"Yes. After you left, I... was chosen as a [Guardian] and shared the injuries. I wanted to refuse, but that voice mentioned [Rinnegan skills]. I thought that was what you wanted, Father, so I agreed."
Yin faltered strangely as he spoke, his expression shifting.
"I, I didn't listen. I didn't stay here until you came back. I took a risk and went outside. I'm sorry about that, Father..."
Yin pressed his fingertips together and offered a quiet explanation, looking uneasy.
Black Zetsu fell silent for a moment. The child's expression practically screamed, "I'm hiding something from you."
Yin wouldn't apologize over something so trivial. Whatever he was hiding had to be something else.
Black Zetsu studied his expression closely, then praised him without betraying anything. "No, Yin, you did very well!"
Perhaps the joy was simply too overwhelming for Black Zetsu's face to process. He wore a wooden expression, merely speaking in a low voice.
He looked at the Rinnegan and set aside that oddity for now.
Compared to Yin's strange behavior, the Rinnegan mattered more.
Looking at the Rinnegan within arm's reach, Black Zetsu's fingertips trembled. He desperately wanted to pluck them out and take them away.
But he didn't dare.
Two freshly produced, weighty pairs of Rinnegan had vanished from his palms before. That horrifying, bizarre experience had left Black Zetsu with a touch of PTSD, making him unable to trust the method of removing them for safekeeping anymore.
He would take the boy along instead. That would be safer.
Black Zetsu gave Yin some basic treatment. Hearing the growing commotion outside, he realized Konoha's main forces might soon arrive.
Despite all the upheaval outside Konoha, little time had actually passed. From [Black Zetsu]'s appearance to Hashirama Senju's arrival as reinforcements, it hadn't been long at all. Konoha