Emiya Shihara had finally agreed to learn to lie.
Black Zetsu breathed a deep sigh of relief. If Shihara could start deceiving and concealing things, he would inevitably weave even more lies in the future to cover the ones he already told.
It was… exhilarating.
Zetsu found himself strangely eager to witness Shihara's expression when he began deceiving others—like watching something beautiful fall into a puddle of mud. The thought alone was delightful.
"Emiya," Black Zetsu said bluntly, revealing all the information about Uchiha Madara. "Right now, Madara desperately wants to see you."
"He's attempting to awaken the Rinnegan using the stone tablet left by the Sage of Six Paths. The tablet mentions the interplay of positive and negative forces to create the All-Seeing."
"The tablet refers to the chakra of Indra and Ashura. Madara does not yet realize that the All-Seeing is the Rinnegan. He tried fusing his chakra with Hashirama Senju's, but his attempt failed. That's why he seeks your guidance about ancient secrets…"
"I understand," Shihara nodded, organizing his scrolls. "The patients at Konoha Hospital will soon be processed. I'll go see him."
"Alright."
Black Zetsu felt a twinge of helplessness. Some things, it seemed, could not be changed in Shihara.
"By the way, Black Zetsu," Shihara said, noticing something Zetsu had forgotten. "The Six Paths Sage mentioned the method to resurrect the Goddess of the Rabbit, right?"
"It's… Infinite Tsukuyomi," Zetsu admitted through gritted teeth. Hiding this truth was impossible, so he had to weave further lies:
"The last message on the stone tablet is the power of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, an ultimate illusion capable of covering the entire world. When its light spreads, humans are immersed in the dream world they desire most, satisfying all their desires."
"I see," Shihara said, frowning slightly. "So, the Infinite Tsukuyomi allows humans to escape the pain of reality and indulge in their greed… But in doing so, humanity could be destroyed. Yet, they would find true peace in their final moments."
"What a pity," Shihara shook his head. "This is not the future we want."
"Not bad," Zetsu muttered to himself, relieved that Shihara had not been tricked by the illusion yet. "The true purpose of Infinite Tsukuyomi is to awaken Kaguya. This is what the Sage never told his descendants…"
"When humans sleep, Kaguya's shadow will silently appear. When their chakra converges, the ancestor of chakra will descend again. When humans awaken, the world will enter eternal peace under Kaguya's protection."
"Not bad," Shihara nodded, finally content. "Under the Goddess of the Rabbit's protection, the world can achieve eternal peace."
Zetsu realized deceiving someone as good as Shihara wasn't easy; the lies had to satisfy him as if they were the truth.
"But for Madara…" Zetsu mused. "He may prefer the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Humans like him, who have experienced the suffering of war, cannot endure the hardships required to create a better future. They crave beautiful dreams instead."
"I understand," Shihara said calmly. "Then we must use Infinite Tsukuyomi to deceive Madara. When I meet him, I'll guide him to join our plan…"
Zetsu's satisfaction surged.
"We need Madara to awaken the Rinnegan. Only then can the plan proceed. I call it the Eye of the Moon," Zetsu explained.
He detailed the steps to Shihara: "The Rinnegan's power summons the body of the Divine Tree, collects all the tailed beasts to revive it, and brings it into your body. When you gain the Tree's power, you can open the Eye of the Moon to cast Infinite Tsukuyomi from the moon. Humanity will be pacified, and the Goddess of the Rabbit will awaken to protect the world."
"This plan only requires the Rinnegan," Shihara said thoughtfully. "It seems I'm not even necessary—just helping Madara awaken it is enough."
Zetsu choked slightly at this observation. True, the plan didn't need Shihara, but the thought of his resurrection and the awe he inspired in ancient times convinced Zetsu to trust him more than Madara.
After all, Madara could not even defeat Hashirama, let alone gather all the tailed beasts. Shihara had personally defeated Ashura and the Ninja Clan.
Zetsu's plan was to use Madara's awakened Rinnegan to control his body, ensuring Shihara's resurrection. Even if Shihara wasn't at full strength, it didn't matter. With the Rinnegan, he would succeed.
Besides… leaving Shihara out of it would waste the dramatic joy of deceiving him. Zetsu couldn't resist the thought of Shihara realizing the truth, despair etched on his face. The mere anticipation intoxicated him.
"Emiya Shihara," Zetsu said with growing excitement. "You are the most suitable candidate for the Moon Eye. Only you can witness the world's transformation firsthand. No one, not even Madara, is more qualified to master this project… Only you. You are the one Kaguya wishes to see most."
Shihara fell silent, contemplating Zetsu's words.
"Okay," he finally sighed. "I'm just worried I won't do well enough. If Kaguya-sama is dissatisfied when resurrected, I hope we won't regret our decisions…"
"How could that be?" Zetsu's excitement returned, and he sank quietly into the ground. "I'll go back and watch Madara. He's looking for an opportunity to meet you near Konoha."
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