Had Madara Uchiha recovered?
Training in the distance, Shisui felt a distinct sense of unease. If Madara had regained his youth, Shisui's own value to him would be drastically diminished. Initially, Shisui had been confident he was safe, but now…
A knot formed in his stomach.
If Madara decided he was annoyed, Shisui might very well be sent to join the Uchiha martyrs.
His mind began to race, calculating the best way to ensure his own survival.
'First, I have to play to his ego,' Shisui thought.
He pretended not to notice the change immediately, waiting until Madara finished his raucous laughter before "secretly" hurrying over. He saw that Madara had transformed from a withered husk into a man in his fifties. Although he still looked aged, he no longer required the life-support tube connected to the statue behind him.
Seeing him recover even a fraction of his vitality, Shisui's eyes lit up. He adopted an expression of pure worship and ecstasy.
"Shisui? Are you finished with your training?"
"Madara-sama, I have mastered the Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu. I am here to ask for your guidance on the next step." Shisui bowed respectfully.
He showed even more reverence than before, at least on the surface. In reality, with his natural chakra reserves, a five-year-old shouldn't be able to utilize a high-consumption ninjutsu like the Great Fireball. However, after the transplant of Hashirama Cells, his chakra levels had spiked significantly, making the feat possible.
"Very good."
Madara was pleased.
Although Shisui was young, his talent was undeniable. In this regard, Black Zetsu hadn't chosen the wrong candidate. As for his ideology… despite the education provided during this period, Shisui didn't quite subscribe to Madara's philosophy of peace. However, he clearly held great respect and admiration for Madara's status.
"For the next step, we will pause ninjutsu training. You need to further strengthen your genjutsu. Let me demonstrate…"
The corners of Madara's mouth quirked upward.
As soon as he finished speaking, the tomoe in his eyes spun rapidly. In an instant, Shisui was dragged into a genjutsu.
What Shisui saw was his clan's compound engulfed in raging flames. He saw his kinsmen wailing in agony and Konoha ninjas wielding butcher knives. Above it all stood the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, watching the slaughter with a cold, indifferent expression.
It was fake, of course. These were the only methods Madara had left, cheap tricks that could only fool a child.
Although Shisui was physically only five, his mind was far more mature than his body suggested. He was not a typical child, so Madara's attempt to manipulate him with such imagery was destined to fail.
But Shisui kept acting.
Madara, however, didn't pay it much mind. He had recovered enough vitality to move on his own, so he no longer needed to fixate on Shisui's growth. Of course, if the boy could be molded into a pawn, that would be ideal.
Shisui had talent. He was worth the effort.
Once Black Zetsu confirmed the process was working, he immediately departed for the Land of Wind.
--**--**
"Meow~ Nothing in this area. Is Black Zetsu really hiding in a hole somewhere? Or did they finish everything in the month or so I was gone?"
Takeshi felt a bit puzzled.
Given Madara's previous state, surviving on a single tube, if Black Zetsu didn't make a move, Takeshi was afraid he'd end up raiding their base himself. Was the creature really still just hiding there? But on second thought...
It made sense.
How could Black Zetsu know that Takeshi now possessed the Six Paths Mode? He was probably still dreaming of being invincible under the sky once he woke up alongside Madara, unaware that by the time they resurfaced, the era would have long since changed.
Of course, the strong remained strong.
Madara's power wouldn't diminish just because time passed. Even after several decades, there were still only a handful of ninjas at his level, assuming Takeshi hadn't appeared, that is.
Takeshi drifted through the sky.
He was currently hovering near the border of the Land of Fire. He didn't know exactly where Madara was hiding, so he could only search randomly, following faint trails. There had been signs of White Zetsu activity in this area.
He followed the traces.
Before long, he spotted significant ninja activity near Kusagakure Village.
'What's the situation?'
Takeshi descended a bit lower and spotted Kono Osamu leading a group of men, wandering aimlessly.
Kono looked much older now, stripped of his former high spirits. The reality of the Third Great Ninja War had likely dealt a crushing blow to this member of the anti-Konoha faction. He had lost his dreams and become a total slacker, a lazy bum.
But...
'What are they blindly searching for out here?'
Curious, Takeshi dropped lower.
A ninja noticed him and quickly signaled a warning. Immediately, every Kusagakure ninja turned their gaze toward the sky.
A black cat?
The Kidnapper of Konoha!
Many eyes shifted to Kono. No matter how they thought about it, this cat seemed like the most plausible culprit.
Kono frowned slightly. He took a deep breath, bowed low, and shouted, "Takeshi-sama! Is it convenient for you to come down and talk?"
"Meow~"
Takeshi descended. Halfway down, his body expanded, becoming incredibly massive.
An entrance didn't need to be handsome, but it absolutely required style.
After landing with a heavy thud, he looked down at the Kusa-nins.
"Ninjas of Kusagakure. Do you have business with a Sage like me?"
"..."
'Sage?'
The corner of Kono's mouth twitched. The image of a certain white-haired pervert who had extorted them under the guise of selling books involuntarily floated into his mind.
As expected of Konoha shinobi, they all spoke the same way.
He took another deep breath and bowed again. "I apologize for Kusagakure's previous betrayal. Our village has already paid the price for that. However... recently, an important Anbu ninja from our village went missing. I wonder if you could..."
"Missing, huh? That's... Meow? You lot don't suspect 'I' did it, do you?" Takeshi's eyes instantly narrowed dangerously.
He scanned the crowd. The Kusa-nins absolutely thought he did it. None of them dared to meet his gaze; their evasion screamed of a guilty conscience.
Honestly, one couldn't blame them.
Who was the biggest kidnapper in the ninja world? The Konoha kidnapper duo.
Who was the prime suspect capable of silently snatching people away without a trace?
A ninja who mastered Spatial Ninjutsu.
The Konoha kidnapper duo.
In short, setting aside Konoha's own bias, any outsider would immediately think of the Konoha kidnapper duo, especially since Takeshi just happened to appear near Kusagakure right after the incident.
It was impossible for them not to make the connection.
But Takeshi was just passing by. He wasn't about to carry the blame for this mess.
Connecting the dots with the traces of White Zetsu activity, the true culprit's identity clicked in his mind instantly. 'Black Zetsu... it's no one but you!'
But why did Black Zetsu capture a Kusagakure ninja? Takeshi couldn't recall for a moment. After all, Naruto was an anime from a long time ago. He couldn't remember every minute detail, and forgetting minor plot points was normal. So, Takeshi held back his temper and asked in a low voice, "What happened? Who was taken?"
"It... it was a Kekkei Genkai ninja from our village," Kono said, reluctant to reveal the full truth.
'Resurrection.'
It was an ability anyone would covet. For years, ninjas of that specific clan had been strictly protected by Kusagakure from birth, their purpose to prevent their bloodline, and their village's secrets, from flowing outward.
Takeshi asking so directly left Kono unsure of how to answer.
"Meow~ I probably know who did it. A child from Konoha was also abducted recently."
"Huh?"
Kono's eyes widened in disbelief. A thief had raided the bandit's den? If word of this got out, who would believe it?
"It's true, meow. If you don't believe me, you can go to Konoha and ask."
Takeshi waved a giant paw, shrinking his body back down to roughly the size of a human. He couldn't be bothered to waste words with Kono.
"Besides," Takeshi added lazily, "if I wanted to capture your village's ninjas, would I need to sneak around? If I came directly to your front door, who among you could stop me? Who in the ninja world would dare say a word?"
'Takeshi-sama, you really don't mince words...'
The Kusa-nins were left speechless. They realized that if Takeshi had simply stormed in to grab someone, they would have had no recourse other than anger and useless protests.
Call on the nations to unite against Konoha?
Don't joke around. The four great ninja villages had just been crushed. What was a small village like Kusagakure going to do against Konoha?
Kono accepted the cold reality. He grit his teeth and said, "It is a Kekkei Genkai capable of resurrecting others."
Takeshi was confused for a moment, but then memories surged to the surface.
'It seems... there really was something like that.'
But unlike the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu, Kusagakure's technique seemed more akin to the One's Own Life Reincarnation Jutsu. It was a ninjutsu that shared life force.
'Dammit, no wonder Black Zetsu made a move.'
'Wait... that means Chiyo is done for, too.' Once Black Zetsu started acting, he didn't care who you were or which village you belonged to.
"Contact Konoha for the specific details. I have something to do, so I'm leaving first."
*Whoosh.*
Takeshi vanished using the Flying Thunder God.
Although Chiyo was strong, Black Zetsu's mental control was formidable. If he coordinated with White Zetsu, even a veteran like Chiyo wouldn't be able to withstand it.
===============
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