Black Zetsu's outward identity was a creation Madara Uchiha had made using Yin-Yang Release. He represented Madara Uchiha's will and was an indispensable helper in assisting Obito with the Eye of the Moon Plan.
But his true identity was nothing of the sort-he was not Madara Uchiha's will!
He was the third son left behind by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, the progenitor of chakra, who had exhausted the last of her strength to create him before she was sealed!
Black Zetsu's purpose in staying beside Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha was not to carry out some Eye of the Moon Plan, either. It was to break the seal and rescue his mother, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki!
For this goal, he had spent a full thousand years scheming in the shinobi world!
Seducing Madara Uchiha, and even using Obito Uchiha now-every bit of it was part of his grand plan.
The conditions for breaking his mother's seal were extremely demanding. Not only did he need the Rinnegan, but he also needed to gather all nine tailed beasts and summon the Ten-Tails.
But now, Uchiha Gengetsu's appearance had completely thrown the situation into disarray.
"The Mangekyō Sharingan, and the First Hokage's Wood Release..."
Black Zetsu frantically calculated in his mind.
The strength Gengetsu had displayed was terrifying. Not only could he see through Obito's Kamui, but his Wood Release was even more powerful than Obito's.
If such a variable was left unchecked, he would undoubtedly become the greatest obstacle to reviving his mother.
However, another thought occurred to Black Zetsu, and his mind began working again.
Since Gengetsu was so powerful, why couldn't he make him part of his plan?
If he could have Gengetsu replace Obito, or use Gengetsu to collect the tailed beasts, the plan's chances of success would definitely multiply!
"But Uchiha Gengetsu is too arrogant, and too clever. Manipulating him won't be as simple as manipulating Obito."
Black Zetsu muttered as he pondered just what method he should use to draw Gengetsu into the game.
Konoha.
After the repairs over this period, the village had recovered from the destruction of the Nine-Tails' Rampage, and its streets had returned to their former bustle.
The Sarutobi Clan's compound.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura sat together, all wearing troubled expressions.
Ever since Gengetsu became the Fifth Hokage, these members of the Konoha High Command had been completely sidelined. They held no power whatsoever and could only hide here every day, sighing in despair.
They were deeply unwilling to accept this.
They were constantly thinking about how to take power back from Gengetsu.
But Gengetsu was too powerful, and he had the Uchiha Clan behind him.
For the time being, they truly had no good solution.
Just then, a man with long white hair, wearing a red coat and wooden clogs, leaped over the wall.
"Old man! Sure enough, you're here!"
"And the two advisers are here too!"
Without a doubt, this white-haired man was Jiraiya, one of the Konoha Sannin!
Seeing Jiraiya suddenly appear, Hiruzen Sarutobi and the other two froze for a moment before expressions of wild delight appeared on all their faces.
"Jiraiya! You're finally back!"
Utatane Koharu's and Mitokado Homura's eyes lit up as well.
In their eyes, Jiraiya was the Third Hokage's personal disciple and one of the Sannin renowned throughout the shinobi world. In seniority, reputation, and strength, he was absolutely qualified to compete with Uchiha Gengetsu for the position of Hokage!
As long as Jiraiya was willing to step forward, they could use his name to seize power over Konoha again!
However, Jiraiya paid no attention to their enthusiasm. Instead, he stared fixedly at his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Old man, I have just one question for you."
"Was Minato... really killed because of Danzo?!"
Jiraiya asked with an extremely grim expression.
Minato Namikaze was his disciple!
While traveling, Jiraiya had heard about the Nine-Tails' Rampage and Minato's death in battle. Deeply shocked, he had rushed madly back to Konoha through the night.
Yet on the way back, he had learned from other Konoha ninja that the culprit who released the Nine-Tails and caused Minato's death was actually Shimura Danzō, the leader of Konoha's Root!
Although Jiraiya had long known how dark the Konoha High Command was.
He had never imagined it could be this dark.
His disciple, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had not died at an enemy's hands, but at the hands of one of their own.
How could Jiraiya not be furious?!
Under Jiraiya's gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed before speaking.
"I don't know!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi truly did not know now.
From what he knew of Danzo, although Danzo acted in extreme ways and used sinister methods, everything he did was for Konoha. No matter how far he went, he would never release the Nine-Tails to destroy the village, much less cause the Hokage's death.
But the evidence Gengetsu had produced was too conclusive!
Danzo had implanted Hashirama cells and had an arm covered in Sharingan. Now he had even killed people, broken out of prison, and defected. All the blame had been pinned firmly on him, and there was no washing it away.
At Hiruzen Sarutobi's answer, Jiraiya's eyes filled with disappointment.
"Jiraiya, this isn't the time to discuss that!"
"We wanted you here so you could become Hokage!"
Utatane Koharu hurriedly stood up beside them, directly cutting off Jiraiya's questioning.
Mitokado Homura hurried to agree. "That's right! Only you can save Konoha now! That Uchiha Gengetsu is completely unsuited to being Hokage!"
"You have no idea how insane Uchiha Gengetsu is. He actually dared to go to the Daimyō's Residence and kill the Land of Fire's daimyo outright!"
"The Uchiha Clan is inherently evil. If we leave the village to him, Konoha will be finished sooner or later!"
The two took turns frantically listing Gengetsu's crimes, trying to pull Jiraiya into their camp.
Hearing that Gengetsu had killed the daimyo, Jiraiya raised his eyebrows slightly.
But as he looked at Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura before him, he felt even more disgusted.
Minato was dead, yet they cared neither about the truth nor about the killer. All they cared about was how to regain power!
"Enough!"
Jiraiya coldly interrupted them, his tone full of disdain.
"I have no interest whatsoever in becoming Hokage."
"I came back to Konoha only to investigate the cause of Minato's death, not to become some Hokage."
With that, Jiraiya turned around without hesitation.
"If there's nothing else, I'll go gather material."
With that, Jiraiya quickly left, as though fleeing.
Watching Jiraiya leave, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura stamped their feet anxiously.
"Well... Sarutobi, what do we do now?!"
"Jiraiya doesn't seem to want to become Hokage at all. What about our plan?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep draw on his pipe, exhaled a thick cloud of smoke, and then said:
"Don't rush."
"You know what Jiraiya is like. He's just still angry right now. Once he calms down, I'll go and talk him around. He loves Konoha, after all."
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