Naruto: Echoes of a Distant Home

The crackling lightning raged through Manda's massive body, causing him to twitch momentarily before freezing in place. In just a few seconds, the smell of something burnt wafted into the air.

With the enhanced power of Hashirama's cells, the attack was something Manda couldn't withstand head-on.

After a while, Ye Zi stopped channeling chakra and withdrew his hand.

Manda's howling ceased abruptly. Although the lightning was immensely powerful, thanks to the perfect binding of the Wood Release, Manda's enormous body hadn't budged an inch by the end.

The once proud and defiant head of Manda now lay weakly on the ground, but the fury in his serpent eyes had not yet fully dissipated.

In comparison to Manda's enormous form, Ye Zi's body was about the size of Manda's eye. This size difference created a stark and striking contrast in the scene.

Seeing that Manda still seemed defiant, Ye Zi frowned slightly. He placed his hand back on Manda's snout.

The moment Ye Zi's hand touched his snout, the fury in Manda's eyes wavered. The power of Ye Zi's Lightning Release was terrifying, and Manda's body wouldn't be able to endure many more of these attacks.

Ye Zi didn't use Lightning Release again but instead spoke coldly, "Submit, or die."

The violent and enraged serpent eyes reflected the expression of a human—cold and merciless. It was clear that Ye Zi would carry out his threat without hesitation.

In Manda's memory, Ye Zi had once seemed like a weak ant, no different from an insect. But now, Ye Zi had grown to this level.

There was no doubt that Ye Zi was even stronger than Orochimaru. With his Wood Release, Ye Zi could perfectly restrain Manda, leaving no room for struggle.

And that Lightning Release… Manda had a decent resistance to lightning techniques, yet just a few seconds had inflicted severe damage on his body.

"How many years has it been? What a terrifying human."

It was precisely because of this overwhelming power that Manda didn't dare to try any tricks. Normally, he would feign submission and kill the summoner as soon as his restraints were removed.

Realizing that he couldn't afford to provoke Ye Zi, the anger in Manda's eyes finally began to dissipate. The pride he had held onto since the beginning also faded along with his rage. In an extreme shift, Manda chose to submit.

Up close, Ye Zi could clearly see the emotions in Manda's eyes, which were as large as his own body. The anger was fading, replaced with a look of pleading.

"Good." Ye Zi withdrew his hand.

Though Manda felt deeply unwilling, he had no choice. He had a strong premonition that if he refused, Ye Zi would kill him without hesitation.

Creak.

Seeing Manda choose submission, Ye Zi released the Wood Release binding him. The thick wooden branches retracted the way they came.

The fact that Ye Zi had been able to perfectly restrain such a massive creature showed the power of his Wood Release. It was this very strength that had crushed Manda's will.

After being freed, Manda straightened his head from the ground but didn't raise it. Instead, he rested his head on the ground without moving, displaying a submissive posture.

Given the size difference, if Manda had merely lifted his head and then lowered it, he could have crushed Ye Zi into a pulp. But that was only an illusion.

"You can go back now."

Satisfied with Manda's submission, Ye Zi nodded and formed a seal with one hand, sending Manda back to Ryuchi Cave.

Typically, once a summoning beast was called, it would be forcibly sent back to its space after a set amount of time, with the duration depending on the summoner's ability. Alternatively, the summoner could choose when to send it back.

After sending Manda back to Ryuchi Cave, Ye Zi didn't immediately return to the base. Instead, he formed the hand seal for the Reverse Summoning Technique.

The place he chose to visit wasn't Ryuchi Cave but the alternate dimension where Shokui resided.

With the hand seal complete, Ye Zi slammed his hand onto the ground. Black curse marks appeared instantly, and with a puff of white smoke, he disappeared from his previous location.

His vision quickly shifted. The scenery before him turned into a barren desert wasteland, devoid of any signs of life, filled with nothing but an atmosphere of death and desolation. As far as the eye could see, this was the landscape.

Several hundred meters ahead, a large yellow figure sat with its back to Ye Zi.

As Ye Zi looked over, the yellow figure seemed to sense his presence, turning its head to reveal a grotesque, enormous single eye staring in Ye Zi's direction.

"I'm surprised you'd come here," Shokui's single eye glared with malice.

Ye Zi walked slowly toward Shokui. The world around them was eerily still, even without the wind, as the yellow sand lay silently. Everything was quiet.

Standing before Shokui, Ye Zi looked up at him and said coldly, "I've just signed a summoning contract with Orochimaru's Manda."

"Hmm?" Shokui's expression froze at these words, realizing that Ye Zi might be planning to never let him return to that world again. His tone immediately turned cold. "You could've told me this through our mental link. Why come to my world in person?"

Had Ye Zi come here just to deliver an ultimatum?

"It seems you've figured it out," Ye Zi said quietly as he watched Shokui.

"Hahaha." Shokui suddenly let out a shrill, mocking laugh and sneered, "You think collecting all the Tailed Beasts will let you easily return to your world? Don't be delusional. In terms of this world's power system, I'm the only one capable of crossing dimensions!"

Shokui didn't know about the agreement between Madara Uchiha and Ye Zi; he only knew that Ye Zi had joined an organization collecting the Tailed Beasts. He assumed that Ye Zi was after the Tailed Beasts to find a way back to Earth.

If he knew about Ye Zi's arrangement with Madara, he would have laughed even harder. Collecting all the Tailed Beasts would indeed provide enough energy to cross dimensions, possibly even returning to Earth.

But, one crucial factor was needed: coordinates.

Without coordinates, even with the ability to cross dimensions, one would end up lost in unknown worlds, unable to find their way home.

Shokui knew how to establish the coordinates needed to return to Earth, but he wouldn't tell Ye Zi. However, he was sure of one thing—no one in this world could help Ye Zi return.

From the beginning, Shokui had thought Ye Zi was too naive. A mere human crossing dimensions? It wasn't that simple.

"Do you really understand this world's power system?" Ye Zi asked calmly, unfazed by Shokui's mocking.

Shokui snorted and didn't bother to respond. He believed he had a comprehensive understanding of this world's power system. In his eyes, the Tailed Beasts represented the pinnacle of power, and the Outer Path Golem was likely the limit.

This was his self-assumed understanding.

"I don't understand why you're so eager to return to your original world. Isn't this world good enough?" Shokui said expressionlessly. "Human life is fleetingly short. Right now, you have immense power. You could have everything you desire—power, wealth, women. All of it should be easily within your grasp."

As Shokui spoke, Ye Zi's gaze lowered slightly, and he asked in return, "Do you have someone who is very important to you?"

"..."

The light in Shokui's single eye flickered slightly.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but there seemed to be a brief flash of reminiscence.

"Haha."

This time, Shokui's laughter was even more piercing than ever before.

"You think a lowly, fragile species like humans could have anything to do with me? I am the source of all evil, born with the instinct to devour everything. All life, all things, are nothing but food to me."

Shokui gazed at Ye Zi with a deeply mocking look, sneering coldly, "I will always be… the final existence!"

As Shokui's mocking eyes bore into him, Ye Zi's expression changed noticeably. His eyes now reflected a determination that allowed for no doubt—a resolve to achieve his goal no matter the cost.

"You wouldn't understand, of course," Ye Zi said with a cold smile.

Shokui laughed, and Ye Zi laughed as well.

"I will return, without a doubt."

"You won't return."

Shokui's mocking smile faded, and his voice turned resolute.

It was both a statement of fact and a certainty.

At least, that's what Shokui believed.

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Currently on Chapter 310 - Preparing to Go Against the Leaf and the Sand Forces