Black Zetsu

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Black Zetsu (黑絕)
Alias(es)	Kaguya Otsutsuki's will; purportedly Shirou Emiya's will
Species/Race	A will created by Kaguya Otsutsuki to engineer her resurrection 14
Affiliation	Kaguya Otsutsuki; Akatsuki; White Zetsu
Occupation/Role	Hidden manipulator of the Eye of the Moon Plan; intelligence gatherer and cultivator of Rinnegan-bearing pawns
Status	Active 229
First Appearance	Chapter 7

Background / History

Black Zetsu was created as Kaguya Otsutsuki's will, with the sole purpose of restoring her to the living world. It spent more than a millennium operating in secrecy, watching Indra and later his descendants while seeking a path to produce the Rinnegan required for Kaguya's return 8 14.

In the Ancient Era, Black Zetsu encountered Shirou Emiya while secretly following Indra. Shirou's overwhelming strength forced Black Zetsu into an alliance with him. It revealed the Sage of Six Paths' burial site, allowing Shirou to study Hagoromo's corpse, transplant his Rinnegan, and nearly destroy the Ninja Sect 10. Although Black Zetsu regarded Shirou as a pawn, Shirou treated it as a companion; this attachment became a source of conflict for Black Zetsu 14.

After Madara Uchiha faked his death, Black Zetsu shadowed him and supported his attempt to combine Uchiha and Senju power to awaken the Rinnegan 8. It altered the Uchiha Stone Tablet to conceal its warning against Kaguya and instead present her revival as its final secret 31. Shirou later introduced Black Zetsu to Madara as a fragment of Shirou's own will, giving it direct access to Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan 62.

Following Madara's death, Black Zetsu merged with White Zetsu's main body and continued guiding Madara's successors, including Nagato and Obito Uchiha 83 85. Shirou's resurrection disrupted this arrangement: Black Zetsu prioritized regaining Shirou's cooperation, while becoming increasingly uneasy at Shirou's growing power and independence 83 175.

During the Fourth Shinobi World War, Black Zetsu finally revealed its true objective. It ambushed Madara, explained that the Infinite Tsukuyomi was intended to resurrect Kaguya rather than merely trap humanity in dreams, and used Madara's body and Chakra as the basis for Kaguya's return 221 222. It continued to support Kaguya during her battle against Shirou, Naruto, and Sasuke, but Shirou ultimately exposed that he had understood far more of Black Zetsu's scheme than it had realized 225 226.

Personality

Black Zetsu is patient, secretive, and intensely goal-oriented. It views people—particularly powerful Uchiha—as pieces to be cultivated, deceived, and discarded in pursuit of Kaguya's resurrection. It rewrites history, falsifies the Stone Tablet, and exploits its targets' ideals rather than relying on open force 15 31.

Despite claiming that it should not possess emotions, Black Zetsu develops a conflicted attachment to Shirou Emiya. Shirou's sincere treatment of it as a companion leaves Black Zetsu feeling warmth, guilt, and regret even while it plans to sacrifice him for Kaguya 14 16. Its long isolation also makes it prone to lengthy denunciations of war and humanity whenever it finds someone willing to listen 62.

Abilities & Skills

Concealment and Infiltration

Black Zetsu can hide beneath the ground and observe targets without alerting them.

• Followed Madara after his staged death without triggering his vigilance 8.
• Claims its concealment originated from Kaguya and was undetectable even to the Sage of Six Paths 8.
• Uses underground movement to infiltrate locations, monitor Akatsuki members, and relay intelligence through White Zetsu clones 83 94.

Manipulation and Historical Deception

Black Zetsu specializes in exploiting ideology, incomplete knowledge, and emotional vulnerability.

• Fabricated a sympathetic account of Kaguya's sealing to persuade Shirou to support her resurrection 15 16.
• Altered the Uchiha Stone Tablet, replacing its warning about Kaguya with a false path toward reviving her 31.
• Used the names and legacies of Shirou and Madara to influence Nagato, Konan, and Akatsuki's direction 85.
• Encouraged conflict between Uchiha reincarnations for more than a thousand years through the “piece of darkness” Kaguya left behind 217.

Rinnegan Cultivation and Pawn Management

Black Zetsu identifies, protects, and directs candidates capable of advancing the Eye of the Moon Plan.

• Guided Madara's recovery after he implanted Hashirama's flesh and waited for his Rinnegan to awaken 8 75.
• Considered Madara, Nagato, Obito, and Shirou potential instruments for the same plan, though it repeatedly judged several of them unreliable 83 93.
• Treated the survival of the Uchiha bloodline as essential because it believed the Rinnegan could only emerge through that lineage 93.

Possession and Chakra Manipulation

Black Zetsu can directly interfere with bodies and Chakra during critical stages of Kaguya's revival.

• Restrained Madara after ambushing him and initiated the process of extracting Chakra for Kaguya's resurrection 221.
• Controlled Madara's hair to obstruct Naruto and Sasuke while Kaguya's revival was underway 222.
• Merged into the Chakra sphere formed from Madara's body to complete Kaguya's resurrection 222.

Integration with White Zetsu

Black Zetsu merged with White Zetsu's main body after Madara's death, combining Black Zetsu's planning with White Zetsu's clone network and reconnaissance capacity 83.

• Relies on White Zetsu clones for surveillance, messages, recruitment, and battlefield intelligence 83 94.
• Can coordinate with White Zetsu to locate targets and report developments to Shirou or Madara 179 212.

Relationships

• Kaguya Otsutsuki — Creator and “mother.” Black Zetsu's existence and every major scheme are devoted to restoring her rule over the Shinobi World 14 221.
• Shirou Emiya — Former Ancient Era ally and Black Zetsu's favored pawn. Black Zetsu deceives him repeatedly, yet develops genuine emotional attachment and regret concerning him 10 14 225.
• Madara Uchiha — Principal Rinnegan cultivator and vessel used for Kaguya's resurrection. Black Zetsu supports Madara's ascent before ultimately betraying him 8 75 221.
• White Zetsu — Merged counterpart and operational partner. White Zetsu's clones provide much of the pair's intelligence network 83 88.
• Obito Uchiha — Madara's successor and an unreliable pawn in Black Zetsu's eyes. Black Zetsu frequently disparages Obito's impulsiveness and incompetence 93 119.
• Nagato — A Rinnegan-bearing pawn guided into Akatsuki's peace plan through Shirou and Madara's borrowed legacies 85.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Ancient Era Alliance with Shirou

Black Zetsu allies with Shirou after witnessing his attempted assassination of Indra. It gives Shirou access to the Sage of Six Paths' corpse, inadvertently helping him acquire the Rinnegan and devastate the Ninja Sect 10.

Manipulation of Madara

It observes Madara's false death, facilitates his isolation and development, falsifies the Uchiha Stone Tablet, and waits for Madara's Rinnegan to mature 8 31 75.

Akatsuki and Shirou's Return

After merging with White Zetsu, Black Zetsu helps maintain Akatsuki's network while attempting to bring the resurrected Shirou back into the Eye of the Moon Plan 83 85.

Kaguya's Resurrection

Black Zetsu betrays Madara at the decisive moment, reveals the Infinite Tsukuyomi's true purpose, and uses Madara's Chakra to restore Kaguya Otsutsuki 221 222.

Battle in Amenominaka

Black Zetsu acts as Kaguya's adviser while trying to retain Shirou's cooperation. Shirou later turns against both Black Zetsu and Kaguya, exposing Black Zetsu's manipulation and seizing control of the confrontation 223 225 226.

Notable Quotes

“The moment humans first grasped weapons and began their first war, the smoke of the next war had already begun to rise—” 62

“Our plan was never to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi and trap everyone in dreams. It was to use the Infinite Tsukuyomi to resurrect the Rabbit Goddess of the Ancient Era...” 221