Black Zetsu × Preparations

Early the next morning, sunlight streamed through the paper windows into the room. Izuna had just finished his last bite of food and set down his chopsticks when Madara spoke from across the table. "Izuna, about the mastermind in the Capital that you mentioned yesterday..."

"Oh, that." Izuna took a sip of water, his tone unexpectedly forthright. "Brother, I was just about to talk to you about that. But..."

He paused. "We'd better go to the Hokage Building and talk about it with Hashirama."

Madara stopped what he was doing and looked up at him. "The Hokage Building? Now?"

"Yeah." Izuna nodded, his gaze clear. "This goes much deeper than it seems. Hashirama needs to know."

Madara didn't object, but he asked, "What about Tobirama? Should we call him back too?"

"No." Izuna's answer was decisive.

"...Why?" Madara immediately sensed something unusual in his brother's attitude.

Izuna pressed his lips together, but only insisted, "Anyway... don't let him come back yet. Let's go to the Hokage Building first. We can talk after we see Hashirama."

Seeing how insistent he was, Madara asked no further questions and nodded. "All right."

At the Hokage Building, Hashirama pushed open his office door, yawning repeatedly. He had stayed up late handling official business the previous night and slept in a break room in the building.

But when he entered, he found Madara and Izuna already waiting inside. The atmosphere was unusually grave.

"Madara? Izuna? You're here early."

Madara gave Hashirama a signal, and Hashirama immediately understood that Izuna was going to talk about the mastermind.

His expression turned serious at once.

The three of them each found a place to sit.

Izuna took a deep breath and looked at Hashirama. "Hashirama, Madara, what I'm about to tell you concerns a... conspiracy that's been brewing for over a thousand years, and the mastermind behind it."

Without further hesitation, he revealed the secret that had plagued the ninja world for a thousand years, the truth that should only have gradually come to light in the future.

He began with the descent of Otsutsuki Kaguya, mother of the Sage of Six Paths, and how she gained Chakra by consuming the God Tree Fruit, then went on to how her two sons, Hagoromo and Hamura, joined forces to seal her on the moon.

He told them of the third "child" Kaguya had created before she was sealed, Black Zetsu, formed from her will and obsession, and how, over a thousand years, Black Zetsu had continually stirred up hatred between the reincarnations of Indra and Asura to resurrect his mother. He had altered the contents of the Stone Tablet left by the Sage of Six Paths and passed down through generations of the Uchiha Clan, leading the Uchiha toward extremism...

Finally, he told them the truth about the ultimate Genjutsu known as the "Infinite Tsukuyomi." It was not a beautiful dream that would bring peace, but a "hunting ground" needed for Kaguya's resurrection, one that would absorb all the Chakra and life energy in the world.

"Once all Nine Tailed Beasts are gathered, the Ten-Tails is revived, and the God Tree blossoms, the Infinite Tsukuyomi will activate. It will wrap everyone in the world in the God Tree's cocoons and absorb their Chakra and life force. In the end... they'll become nourishment for Kaguya's resurrection."

"The Uchiha Clan has a Stone Tablet that's been passed down for generations, one that can only be deciphered with the Sharingan or even higher levels of ocular power.

"Black Zetsu altered its contents long ago. He exploited the descendants of Indra and their pursuit of power and desire for peace, guiding them step by step... guiding those with sufficient ocular power down the path of collecting the Tailed Beasts and casting the Infinite Tsukuyomi."

Izuna's account was clear and orderly, his tone calm. Throughout it all, he gazed dispassionately at Hashirama, speaking as casually as if he were merely telling an ancient story.

The office fell deathly silent.

The occasional birdcall outside the window only made the silence inside more terrifying.

All traces of sleepiness had long vanished from Hashirama's face, replaced by unprecedented shock and gravity.

His hands, resting on his knees, clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning slightly white.

Madara slowly turned his head.

His black eyes were initially filled with overwhelming, almost blank shock.

The contents of the stone tablet, which he had regarded as his clan's greatest secret, the records claiming that the "Infinite Tsukuyomi" would bring true peace... were they all lies meticulously fabricated by a thousand-year-old ghost to resurrect his mother?

How long had the Uchiha and Senju slaughtered each other for that lie? How many life-and-death partings had he and Hashirama endured? Izuna... could his own brother even have died because of it?

Icy killing intent burst from him like a tangible wave of cold, instantly filling the entire room. The air seemed to freeze, and the temperature plummeted.

"Damn thing..." Madara forced the words through clenched teeth, his voice low and hoarse, every word steeped in bone-deep hatred and rage. "How dare you...!!!"

His Chakra spilled out of control, pressing down on the surrounding air until it groaned under the strain. The floor gave a faint creak.

"Madara!" Hashirama barked, moving in front of Izuna. Powerful Chakra surged out of him at the same time, forming a gentle but firm barrier that slightly suppressed and isolated Madara's nearly uncontrollable pressure.

Izuna's eyes widened. Now he finally knew that Suigetsu's remark in the anime, when the four Hokage were resurrected, hadn't been an exaggeration at all.

That overpowering presence really could scare a person to death!

Madara believed Izuna almost immediately.

That was because Izuna's words perfectly explained too many things that had once puzzled him or struck him as unreasonable.

The contradictions in the stone tablet's contents, the almost imperceptible guidance stirring up conflict between clans, Izuna's choice—everything now had an answer.

A despicable ghost who had toyed with the Uchiha's fate for a thousand years and driven the brother he originally had to his death!

"So," Hashirama said, interrupting Madara's nearly uncontrollable rage. He turned his head, his face terribly dark, though his voice was unusually steady. "That Black Zetsu is in the Capital now, stirring up public opinion against Izuna and trying to use the opportunity to throw things into chaos?"

"...Right." Izuna swallowed and nodded. He was so scared now that his hands were trembling.

The greatest pressure a college student had ever experienced was the gaze of a middle school dean from behind a door. He had never seen anything like this tangible pressure, powerful enough to crack floors and walls!

Madara, Hashirama, please stop trying to outdo each other with your pressure! You're really scaring me!

Even so, he forced himself to calm down and spoke as steadily as he could. "The reason I dared to tell you now is that Black Zetsu isn't near Konoha. He's operating around the Capital. And as for why I don't want Tobirama to come back..."

He paused, then explained with some difficulty, "It's because Black Zetsu is near the Capital right now. He's very good at hiding, and I'm afraid his return would make Black Zetsu notice something's wrong."

"Surely not?" Hashirama asked, puzzled. "Tobirama's traveled between the Capital and the village plenty of times. Why would that make him suspicious?"

Izuna rolled his eyes. "Just look at the state you two are in after hearing this. I already know exactly how Tobirama would react. No matter how calm he is, he definitely wouldn't be able to resist using his Chakra to search."

"And that guy, Black Zetsu, is ridiculously good at hiding. Even Tobirama, who's famous for his sensory abilities, could only notice that something was a little off. If Black Zetsu realized Tobirama was actually looking for him, then..."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Izuna's heart sank.

Oh no!

Sure enough, Madara's killing intent subsided slightly, but his brows drew together as his sharp gaze fixed on Izuna. "Then how do you know?"

His question went straight to the heart of the matter. "If even Tobirama can't sense him, how can you be so certain that he's in the Capital?"

Izuna: "..."

His head buzzed, and his mind went completely blank. He had been talking so smoothly that he had completely forgotten about that!

How can I tell them about my Amap cheat? If I do, will they understand what a system is? Will they think I'm crazy?

"I... well..." Sweat beaded on Izuna's temples, and his gaze began to dart around as his mind raced at unprecedented speed, trying to invent a reasonable excuse.

Should I say I have a special talent for sensing? Or that something similar happened in that world too?

No! They're both too far-fetched! Madara and Hashirama aren't idiots!

Just as Izuna was growing so anxious he could almost tear his hair out, his face beginning to turn pale, Hashirama and Madara exchanged a glance. Each saw the same thought in the other's eyes.

They had both caught a detail in Izuna's words.

"Even Tobirama, who's famous for his sensory abilities."

In Izuna's subconscious, the strongest sensory ninja was Tobirama Senju.

But in reality, the "sensory" ability Izuna had displayed clearly had a wider range and could pinpoint locations more accurately.

Why had he said something like that without thinking?

There was only one explanation: in Izuna's past, Tobirama Senju truly had been the strongest sensory ninja.

That was why, even after Izuna himself acquired a stronger sensory ability, he still subconsciously considered Tobirama the strongest.

Then how had Izuna acquired this extraordinary sensory ability?

Madara and Hashirama were shaken. The possibility that something behind it had hurt Izuna made them set aside their questions about the ability's origin for the moment.

Besides, there were more important matters at hand.

Madara forcibly suppressed his surging killing intent and brought the conversation back on track. "So what we need to do now is go to the Capital, drag out Black Zetsu, and deal with him for good?"

"No! Quite the opposite!" Relieved, Izuna hurriedly picked up the conversation, speaking urgently. "We can't confront him directly, at least not yet. We can't let him realize we already know he exists and what he's after!"

Madara's frown deepened. "Why? Now that we know what he is and where he is, why not take this opportunity to eliminate him?"

"Because..." Izuna licked his somewhat dry lips. "As far as I know... Black Zetsu's form is very unusual. He's almost immune to the vast majority of physical attacks and conventional Ninjutsu. The only things that can effectively harm him are Yin-Yang Release, extremely advanced Senjutsu, or certain powerful Sealing Jutsu. And..."

He stressed his next words, deep apprehension showing in his eyes. "He's very good at escaping. He can merge almost perfectly with the earth and flee in an instant.

"If we act rashly without being one hundred percent certain we can seal or destroy him instantly, and we alert him and let him escape, finding him again will be next to impossible.

"He'll lie low like a real shadow and wait for his next opportunity. He'll be even more wary, and his methods will be more covert and insidious."

"We have to be fully prepared and hit him in one strike, without giving him any chance."

Madara and Hashirama exchanged another glance.

Izuna's description of Black Zetsu's abilities was so specific, as if he had experienced them firsthand. And coupled with the contradiction of his subconsciously believing that Tobirama was the strongest sensor...

The two arrived at a reasonably plausible conjecture about Izuna's past.

Black Zetsu had existed in that world and might have taught them an extremely painful lesson.

Tobirama might have played an important role in sensing or confronting him, and it was very likely that something had happened to Tobirama.

That was why Izuna was so familiar with Black Zetsu, so wary and cautious, and had only dared to tell them all this after Black Zetsu left.

Madara and Hashirama independently decided not to press Izuna on how he knew for the time being. Some wounds, perhaps, did not need to be uncovered in haste.

Madara took a deep breath, forcibly suppressed his surging emotions, and returned to his usual calm tone. "So you mean we should hold back and pretend we don't know, letting him continue stirring up trouble in the Capital? What about the Spring Banquet? Are you still going?"

"Yes, of course I'm going." Seeing that they no longer seemed inclined to question him about his ability, Izuna felt a weight lift from his heart, and his tone regained its earlier decisiveness. "Not only am I going, I have to act just as we originally planned. We can't back down this time. If we do, his scheme will succeed.

"If I don't go, he'll definitely spread rumors that I was scared, that Konoha's ninja don't even have that much courage.

Izuna clenched his fingers. "In any case, we have to win this battle of public opinion, and win it so decisively that Black Zetsu won't be able to spread any slander even if he wants to."