"..."
Black Zetsu fell into a deafening silence.
Madara Uchiha's set jaw suddenly relaxed. The corner of his mouth lifted. "Does it take that long to think? Then what about Nagato?"
"..."
Black Zetsu swallowed hard. "Nagato... betrayed the Eye of the Moon Plan. He's approaching the hideout now, and he means us harm..."
"Oh?"
Madara Uchiha raised an eyebrow, unconcerned. "And Obito?"
"..."
Black Zetsu felt numb. "Obito had a bit of an accident. He's in surgery now. It'll be about three months before he recovers."
Crack.
Madara Uchiha tilted his head slightly. A flicker of emotion disturbed his otherwise impassive gaze.
His voice held a trace of puzzlement. "So you botched everything and decided to... bring me back with Impure World Reincarnation?"
"..."
"..."
Whoosh—
The night wind was cold.
Black Zetsu's heart was colder.
Fortunately,
Kabuto Yakushi spoke up, though his voice sounded stiff. "Lord Madara, I prepared your Impure World Reincarnation especially for you. This body can wield even greater power than you had in your prime!"
"Oh," Madara Uchiha said, flexing his fingers into a fist. "Have you... seen me in my prime?"
Kabuto Yakushi shook his head. "No. So please, show me the legendary power of the Uchiha."
Whoosh!
A dark streak shot in from the distance.
Its target—Black Zetsu!
A savage gleam flashed across Madara Uchiha's cracked, reincarnated face. He raised a hand and knocked it away.
The next instant,
a figure appeared before him with a whoosh, a sweeping kick hurtling toward the side of Madara Uchiha's face with a terrifying howl!
Fist met leg.
The rock beneath them shattered layer by layer. Cracks spread like a spiderweb, and fragments flew!
Boom—!
A shock wave swept outward!
They sprang apart as quickly as they had clashed!
Madara Uchiha expressionlessly brushed dust from