"If you want to learn the contents of the Scroll of Seals, you need my approval."
Black Zetsu repeated to Zabuza what he had said to Mizuki.
"The Tome Sage Realm?" Zabuza Momochi asked with a puzzled look in his eyes. "If it's the fourth holy land, on par with the three great summoning holy lands, why have I never heard of it?"
Zabuza was not like a piece of trash like Mizuki. He was a dignified Kirigakure demon and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist. He would not be so easily fooled by Black Zetsu.
"Does it mean that I should praise you because you are so ignorant?" Black Zetsu remained calm and even made a sarcastic remark about Zabuza.
Zabuza Momochi: "..."
This was the first time he had been told that he was shallow-minded.
"My Tome Sage Realm has existed in the ninja world for even longer than the era of the Sage of Six Paths."
"Do you know the Sage of Six Paths? The founder of ninjutsu, the progenitor of ninjas... Never mind, someone as insignificant as you probably wouldn't know either."
Black Zetsu's disdainful words and arrogant attitude made Zabuza Momochi, who always thought highly of himself, feel that his personality had been severely insulted.
"Don't look down on me!" Zabuza Momochi said coldly. "I just didn't remember for a moment. I did see the words 'Tome Sage Realm' when I was looking through ancient books in Kirigakure."
"If I remember correctly, there are no more than ten people in the entire ninja world who know about the Tome Sage Realm, right?"
"And I am one of them."
Zabuza Momochi slightly raised his chin, his serious demeanor making Black Zetsu somewhat taken aback.
Black Zetsu thought, I just made up this name on the spot, and you pretend to know everything and cooperate with me?
Should I say, as expected of the Hidden Mist Demon?
"I underestimated you. You must know that after signing a contract with my Tome Sage Realm, you can obtain a massive amount of chakra comparable to that of a tailed beast, right?" Black Zetsu gave Zabuza some affirmation and continued.
Upon hearing Black Zetsu's words, Zabuza's arm, which was gripping the Kubikiribōchō, trembled slightly.
On the surface, however, he maintained a cold expression and said, "Of course, no one understands the Tome Sage Realm better than me."
"In that case, it saves me a lot of trouble." Black Zetsu's voice held a hint of appreciation as he said, "Stick out your tongue!"
Tailoring one's approach to different people was one of the lessons Black Zetsu had learned over thousands of years.
For someone like Zabuza Momochi, you had to first look down on him to provoke his arrogance.
Then flatter him and elevate him to a high position. At this point, even if he really knew nothing, he would grit his teeth and say that he knew everything just to save face.
"Hmm?" A murderous glint flashed in Zabuza Momochi's eyes as he said, "What do you mean...?"
"No way?" Black Zetsu exclaimed.
"Is there anyone who doesn't know that our Tome Sage Realm's contract method involves branding a mark on the tongue?"
"Mizuki, you know about this, right?"
Black Zetsu's voice was as exaggerated as it could possibly be, and Mizuki was nodding frantically in agreement.
This caused Zabuza's face to visibly flush red. Fortunately, the bandages on his face blocked everyone's view, otherwise, he would have been killed.
If even a mere Konoha chunin knew this, how could he, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, known as the Demon of the Hidden Mist, say he didn't know it?
"Of course I know the contract method of the Tome Sage Realm. No one understands the Tome Sage Realm better than me," Zabuza Momochi said.
"However, whether you are worthy to be my contract partner, Zabuza Momochi, will have to wait until I have seen the ninjutsu in this Scroll of Seals."
Zabuza Momochi was not a complete fool after all, although he still desperately tried to maintain his dignity.
However, unlike Mizuki, he didn't rush to form a "contract" after being provoked by Black Zetsu.
"Very well." Seeing this, Black Zetsu knew it was time to give him a little something as he said, "Since you come from Kirigakure in the Land of Water, I'll show you the Suiton ninjutsu in this Scroll of Seals."
As Black Zetsu spoke, the Scroll of Seals slowly unfolded. However, apart from the area containing the Suiton ninjutsu, the rest of the area was completely dark and nothing could be seen.
"Suiton ninjutsu?" Zabuza Momochi scoffed. "Since you know I'm from the Land of Water, you should understand that the one thing I have no shortage of is Suiton ninjutsu..."
Zabuza Momochi was about to mock Black Zetsu, but when his eyes fell on the "Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu" written on it, he was completely dumbfounded.
"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
"The Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu clearly has forty-four seals, so why do you only have four on this?"
"It's fake, it must be fake, you were sent by Konoha to deceive me!"
As Zabuza Momochi spoke, he was about to cleave the sealing technique open with a single stroke.
"So he really is just an ignorant nobody?" Black Zetsu's eerie voice slowly rang out. "The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, who once made a pact with me, possessed extraordinary talent."
"Most of the ninjutsu and forbidden techniques on this list were created by him or improved by him before being recorded."
"Your ancient hand seal method of forty-four seals has long been eliminated by the Second Hokage."
"Now, the people of Konoha only need to form four hand seals to unleash the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu."
"Sigh, after all, they are just from the closed-off Kirigakure village. Even as one of the so-called Seven Ninja Swordsmen, their knowledge is limited."
"It seems you are not yet worthy to form a contract with my Tome Sage Realm."
Black Zetsu's words completely shattered Zabuza's worldview.
It should be noted that even their Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had to obediently form forty-four hand seals to unleash the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu.
He was initially quite proud of himself for being able to launch the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu first because his hand seals were faster than the Fourth Mizukage's.
Who would have thought that Konoha had already simplified this technique to the point that it only required four hand seals!
Is this... is this really something a Hokage should do?
Why are you studying Suiton when you, as the Hokage, are not properly studying Katon?
How about you sit in the Water Shadow's seat?
"Ahem—of course I know about this. I was just testing you to see if you really came from the Tome Sage Realm," Zabuza Momochi said.
Zabuza Momochi mentally grumbled for a long time before finally calming down and putting away his guillotine.
"Haku, take this Tome Guardian and that guy named Mizuki away and keep a close watch on them. I need to think about how to deal with them."
As Zabuza finished speaking, Haku took away the Scroll of Seals that Mizuki and Black Zetsu were attached to.
Zabuza went outside to a deserted place and began testing the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu from the Scroll of Seals.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"
When Zabuza finished forming the four hand seals, a water dragon rose into the air behind him. Not only was the speed of its activation faster than the Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu with the forty-four hand seals, but its power was also greatly increased.
"It really works?"
After trying it himself, Zabuza was completely dumbfounded.
Are you sure this was an improvement made by the Second Hokage?
Instead of our Second Mizukage of Kirigakure?
...
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