Listening to the conversation between Naruto Uzumaki and Madara Uchiha, Black Zetsu felt a flicker of worry. Could that brat, Naruto Uzumaki, actually know something? Had its good-for-nothing brother left some kind of backup plan?
While Black Zetsu was worrying, Naruto Uzumaki let out a hearty laugh. He looked at the disdainful Madara and then spoke suddenly. "Mr. Black Zetsu, I want to revive the legendary progenitor of chakra to fight against the people from beyond the heavens. Are you willing to help me?"
"..."
Black Zetsu was stunned. Neither the "people from beyond the heavens" nor the "progenitor of chakra" should be known by anyone else. This brat, Naruto Uzumaki, really did know.
What was going on? How could he possibly know?
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Madara Uchiha frowned and snorted coldly.
He had no idea that Black Zetsu's mind was reeling. It was now facing a dilemma. On one hand was Madara Uchiha, the pawn it had painstakingly cultivated for a thousand years. The plan had been simple: revive the Ten-Tails, and through it, revive Kaguya.
However, a variable had now appeared: a Naruto Uzumaki who knew the truth. If he was unwilling to cooperate, he might obstruct the entire plan. A choice had to be made.
The young Hokage paid no attention to Madara's thoughts, but just smiled lightly and continued, "Mr. Black Zetsu, compared to Madara Uchiha, I have full confidence that I can break the seal on the moon..."
After speaking, Naruto's eyes gradually turned an emerald green. "As long as you're willing to join my side, I will help you rescue your mother..."
"..."
Black Zetsu fell silent.
The doubt on Madara's face hardened into a grave expression. Black Zetsu's silence meant that things were out of his control. There was a problem here. Could Black Zetsu have truly betrayed him?
After cowering in Madara's sleeve for a moment, Black Zetsu suddenly spoke in a sinister tone. "I am just the embodiment of Madara's will. Everything I do is according to Madara's will!"
It refused to believe Naruto's words. Who knew if this brat was trying to trick it?
"Stop pretending..." Naruto looked at the cowering Black Zetsu and said with a light laugh, "There's nothing to hide between us. To be blunt, even if progenitor of chakra, Kaguya is revived, even if she absorbs all the chakra in the ninja world and turns every human into a White Zetsu, it will still be impossible to resist the arrival of the people from beyond the heavens..."
"What people from beyond the heavens?" Madara tapped his arm, his vigilance raised to the highest level. He stared intently at Naruto, desperate to get some information he didn't know.
He had never heard of the "people from beyond the heavens" or the "progenitor of chakra." Even if Black Zetsu claimed it hadn't betrayed him, he had to be cautious.
Naruto didn't answer directly, but just smiled lightly. "Shouldn't Mr. Black Zetsu introduce the origin of chakra to Senior Madara?"
Every word he said struck at Black Zetsu's core. If Black Zetsu had a heart, it would surely be pounding uncontrollably.
Seeing that Black Zetsu still hadn't explained, Naruto spoke again. "If it comes from my mouth, it might be very unfavorable for the progenitor of chakra's reputation... For example, the truth of the Project Tsuki no Me, and that stone tablet at the Naka Shrine that you modified..."
"Shut up!" Black Zetsu's body suddenly flowed like a black tide over Madara Uchiha's arm, instantly controlling half of his body.
"Black Zetsu, what do you think you're doing?" Madara was shocked and tried to use Yin-Yang Release ninjutsu to drive Black Zetsu away, but he couldn't feel his own power. The sneak attack had been too fast.
"Madara, don't blame me..." Black Zetsu's words became more sinister. It wasn't its fault.
It was all because of this little pest, Naruto Uzumaki. He was clearly forcing a showdown, right here and now. This brat had basically exposed everything about it. Wasn't he directly saying that if it didn't cooperate, he would spill everything to Madara?
Even if Madara didn't know the full truth, he would surely become suspicious. And with a few clues, he might even be able to figure out part of it. The most important thing now was to find out where this brat got his information.
The last time it discussed being a dog for Naruto... bah, discussed the Akatsuki's cooperation, this brat seemed to know nothing...
No! Naruto already knew back then!
Strictly speaking, Itachi Uchiha had always been under Kisame Hoshigaki's surveillance. There was only one window of opportunity: right after Itachi helped Sasuke awaken his Sharingan. Maybe it was at that time that Itachi obtained the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, and also the legendary Rinnegan!
Damn it, his acting is so good! He clearly knew its identity, its purpose, everything about it, yet he acted like a young man who had just come into a high position.
I was careless.
Half of Black Zetsu's face covered Madara's body as it spoke in a cold voice, "I am very curious. Where did you get this information?"
"Ha..." Naruto couldn't help but laugh and said softly, "You should be able to guess, right? Besides someone from a thousand years ago, who else would know your identity?"
"...The Sage of Six Paths!" Black Zetsu instantly locked onto a target, its voice becoming colder. "I knew he wouldn't die so easily! My actions have been under his surveillance! That traitor has just been watching the wills of his two sons kill each other?"
As expected of the Sage of Six Paths. After all, he could even seal his own mother. A couple of sons killing each other and a group of descendants slaughtering one another—how could that possibly warrant his intervention?
"You're not wrong to say that," Naruto sighed softly. "I am very grateful that he bestowed upon me the Yang Power, giving me great strength... But... sigh..."
Besides a brief appearance before Kaguya's revival, the Sage of Six Paths had never shown himself again. The Sage was the first to discover the people from beyond the heavens. However, his choice was not to warn the ninja world, nor to support the ninjas to unite and resist, but rather to sit by and watch as the outsiders provoked a great ninja war.
For a hundred years, Naruto ran around, suppressing wars across the ninja world until his own lifespan was exhausted. When he questioned the Sage on the brink of death, the Sage chose to remain silent. When Naruto was revived by Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation, he personally saw the Sage choose to retreat into seclusion. It was simply baffling.
"Alright." The young Hokage rubbed his brow, looking at Black Zetsu and Madara as he said coldly, "Let's not talk about this. Let's have a proper talk now."
"How do we talk?"
"First, help me unify the ninja world and integrate its power." Naruto slowly raised his head, looked at the moon in the sky, and continued, "Then we'll go to the moon, break the seal, and rescue the progenitor of chakra to get information about the people from beyond the heavens from her. We don't have much time left."
If he remembered correctly, after the Fourth Great Ninja War, the people from beyond the heavens were already hiding in the ninja world, observing everything. For a full one hundred years. Although that person never made a move, Naruto's intuition told him that he was absolutely not an easy character to deal with.
-----
Bonus:
Madara Uchiha: Black Zetsu, what is he talking about?
Black Zetsu: I don't know!
Naruto Uzumaki: Don't push me. I know a lot of things. Don't make me bring up that business with your mom!
Black Zetsu: #@¥%¥&...
Naruto Uzumaki: Still not going to make a move? Aren't you the most filial of the three brothers?
Black Zetsu: The only filial one!
Madara Uchiha: Black Zetsu???
Black Zetsu: Madara, I'm sorry, this little pest forced me to do it.