That Man's Era (2)

"Scritch, scritch..."

Accompanied by eerie sounds, a strange white figure quietly emerged from a rotten tree trunk within the pitch-black cave.

Hearing the movement behind him, the old man sitting hunched over on the tree trunk paid it no mind.

He merely glanced behind him before closing his scarlet eyes, as though recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier.

That young member of Konoha's rising generation, whom he had never met, had seemed to retain a look of bewilderment on his face even in his final moments between life and death.

At that moment, a casual voice came from behind him.

"If what I saw was correct, Tokino should have already perished together with Aizen..."

Hearing this, the old man still kept his eyes half-closed, as though he had no reaction whatsoever to the news.

The white figure behind him spoke again.

"Madara, I mean, Tokino is already dead..."

The old man slowly opened his eyes. His pupils had turned utterly black as he spoke slowly in a hoarse voice.

"White Zetsu, what are you trying to say?"

At that, White Zetsu froze for a moment, then sighed helplessly.

"Sigh, Tokino really is pitiful. He died fighting for you as your junior, yet he could not even earn a shred of your concern."

Within the pitch-black cave, the old man's expression remained exceptionally calm. Even after watching a battle that had shaken the entire Ninja World, he acted as though nothing had happened, speaking slowly in a hoarse voice.

"Had your relationship with Tokino not always been rather poor? Why are you sighing over him now?"

Hearing that, White Zetsu's eyes widened as he hurriedly retorted.

"No matter what, Tokino and I were companions who acted together. It was rare to find someone I could talk to, so now that