It was over... everything was over...
Obito and the others had yet to return. Distant water could not put out a fire at his feet.
Kirigakure's defenses were as flimsy as paper before Sasuke with his Mangekyō Sharingan activated. And in his own half-baked state of possession, Black Zetsu would struggle even to escape, let alone fight back.
With his pitiful power, capable only of possessing others and weaving schemes, how could he escape these two harbingers of death?
For that matter, how could he preserve this precious body belonging to Uchiha Itachi, which he had gone to such lengths to obtain?
Undisguised despair covered Black Zetsu's face.
It was the helplessness and terror of someone whose plans had utterly collapsed, whose trump cards were gone, and who faced the crushing weight of absolute power.
Amid that despair, his instinct to survive drove him to make an attempt that even he found absurd.
Controlling Itachi's body, Black Zetsu forced a stiff, strained smile with a hint of pleading and addressed Sasuke, who stood at the doorway radiating murderous intent:
"Sasuke Uchiha... can... can we make peace?"
As though he had heard the funniest joke in the world, Sasuke tilted his head slightly. Beneath his bamboo hat, his lips curled into a mocking smile.
"Hah?"
He gave a short, contemptuous scoff. "You've got to be kidding!"
Before his words had faded, he sharply raised the still-dripping Ninja Blade in his hand, pointing its edge straight at Black Zetsu inside the office.
An icy killing intent spread through the room, almost tangible, shredding the ridiculous notion of "making peace."
"Sparing your life is easy. Bring Uchiha Itachi back to life and let me kill him first!"
The next instant, Sasuke shot toward Black Zetsu like an arrow loosed from a bow, carrying