catching Nagato's eye. In secret, he supported the rise of a puppet government, establishing a hidden underground cavern near the borders of the Land of Fire to store the summoned Gedo Statue. Without the chakra of the tailed beasts, the Gedo Statue was fragile and lacked its chakra shell.

Now that the plan had started, Ye Zi and White Zetsu had made preparations. The hollow Gedo Statue, summoned by Madara Uchiha, had been relocated by Nagato. Before that, many clones had already been prepared.

To allow the Gedo Statue to absorb the tailed beasts in the proper order, they would ideally start with the One-Tail, but even if the sequence wasn't followed strictly, things would proceed smoothly as long as they didn't get too far out of balance.

However, the stronger tailed beasts, like the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails, would have to be captured last.

Though the plan to capture the tailed beasts had begun, the Akatsuki was not yet strong enough to confront the major villages directly, so they had to act discreetly.

Considering all these factors, they decided to bypass the Jinchūriki tied to the major villages and set their first target on the Four-Tails Jinchūriki.

According to the information from White Zetsu, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, known as Roshi, was a rogue ninja from Iwagakure.

As a Jinchūriki, not only had Roshi defected from Iwagakure, but the village had also been unable to recover such an important tailed beast for many years, showing just how strong he was.

The reason they chose Roshi as the first target was that capturing him wouldn't have any significant consequences.

The task of capturing the Four-Tails Jinchūriki was assigned to Ye Zi, accompanied by Kotoe and Shin. As for White Zetsu, after spending nearly a year working with Ye Zi, he had been reassigned to gathering intelligence now that new members had joined.

The Four-Tails Jinchūriki was the first target, marking the beginning of the plan!

Roshi's movements were unpredictable, and he had no fixed residence. However, he spent most of his time in the Land of Hot Water. According to the latest information, he was currently there.

Once the target's location was confirmed, Ye Zi and his team set out from the Land of Fire toward the Land of Hot Water, moving in a different direction from the pursuing Team 7.

"According to White Zetsu's intel, the Four-Tails Jinchūriki uses Lava Release. He has a technique where he coats his entire body in lava, combining it with taijutsu for offense and defense. It's a tricky ability, so be cautious," Ye Zi warned Kotoe and Shin as they ran.

"Is it similar to your Lightning Prison?" Kotoe asked.

"It's different," Ye Zi replied calmly. "Roshi's lava armor is much more troublesome than my Lightning Prison. If I had to compare, it's more like the Third Raikage's Lightning Release armor—hard to defend against, hard to attack."

Hearing Ye Zi's high evaluation of the Four-Tails Jinchūriki, both Kotoe and Shin were surprised.

"Although it's tough, it has a clear weakness: it's countered by Water Release. Shin, your mastery of Water Release is the best among us, so you'll be the main attacker."

"Me…?" Uchiha Shin's eyes flickered.

Ye Zi glanced at him and asked, "What, are you lacking confidence?"

"No, it's not that… it just feels a little strange," Shin replied, shaking his head.

At this point, Shin was practically Ye Zi's disciple. Under Ye Zi's guidance, Shin had gained a certain level of control over Wood Release, though it was still far from Ye Zi's mastery.

In addition to Wood Release, Shin's chakra nature affinities were Water and Earth, with Water Release being his strongest.

With his "three-tomoe" Sharingan and Wood Release, he was no longer the helpless experiment subject he once was. Over the years, his strength had grown rapidly, but he still lacked sufficient battle experience. What he needed was confidence, which could only be built through constant fighting.

"I'll act as the decoy. Kotoe, your abilities won't be much use against this target, so focus on harassing him from the side," Ye Zi instructed.

Kotoe pouted slightly at his blunt words, but she couldn't refute them. After risking a great deal by successfully fusing with Hashirama's cells, she had also gained the ability to use Wood Release. However, against someone like Roshi, who could cover his body in lava, her Wood Release techniques wouldn't be very effective.

In theory, Lava Release could counter Wood Release.

Ye Zi continued, "I'll distract the Four-Tails Jinchūriki. Shin, you'll look for an opportunity to break through his lava armor with Water Release. That will be the best time to strike. We must take him down in one move, but make sure not to kill him. That's the plan. Understand?"

Kotoe and Shin both nodded to show they understood.

"Kotoe, once Roshi loses his defenses, it will be your chance to attack. Use your poison to incapacitate him," Ye Zi said, surveying their surroundings and assessing their position.

"Understood," Kotoe replied seriously.

"The geography of the Land of Hot Water is favorable for us."

As they neared the border of the Land of Fire and approached the Land of Hot Water, Ye Zi felt confident.

The Land of Hot Water, known for its hot springs, had abundant water resources, making it ideal for using Water Release techniques. However, deep beneath the surface were also active and dormant volcanoes.

There was a possibility that the Four-Tails Jinchūriki could tap into the volcanic activity beneath the surface, but the water on the surface was more readily available.

With the plan in place, they continued on in silence. After crossing the border into the Land of Hot Water, Ye Zi led his team toward a remote area far from human settlements.

The Four-Tails Jinchūriki was a loner, always wandering alone. He rarely ventured into towns or populated areas.

The Land of Hot Water had many hot springs, some of which had been developed, while others remained untouched in the mountains. This remote mountainous region was Roshi's territory.

Targeting this, Ye Zi and his team headed straight for the mountains.

Without White Zetsu's direct help, finding one person in real time wasn't easy.

However, the Land of Hot Water was large, and once human settlements were excluded, the remaining area was manageable to search.

After a night's rest, Ye Zi and his team found Roshi in a mountain valley.

At the time, Roshi had no idea anyone was after him.

The valley was sparse with vegetation, but hot springs dotted the landscape. Roshi was soaking in one of these hot springs, surrounded by a number of monkeys, enjoying the solitude.

The three of them watched from a vantage point at the top of the valley.

"Stick to the plan."

Seeing that Roshi was unaware of the approaching danger, Ye Zi's expression remained cold.

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Currently on Chapter 300 - The Power of the Rinnegan