"The current generation of the Uchiha seems quite promising, especially this Shisui. He has quite the talent," thought Black Zetsu, concealing his presence in the shadows as he observed Shisui unleashing Susano'o to suppress the Three-Tails. He contemplated using Shisui as a pawn to further his millennium-long plan to resurrect his mother, Kaguya Otsutsuki.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, the Uchiha clan made perfect pawns. Their extreme personalities and self-centeredness made them easy to manipulate. Moreover, such traits accelerated the evolution of their Sharingan, enhancing their power.
However, as Black Zetsu schemed how to use Shisui, the situation suddenly changed. Obito prepared to attack Shisui but was intercepted by the sudden appearance of Nagasawa, who nullified Obito's Kamui and pinned him to the ground.
Black Zetsu was shaken, unable to comprehend how Nagasawa had appeared so silently and effectively. Fearing for his safety, Black Zetsu used the Mayfly Technique to escape underground, quickly fleeing the Hidden Mist Village without hesitation. Saving Obito was out of the question; being within a kilometer of Nagasawa made Black Zetsu's heart race with fear, lest he be discovered and killed.
Unlike those ignorant of the true extent of ninja power, Black Zetsu had lived through the era of the Sage of the Six Paths. He had witnessed unparalleled power every five hundred years or so, though none had reached the level of the Sage of the Six Paths, with the closest being Hashirama Senju.
Black Zetsu knew that even if Madara had awakened the Rinnegan in his prime, he might not have reached that level due to his advanced age. In Black Zetsu's eyes, Nagasawa's strength was akin to the reincarnation of the Sage of the Six Paths, already surpassing Hashirama and reaching a different realm entirely. Nagasawa may become a second Sage of the Six Paths after a few more years.
Knowing this, Black Zetsu had no intention of continuing his plans under Nagasawa's watchful eye. He prioritized his survival, believing that as long as he lived, he could always find another Uchiha Madara to revive his mother.
After fleeing to the edge of the Land of Water, Black Zetsu emerged in a forest, reflecting on the recent events.
"Why did Fujiwara Nagasawa appear in the Land of Water so suddenly and silently?" Black Zetsu pondered, perplexed. "Did Obito reveal something unknowingly? Does this world hold secrets even I am unaware of?"
Black Zetsu prided himself on knowing almost everything about the ninja world, thanks to his long life and the White Zetsu's formidable information-gathering capabilities. However, Nagasawa's emergence made Black Zetsu feel out of touch and nearly ignorant.
"With Obito's capture, I must reconsider the Moon Eye Plan." Black Zetsu fled the Land of Water while formulating a new strategy. He believed Obito wouldn't reveal their plans under torture, given his deep-seated belief that the world was cursed and he was its savior.
Still, Black Zetsu planned for the worst-case scenario: Obito failing to resist torture and being read by Konoha's intelligence experts. To preempt any fallout, he relocated the Akatsuki's base and accelerated their plans.
In the worst-case scenario, even if Konoha learned of the Moon Eye Plan and Madara's involvement, Black Zetsu believed they could relocate the base and continue their work.
It may be time to implement my plan with Nagato. As a member of the Uzumaki clan and a descendant of the Otsutsuki, he has the potential to wield incredible power. I must prepare him to face Nagasawa."
Returning to the Akatsuki, Black Zetsu resolved to manipulate Nagato, ensuring the plan's continuity. He wouldn't inform Nagato of Obito's capture, maintaining the facade of Uchiha Madara's unassailable might. Instead, he would give Nagato methods to strengthen himself, presenting them as Madara's strategies.
As long as Nagato believed in his vision of a peaceful new world, he would inevitably clash with Nagasawa, who represented a formidable obstacle. Enhancing Nagato's power, capturing the tailed beasts, and eventually reviving Madara and executing the Infinite Tsukuyomi—all these steps were crucial to Black Zetsu's ultimate goal of resurrecting Kaguya.
As he hastened towards the Akatsuki's base, Black Zetsu remained resolute in his conviction. Only by reviving Kaguya would he be free from the shadow of Nagasawa's overwhelming power.
...
"Now that we've discussed everything, let's head back. After all, I'm the proctor for the third stage of the exam. Relying solely on my shadow clone isn't ideal," Nagasawa suggested, seeing that Minato and Obito had finished their conversation.
"Yes, we should return," Minato agreed. As Hokage, he needed to attend the Chūnin Exams to represent Konoha and oversee the proceedings. Though Konoha's dominance had already been established, his presence would reinforce their authority.
"I'll stay here and observe the changes in Konoha. I'll return when the exams are over," Obito suggested.
"There's nothing special to see. You have plenty of time to explore later. For now, join us and watch the exams. Meet the new generation of talented ninjas. From now on, you're no longer a savior of a new world but a Konoha Chūnin named Uchiha Obito," Nagasawa insisted, refusing to let Obito stay behind.
Before Obito could respond, Nagasawa left a Flying Thunder God kunai behind and used the technique to retrieve an ANBU uniform for Obito. In Konoha, only ANBU could wear masks openly. The patrol units would question anyone else.
Seeing the uniform, Obito knew he had no choice but to comply.
After changing their uniform, Obito, Minato, and Nagasawa returned to the Chūnin Exam arena. Nagasawa dispatched an ANBU to replace his shadow clone before entering.
Since the upper levels of the arena were occupied by village leaders and high-ranking officials, having an ANBU member suddenly join them would be conspicuous. Nagasawa directed Obito to the lower levels, where he could blend in with the other ANBU members guarding the perimeter.
As they arrived, the third match had just concluded.
"The winner of the third match is Takuya from Sunagakure, who advances to the semifinals," Kakashi announced.
"Kakashi, you've changed..." Obito muttered, observing Kakashi from the audience. His keen eyesight allowed him to see even the slightest details.
Before the Nine-Tails' attack, Obito had often visited Rin's grave, frequently encountering Kakashi. But after the attack, fearing Nagasawa's overwhelming power, Obito had avoided Konoha for over three years.
Even from a glance, Obito noticed significant changes in Kakashi. The mask remained, but his eyes no longer resembled lifeless, dead fish eyes. Instead, they shone with vigor, though there was still a hint of laziness in his demeanor.
"Next match: Arik vs. Uchiha Itachi," Kakashi announced, signaling the start of the quarterfinals' last match.