Black Zetsu

The fall of Kumogakure was only the first move in the game.

However, Uchiha Yoru felt a little disappointed.

The system showed no reaction at all.

He had originally thought that destroying a shinobi village would earn him a reward, but the system remained completely unmoved. It didn't even give him the slightest notification, making him furrow his brow.

It seemed the other shinobi villages still couldn't compare to Konoha!

A moment later, he put those thoughts aside and returned to Konoha with a trace of regret.

After returning to the village, he immediately gathered the security force and sent them to the former capital of the Land of Lightning and Kumogakure to take over.

After inspecting the village and confirming that everything was in order, Uchiha Yoru began planning his next move.

Before that, though, he had to take care of something more important—

At that moment, he had three Tailed Beasts settled deep in the forest outside Konoha.

Uchiha Yoru hadn't chosen to seal these massive creatures. Instead, he had used his powerful ocular prowess to force them into a Summoning Contract with him.

From now on, whether they were willing or not, they would have to answer his summons. Once he suppressed the One-Tail, he could summon them all and have the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path absorb them.

Once everything was arranged, he had planned to head straight for Sunagakure.

But before that, there was somewhere else he had to visit in person.

—Amegakure.

The border of the Land of Fire

A gentle breeze passed by, carrying a trace of damp moisture.

Uchiha Yoru walked along a narrow path through the woods, his pace easy, as if taking a leisurely stroll. Yet he moved at astonishing speed.

Every so often, he flashed away with the Flying Thunder God, crossing dozens of meters in an instant.

Suddenly—

His gaze sharpened, and his pupils contracted slightly.

"Interesting."

Uchiha Yoru's lips curled faintly, and he came to a stop.

A figure quietly appeared on the trunk of a tree ahead.

The person wore a straw raincoat, their hood hanging low, their entire form shrouded in shadow.

Though he couldn't make out the person's face, Uchiha Yoru could still sense the faint traces of Yin-Yang Release emanating from him.

The woods were silent, and a gentle breeze drifted through.

The air seemed to grow still.

The next instant—

Uchiha Yoru appeared in a Body Flicker, the Flying Thunder God Technique leaving an afterimage as he swung his left fist at the figure.

"Quit the theatrics!"

The figure shifted slightly and dodged in an instant.

"Oh?"

Uchiha Yoru narrowed his eyes, a faintly amused smile appearing on his face.

The shadow on the tree trunk slowly raised his head.

"You finally sensed me."

His voice was low and hoarse, with a hint of sardonic amusement.

Black Zetsu stared at Uchiha Yoru, seemingly scrutinizing him, or perhaps weighing something.

Just as I thought. He's Indra's reincarnation.

What surprised me was, why did this kid also have Ashura's chakra?

Did the matching mechanism I set up bug out?

Still, that doesn't matter. In my eyes, Uchiha Yoru is even more arrogant and powerful than Indra was a thousand years ago—and even more ambitious!

Someone like him is the perfect person to guide.

"I know what you're doing."

Black Zetsu spoke slowly, his tone strange and elusive.

"Let me guess. You want to build a peaceful world, don't you?"

Uchiha Yoru didn't reply. He merely watched him in silence, as if waiting for him to continue his performance.

Seeing this, Black Zetsu felt even more certain. His tone grew more confident. "Your strength is already formidable, but it's still nowhere near enough to truly unite the Ninja World."

"And?"

Uchiha Yoru's voice was calm, as if he couldn't care less.

He's taken the bait!

Black Zetsu was overjoyed.

He continued, "I have a plan. A plan that can truly bring about everlasting peace."

"The Infinite Tsukuyomi."

"Capture the Tailed Beasts and use the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path to absorb them, becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki!"

"Then cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi!"

Black Zetsu's voice was low, carrying a hint of seduction.

"Once the Infinite Tsukuyomi is cast, the entire world will be immersed in the most perfect illusion. War, hatred, and suffering will all be erased completely."

"It will be a world of eternal peace, a perfect Ninja World without conflict!"

His voice burned with fervor, as if he could already see that ideal future.

Uchiha Yoru simply looked at him, the corner of his mouth curling faintly.

"...Is that so?"

His voice was calm and deep.

Black Zetsu's heart gave a slight thump.

The next instant—

"Boom—!"

A violent aura swept out. Uchiha Yoru's pupils shifted abruptly, his scarlet Sharingan reflecting Black Zetsu's ink-black form.

"Do you think that little of me?"

Uchiha Yoru slowly raised his hand. His lips curved upward, but his tone held a cool, indifferent edge.

"If I keep growing stronger, what use is the Infinite Tsukuyomi?!"

Black Zetsu's heart tightened, and a faint sense of unease rose within him.

But he wasn't afraid. He was a product of Yin-Yang Release; ordinary ninjutsu couldn't do a thing to him.

Yet in the next moment, his pupils contracted sharply.

Uchiha Yoru's eyes... had transformed from the Sharingan into the Rinnegan!

What?!

Black Zetsu was shaken to the core.

In this world... aside from Uchiha Madara, was there really a second person who had awakened the Rinnegan after birth?!

The Rinnegan could be possessed from birth, or awakened by combining Ashura's and Indra's chakra!

He had sensed both kinds of chakra coming from Uchiha Yoru earlier. He'd thought it was just an illusion... but now, the truth had shattered everything he thought he knew!

What's more, even with both kinds of chakra, awakening the Rinnegan took an extremely long time.

Uchiha Madara had spent his entire life reaching that point... yet the youth before him had done it with ease?!

Black Zetsu's thoughts raced. The Demonic Statue of the Outer Path's disappearance now seemed to make sense, too—the Rinnegan's wielder was the only one who could summon it at will!

But there was a problem. This kid wasn't buying any of it. Worse, he seemed to regard Black Zetsu with... dangerous hostility.

"Heh."

Uchiha Yoru's palm shifted. A black Truth-Seeking Orb slowly formed, radiating an unsettling aura of destruction.

He gave Black Zetsu a faintly mocking look, an ominous glint shining deep in his eyes.

"Since you came here... you're not leaving."

This is bad!

Black Zetsu's already dark face grew even gloomier. In all the time he'd been alive, he'd never faced a crisis like this.

Uchiha Yoru was far more terrifying than he'd imagined.

I have to get away!

But before he could act, Uchiha Yoru had already swept out his hand—

Boom!

Space trembled as Six Paths Power swept forth. Several Truth-Seeking Orbs shot toward Black Zetsu like meteors, blocking every escape route!

"Six Paths—Hell Burial!"

Uchiha Yoru sneered and clenched his fist. The Truth-Seeking Orbs exploded in an instant, transforming into a monstrous storm of darkness that swallowed Black Zetsu whole!

"Gah—!"

Black Zetsu let out a piercing scream. His body twisted and began to disintegrate under the crushing force of the Truth-Seeking Orbs.

But just as Uchiha Yoru thought he could finish him off for good, Black Zetsu's torn body writhed violently, transforming into countless black tendrils that scattered in every direction!

"Trying to run?"

Uchiha Yoru snorted. He swiftly formed Hand Seals, then thrust out his palm!

In an instant, four Truth-Seeking Orbs stretched out and shot through the air, slashing hard at the shadow fleeing Black Zetsu!

"Hiss—!"

Black Zetsu's tendrils were torn apart in an instant. The remaining black sludge drifted away like smoke, but his will hadn't been completely destroyed. Instead, as he was struck apart, he turned into a faint shadow and sank deep into the ground!

Uchiha Yoru's gaze turned cold. His Sage Body's sensory range spread out as he tried to pinpoint Black Zetsu's location—but in the next instant, he furrowed his brow.

He... had vanished?

Beneath the earth, an extremely faint shadow moved slowly. Black Zetsu's voice seemed to echo through the void, sinister and low.

"Uchiha Yoru!!!"

Whoosh—!

The shadow vanished completely, as if it had never existed.

Uchiha Yoru stared in the direction Black Zetsu had disappeared, his gaze deep and unfathomable. Yet the corner of his lips curled with amusement.

"Heh... he's pretty quick on his feet."

He slowly lowered his hand and looked down at the ground. The Rinnegan in his eyes turned slightly, reflecting an unfathomable light.

"But next time... you won't be so lucky."