Black Zetsu feigned excitement, as if ready to kneel and offer his utmost loyalty to the man before him—Shimura Danzō, the legendary leader of Konoha's Root. He acted as if he would recognize Danzō as his supreme commander and obediently follow him back to Root to begin his so-called loyal life as a "Kaijiujiujiu" operative.
"Shimura Danzō" nodded approvingly, uttering "good" three times in succession. His expression, though still cold, softened for a moment, as though pleased that Root had finally welcomed another promising "admiral" into its folds.
So far, Black Zetsu only considered that he might have been too cautious. After all, nothing seemed out of place. He relaxed ever so slightly, unaware that the true Danzō had already left with Uzumaki Nagato.
Shimura Danzō—disciple of the Nidaime Hokage Tobirama Senju—was a master of Wind Style and an experienced shinobi in both combat and espionage. The man before Black Zetsu mimicked him perfectly: cold, calculating, with an air of arrogant righteousness. But this was, in truth, all performed by Black Zetsu himself—a multi-layered deception.
Danzo's infamous methods included abducting and experimenting on children with strong bloodlines or Kekkei Genkai. This impersonation was no stretch. In an instant, more than a dozen clones of White Zetsu and fake Nagato doppelgängers emerged from the ground, each casting a taunting grin at the false Shimura Danzō before sinking back underground without a trace.
In truth, Black Zetsu had always avoided Konoha shinobi unless absolutely necessary. Yet fate had decided otherwise—today, of all days, he encountered Shimura Danzō mid-"hunt."
Danzo tried to recruit him, and Black Zetsu—ever the opportunist—went along with the act, weaving a plan mid-performance.
Danzo responded with Wind Style jutsu, launching slicing gusts into the ground, tearing apart several clones that hadn't yet escaped. But every one of them was a decoy—spore clones of White Zetsu. None were real.
Given that Konoha and Amegakure were currently at war, it wasn't unreasonable for Shimura Danzō, leader of Root, to be operating in the Land of Rain. It added authenticity to the scene.
Though Black Zetsu had general Kage-level strength, his skills were specialized in subterfuge and manipulation rather than brute combat. In a true fight, victory wasn't guaranteed. Better to scheme than to clash head-on.
Watching his ploy unfold, Black Zetsu was secretly delighted. Shimura Danzō had taken the bait far easier than anticipated.
Just as Black Zetsu was about to flee with his prize, the impersonated Danzō erupted in fury. His face twisted in rage, and he made a move to intercept.
But Black Zetsu, deeply versed in Root's philosophy and Danzo's methods, had anticipated this. He checked Nagato's body carefully—ensuring there were no tracking seals, cursed tags, or subtle interference left behind—before relaxing.
Of course, he didn't know every detail about Nagato's body.
But at this point in the timeline, his behavior was easily explainable.
"Hahaha!!!" Black Zetsu laughed without warning.
Shimura Danzō was stunned, clearly not expecting the abrupt shift in behavior. But Black Zetsu's real identity was cloaked in mystery—exposure would jeopardize both his own plan and Uchiha Madara's vision.
Yet even now, as he glanced down at the unconscious Nagato, a sliver of doubt tugged at him. Something felt…off.
"My lord," Black Zetsu said, eyes gleaming with mock humility, "if that's the case, could you please return my 'brother' to me?"
What should have been a guaranteed success now teetered on the edge. Cooked duck, flying from the plate?
At that moment, all Black Zetsu could do was deceive Danzo and make off with Uzumaki Nagato as fast as possible.
"Shimura Danzō" let out another wave of fury, erupting into a spectacular tantrum of incompetence. After showcasing a textbook display of "Incompetent Rage," he turned away and left with two of his Root subordinates.
"Damn it!!!"
The real Danzo had stumbled upon Nagato—recognizing the iconic red hair of the Uzumaki clan and the hidden potential within—and his greedy heart couldn't resist.
Once the coast was clear, a White Zetsu clone emerged from the ground and reported to Black Zetsu. The sample they had confirmed the chakra signature and tissue structure as genuine—it was indeed from Uchiha Madara's cells.
To this, the darkness of the shinobi world—Black Zetsu himself—agreed with deep satisfaction.
But Danzo's presence had changed everything. As Root's head, Danzo's exposure to Black Zetsu and Nagato was dangerous. Their identities had been revealed to Konoha's underground forces.
Thus, Black Zetsu needed to revise his entire plan.
Danzo's interest in Nagato wasn't premeditated—it was a decision of opportunity. One born out of greed.
Now, seeing Black Zetsu's clever performance and submission, even "Shimura Danzō" had a moment of pause before showing a rare, approving grin.
Black Zetsu had activated "full performance mode" precisely because he knew what kind of person Danzo was. His faked hesitation—his false retreat—stemmed from his knowledge of Danzo's paranoia and pride.
Back at his secret base, after White Zetsu relayed all the developments, Black Zetsu remained cautious.
"Then thank you, Danzo-sama."
After some deliberation, he extracted specific cells from Nagato's eye sockets and initiated a detailed comparison. His analysis was precise and methodical—confirming that everything was still intact.
With Madara no longer guiding from the shadows, Black Zetsu had to tread even more carefully now.
The two shinobi who previously tried to abduct Nagato may have had a real chance of taking down Black Zetsu, had they moved more decisively.
But his mind still lingered on the sudden emergence of Shimura Danzō and Konoha's forces.
Though there were doubts, this remained the most plausible explanation based on known intel.
Just to be sure, Black Zetsu peeled back Nagato's eyelids and examined the Rinnegan. They looked unchanged—no foreign chakra, no abnormalities in pattern, not even subtle interference.
As he stared down at the unconscious Nagato, a new idea sparked.
Danzo seemed overconfident—assuming that this "stray Senju descendant" couldn't possibly escape.
Now that Black Zetsu had reclaimed Nagato, he commanded White Zetsu spores to replicate the body and split them apart, ensuring multiple misdirections.
The Expansion Jutsu used by the bulky Konoha shinobi earlier was a signature of the Akimichi clan. That alone indicated the pair with Danzō were definitely from Konoha.
Yet, there was still no sign of tampering with the Rinnegan—not in appearance, not in chakra flow, not in signature frequency.
Nagato's value wasn't just in the Rinnegan—it was in his blood. As a member of the Uzumaki clan, known for their powerful chakra and vitality, his body was an invaluable research asset. His flaming red hair alone marked his lineage unmistakably.
Black Zetsu turned to the imposter Danzō one last time and said with mock reverence:
"Then, I'll take my leave."
"Whoosh!!"
"See you next time."
One of the sixty-three White Zetsu clones remained behind, hidden underground, observing every last movement.
Its eyes glinted with strange curiosity.
Everything was recorded in its memory.
"Good, good, good…"
Everything, so far, had a perfect explanation.
Besides, the Land of Rain bordered the Land of Fire. It was entirely reasonable for Danzō to operate nearby—especially if pursuing a strategic opportunity.
For someone like Danzō, discovering a "wild" Uzumaki member—an unclaimed power source—was a once-in-a-generation chance. Naturally, he had tried to seize it.
Still fuming, "Shimura Danzō" stood atop the rain-slicked battlefield, cursing aloud, fists clenched.
"Hahaha!!!"
Few remembered that the Uzumaki Clan once hailed from Uzushiogakure, a nation allied with Konoha through the First Hokage's marriage to Mito Uzumaki.
"What!"
Black Zetsu grabbed hold of Nagato and inspected him thoroughly. Confirming that the Rinnegan remained untouched and active, his heart finally calmed.
Wasting no time, he slung Nagato's body over his shoulder and vanished into the misty distance.
Most critically—because of Ryosuke's previous sabotage—Uchiha Madara had died earlier than expected.
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