Black Zetsu spoke softly:
"Nagato."
"Did you really think those eyes were yours?"
Nagato frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Black Zetsu did not answer. He merely raised his hands slowly and began forming hand seals.
It was an exceedingly strange seal, one that had never appeared in any school.
A sudden sense of danger flared in Nagato's heart. He was just about to stop him-
Buzzz!!!
An agonizing pain suddenly shot through his left eye!
It was not the pain of an external wound, nor was it like the pain of having his eye taken by "Genbu" three years ago. It felt as though his soul were being torn apart!
"Aaaah-!!!"
Nagato clutched his left eye and screamed, falling from midair and slamming into the ground!
He could distinctly feel the Rinnegan in his left eye slipping out of his control!
"No... impossible...!"
Nagato roared, his single eye fixed on Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu slowly lowered his hands, his yellow eyes filled with mockery:
"Surprised?"
"Why do you think Madara Uchiha chose you? What made an orphan of the Uzumaki Clan capable of bearing the Rinnegan?"
He approached Nagato step by step, his voice like a venomous snake's whisper:
"Because he planted a backdoor in these eyes from the very beginning."
"Whenever I wish, I can-"
Black Zetsu formed hand seals again.
"Take them back."
Splurt-!!
A cloud of blood suddenly burst from Nagato's left eye. A purple Rinnegan flew out of its socket and hovered in midair!
Then several thin black threads extended from the eye's stalk, writhing like living things!
Black Zetsu raised his hand, and the Rinnegan slowly flew toward him, settling into his palm.
Nagato collapsed on the ground. Beside his empty right eye socket was another bloody hollow, and blood streamed down his cheeks, staining