Chapter 316: The Truth About Black Zetsu — Kaguya's Hidden Son
"As the third son of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, and the younger brother of Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo, why do you always hide in the shadows like a coward?"
Silence.
A deathly silence fell over the battlefield.
Not only the scene itself—but the entire shinobi world watching through the live broadcast—was struck dumb.
No one could believe what they had just heard.
The Fifth Hokage — Uchiha Yuta — had publicly declared that Black Zetsu was the third son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, and the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths.
What kind of revelation was that?!
If someone else had said such a thing, no one would have believed it.
But since those words came from Uchiha Yuta's mouth—
no one dared to doubt it.
After all, this was the man who had rewritten the fate of the Uchiha clan, defeated Madara, and humiliated the Great Toad Sage.
If he said it… it had to be true.
But still—
"He's the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths?!"
"Then why… why does he look like that?!"
"Humans don't look like that, ghosts don't look like that either. He's… hideous!"
"Seriously! If he's Kaguya's son, why's he hiding in Akatsuki as some creepy shadow thing?!"
The shinobi alliance couldn't stop murmuring in disbelief.
It was shocking enough that Black Zetsu had lived since the Sage of Six Paths' era—but to think he was part of the Ōtsutsuki lineage itself?
That was terrifying.
"What did he say?!"
"Black Zetsu… the younger brother of the Sage of Six Paths?"
"That's impossible, right?!"
"But it's the Fifth Hokage saying it! Uchiha Yuta doesn't lie!"
"Then that means… in addition to the Great Toad Sage and Uchiha Madara, there's another hidden boss in the Ninja Alliance?!"
People everywhere trembled as realization dawned.
If Black Zetsu really was Kaguya's son, then he must have lived since the dawn of chakra itself.
That was a level of existence beyond comprehension.
Even the Great Toad Sage, who had been trading blows with Uchiha Madara, was momentarily stunned.
He turned his wrinkled face toward Madara, his lips curling slightly.
"Uchiha Madara," the Great Toad Sage said slowly, "your subordinate… hides quite the secret.
Tell me, did you know that Black Zetsu is the son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?"
Buzz!
As his voice echoed, the Great Toad Sage released an even stronger surge of natural energy, a visible aura of power pressing down on the battlefield.
His tone dripped with mockery, as though daring Madara to deny it.
"...Hmph."
Madara snorted coldly, but his expression betrayed a flicker of shock.
He quickly suppressed his chakra, not wanting to clash head-on with the Great Toad Sage again.
After all, the Fifth Hokage was still watching — and he wasn't about to make himself a bigger fool.
"Ha ha ha ha…"
Seeing Madara back down, the Great Toad Sage burst into a proud laugh.
"Uchiha Madara, is that all you amount to? You didn't even know the true identity of your own subordinate! Pathetic. Truly embarrassing for someone who calls himself a god."
"Don't get ahead of yourself," Madara replied darkly, his eyes narrowing.
"If it weren't for my concern that you and I would only weaken each other for the Fifth Hokage to reap the benefits, do you think I'd be avoiding you?"
His tone was defiant, but deep inside—Madara's heart was in turmoil.
Because he had just tried to probe Black Zetsu with his own chakra—and failed completely.
He couldn't control him.
The realization hit like a lightning bolt.
All this time, he had believed that Black Zetsu and White Zetsu were born from his own will.
That they were his creations—extensions of his vision for peace.
But now…
That was a lie.
Everything was a lie.
Black Zetsu was no creation of his will.
He was the third son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, a being older than Madara himself.
And yet, he had hidden beneath Madara's feet, manipulating him all along.
Madara clenched his fists, fury and disbelief mixing in his eyes.
"Why…" he muttered under his breath. "Why would a being like that… serve me?"
---
The Great Toad Sage folded his arms, a faintly smug look on his face.
"Very well. I'll let you handle your own mess, Uchiha Madara. I'll be watching to see how you deal with your subordinate now."
In truth, though, a trace of unease crossed the ancient sage's heart.
He was wondering the same question everyone else was—
How did the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Yuta, know all this?
Even he, the Great Toad Sage who had lived for thousands of years, had never heard of a "third son" of Kaguya.
If this was true… then that meant the Sage of Six Paths and Hamura had deliberately hidden their brother's existence.
But why?
And why was this mysterious brother lurking in the shadows for millennia, manipulating world events?
An ominous premonition flickered in the Great Toad Sage's mind.
Could it be… even Hagoromo himself was part of the same cycle of manipulation?
Just like his sons—Indra and Asura—had been pawns in a never-ending game…
---
"What?! Black Zetsu is Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's third son?!"
"Then doesn't that mean… he's been alive since before chakra even existed?!"
"Incredible! If he joins us, maybe the Ninja Alliance still has hope!"
At that, the various Kage—
Ōnoki, the Fourth Raikage A, and even the Edo Tensei-revived First and Second Tsuchikage and Raikage—
all exchanged shocked looks.
For a moment, a spark of hope returned to their eyes.
"Could it be… salvation has come?"
"Maybe… the Fifth Hokage can't win this time after all!"
Their hearts swelled with cautious optimism.
After all—if Black Zetsu, the son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and brother to the Sage of Six Paths, truly revealed his power—
then even the mighty Uchiha Yuta might finally face a worthy opponent.
And so, as the world watched, the legend of the Fifth Hokage grew ever deeper…
and the shadow of Kaguya's lineage stretched once more across the shinobi world.
---