Deep underground.
Madara and Black Zetsu once again sat in silence.
Nagato had been taken away.
In truth, Black Zetsu received the news only a fraction later than when Kyoichi whisked Nagato away—but the problem was, he really didn't dare to step in and stop it.
Kakuzu and Sasori had been hard-won recruits, painstakingly persuaded by him.
And the result?
The battle in the Land of Water wiped out that effort in one stroke. One of his bases was also destroyed in the process, and all those Uchiha rogue-nin inside were hauled back. Now, Konoha was no doubt fully on guard.
Times were tough.
Beneath the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, the atmosphere was deathly still.
Black Zetsu racked his brain for countermeasures, but…
Madara was not.
"Hahahaha! Hahaha!"
Madara's aged laughter echoed through the cramped underground chamber, confusing Black Zetsu and sending chills through the hearts of the Uchiha nearby.
This old fossil…
He's not actually gone mad, has he?
"You've thought of something?"
Black Zetsu tried to keep his tone tactful.
Because if he said what he really wanted to, it would be—
The hell are you laughing at?!
What's so funny?
The enemy's already at our doorstep—first White Zetsu was taken, then the base, and now Nagato too. Next they'll seize the Demonic Statue itself, and after that…
There won't be anything left.
At a time like this, all Madara could do was laugh.
Black Zetsu's heart was filled with only one thought—
Regret.
Had he known Madara was this unreliable, he never should have pinned his hopes on him in the first place.
Of course…
That was just Black Zetsu's private thought. In reality, ever since Madara awakened the Rinnegan and used Yin–Yang Release to breathe life into him, Black Zetsu had been left with only one choice:
Keep Madara alive.
So…
He was already thinking about how best to persuade him.
But then—
"Don't worry. There's nothing to fear. That boy may be strong, but I still have cards in hand… I've been waiting for this a long time. I want a real battle—if I don't get one, I'll destroy Konoha myself!"
"…You've lost it."
Black Zetsu was speechless. This guy's entire brain was consumed by "fighting." He couldn't hear reason anymore—anything else said now was pointless.
So instead…
Better to stroke his ego, let him grow stronger, and when the time came for Madara to make his move, Black Zetsu could seize control of Nagato's body and reclaim the Rinnegan.
With the Rinnegan and the White Zetsu, at the very least he could manufacture a successor, ensure the Rinne Tensei plan, and bring back his mother.
Otherwise…
With Kyoichi's strange, unpredictable abilities, Black Zetsu truly had no confidence. If that kid happened to know something he shouldn't, his entire plan to revive his mother would collapse.
"Change bodies first. Your current body is too old. Even with replacement Sharingan, you can't draw out your full strength. And… I recommend sealing some of the Tailed Beasts before making a move."
"Tailed Beasts? Is that necessary?"
Madara glanced at him.
"Though you've nurtured a pair of good eyes, they're still not Mangekyō Sharingan. Even if they can use some powers, they cannot fully unleash everything. The Tailed Beasts can fill that gap. Besides…"
Black Zetsu went on, nagging.
Madara thought it over, several figures flashing through his mind, before finally saying coldly:
"Very well. We'll seize some Jinchūriki, then use the Demonic Statue. Let them believe our goal is the Tailed Beasts' power."
Black Zetsu exhaled in relief.
He was genuinely afraid Madara would just bullhead his way forward.
When he was calm, Madara's mind was sharp enough. But his obsession with battle—after so many years brooding in the darkness underground—had clearly warped his thinking.
Human thought…
It really is fragile.
Black Zetsu sneered inwardly.
They didn't know what Kyoichi was planning to do with Nagato back in Konoha, but in the worst case scenario, it would be giving him a transplant of White Zetsu cells.
Troublesome, yes—but…
As long as their contingencies weren't removed, they still held the initiative.
That's right…
Black Zetsu had already stopped placing his hopes on Madara.
This old fool…
If he went out there now, he'd be dead for sure.
Still, their experiments had borne some fruit. One set of eyes, though not quite Mangekyō, had power and quality nearly at that level.
The problem was…
The user lacked sufficient "love" for his brother, and his mentality had twisted.
According to the plan, he was supposed to dig out his own brother's eyes as the trigger, then they'd reveal his true identity for further provocation. But…
The very first step failed.
After he gouged out his brother's eyes, instead of remorse, his mind grew more warped. He convinced himself—
"To survive, my brother would surely understand me."
Such behavior…
Was too filial.
Black Zetsu couldn't comprehend it.
He could only conclude—the blood of Indra contained some gene that made for ridiculous comedy. This clan was beyond saving. Once he revived his mother, he'd wipe out all of Hagoromo's descendants in one stroke!
Madara, oblivious, still believed Black Zetsu was nothing more than a special clone created by his Yin–Yang Release—an extension of his will and power, not an independent being.
Who would guard against themselves?
For Madara, Black Zetsu was the most trusted being in existence. No one could shake that, not even if his brother, Izuna, returned to life.
Kyoichi knew this as well.
Which was why…
He never intended to "talk Madara down." That was something even Naruto failed at.
Besides…
Talking sense into people was Naruto's job.
He preferred the Hashirama way—beat the other guy down first, then explain things. If they still didn't get it, hand them over for someone else to explain.
---
In the laboratory…
Nagato cut a slit in his arm, and Orochimaru transplanted the cell tissue.
White Zetsu cells were incredibly useful.
The flesh quickly spread over the wound, merging seamlessly with his own flesh and blood. Within seconds—
"Excellent, excellent! They're fusing with your body even better than mine. Almost no rejection response, no uncontrolled spread or devouring. Unbelievable!"
"I recommend moving on to stronger First Hokage cells."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue in admiration.
Normally, even White Zetsu cells would show some signs of encroachment, but on Nagato, none appeared. It was as if his body and the cells had reached equilibrium.
"How do you feel?"
Kyoichi ignored Orochimaru's eagerness.
Nagato carefully sensed within.
After a pause, he said:
"Feels good. Not perfectly natural, but almost no side effects."
"And your eyes?"
"Unclear. I may need to spread them further… I'll try expanding them now."
Nagato channeled chakra, suppressing his own cells' activity to let the new ones spread.
Smart as always.
One of the reasons Jiraiya valued him was exactly this talent—Nagato could grasp things instinctively without being taught.
Soon, the white patches crept from the back of his hand to his arm, and further across his whole hand.
He felt—
His life force strengthening, his eyes feeling slightly lighter.
But…
The enhancement was still limited.
***************************
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