Just as the Shinobi World had finished the Fourth Shinobi World War and the villages were all recuperating.
In a gloomy mountain range.
Black Zetsu emerged from the earth with dozens of White Zetsu, poking their heads out.
"I finally found you."
Black Zetsu sighed over how difficult it had been to find this "person."
To be honest, over a thousand years, seas had become fields, and the Shinobi World's terrain had changed beyond recognition.
Compared to the bygone age of samurai, shinobi were undoubtedly terrifying in their ability to alter the landscape.
Even weaker shinobi could burn down an entire forest with a single blast of Fire Release.
Stronger shinobi could destroy mountain peaks.
And beings like Hashirama and Madara, who stood at the pinnacle of shinobi, could destroy mountain ranges with a wave of their hands. They could rightly be called terrain destroyers.
Fortunately, though, Black Zetsu remembered the approximate location.
And this place had been lucky enough not to suffer any major damage. Even the coffin buried underground remained intact.
"Start digging."
Black Zetsu waved a hand, and the dozens of White Zetsu behind him began fusing together, their shapes grotesquely distorted, like some sort of stitched-together monsters.
Several White Zetsu bodies served as shovels, then began scooping up the soil underground under the control of their bodies.
Watching the White Zetsu working efficiently before him, Black Zetsu looked satisfied, but that expression vanished in an instant.
"Damn Uchiha Itachi. Damn Tobirama Senju."
Black Zetsu looked around the sinister surroundings, his eyes brimming with fury.
The Rinnegan was gone, and so were his research materials.
He would have to work out many of the technique formulas again from scratch.
Resigned, he called Tobi over.
"Make me a chair and a table."
"Oh, got it."
Tobi was visibly