Zetsu's wager: I am the guide born to unite all ninja!

[The Rinnegan.]

Shimura Danzō stopped before the sea of white flowers.

His sinister gaze swept past the obstructive aloe-headed creature and settled on the leader of the Akatsuki Organization lying among the white flowers. More precisely, it settled on Nagato, whose hair had turned snowy white.

The eyes that remained open in death were dark purple, their irises marked with concentric black rings.

There was no doubt. These were the legendary Rinnegan.

Eyes even more powerful than the Mangekyō Sharingan!

Yet, ambitious as he was, he did not rush to seize those legendary eyes. Instead, his gaze returned to the creature before him, neither human nor ghost.

A sharp gleam burst from his weathered old eyes, as though he intended to see through every secret the creature concealed in his heart.

"W-what is it, Lord Danzo?"

"Why aren't you taking his eyes?"

After speaking, Zetsu seemed to make some sort of resolve. He lifted his face to meet the old fox's gaze at close range, hoping the innocence in his eyes would earn the man's trust.

Danzo murmured,

"That is why, Lord Danzo, your only chance to take the Rinnegan is now!"

"If you want proof, there is a hidden chamber at the Naka Shrine, on the Uchiha Clan's former grounds."

I overlooked it.

Meanwhile, the sounds of clashing outside seemed to fade and stop.

Well, well.

Even if Obito could temporarily swallow his anger for Rin's sake, the distrust and resentment in his heart would never diminish easily!

"It's utterly absurd!"

Having thought everything through, Zetsu slowly cleared the unnecessary emotion from his eyes, while the anger in his heart quietly changed direction.

"Then why are you still not taking the Rinnegan, Lord Danzo?"

[You keep saying you trust me,]

[but the only person you actually trust is yourself!!]