Black Zetsu perked up instantly, fully rejuvenated. "Do you mean…?"
Lord Seiki smiled slightly. "When it comes to dealing with the threat of the Otsutsuki, I and Mother do share a common enemy. Therefore, after I grow to the same level as her, I can attempt to liberate her!"
If anyone else had claimed they could reach Mother's level, Black Zetsu would have scoffed. But this was Seiki Shimaseki speaking, a monstrous powerhouse capable of defeating someone from the Otsutsuki main family. Maybe it really was possible after all!
Moreover, Mother possessed an Immortal Body. Even if things eventually went sour, at worst she'd simply be resealed like now, with no worse consequences.
Thinking of this, his entire being was revitalized.
"Lord Seiki, is there anything you'd like me to handle?" Black Zetsu asked, clearly trying to please.
Of course he knew that Seiki Shimaseki's offer must come with an underlying motive.
Sure enough, Seiki pointed sideways. "I want you to possess him and read his memories!"
Urashiki's pupils contracted sharply. "Are you trying to bypass the seal using his Otsutsuki identity?"
Shimaseki admitted directly, "Precisely, that's exactly what I'm thinking!"
"Then you'll surely be disappointed!" Urashiki mocked. "With his soul strength and bloodline purity, possessing me would only end with me devouring him!"
Black Zetsu hesitated. "He's right. If I try to force the possession, I'll probably be the one devoured."
"Don't worry, I'm here," Seiki said indifferently. "I'll ensure he's unable to resist."
With Shimaseki's assurance, Zetsu felt much more at ease. "Alright then, here I go!"
Zetsu lunged toward Urashiki.
"Get off! Stay away from me!" The Rinnegan on Urashiki's forehead exuded a surge of pressure. However, before he could take further action, he was suppressed by Seiki!
Under Seiki's suppression, Urashiki's willpower gradually crumbled. Not long after, his entire face was covered in black sludge.
"Indeed, waste is just a resource in the wrong place!" Lord Seiki slightly nodded his head. He knew that organizing Urashiki's memories wouldn't happen quickly, so he waited patiently nearby.
As he sifted through Urashiki's memories, Black Zetsu's mind reeled with shock!
It wasn't surprising that Urashiki came from a parallel future world; the key revelation was that the Mother from that parallel world had actually been resealed by two little brats!
Also, he thought hundreds or even thousands of years had passed, but in reality, it had only been five short years!
Within just five years, Seiki Shimaseki had grown strong enough to instantly defeat an Otsutsuki and had even mastered a divine Ninjutsu—[Time Reversal]. It was terrifying!
Who exactly was the real Otsutsuki?
A flicker of fear stirred within him—could the Mother really keep Shimaseki under control?
Should he hide some of the key information…
Just as Black Zetsu's thoughts were fluctuating, suddenly Seiki chuckled. "I believe you're a smart person. Surely you won't think about altering or concealing any key information, right? If that happens, I might really get angry!"
Black Zetsu's mind trembled. "Back then I couldn't outmaneuver him, let alone now. Thinking of scheming against such a monstrous being, how foolish I truly am!"
Thinking thus, Zetsu chuckled awkwardly. "There's no way I'd do that!"
"I, Otsutsuki Zetsu, have always been honest and content with myself!"
Seiki didn't call him out on it and instead asked, "Tell me about the Otsutsuki Clan's military strength!"
"So his gaze has indeed turned to the Otsutsuki. What boundless ambition," Black Zetsu mused inwardly before quickly answering, "The main family has a total of 602 clansmen, including 425 lower warriors, 144 intermediate warriors, and 33 advanced warriors."
Seiki raised an eyebrow, "This number is actually far lower than I imagined."
Zetsu explained, "The Otsutsuki are not without enemies in the stars either. Their methods of ecological destruction and draining ponds to catch fish have provoked much discontent. Furthermore, rebellions have continuously erupted on colonized planets under Otsutsuki rule over the past millennium, significantly reducing resource yields. The reinforcements we've gained have been fewer than our losses in war! According to clan analysis, there must be other forces behind these planetary rebellions!"
"I see," Lord Seiki nodded slightly. He had no interest in interstellar wars for now, so long as he knew the Otsutsuki would be too preoccupied to concern themselves with this place.
"By the way, how exactly are lower, intermediate, and advanced warriors distinguished?"
Black Zetsu explained, "The Otsutsuki are born powerful. They assess future potential based on strength at birth. The most powerful advanced warriors possess everything from the moment they're born—they're the royal bloodline! Meanwhile, the weaker lower warriors serve merely as cannon fodder—mere servants not even considered true clansmen!"
"So in other words, these classifications—lower, intermediate, and advanced—only indicate potential, not necessarily actual combat power?" Seiki asked, looking somewhat strange.
Zetsu nodded, "The Otsutsuki value bloodline supremacy, and in most cases, bloodline does indeed represent strength."
Seiki looked thoughtful. "Continue."
Black Zetsu continued, "The Otsutsuki are an extremely cold and cruel race. Even among their own kind, there is absolutely no warmth or affection. Lower warriors are taught from birth that sacrificing themselves for the Otsutsuki is the highest honor, then they serve as offerings to feed the God Tree. When the God Tree bears the Chakra Fruit, it is made available for consumption by intermediate or advanced warriors."
Seiki showed surprise, "Offerings?"
Zetsu spoke in a low voice, "A planet's chakra is too chaotic and mixed. Even the God Tree cannot absorb it all into one cohesive mass. Only with the noble Otsutsuki bloodline as the fruit's core can that chakra transform into an absorbable Chakra Fruit. Mother was one of them—a lower warrior. And accompanying her here was Isshiki Otsutsuki, an advanced warrior."
"An advanced warrior!" Although he had suspected before, Seiki now showed renewed surprise. "Out of only 33 advanced warriors total, one has already gone missing, yet the Otsutsuki Clan hasn't sent anyone to search for him?"
Black Zetsu replied, "Lord Seiki, you mustn't view the Otsutsuki with common human standards. A thousand years may seem long to us, but to them, it's nothing more than the time between two harvests. It's perfectly normal for Isshiki Otsutsuki to station himself on a planet to ensure the Chakra Fruit isn't stolen by 'vermin and scavengers.'"
"But once this harvest season passes, if Isshiki still hasn't returned, they certainly will send someone to look for him."
"In this guy's memory, the Main Family only sent out two Otsutsuki named Momoshiki and Kinshiki, while he himself sneaked out on his own!"
"We can't afford to waste time!" Seiki sighed, then asked, "Has there ever been a lower warrior who betrayed the Otsutsuki Clan?"
Black Zetsu shook his head. "Never!"
Seiki nodded understandingly. He finally grasped why Isshiki had been ambushed.
Based on the successful ambush by Kaguya on Isshiki, he originally thought Isshiki was an idiot, probably with an IQ no higher than thirty.
However, from Black Zetsu's interaction with Isshiki in the Parallel World, the other party's intelligence seemed fairly normal.
Now it seemed that the reason Isshiki was ambushed was because Kaguya had hidden her strength too well, and he never expected a lower warrior would actually possess the capability to resist him.
The big question now was: How had Kaguya changed from a brave and clever rebel into what she is today?
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