"Excellent, truly excellent!"
The familiar, sly voice of praise rang out again. Black Zetsu, enveloping and controlling Naori's real body, slowly emerged from the ground.
In the earlier grand battle, there was no doubt—he was the victor!
Though he sacrificed dozens of White Zetsus, he defeated both of Naori's shadow clones and successfully captured Tobirama and Naori.
With this, Black Zetsu's conspiracy could be considered a success.
He could immediately take Tobirama and Naori and flee, but he took another great risk.
He planned to trap Izuna, who was coming to their aid!
Black Zetsu's goal from start to finish was to provoke a feud between Hashirama and Madara.
The reincarnations of Indra and Asura must not unite.
Moreover, Black Zetsu needed to provoke Madara to activate Infinite Tsukuyomi to revive his mother, Kaguya.
But Tobirama alone wasn't enough to ensure a rift and feud between Hashirama and Madara. However, capturing both their beloved siblings, Tobirama and Izuna, would leave Hashirama and Madara helpless.
The success rate of Black Zetsu's plan to save his mother would also drastically increase.
The only difficulty was that Izuna was currently too powerful!
With his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, Izuna's strength was second only to Hashirama and Madara! Forget Black Zetsu alone—even the entire future Akatsuki combined might not defeat Izuna.
He couldn't forcibly capture Izuna; he could only use cunning!
That's why Black Zetsu had White Zetsu disguise as Naori, staging a scene where she and Tobirama nearly won against the enemy, performing this act to lower Izuna's guard. This made Izuna respond to the call defenselessly, allowing the activation of the Amber Purifying Pot.
Of course, this venomous plan carried great risk.
But Black Zetsu bet that Izuna didn't know about the Amber Purifying Pot and couldn't see through White Zetsu's disguise!
And there was no better opportunity than now…
Clearly, Black Zetsu won again!
He successfully sealed Izuna with his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan into the Amber Purifying Pot!
As for the paralyzed Tobirama, with his jaw dislocated and unable to speak, despite witnessing it all and wanting to warn Izuna in rage, he failed.
He could only watch Izuna be misled and tricked into the trap step by step!
Or rather, the still-living Tobirama was the best 'actor' to lower Izuna's guard!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Very good, very good, Senju Tobirama, you performed well too."
Black Zetsu, controlling Naori, approached Tobirama. Under Tobirama's hateful glare that seemed to want to skin him, he proudly patted Tobirama's head.
At the same time, he ordered the remaining White Zetsus to clean the battlefield, erasing all traces of White Zetsu and himself.
At least in the short term, he couldn't let Hashirama and Madara know he kidnapped their siblings.
That would only draw all their hatred to Black Zetsu, which wouldn't benefit his next plan: using Tobirama and Izuna to worsen the conflict between Hashirama and Madara.
After his plan succeeded, Black Zetsu didn't want to expose himself over trivial matters.
Thus, before the White Zetsus finished erasing all traces, he had time to mock 'Princess Tobirama.'
'&…&&…*%￥…'
Tobirama glared at Black Zetsu, cursing inwardly, wanting to mutilate him.
He'd heard his brother and Madara mention Black Zetsu and knew its goals and motives. But since it hid so well, there was no good way to find it.
Plus, he thought Black Zetsu's target was Madara with his Rinnegan, so Madara should deal with it.
Tobirama had no energy to worry about Madara.
Yet, unexpectedly, it avoided Madara and targeted him directly!
It even designed this series of conspiracies just to take down him and Izuna!
Damn monster!
Had he known, he should've dug deep to find and destroy this creature completely!
Sadly, it was too late now…
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Tch, tch, tch, don't get too excited!"
"In a sense, I'm the ancestor of your clans…"
"And I must thank you both. Without you, I couldn't have taken down Izuna so easily!"
"Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, rarely seen in the Uchiha clan's history!"
Black Zetsu laughed and mocked.
As the final victor, he had the right to taunt Tobirama.
Moreover, seeing these self-proclaimed genius ninjas toyed with, captured, and ultimately becoming stepping stones for his mother's revival plan was immensely satisfying for Black Zetsu!
Deep down, he despised and looked down on all humans and ninjas.
He was jealous of his brothers, Hagoromo and Hamura, his mother's true children, and rejected their Ninshu system.
That's why he desperately wanted to torment these ninjas, reject their history and achievements. This was also a hidden desire behind Black Zetsu's goal of saving his mother.
Of course, saving his mother was the primary goal, unchanging.
"Uwu—!"
Helpless Tobirama let out another angry sound, his overflowing hatred with nowhere to go.
If he had Uchiha blood, he'd have awakened Mangekyou Sharingan by now.
Sadly, he didn't…
"You look very dissatisfied, Senju Tobirama?"
"But I'll give you a chance to beg me!"
Black Zetsu's voice grew more irritating as he controlled Naori's body, reaching out to restore Tobirama's jaw so he could speak again.
"Black Zetsu! I'll…&&…*%￥…"
Tobirama, newly able to speak, unleashed a torrent of curses, furious and venomous, wanting to inflict every punishment in the world on this monster!
"Tobirama, that's not good."
"Don't forget your situation and status right now."
"If you keep being arrogant, this girl's life can't be saved!"
The viscous substance enveloping Naori's head shifted, revealing her unconscious face. Beside her head, Black Zetsu appeared.
Simultaneously, he controlled Naori's hand to choke her neck, tightening slowly.
He posed as if he'd strangle Naori to death.
"Stop!"
Tobirama shouted to halt him.
"Tch, tch, tch, it seems Senju Tobirama, who hates the Uchiha clan most, cares quite a bit for this Uchiha female ninja, huh?"
"Black Zetsu! What do you really want?"
"What do I want? I want you to tell me everything you know! How did you learn my identity? How did Madara get Rinnegan? Tell me everything!"
Black Zetsu threatened coldly, his main goal in cornering Tobirama.
He wanted to learn the reasons behind all the prior changes from Tobirama's mouth.
"Pfft! You're dreaming!"
Tobirama spat, refusing to yield to a monster like Black Zetsu!
"Oh? Really?"
"I'll give you one last chance. If you refuse, I'll have to kill this Uchiha Naori!"
"Poor girl, sacrificing everything for you, yet you abandon her so easily."
"Senju Tobirama, you're the real monster!"
Black Zetsu showed a satisfied smile, provoking, inciting, and heating the situation at the right moment.
No one understood ninjas' emotional weaknesses better than him.
In controlling emotions and manipulating ninjas, even Otsutsuki Isshiki seemed like an inexperienced rookie compared to him.
"You—!"
Tobirama's eyes bulged, nearly grinding his teeth to pieces, desperately wanting to kill Black Zetsu.
But he couldn't!
His entire body, except his mouth, couldn't move. He was utterly powerless against Black Zetsu!
"Good, I love your expression of resenting me but being unable to defeat me!"
"But your time's running out—choose quickly!"
"Three…"
"Two…"
"One…"
Black Zetsu mocked freely, fully savoring his current victory, pressuring Tobirama to force his surrender.
He was confident Tobirama would ultimately choose Naori.
After all, so much preparation and sacrifice had already cracked Tobirama's heart; this was also why Black Zetsu deliberately created desperate situations to push Naori to sacrifice for Tobirama!
Emotional debts are always the costliest and hardest to repay!
"Wait!"
Tobirama shouted loudly, stopping Black Zetsu from harming Naori.
"Finally, you understand?"
"My choice is…"
Tobirama had never felt so pressured in his life.
On one hand, he'd have to betray his brother, the village, and the Sage of the Six Paths. On the other, he had to protect Naori, who just saved him.
This difficult choice should've left Tobirama conflicted.
But by chance, there was a sage who shouldn't have appeared in this plan, an existence the enemy couldn't predict or counter.
If so, why hesitate?
In an instant, Tobirama made his choice.
"I choose you!"
"Lord, please save me!"
Tobirama shouted, calling someone loudly without hesitation.
He wasn't sure if he could summon this Sage of the Six Paths or what price he'd pay for this aid, but whether it succeeded or not, the outcome couldn't be worse than now.
After all, calling for help wasn't shameful!
Tobirama was used to calling his brother; now calling the Sage of the Six Paths was fine too.
Especially since he was seeking help from a Sage.
Tobirama didn't care about the consequences now; he just wanted to kill the monster Black Zetsu before him!
Even if he had to pay the 'Sage summoning fee' with his heart and lungs or become a beast of burden, it was better than letting this monster win!
"Lord? What's that? Have you gone mad?"
"What are you trying to do?"
"You…"
Black Zetsu looked confused, unsure what Tobirama was doing.
Calling a 'Lord'?
Shouldn't he be calling his brother Hashirama for help?
Even if he did, what could it do? Senju Hashirama couldn't arrive instantly.
This helpless Tobirama, even if he screamed his throat raw today, no one would save him…
*PU-CHI!*
A strange hand extended from the void, suddenly pressing Black Zetsu's head from behind.
Black Zetsu's entire body trembled, a chill shooting from his feet to his brain, his scalp tingling, as if plunged into an icy well.
When he reacted, he realized his body couldn't move an inch, not even controlling Naori, as if locked by an invisible supreme rule.
An extreme sense of the unknown and fear erupted in Black Zetsu's heart!
But he couldn't speak, let alone escape.
In an instant, poor Black Zetsu went from absolute victor to a bound prisoner.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
After Lux restrained Black Zetsu, he looked at Tobirama.
"Tch! Tobirama, it's been a while, and you've played this far?"
"Lord!"
Seeing Lux, Tobirama was overjoyed!
Fireworks of joy and satisfaction exploded in his heart; he'd never felt this sage was so radiant and brilliant until now.
He knew he'd won the bet.
He really summoned help!
The Sage of the Six Paths truly came to save him!
Hooray!
"Lord, this Black Zetsu…"
"I know. Its goal is to save Kaguya. The series of changes you caused finally made it impatient. I just didn't expect, even after Izuna's revival, you'd still be toyed with by it. So embarrassing!"
Lux didn't hold back, criticizing while joking.
Parallel World 1's Tobirama had it too easy.
If it were the seasoned Parallel World 2 Tobirama or the Edo Tensei Tobirama in the Fourth Ninja World War, hardened by reality, they'd have been more cautious and wouldn't have lost this badly.
But this defeat and bitter lesson should be enough to mature Parallel World 1's Tobirama.
"I'm sorry, I was too careless!"
Tobirama admitted shamefully. His pitiful state, Naori's blind sacrifice, and the chaos from the daimyo palace attack all proved his bitter defeat in this long-range battle against Black Zetsu.
Despite unexpected elements and the enemy's hidden advantage, a loss was a loss, no excuses.
All of Tobirama's lifelong arrogance and pride were shattered in this battle.
He even needed Naori to sacrifice both her eyes to save him. He no longer had any basis to feel special.
This harsh slap truly woke Tobirama up.
Of course, it also transformed him into a colder, crueler butcher toward his enemies!
"Alright, get up first."
Lux touched Tobirama from afar, injecting a bit of Six Paths chakra into his body. The potent healing effect immediately worked on Tobirama's entire body.
Not only his broken spine but also his dislocated limbs fully recovered.
Tobirama, previously gravely injured and paralyzed, was instantly restored, brimming with energy.
"My body? Healed?!?!"
Tobirama was ecstatic, jumping with excitement.
He was fed up with being paralyzed, treated like a weak princess, and helplessly humiliated.
The weakness and shame of an uncontrollable body—Tobirama might never forget it his entire life.
Now, with his body restored to normal, it felt like a rebirth, absolutely incredible!
"Thank you, Lord!"
Tobirama thanked sincerely.
Other injuries were manageable, but a broken spine causing paralysis, in this era, even Tobirama wasn't sure he could fully heal.
Thankfully, the Sage of the Six Paths' power helped, or he'd have to be carried back to Konoha, likely too ashamed to face anyone ever again.
Lux waved casually, signaling it was no big deal.
Honestly, though Tobirama and the others were a mess this time, they ultimately tricked and captured Black Zetsu, the hidden threat, effectively eliminating an unstable factor in Parallel World 1.
From his perspective, Lux strongly supported anything benefiting unification and maintaining peace afterward.
"Lord, Naori…?"
"And this monster Black Zetsu!"
Tobirama shifted his gaze to Naori and Black Zetsu beside Lux.
One filled him with pity and debt, the other with intense hatred!
Especially Black Zetsu—Tobirama was already simulating 188 cruel punishments to kill it in his mind!
As for Izuna?
Let him stay sealed in the Amber Purifying Pot for a bit; he wouldn't die.