The Vanishing Chibaku Tensei

"Konan, let's go. We'll be fine on our own."

"Black Zetsu, remember to keep an eye on the news regarding the rings. If the need arises, have Hidan use his technique immediately."

Shirozumi saw that the argument over there wouldn't be ending anytime soon, so he simply stopped paying attention to it.

After giving his instructions to Black Zetsu, he walked out of the gathering cave with Konan.

"Understood."

After Black Zetsu acknowledged the order, he transferred a scroll out through the underground root system.

Inside this, it wasn't stored blood, but a catalog.

To achieve deterrence, one must be able to precisely distinguish which vial of blood corresponded to which ninja; otherwise, any so-called deterrence or threat would be a joke.

And to achieve that precise identification, every single vial had to be recorded.

This task had been assigned to the other White Zetsu, and it was now complete.

Just as Madara Uchiha believed Black Zetsu was the embodiment of his will, Uchiha Obito also believed the hundred thousand White Zetsu were truly created by him using Hashirama Cells.

In reality, there was only one way White Zetsu were produced: they were transformed from people caught in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

The hundred thousand White Zetsu were the ones transformed and created during the ancient era of Kaguya Otsutsuki.

From beginning to end, these White Zetsu only obeyed the orders of one person: Kaguya Otsutsuki.

With Kaguya sealed away, the second-level authority belonged to Black Zetsu.

All the authority that Madara and Obito held was, in essence, a facade intentionally maintained by Black Zetsu to make the White Zetsu follow their commands.

Shirozumi felt that in a while, it would be necessary to give Black Zetsu a hint.

As a combat force, the hundred thousand White Zetsu were actually quite lackluster; their only advantage was infiltration.

But as tool men who didn't need to eat, drink, or sleep, and didn't require a salary, having them all work day and night without rest...

How great would that be?

"Maybe Pain and I should go instead? You can't fly..."

After exiting the cave, Konan spoke with a somewhat awkward expression.

Deidara was actually one of the harder members of the Akatsuki Organization to trap because he possessed air superiority.

While he couldn't fly himself, the giant birds and dragons he created from clay could carry him through the air.

As luck would have it, however, Tsuchikage Ōnoki could also fly.

Therefore, to rescue Deidara, it would be best to have anti-air capabilities or the ability to fly.

Konan and Pain were both capable of flight.

As for Shirozumi...

He really couldn't.

This was exactly what Konan was worried about; she didn't want to end up rescuing Deidara only to lose the more important Shirozumi in Iwagakure.

"Can't you just carry me, Sister Konan? You could wrap your body in paper."

Shirozumi grinned.

"That's for enemies. It restricts the gathering of Chakra."

"Perfect, I don't use Chakra."

"...Why don't you just say you want me to hold you?"

"Really?"

"..."

"Forget it. Since that's the case, take me to see the Leader. I want to conduct an experiment."

Seeing that Konan still wouldn't budge, Shirozumi's expression turned serious as he made his request.

"An experiment?"

Konan was curious.

And so, she carried Shirozumi as they flew to the high tower in Amegakure, where they met Nagato once again.

"What is it?"

Nagato asked.

"Uh, Nagato, why don't we find a Jinchuriki? You could use the Preta Path to absorb some Tailed Beast Chakra to top yourself off. The way you look, it feels like you're about to kick the bucket at any moment."

Shirozumi looked at Nagato's emaciated frame; anyone who didn't know better would think he was wasting away every single night.

"I appreciate the concern, but I know my own body well. I'm still far from death, so don't worry."

Nagato offered a smile.

However, paired with his sunken cheeks and sickly, exhausted expression, it was rather unsettling.

"Nagato, the Strategist told me he needs to see you. He wants you to help him with an experiment."

Konan interjected, steering the conversation back to the main topic.

"Oh? What kind of experiment?"

Nagato asked.

"Sister Konan, actually, when I said 'see the leader' earlier, I was referring to Pain."

Shirozumi gave a helpless smile.

"It's all the same. How do you need Pain to cooperate with you?"

Nagato controlled the Deva Path Pain to walk in from outside the door.

"It is indeed all the same, because what I need is for you to attack me using Almighty Push."

"What?!"

Nagato was stunned.

Attack?

He didn't understand what Shirozumi was trying to do.

A masochist?

Testing the durability of his own body?

Or perhaps some kind of Kekkei Genkai that awakens abilities after sustaining injuries?

"My current abilities were awakened during the process of traveling through time and space using the Otsutsuki Clan's Karasuki. I speculate that if I come into contact with other things related to the Otsutsuki Clan, I might be able to awaken new powers."

As Shirozumi spoke, his figure suddenly appeared at the other end of the room.

In truth, Nagato and Konan still hadn't figured out exactly what this bizarre ability of Shirozumi's was.

"Things related to the Otsutsuki Clan?"

"That's right. Actually, when I was working with Itachi this time, I wanted to use him for an experiment. The Rinnegan and the Sharingan are both closely related to the Otsutsuki Clan. However, almost all the Natural Energy in my body was used to strengthen my existing abilities, so I gave up on that idea. On the way back from the Land of Waves, I've absorbed some more Natural Energy over the past few days, so this is the perfect time to give it a try."

Shirozumi provided a serious explanation.

"Understood. Let's move to a different location, then."

Nagato, sitting in his wheelchair, accompanied Shirozumi and Konan to a vast, open field outside Amegakure.

Nagato raised his hand and looked at Shirozumi. "Tell me when you're ready."

"Come on."

"Almighty Push!"

The Shinra Tensei, unleashed directly from Nagato's own body, sent a powerful repulsive force that blasted Shirozumi away.

"Shirozumi! Are you alright?"

Konan manipulated her paper, forming a pair of wings to catch Shirozumi, her face filled with concern as she asked.

"I'm fine. Natural Energy has reinforced the durability of my body. Besides, Nagato held back; an attack of this magnitude isn't enough to injure me."

Shirozumi steadied himself and stepped out from Konan's white paper.

"Did it succeed?"

Nagato asked.

"No."

Shirozumi shook his head.

"Was the hypothesis wrong, or was it just not enough?"

Nagato pressed further.

Watching this scene, Konan felt as if the team had gathered once again, training in ninjutsu together for their shared ideals...

"The hypothesis shouldn't be wrong; at most, there might be some slight deviations. When I obtained my current abilities, I could feel exactly how the power within my body was activated and awakened. As for whether it wasn't enough... that is likely true, but it isn't a lack of power."

Shirozumi answered Nagato's question with precision.

"It's not a lack of power..."

Nagato had heard the first half and assumed the failure was due to him holding back, but it seemed that wasn't the case.

"Forget it, let's leave it at that."

Shirozumi smiled and turned to look at Konan. "The ability awakening failed. Konan, can you take me for a flight now?"

"Fine, then you... Nagato, what are you doing?!"

Konan looked at Nagato, who was standing behind Shirozumi, in shock.

Nagato pressed his palms together, and a trembling black sphere emerged from between them.

The black sphere emitted an eerie, faint glow.

"Konan, move aside."

"Shirozumi, I believe in you, just as I believed in Yahiko."

"You will definitely succeed!"

"Chibaku Tensei—"

Nagato pushed the black sphere forward. It collided directly with Shirozumi, carrying him as he slowly drifted up toward the sky.

A terrifying gravitational field manifested.

The soil and trees on the ground began to tremble, gradually being drawn toward the black sphere and converging upon it.

The gravity continued to intensify.

Konan was incredibly anxious.

For a moment, she didn't know whether to worry more about Nagato, who was sacrificing his lifespan to use Chibaku Tensei, or Shirozumi, who had been struck by it.

However...

Thud.

Clatter.

The ground, which had been cracking and pulled upward, returned to its original state, and all the debris that had been drawn into the air dropped back to the ground.

Including Shirozumi.

The black gravitational sphere of the Chibaku Tensei, which had been right against his abdomen, had now vanished without a trace.