In Konoha: Three Choices at the Start

Black Zetsu nodded. Tears had not stopped flowing from his eyes. This was the happiest day he had known in a thousand years.

"Enough. Get your expression under control. We've been here long enough. You should go back!"

"Okay! Whatever you say, Father!"

Black Zetsu wiped away his tears. In an instant, his grief gave way to a blank, sinister expression.

That acting was worthy of a Best Actor award. The Oscars owed him a statuette.

After leaving Black Zetsu in a corner of the Land of Rain, Liuyun slipped away.

Black Zetsu made a show of looking around. Once he was sure Liuyun was nowhere in sight, he flashed back to the dark tower.

"Nagato! I'm back!" Black Zetsu rose from the ground, his voice hoarse and his face still showing fear.

"Thanks for the effort!" The speaker was none other than Deva Yahiko.

"Has Uchiha Liuyun left?"

Black Zetsu feigned confusion. "Strange thing is, after I led him away, he kept chasing me!"

"Then his expression changed, as if something had happened, and he vanished!"

"Uchiha Liuyun must have run into trouble," Deva Yahiko said evenly.

"Probably. But who in the entire Shinobi World could make him react like that?"

Black Zetsu spoke again, his expression impossible to see through.

"To find the people behind you, of course!"

Ripples spread through space, and Liuyun stepped out with a smile.

"U—Uchiha Liuyun! You didn't leave?"

Black Zetsu's eyes went wide. Sweat beaded on his forehead.

Liuyun sighed inwardly. In his previous world, that performance would have earned Black Zetsu the right to teach acting.

As for why Liuyun had appeared here, it was to clear Black Zetsu of suspicion.

All he needed to do was cut off young, inexperienced Nagato's doubts about Black Zetsu. He and Black Zetsu had