The God Tree dissolved into specks of starlight and vanished, as though it had never appeared in this world.
Mirai dusted himself off and flexed his wrist. The golden glow of Nine-Tails Chakra Mode slowly faded.
"Hey, Black Zetsu."
Black Zetsu froze.
"Y-you... you, you—"
"What about me?"
Mirai tilted his head. "Your Lord Madara ran off and took the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path with him. What do you think that means for you?"
Black Zetsu fell silent for two seconds. Then he twisted his body, dropped to his knees, and bowed until his head touched the ground.
"Lord Mirai Uzumaki, I was forced into all of this! I'm just Lord Madara's—no, Madara Uchiha's creation! I had no power to resist him!"
Black Zetsu had survived for a thousand years. He knew when to swallow his pride!
So what if he had to kneel and beg? As long as he could rescue his mother, it would all be worth it.
He looked up to gauge Mirai Uzumaki's reaction to his plea, only to find a faint, knowing smile.
Then he heard Mirai Uzumaki speak. "Black Zetsu. Created by Kaguya Otsutsuki with Yin-Yang Release a thousand years ago, you altered the Uchiha Clan's stone tablet to trick Madara Uchiha into carrying out the Eye of the Moon Plan. Your real goal was to free Kaguya Otsutsuki from her prison in the moon. Did I get that right?"
Black Zetsu had broken into a cold sweat the moment he heard Kaguya Otsutsuki's name.
Terror filled his face. Now that his secrets had been exposed, there was no point pretending anymore.
"Who... who are you?! How do you know?!" Fear rasped through Black Zetsu's voice.
This was his deepest secret. No one should have known.
A slight smile curved Mirai's lips.