Inside a hidden base, the Masked Man, Obito, was staring up at the sky and striking a pose.
Black Zetsu suddenly emerged from a tree and spoke with a faint smile.
"Madara, I helped you deal with another problem."
"?" Obito slowly turned his head at that, unable to remember doing anything recently that required Zetsu's help.
"The White Zetsu you sent two days ago to deal with that Uchiha who escaped from Konoha failed.
"He was very strong. The White Zetsu carrying out the mission was nearly captured.
"Fortunately, other White Zetsu were nearby and sent me a signal.
"Hehe, you were too careless. This nearly exposed us to the world ahead of schedule."
That old schemer, Black Zetsu, began spinning lies for Obito.
"So...?"
Ever since he had started playing Madara, the talkative Obito had become the aloof "Madara" he was now, speaking very little.
The White Zetsu he had sent after Uchiha Feng was not weak, and it could even use the mutually destructive Wood Release: Root Burial Explosion.
Therefore, he found Black Zetsu's claims of capture and exposure impossible.
"Uchiha Feng has mastered the forbidden technique, Impure World Reincarnation. He used it to reincarnate the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, and the former Nine-Tails Jinchūriki, Kushina Uzumaki."
Black Zetsu spoke lazily.
Even when deceiving someone, he could not make everything a lie. He needed to mix truth with falsehood to fool others.
"Hm?! Impure World Reincarnation!!
"It seems I truly underestimated this younger member of the clan.
"But that merely delayed his death by a few days. I'll deal with him personally."
Obito was slightly surprised, but quickly regained his composure.
Every Uchiha who awakened the Mangekyō became proud and conceited due to their sudden surge in strength and negative emotions.
When he awakened his Mangekyō, he had gained the nearly invincible Kamui, making him even more arrogant than ordinary Uchiha.
As long as his opponent had not awakened the Mangekyō and some special ocular technique, he regarded them all as trash.
Thus, in Obito's eyes, Uchiha Feng—who merely possessed Impure World Reincarnation and had defeated White Zetsu—would be effortlessly captured the moment he personally stepped in.
"Hehe, I just said I helped you deal with another problem.
"So there's no need for you to act. I've already dealt with him."
Black Zetsu continued making things up to fool Obito.
As for whether Obito would discover it and become dissatisfied with him—
Black Zetsu did not care in the slightest. After all, the true controller of the White Zetsu used for reconnaissance, infiltration, and intelligence gathering was him.
Obito could only control the White Zetsu because of his orders.
And it had been the White Zetsu who investigated Uchiha Feng in the early stages. Apart from knowing his name, Obito did not even know what he looked like.
Under such circumstances, unless Obito personally investigated from the beginning, as long as Black Zetsu wished it, Uchiha Feng could stand right in front of Obito and Obito still would not know who he was.
As for what would happen if Uchiha Feng really encountered Obito in the future and Obito discovered the truth—
Black Zetsu considered that a minor problem. With Obito's intelligence, he could simply say that the one dealt with now was Uchiha Kaze, while the one encountered in the future was Uchiha Feng.
Mixed them up? Obito had obviously misheard.
"Hmph. Meddling in things that don't concern you."
The aloof "Madara" snorted and continued staring at the sky while striking his pose.
As for whether Black Zetsu had lied to him about this, the thought never even crossed his mind.
After all, he was the successor personally chosen by Madara Uchiha to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, while Black Zetsu was the embodiment of Madara's will.
Perhaps Black Zetsu might hide things from him in other matters, but how could the embodiment of Madara's will possibly sabotage something as important as exposing their identities and affecting Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan?
Black Zetsu should be even more worried than he was about affecting the Eye of the Moon Plan, so it was perfectly reasonable for him to personally eliminate the hidden danger. Besides, this was not the first time such a thing had happened.
"Yes, yes, I meddled in things that don't concern me.
"But I can only meddle in such trivial matters.
"As for Akatsuki, that requires you to handle personally.
"Nagato and the others have recruited the capable Kakuzu and Sasori. You need to hurry and recruit a few people as well.
"Otherwise, we'll have no say in Akatsuki in the future, and using Nagato will become very difficult."
Following Obito's words, Black Zetsu shifted the subject.
"Mm, I already have some targets.
"Jūzō Biwa, one of the former Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist from Kirigakure, is quite strong. I'll recruit him personally and make him our informant.
"Orochimaru, one of Konoha's former Sanin—Black Zetsu, find a way to let Nagato learn of his whereabouts, so he can recruit that cold, ambitious viper into Akatsuki himself."
Without noticing a thing, Obito had completely put the matter of Uchiha Feng behind him.
"Is that so? Good. I'll handle Orochimaru right away."
Black Zetsu agreed.
Then he swiftly sank into the ground and, somewhere completely out of Obito's sight, summoned a White Zetsu.
"You! Go watch the Fire Temple in the Land of Fire and see whether there's someone inside who resembles a Jinchūriki.
"If there is, come back and report directly to me. Don't tell Madara, understand?!"
"Yes!"
The newly appeared White Zetsu accepted the order and departed.
Only then did Black Zetsu slowly head toward the place where Orochimaru had been discovered.
For several consecutive days, Uchiha Feng deliberately had the Yin Nine-Tails in his mental space, as well as the reincarnated Rin Nohara, keep watch at night.
Yet every day, he slept peacefully until he woke naturally.
He could more or less conclude that Black Zetsu had been fooled by him, and that Obito had likely been successfully fooled by Black Zetsu as well.
Otherwise, Obito would not have let him sleep so peacefully.
Seeing that he was unlikely to be exposed anytime soon, Feng temporarily put aside his worries. He abandoned his plan to flee, hide away, and start over in another country, resuming the arduous training he had paused for several days.
After fighting White Zetsu and Black Zetsu in actual combat, Feng had developed further ideas regarding his training.
First, the Modified Great Fireball's Blazing Fireball Technique had far exceeded expectations, so he intensified his research into it.
Second was naturally the Flying Thunder God Technique, truly one of the finest ninjutsu in the Ninja World.
Although Feng was limited by his physical talent and could not perform as spectacularly as Minato Namikaze even after obtaining all of Minato's techniques for using the Flying Thunder God Technique—
—it was still more than enough for travel, maneuvering, survival, and showing off a little. Its usefulness surpassed ninety-nine percent of ninjutsu.
Thus, the Flying Thunder God was also the ninjutsu he devoted the most effort to.
Last was swordsmanship. Though it had not produced any dazzling performances in his battles against White Zetsu and Black Zetsu, neither had it put him at a disadvantage.
Furthermore, many of his future enemies—especially the Ōtsutsuki Clan—were immune to ordinary ninjutsu, strengthening his resolve to train swordsmanship diligently.
As for training in other areas, it was naturally important too, but it would only come after those three.
However, just as Feng was preparing to resume his arduous training, a visiting White Zetsu forced him to stop again.
"Mr. Feng, Lord Zetsu asked me to give you these three items and relay a few words.
"He has already verified what you said and stabilized Madara.
"Therefore, he will follow your proposal and leave each other alone. He also hopes you can do the same.
"Otherwise, the consequences will be more than you can bear."
Imitating Black Zetsu's tone, White Zetsu spoke eerily.
At the same time, it tossed Feng a package containing three wooden boxes.
Barring any surprises, the boxes should contain body parts from the Second Tsuchikage, the Third Raikage, and Might Duy.
"Hehe, since it has been confirmed, Zetsu still owes me one thing, doesn't he?"
Feng took the package and looked at White Zetsu with a smile.
"Mr. Feng, regarding luring either Yashiro Uchiha or Tekka Uchiha out of Konoha—
"Lord Zetsu has already begun making arrangements. There will be results within a month at most."
White Zetsu replied.
"Is that so? Then I'll await your good news.
"Also, tell Black Zetsu that from now on, we leave each other alone.
"Otherwise, I will bring about consequences worse than being unable to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi."
Feng spoke again, his words carrying a cold threat this time.
He was not talking nonsense this time. If Black Zetsu truly irritated him, he would not mind drawing out Ōtsutsuki Isshiki ahead of time and taking the Ninja World down with him.
"I will faithfully report this to Lord Zetsu. Then, Mr. Feng, farewell."
White Zetsu did not respond to Feng's threat.
After all, it was merely a tool. It was not up to it to decide how to respond.
Before you continue