Chapter 8 – Black Zetsu... Feeding Him?
"Alive."
"Eat."
Black Zetsu's cold voice fell into the silence as he tossed two unconscious shinobi at Amamiya Rei's feet.
The two shinobi were deathly pale, their bodies riddled with wounds. Clearly, they had already been through a brutal battle before falling into Black Zetsu's hands.
Black Zetsu's gaze lingered on Rei, carefully noting the subtle shifts in expression across the monster's beautiful face—disgust melting away into an almost childlike brightness, eyes shimmering with hunger and delight.
Of course. Black Zetsu never expected this creature to restrain its emotions the way a human might, especially not in the presence of food.
Amamiya Rei did not hesitate. He reached for the nearer of the two shinobi and lifted the man's arm.
Forgive me, Rei thought briefly.
Opening his mouth wide, he bit down in one decisive motion. He deliberately tore off a piece of flesh from the arm.
The anticipated nausea never came.
This one's taijutsu must have been decent; the muscles in his arm were dense and fibrous, chewy like tough duck meat.
[Ding!]
[Scanning...]
[Scan complete.]
[Congratulations, Host has obtained "Shinobi A Flesh Chunk" x1.]
[Analyzing...]
[Analysis complete.]
[Contained abilities: Shadow Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, Mind Technique, Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall...]
[Converting...]
[Conversion complete.]
[Shinobi A Flesh Chunk x1 = Shadow Clone Technique + 10 minutes Sunlight Value + 100 Chakra]
[Host, please strive to obtain more high‑quality flesh chunks!]
"..."
Amamiya Rei froze in astonishment.
He hadn't expected the nutritional yield of this ninja's flesh to be so poor!
Unconvinced, he leaned toward the second shinobi and bit off another chunk of meat.
[Ding!]
[Scanning...]
[Scan complete.]
[Congratulations, Host has obtained "Shinobi B Flesh Chunk" x1.]
[Analyzing...]
[Analysis complete.]
[Contained abilities: Shadow Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, Wind Release: Great Breakthrough, Water Release: Water Prison...]
[Converting...]
[Conversion complete.]
[Shinobi B Flesh Chunk x1 = Wind Release: Great Breakthrough + 15 minutes Sunlight Value + 150 Chakra]
[Host, please strive to obtain more high‑quality flesh chunks!]
"..."
Rei turned his gaze toward Black Zetsu, his beautiful crimson eyes narrowing, silent but visibly displeased.
Black Zetsu: "..."
Why is this monster giving me that weird look?
Rei's tone was oddly subtle, almost resentful:
"Next time, could you bring me shinobi with higher combat ability? Weak ones don't have enough nutrition for me to replenish."
Black Zetsu: "..."
Ungrateful little beast. You're lucky to have anything to eat at all, and now you're being picky?!
Seething, Black Zetsu kicked the unconscious shinobi at his feet.
"Powerful shinobi aren't so easy to find."
He fixed Rei with a cold stare and added icily, "Well? Are you eating or not? If not, I'll just kill them."
"Eating," Rei replied instantly.
Little by little adds up.
He bent over and tore off two more chunks of flesh.
In this way, his Sunlight Value rose to 1250 minutes, and his Chakra reserves reached 12,500.
Alongside these gains, he acquired two new techniques: the Substitution Technique and Water Release: Water Prison. Basic skills, yes, but Rei didn't despise them. Even simple ninjutsu, honed to perfection, could be turned into something deadly.
At present, his power wasn't enough for lofty ambitions anyway.
Nor did he have any delusions of Black Zetsu miraculously presenting him with a shinobi possessing a kekkei genkai.
Once Rei had eaten his fill, Black Zetsu killed the two shinobi and made to leave.
Amamiya Rei stared silently at the bodies for a moment before reminding him:
"When you leave, take the corpses with you."
Black Zetsu paused, then turned a sharp gaze on him, eyes flicking briefly to the house around them—so different from when he had last visited.
"You met Uchiha Shisui?" Black Zetsu's voice cut through the silence.
Rei gave him a measured look.
As expected, Black Zetsu's information-gathering abilities were terrifying. And wasn't this question just a formality? He clearly already knew the answer.
Rei nodded slightly.
Black Zetsu coaxed him with the tone one would use on a naïve monster newly exposed to human society:
"He's a ninja of Konohagakure. There are even more... delicious people there than him."
Of course Rei knew that.
He didn't need Black Zetsu to point it out.
But just as Black Zetsu anticipated, Rei's pupils lit up with unmasked anticipation.
"I want to go to Konoha!" Rei declared eagerly.
The next instant, however, he sagged like a salted fish drained of all hope.
"But I can't get in!"
Rei didn't even dare imagine how exquisite the shinobi of Konoha must taste.
Just a few bites of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke and I could ascend straight to Sage of Six Paths level.
If only Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara still lived—Rei would have chased them to the ends of the earth for a single taste.
Those four... to him, they were like the mythical flesh of celestial beasts—rare, sacred, said to grant immortality to those who consumed it.
Black Zetsu cursed inwardly. This idiot can't even recognize the resources right in front of him.
He pressed on, voice low and coaxing:
"You can let Uchiha Shisui bring you to Konoha."
Rei shot him a disdainful glance, lips curling into a pout.
"As if it's that simple. I'm an outsider—going in would make me look exactly like a spy."
Black Zetsu's gaze sharpened slightly. So this monster isn't completely stupid after all.
He continued to tempt:
"Don't forget, it's wartime. They're eager to recruit those with exceptional abilities."
Of course, anyone recruited will be scrutinized carefully to weed out infiltrators, he didn't bother adding.
Black Zetsu's words planted a seed of inspiration in Rei's mind.
Even so, Rei deliberately kept his expression blank, feigning confusion.
"But I just want to eat meat. If they find out my true motive, they'll never let me in."
Twin devil horns practically sprouted from Black Zetsu's head as he leaned closer, whispering like a corrupt tempter:
"Stay close to Uchiha Shisui. Pester him until he brings you into Konoha."
After speaking, Black Zetsu studied Rei's face.
In a thousand years, he had never encountered a woman more breathtaking than Amamiya Rei.
Perhaps she could accomplish with ease what others never could.
Rei looked at him in surprise.
This shameless thing—no wonder it's survived a thousand years. Even seduction is part of its repertoire.
Though truth be told, Rei had thought of the idea long before Black Zetsu did. But as someone whose mind was human, he was fundamentally different from this single-celled schemer.
"With that face of yours," Black Zetsu said slyly, pinching Rei's cheek, "you'll be unstoppable."
Rei slapped his hand away without a word.
"..." Rei stared at him in exasperation.
Single-celled organisms really shouldn't try to play mastermind villains.
And seriously—did he come up with that line using his foot?
Rei's own plan for entering Konoha was far more reliable than anything Black Zetsu could conjure.
If he could demonstrate Wood Release... not even Shisui, any Konoha ninja would risk their life to escort him straight into the village.
All he had to do was reveal just a sliver of Wood Release power in front of Shisui...
The plan was already taking shape in his mind, merely awaiting Shisui's arrival.
One day passed. Two. Three.
Still, there was no sign of Uchiha Shisui.
Black Zetsu, however, came by several more times, each visit bringing half-dead shinobi as offerings.
Little by little, Rei's Sunlight Value reached 1500 minutes, and his Chakra reserves climbed to 15,000.
He had also acquired a decent collection of ninjutsu—though none particularly powerful.
The most useful among them was medical ninjutsu.
It didn't benefit Rei himself, but it could play an important role in his plan.
During Shisui's absence, Rei spent every day in the mountains behind the house, practicing ninjutsu tirelessly.
One night—
A moonless sky, wind howling through the darkness.
A perfect night for a demon like Rei to roam.
He pushed open the door.
His pupils constricted, glowing crimson.
The scent of blood hit him instantly.
Thick. Tempting. Irresistible.
Rei swallowed hard.
Following the coppery trail, he stepped outside.
And there he saw a familiar silhouette.
Uchiha Shisui.
But this time, he was broken.
Gashes crisscrossed his arm, flesh torn open and raw.
His sleeve was soaked entirely in blood.
His face was as pale as death, lips devoid of all color.
The instant Shisui saw Rei, the taut string within him snapped.
His knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed to the ground.
Rei caught him before he could fall.
Shisui's eyelids felt unbearably heavy.
Yet even through the haze of pain, he felt the dampness against his neck.
Was Rei crying?
She must be terrified, seeing him like this.
Darkness swallowed his vision, and he sank into unconsciousness.
Rei wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, exhilaration flooding his entire being.
His breath caught in his throat, trembling with anticipation.
At last! The opportunity I've been waiting for!
The heavens truly favored him tonight.
He would feast.
And conveniently, he had just mastered medical ninjutsu.
With Shisui wounded like this...
He could heal him. And he could also sneak a few bites of his flesh, and Shisui would never even notice.
A laugh bubbled in Rei's chest, wild and silent.
Hahaha...
Hahahahahahaha!
*****