Black Zetsu was hidden in the shadows no longer.
After so many centuries of watching and planning, it was finally time to act.
Even now, he watched that fool Obito Uchiha jump around and train himself.
A most unstable tool, that one — one he needed to control firmly. That was why he had made an appearance himself.
After all, after countless years, he was finally getting close. The most important key was already in his hands.
Oh, how he had waited — how he had planned and schemed — to finally get his hands on a pair of Rinnegan.
He had been close a few times, all the way back when the Uchiha Clan had been mighty rulers of vast lands. Back then, the blood of his beloved mother was still strong in their veins, allowing them to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
Only one step away from becoming the Rinnegan he needed. But not a single person achieved it; clearly, something was missing — or something had been removed.
That hateful, traitorous Hagoromo had been born with them, so surely the key was in his blood. But it had taken some time for Zetsu to realize that once more, that cruel, unfaithful Hagoromo had scorned their mother.
He had split his blood in two — none able to awaken the Rinnegan, forever sealed away — and sadly, Zetsu had realized it too late.
He had already sown great seeds of discord between the two brothers, ensuring that only war could exist between them, when that hateful, heartless Hagoromo made it so that love was required for the Rinnegan to be born.
It had ruined decades of his work, splitting the brothers apart, pitting Indra into hatred and darkness.
He couldn't help but wonder if it had been on purpose.
Had Hagoromo known about his plan? About his mother's secret plan to escape?
The thought filled him with unease. That fear had caused him to lie low, which proved wise — as he realized Hamura had been alive, watching from the moon.
Another unfaithful son, guarding the seal that imprisoned his dear, beloved mother.
That had been dangerous. He might have revealed himself after Hagoromo's death… no. Clearly, he needed to be far more careful.
And so he was — never stepping out of hiding, only moving through the deepest shadows, slowly changing and making new plans.
Since he had already set the two clans on the path to war, he just pushed them further down that path.
He secretly fueled their hatred, their arrogance — the divide between them — through sabotage and schemes.
He made a new plan: to push someone to gain the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and then the powers of the Senju Clan, which should, hopefully, allow them to awaken the Rinnegan.
Though once again, he had been foiled by Hagoromo. By the time his new plan began, even finding someone with a normal Mangekyō Sharingan was becoming difficult. They were often clan leaders or important elites — difficult to reach, difficult to turn into tools.
Years passed. Decades. Centuries.
He kept pushing the clans into war while the world changed around his schemes. Once, those clans had been rulers; now, they were but soldiers for hire.
He only grew ever more disgusted with them — those who carried his mother's noble blood.
They were unworthy. Unworthy!
There were close calls too.
Once, his attempt at making the Senju Clan take the Mangekyō Sharingan backfired badly.
Sure, they got the eyes — but before they could do anything, the full wrath of multiple shinobi clans descended upon them, nearly wiping the Senju out entirely.
That would have forced him to shift his focus to one of the backup clans. Thankfully, the Senju had two of those — the Hagoromo and Uzumaki Clans — and both also carried the blood of Asura, meaning they could still serve his needs.
After that, Zetsu decided that it would have to be someone from Indra's Uchiha Clan who would birth the Rinnegan. He could not risk another disaster like the one that befell the Senju.
He had to admit — when Madara finally managed to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he had been overjoyed. It was the first time in centuries that it had happened.
And at the same time, someone from the Senju Clan had awakened the Sage Body of Hagoromo. Finally, after so many years, there was hope.
But he wasn't the only one who saw hope.
The Senju and Uchiha Clans saw hope as well — hope for peace between them.
Zetsu would not have minded either Madara or Hashirama, had they been women. That way, there was a chance their child could awaken the Rinnegan. But since they were both men, that could never happen.
Which meant peace… was the last thing he wanted.
Because with peace, he would have no chance to act.
No chance for Madara to gain the Sage Body.
No chance for him to gain the Rinnegan.
Zetsu felt like he was losing his damned mind. Those two clans — just as stupid as their founders!
Every time he came close, they kept messing up his plans — as if Hagoromo himself were causing problems from beyond the grave.
Thankfully, Zetsu found himself an unlikely ally in Hashirama's brother, who worked to push his sibling and Madara apart, giving Zetsu the opportunity he needed.
And Madara proved to be a far better tool than expected. With nothing but the altered stone tablet, Madara took all the steps necessary to acquire the Rinnegan himself.
And it worked.
He gained the flesh and chakra of Hashirama's Sage Body, allowing yin and yang to mix — and from the shadows, Zetsu watched.
He slowly guided Madara, even releasing some White Zetsu to help control him better.
It had been a risky move, but fortunately, Madara still didn't fully understand the changes caused by Hashirama's cells, giving Zetsu the gap he needed to plant his agents — and a seed — within him.
A seed that eventually allowed him to step out of the shadows and take personal control of events.
It was also necessary, given the uselessness of the White Zetsu.
Particularly that one — the "special" one created by Madara under his guidance — far stronger than any other, yet obsessed with… poop.
A capable combat asset, but utterly useless for anything else.
And now, Madara was dead, and Zetsu could act as his will — having a useful identity to guide Obito toward bringing back both Madara and, at last, his mother.
Though it wasn't as if everything had gone smoothly since finding Madara. No, there were problems — big ones. Problems that made him even more desperate for success.
The Senju Clan was gone, as was the Uzumaki Clan. And with Hagoromo — whom he had seen fall ages ago — that meant the chance to ever form a new pair of Rinnegan was looking grim.
Which was why he had kept a few White Zetsu watching the single pair Madara had entrusted with the young Uzumaki. He couldn't allow anything to happen to them. They were quickly becoming impossible to replace.
Only the knowledge that Hashirama's body was still around and usable kept him calm.
At least as long as nothing happened to the Uchiha Clan, there was still hope for a second attempt.
But he wouldn't let it come to that.
He was quickly running out of his mother's chakra, forcing him to pick and choose carefully when to use it.
Yes. This was his best bet.
And he would do everything to make it work.
"Obito," Zetsu said softly, his voice echoing through the dark chamber, "you are progressing well — learning to use Kamui as part of your fighting style. But are you sure you want to move against Kirigakure? It won't be easy to take control of their Kage."
Obito paused his training, panting lightly, Sharingan flickering between the visible and hidden.
"I don't need it to be easy," he said flatly. "I just need it to work."
Zetsu tilted his head, the black half smiling faintly while the white half giggled.
"Bold words for a boy still half-broken," he murmured. "But perhaps… you're not entirely useless after all."
"Say what you want," Obito shot back. "As long as it gets me closer to creating the world I want."
"The world Madara wants, don't forget that," Zetsu replied smoothly. "But you both want the same thing — a world without pain, where Rin is alive by your side. And Madara will make it happen."
"And until then, I am in charge — because I am Madara!" Obito said, already testing his chains.
Zetsu played his role well, bowing his head slightly.
"Yes, you are Madara's heir. You know the plan. As long as you move toward it, why would I — Madara's will — oppose you?"
Obito grunted, seemingly satisfied with the response, and returned to his training. The sharp crack of stone echoed through the cavern as he warped a boulder out of existence, only for it to reappear behind him moments later and explode into dust.
He didn't notice Zetsu's mocking smile.
Yes, Madara had read the boy well — seeing him as a tool, but also his weakness. He knew the boy would likely betray him in the end, but that seal hidden in his heart would keep him under control…
And if it failed, well, the White Zetsu used to repair his body — that was Zetsu's own measure of control over this tool.
Madara was arrogant, and that would allow him to be controlled. He believed Zetsu to be his own will, an extension of himself. Why would he doubt? Why would he guard against his own shadow?
Yes, everything was coming along. With Obito controlling a village, they would be able to obtain two of the tailed beasts easily — and then they just needed the last few.
Though it wouldn't be easy to get them.
Still, for the first time, the timeline wasn't measured in centuries or even decades.
It was only years away — maybe one decade, but no more than two.
(End of chapter)
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