Black Foolish Play

Black Zetsu studied the bizarre combination before him.

Madara, Obito, and this child who looked like Madara and Senju Hashirama's offspring!

What was this supposed to be!

Though I was sealed and lost track of time, I could vaguely sense about fifteen or sixteen years had passed in the world!

With Naruto and Sasuke's nature, how could they let three guys like this run around!

What the hell happened to the ninja world while I was gone?

"Hm?" Black Zetsu's gaze locked onto Chen's right eye.

A Rinnegan...?

Could it be... something happened to Naruto and Sasuke, and this guy is the new Indra reincarnate? But the age doesn't quite add up.

Just then, Madara's cold voice cut off Black Zetsu's thoughts: "You seem quite calm, Black Zetsu."

"Heh." Black Zetsu let out a mocking laugh. "What expression did you want to see on my face, Madara? Shock, chagrin, or fear?"

"Too bad, I'll have to disappoint you, Madara!"

"I've already failed completely. All my schemes have been exposed to the world, and nothing can be done anymore!"

"The entire meaning of my existence up to now was to revive Mother, and now that's become a vain hope!"

"In a world where Mother cannot be saved, what is there for me to cling to!"

Black Zetsu sighed with a bleak tone, as if he had seen through life and death.

Obito said, "Then why were you skulking backward just now, like you were afraid we'd spot you?"

Black Zetsu laughed and cursed, "Obito, you're still the same blockhead as always!"

Obito frowned. "What did you say?"

"Heh." Black Zetsu chuckled. "Think about it. It's the dead of night, you're in bed counting little sheep, when suddenly a gang of thugs knocks down your courtyard wall from outside, shaking you right off the mattress. When you jolt awake, isn't your first instinct to hide and see what's happening?"

Obito was left speechless for a long moment: That... actually made sense...

The thrill of shutting Obito up lasted only a moment before that bleak undertone seeped out of Black Zetsu again.

"Heh, even if you hadn't found me today, I couldn't leave this space on my own anyway. I'm useless now. I beg you, seal me back into the Chibaku Tensei—at least that way Mother has some company!"

Madara looked at Black Zetsu in this state and felt a wave of listlessness.

It was like throwing a heavy punch into cotton—nothing but emptiness.

What was this? I was planning to settle old scores with him properly, and the guy just acts like he doesn't give a damn.

Annoying...

Just then, Chen, who had been watching from the side, glanced at Madara and seemed to be thinking.

Suddenly, he spoke up: "Black Zetsu, aren't you curious why we appeared here, why we summoned the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and why we destroyed the Chibaku Tensei?"

Black Zetsu froze. His mind had been fragmented for so long that he hadn't caught on.

Yeah... why? Why was that?

"Do you want to know?" Seeing Chen's half-smile and mysterious expression, Black Zetsu gulped down air and asked nervously, "Wh-why?"

"Because we want to revive your mother, Kaguya Otsutsuki!"

"What!!!" Black Zetsu's face lit up with joy, then twisted into deep disbelief. "Revive Mother... but, why??? You must know what kind of being she is, right!"

Chen clapped his hands. "I know! I know all too well! As for why—I, Uchiha Chen, am a fervent worshiper of Kaguya Hime!"

Black Zetsu was even more incredulous. "You worship Mother... R-really?!"

Chen said with resolute force, "Of course! Otherwise, how do you think I, who am not an Indra or Ashura reincarnate, got this Rinnegan?"

"Without deep obsession and the resolve to stake my life, could I have awakened this eye?"

Ah! That's right!

Black Zetsu felt it deeply: For the Rinnegan, I've watched generation after generation of Indra's reincarnates die off, waited a thousand years, and finally got Uchiha Madara. This eye is definitely not something you can just awaken casually!

Whoever awakens it must have an obsession that transcends life and death!

This was powerful proof!

Chen clenched his fists, tears glimmering in his eyes. "Do you know! The first time I heard about Kaguya Otsutsuki's deeds, I was deeply moved! What a woman she was! To end the war among humans, she risked execution and ate the forbidden fruit!"

"Every day after that, she lived in the torment of anxiety!"

"But those unfilial sons, Hagoromo and Hamura! They had no idea how terrifying Kaguya's clan was! What calamity their arrival would bring to this land! Compared to that calamity, what little evil Kaguya did to humans was nothing!"

Black Zetsu was as excited as a child. "Yes, yes, yes! That's it! You understand Mother! You really understand Mother!"

The more Chen spoke, the more worked up he got, even swinging his fists. "From here on! I'll summon the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path! Next, we hunt the Tailed Beasts anew! Revive the Ten-Tails! Become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki! Activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi! Absorb the Divine Tree! Not for immortality—only to let the great Kaguya descend upon this world once more!"

Obito: He's fully in character now.

Madara: Heh, I think I know what Chen is up to.

"Wonderful, wonderful! Mother's revival has—wait." Black Zetsu's rising emotions suddenly slammed to a halt.

"What about Madara and Obito? Are they going to cooperate with your plan obediently?"

"Ah." Chen responded with lightning speed: "Those two, they've both fallen under my Kotoamatsukami."

"Kotoamatsukami? You can use Kotoamatsukami too?"

—Summoning Technique!

"Bang!" Gohōkaku materialized, landing on Chen's shoulder, lifting its head and gazing upward, displaying Shisui's left eye before Black Zetsu.

With Black Zetsu's vast experience and knowledge, one look at that unique Mangekyo pattern told him it was Uchiha Shisui's eye!

But Kotoamatsukami was, after all, just a Mangekyo technique. It might work on an idiot like Obito, but could it really work on Madara...?

To further eliminate Black Zetsu's doubts.

Chen raised his palm, covering his right eye in a feigned gesture, and said in a deep voice: "My Rinnegan ability, [Great God's Command], brings a qualitative change to ocular techniques. It can elevate Kotoamatsukami, a Mangekyo technique, to the level of a Rinnegan technique. Even Madara can't resist it!"

Black Zetsu glanced around: "But Madara and Obito are glaring at me with extremely vicious looks!"

"Of course. They are loyal only to me."

"Can... can you prove it? I'm not quite at ease..."

After a moment of silence, Chen turned his gaze toward the two, signaling with his eyes.

"Obito, Madara... call me Lord Chen!"

Obito was not one to spoil the mood; in fact, he had a performative personality buried inside.

He could play along, and he was willing to, but...

He waited for Madara's reaction.

He thought Madara wouldn't be able to say it.

But instead, Madara slowly lowered his folded arms, stepped forward, bent down, and called out with utmost respect: "Lord Chen!"

Obito thought to himself: Madara, just how much do you hate Black Zetsu? Killing it isn't enough—you have to destroy its spirit too!

So he walked up beside Madara, bent down, and followed with a "Lord Chen!"

Black Zetsu had made up his mind: Obito was one thing, but a proud man like Madara would never stoop to calling some youngster 'Lord'! I absolutely refuse to believe such a thing could happen.

He must really be here to revive Mother!

Black Zetsu suppressed the agitation in his heart and asked: "Chen, you should know the price of reviving Mother, right?"

A fervent gleam surged in Chen's eyes: "I do! It's nothing more than, after activating Infinite Tsukuyomi, offering my power and body as a sacrifice to Lady Kaguya! From the day I resolved to revive Kaguya, I was determined to give everything!"

Heavens have mercy!

Mother!

In this world, besides me, there is another who understands you and is willing to give everything for you!

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Faced with this unexpected joy, Black Zetsu could no longer suppress his soaring delight. He burst out laughing, and as he laughed, tears already streamed down.

I never thought that after suffering in darkness for fifteen years, I would meet someone like Chen, willing to sacrifice himself! Though I think he's foolish! Foolishly endearing! But I can't lump him together with a big fool like Obito! Because he truly understands Mother!

Could it be that my earnest filial devotion to Mother has finally moved the heavens?

"Chen, can you help me pull out the spike stuck in me first? I want to say something from the bottom of my heart!"

"Sure!"

Chen stepped forward cheerfully and pulled out the black weasel stuck in the sleeve of Kaguya's severed hand.

Black Zetsu writhed back into human form.

"..." Chen picked up Kaguya's severed arm, his eyes flickering with some unknown thought.

He turned and strode toward the Demonic Statue.

Black Zetsu followed him.

"Are there still Tailed Beasts and Jinchuriki now?"

"What about Naruto and Sasuke?"

"Let me tell you about that slowly."

Madara and Obito followed.

Chen stopped, gazing up at the Demonic Statue, filled with a ritualistic sense of pilgrimage.

Black Zetsu also stopped, looking at the statue, his eyes full of tenderness.

"Mother, wait a little longer. Soon, your child and Chen will bring you back to this world!"

At that moment, Madara silently quickened his pace, stopping behind Black Zetsu.

"Chen, killing the body and destroying the soul—you really understand me."

He raised his palm, aimed at Black Zetsu's back, and thrust it in...

"Crack!"

The moment his arm pierced through, the pent-up frustration in his heart burst out with a single word.

—"Satisfying."