Soon, Seiryu obtained the ocular control technique for the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, from Black Zetsu, becoming the secret ruler of the Mist.
Black Zetsu introduced several White Zetsus: "These are creatures created from Madara's abilities after summoning the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. You can call them White Zetsu."
"Salute Lord Seiryu!" one particularly odd White Zetsu barked, then looked at his four companions and shouted, "Salute!"
The others copied him: "Salute!"
Seiryu: ...
"Heh, they spend a lot of time outside, so they've picked up some etiquette," Black Zetsu said, forcing a laugh. "They're great at infiltration and intelligence work, and can travel rapidly underground."
"So the letter delivered to my house was by them, right?" Seiryu asked.
"Yes. You can command them from now on," Black Zetsu replied.
"Thank you for the gift, ancestor," Seiryu smiled, turning to leave.
"Wait, descendant," Black Zetsu called out.
"Yes, ancestor?" Seiryu replied.
"You haven't told me your plan. How do you intend to collect the tailed beasts from the other villages? That way I can cooperate," Black Zetsu said.
"Isn't it obvious?" Seiryu grinned maniacally. "Unify the entire ninja world! There only needs to be one country. Defeat the other villages, gather the beasts, and then use Infinite Tsukuyomi to bring eternal peace! What do you think, ancestor?"
He burst into wild laughter. Black Zetsu was unnerved—Seiryu's madness surpassed even Madara.
"How long would it take for you to bring me to the Mist Village?" Seiryu asked a White Zetsu.
"Reporting to Lord Seiryu, we can get you there in two hours from underground!" the salute-happy White Zetsu answered.
"Good. What's your name?" Seiryu asked.
"Just call me Tobi, Lord Seiryu," the Zetsu replied respectfully.
"Can you take a shadow clone?" Seiryu asked.
"Of course," Tobi replied.
Seiryu immediately created a clone, who said to Tobi, "Take me to the Mist Village."
"As you command." Tobi melded into Seiryu's clone, then submerged underground.
"What are you planning?" Black Zetsu asked.
"To see how things are in the Mist," Seiryu replied. "Care to come with my clone, ancestor?"
After a pause, Black Zetsu entered the ground and followed.
…
Two hours later, Seiryu's clone reached the Mist Village, curious about the infamous place he'd never visited despite killing many of its ninja during the last war.
The clone sniffed the air—salty, wet, tinged with blood. It wasn't even dusk, but every household was shuttered, and only a few ninja wandered the streets.
Disguised by White Zetsu, Seiryu looked like an ordinary Mist ninja.
Black Zetsu appeared nearby, fusing with a White Zetsu to take a human form.
"Seems the Mist has become quite interesting," Seiryu remarked, examining a fresh pool of blood on a wall. "This is from two hours ago—looks like someone was stabbed through the back. Fighting with ninja tools right in the village? The Mist is even more chaotic than I imagined."
"Ancestor, was this Madara's handiwork?" Seiryu asked.
"Yes. To weaken the other villages, Madara left behind tricks everywhere. In the Mist, he used the Three Tails' imprint to control the Mizukage and enforce the Bloody Mist policies against bloodline ninjas," Black Zetsu said.
"But isn't that odd?" Seiryu narrowed his eyes. "Madara died in the ninth year of Konoha, but the Bloody Mist policies only started recently. Wasn't Madara supposed to be dead?"
"Of course, Madara died then," Black Zetsu replied, brain racing to patch his slip. "But before fighting Hashirama, he had anticipated possible defeat and left behind many contingency plans, entrusting me to pass them to his successor—you."
"So, this Bloody Mist policy was actually your doing?" Seiryu's clone said softly.
Black Zetsu's heart tightened, but he forced a calm reply: "Is there a problem?"
"It's just inefficient!" Seiryu's clone clapped his hands.
"Eh?" Black Zetsu was confused.
"I see your plan—to pit bloodline ninja against regular ninja and incite civil strife. The idea is sound, but the method is wrong," Seiryu said, a hint of madness in his smile. "Relying solely on the Mizukage's orders works for a while, but eventually, people will rebel and the effect will wane."
"Is that so?" Black Zetsu wasn't sure—wasn't Obito just seeking revenge on the Mist for what happened to Rin?
"What would you do, then?" Black Zetsu asked.
"White Zetsu's disguises hold up?" Seiryu asked.
"Don't worry, Lord Seiryu," Tobi replied in Seiryu's ear. "We impersonate missing ninja. As long as we don't fight, no one will notice."
"Good. Ancestor, follow me—I'll show you how to stir up conflict from the bottom up," Seiryu said, heading into the village.
Black Zetsu hurried after him. Soon, they reached a tavern in the village center.
"According to intel, this is a hangout for regular ninja, right?" Seiryu confirmed with Tobi.
"Correct," Tobi replied.
Seiryu nodded, pushed open the door, and swaggered to the bar, looking around.
The small tavern was packed; everyone wore Mist Village forehead protectors. In other words, the tavern was filled with ninja.
Despite the tense air, everyone kept their weapons sheathed and resolved disputes with fists, not blood—a stark contrast to the chaos outside.
'So, this is an unofficial safe zone in the Mist?'
"What'll you have?" a woman with reddish-brown hair came over. Seiryu recognized her immediately as the future Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi.
She was only in her early twenties, not yet at her peak, but already impressive. Seiryu was surprised to see her here, since, according to Tobi's intel, this tavern was a gathering spot for non-bloodline ninja—someone like Mei, with two bloodlines, would be in grave danger if exposed.
"Why are you staring at me, young man?" Mei teased.
"No reason. You just look like someone I used to know," Seiryu replied, shaking his head.
"No one ever told you that's a cheesy pick-up line?" Mei smiled. "So, what'll you have?"
"Your best drink!" Seiryu slapped a wad of cash on the bar, speaking loudly.
Instantly, the entire tavern's attention was on him.
Mei cautioned, "Our best drink is pricey. Judging by your clothes, you're not a jonin yet. Save your money for jutsu. In our village, the weak might die any day."
"Save for jutsu?" Seiryu chuckled. "What's the point?"
Then, raising his voice, he asked, "Miss, do you know how much a C-rank jutsu costs in this village?"
Though asking Mei, he turned to address everyone in the tavern.
"Five hundred thousand ryo! That's the price for the basic Hidden Mist jutsu! A genin would have to do two hundred missions without spending a cent to afford that! Any fresh graduate might die before earning one!"
"And the bloodline clans?" Seiryu continued, walking to the tavern's center. "They're born with powerful jutsu. The jutsu we risk our lives to buy mean nothing to them. Yet, to keep us from threatening them, they hoard jutsu, making us beg for scraps. And they expect us to be grateful!"
"That's not all!" Seiryu clasped his hands before his chest. "In war, bloodline ninja are stronger, yet they send us to die on the front lines, hiding in the rear and letting us face Konoha's Azure Lightning Seiryu!"
"Who made our village like this? The Land of Fire? Konoha? Uchiha Seiryu? No! Who's responsible?!" Seiryu demanded.
"It's those bloodline clans!" someone from the crowd shouted.
"Yes! The bloodline clans!" Seiryu echoed.
"We ordinary ninja built this village!" Seiryu shouted. "Yet they take all the high posts, enjoy our fruits, and we have to beg for a basic jutsu! Is that fair?"
"No!" The tavern was in an uproar.
Mei was dumbfounded. Black Zetsu was even more stunned.
PS: Read atleast 65 advanced chapters at p@treon .com/AbsoluteCode