Black Zetsu Makes His Move

"These things don't seem human." Uchiha Yi held up a White Zetsu Clone and examined it. "They're more like plants. They don't even have internal organs."

Tsunade nodded gravely. In the end, she did not tell Uchiha Yi and the others that these might be products of Konoha's Wood Release Experiment.

It was not that she distrusted Uchiha Yi. He was simply too young to be exposed to such filthy business, and she could not be sure how it might affect him.

Tsunade decided to protect the children's innocence. Until they turned fifteen, she would not let them learn about the village's dark side.

And the truly dark part of the village was her Second Grandfather, Tobirama Senju!

Besides, they had outsiders with them. It would hardly do to let the Noble and the Samurai learn about this.

She took out a Storage Scroll and sealed away all the White Zetsu bodies. She suspected they might be products of Wood Release research, and that these White Zetsu might not have come to harm them. Perhaps they had come to protect them—no, more precisely, to watch them.

Had Kushina Uzumaki not said these things harbored ill will toward them?

This could not possibly be Hiruzen Sarutobi's doing. The only person Tsunade could think of was Shimura Danzō.

That bastard Danzo was up to no good, as expected. Her Second Grandfather had been right not to make him Hokage.

"Let's put these things away for now and take them out when we return to the village," Tsunade explained quietly. Once she got back, she was determined to make her teacher rein in Shimura Danzō.

If Shimura Danzō had a team capable of hiding even from the Byakugan, would anyone have any privacy left?

"Are we still going through with the mission? I can't shake the feeling something's going to happen," Uchiha Yi said. He did not know what Tsunade suspected, but he strongly suspected Madara Uchiha was plotting something.

If Madara Uchiha really made a move, their entire group was finished.

"We've come this far. It isn't up to us to back out." Tsunade glanced pointedly at the Noble's carriage nearby, then said lightly, "Besides, Kushina can sense them, so it shouldn't be much of a problem.

"And we still have the seniors with us, don't we?

"As long as no one exceptionally powerful makes a move, we'll be fine. And why would Ninja like that act on a whim?"

"All right." Uchiha Yi could hardly tell her about Madara Uchiha. Besides, deep down, he was excited for the fight ahead.

"The Cloud Shinobi have learned about Kushina Uzumaki and Hyuga Rinka," a White Zetsu reported to Black Zetsu. "They're heading toward Tsunade's group."

When Madara Uchiha was away, Black Zetsu spoke for him. Of course, even when Madara Uchiha was present, only Black Zetsu and the White Zetsu knew which of them the White Zetsu truly obeyed.

"Good. Looks like a shinobi war is about to begin." Black Zetsu smiled. The Rinnegan had awakened. It would not be long before he could rescue his mother.

Before that, though, he needed to weaken the Shinobi World as much as possible.

He also needed to test whether his two elder brothers had left any contingencies in the Shinobi World. The Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki Clan all needed probing. Oh, and the Hyuga too. He wondered how those Ōtsutsuki on the moon were doing.

The Uzumaki Clan was all but gone now, making the Senju and Uchiha his primary targets.

So the key was still to target Konoha!

Black Zetsu's expression suddenly changed. "The White Zetsu following Kushina Uzumaki have been discovered," he said hoarsely. "It must have something to do with the Nine-Tails.

"Mito Uzumaki is still alive. It seems she gave Kushina Uzumaki some Nine-Tails Chakra.

"That girl really is exceptionally gifted."

Even Black Zetsu had to admit how remarkable Kushina Uzumaki was. Not just anyone could withstand Nine-Tails Chakra.

That remained true even after Mito Uzumaki had refined the chakra.

If Kushina Uzumaki was allowed to keep growing stronger, she might become another Mito Uzumaki. Then they would still be unable to get White Zetsu into Konoha.

He had to make sure the Cloud Shinobi abducted Kushina Uzumaki. It could spark a war across the Shinobi World, too.

If the Cloud Shinobi killed the Uchiha's top prodigy, abducted the backup Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, stole a Byakugan, and gravely wounded Hashirama Senju's granddaughter, and Konoha still did nothing, then Black Zetsu would call Hiruzen Sarutobi the most patient man in the Shinobi World. He would even call him the Shinobi Hero.

"Once the two sides start fighting, have the White Zetsu help the Cloud Shinobi. Keep those Anbu occupied." Black Zetsu gave the White Zetsu beside him the order as the thought occurred to him.

Uchiha Yi had no idea Black Zetsu had set his sights on them again—or rather, that Black Zetsu had never stopped watching them. He was determined to destroy them. Somehow, Kushina Uzumaki had become everyone's prize.

It was a tremendous challenge for Uchiha Yi as well. While escorting the Noble to the Daimyo's Residence, they usually rode in the carriage, giving him more time to rest and train. A Noble did not travel as quickly as a Ninja, after all. If the journey from the Land of Rivers to the Land of Fire's Daimyo's Residence took less than a month, the Land of Fire would be embarrassed.

Would that not make the Land of Fire look small?

At last, the Battle Space's monthly refresh arrived.

White Zetsu!

Hinata during the Fourth Shinobi World War!

Mifune at the Five Kage Summit!

Tobirama Senju in his youth!

Uchiha Yi's eyes lit up at the four names that appeared in the Battle Space this time.

One glance was enough to tell him he could not beat Mifune. At the time of the Five Kage Summit, Mifune was unquestionably a Kage Level fighter, probably even stronger than Hatake Sakumo was now.

Uchiha Yi had fought Hatake Sakumo before. Frankly, he was nowhere near a match for him yet.

As for White Zetsu, Uchiha Yi was confident he could handle him. Unless it was that special White Zetsu, he could take on any of them.

He could not remember whether Hinata had been a Jonin or a Chunin during the Fourth Shinobi World War. Chunin seemed more likely.

Hinata was a textbook case of someone with talent who had never fully shown it.