As Madara continued drinking, Black Zetsu remained hidden in the shadows, quietly listening to the conversation between Madara and Hi-kun from a corner. Internally, it was finding the situation increasingly unbearable.
What was wrong with Madara?
Didn't he understand that they were supposed to launch a coordinated offensive?
If he truly wanted to complete the Eye of the Moon Plan in one decisive push, shouldn't he establish the Sky shinobi as his base, finish assembling these Six Paths puppets, then wait for an opportunity to ignite another Shinobi World War and seize the tailed beasts while the major hidden villages were locked in battle?
Black Zetsu would also find a way to make Uchiha Madara's body capable of bearing the Ten-Tails.
All Madara needed was to briefly establish a connection through the Ten-Tails with Mother inside the moon, allowing her to descend by using his body as a vessel!
But what in the world was Madara doing now?
'This is practically the same as gifting the Sky shinobi's technology to Konoha…'
'Who fights like this? If you're going to attack, launch a coordinated assault! What is the point of sending them in one after another to get themselves killed? Is he trying to serve as Konoha's whetstone?'
Had Black Zetsu been capable of defeating Madara, it would have grabbed the old man by the collar and given him a furious tongue-lashing right then and there.
But there was nothing Black Zetsu could do.
The current Madara did not know that a method existed in the shinobi world that could restore even more of his youth.
Therefore, his overall plan still revolved around subduing Hiruzen and using Konoha to bring about the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Moreover, Black Zetsu currently had only a few preliminary ideas regarding Madara's body and had yet to turn any of them into something concrete.
Given its supposed identity, even after finding a solution, it would still need to wait for an appropriate opportunity to tell Madara. Otherwise, it would arouse his suspicions.
'Madara's thinking has changed.'
'His faith in the Infinite Tsukuyomi is wavering. If he keeps sliding down this path one step at a time, he may eventually abandon it altogether!'
With a thousand years of experience in the shinobi world, Black Zetsu saw through Madara's current state of mind at a glance.
'That Sarutobi Hiruzen is rather frightening…'
'His methods are practically identical to mine. He's far too skilled at dealing with Indra's reincarnations! He's manipulating Uchiha Madara from afar and has him completely wrapped around his finger…'
'And his talent is strange as well. He can actually synthesize chakra-based kekkei genkai after birth, and two of them at that… No, counting that technique that nullifies ninjutsu, it should be three!'
'His physical strength is also rising steadily. He's close to surpassing the limits of an ordinary shinobi…'
With the situation having developed this far, it was practically impossible for Black Zetsu not to take notice of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
The reforms this man had introduced to the shinobi world were unlike anything Black Zetsu had witnessed throughout its thousand years of existence.
In terms of strength, Hiruzen had even carved out an entirely new path independent of the bloodlines of the Senju, Uchiha, and Uzumaki…
Black Zetsu felt that if Asura had possessed Hiruzen's abilities back then, Indra probably would have shouted, 'Little brother, you did an amazing job! Your big brother supports you!'
In fact, according to Black Zetsu's assessment, some less gifted reincarnations had only ever reached a level of combat power roughly comparable to Hiruzen's.
Asura and Indra reincarnations like Hashirama and Madara were actually the exceptions.
The chakra of those two merely stimulated and accelerated their growth. It did not go so far as to completely transform their bodies, since some power still had to be preserved for the next reincarnation…
A sudden thought occurred to Black Zetsu.
It had realized another possibility!
'Wait…'
'I used the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet to deceive Uchiha Madara. Couldn't I use it to deceive Sarutobi Hiruzen as well?'
'I did inherit some information from Mother…'
Black Zetsu's eyes lit up. Growing excited, it came up with a plan to hedge its bets on both sides…
'I could incorporate some of Mother's memories of creating a kekkei mōra into the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet, while explicitly stating that the chakra of all the different tailed beasts must be fused together…'
'Isn't Sarutobi Hiruzen known as the Professor of Ninjutsu? I can smell the ambition to pursue greater power in this man's actions. His goals definitely aren't as simple as merely seeking peace…'
'Although no one knows about kekkei mōra, a shinobi like Sarutobi Hiruzen, who can synthesize kekkei genkai within his own body, will surely recognize the boundless power hidden within it…'
'Faced with such supreme power, who could possibly resist pursuing it?'
'Hehehehehe…'
Black Zetsu laughed soundlessly as it recalled Hiruzen's experiences.
A pitiful man who had been tormented by the position of Hokage, only to suddenly rise after finally coming to terms with himself, would never abandon the desire to pursue an even higher level of power.
Besides, becoming Hokage and then aspiring to transcend mortality was only natural.
As long as Sarutobi Hiruzen listened to it, began collecting the chakra of the various tailed beasts, tempered his body according to Black Zetsu's instructions, and managed to achieve some results…
Even without the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and even if the tailed-beast chakra he absorbed was incomplete…
As long as the fusion of the tailed beasts' chakra reached a certain level and Hiruzen's physical strength crossed a minimum threshold, Black Zetsu could find a way to use the trump card Kaguya had left it.
It would set a trap and implant a special mark inside Hiruzen, allowing Kaguya within the moon to resonate with that power and descend upon the shinobi world using the Hokage's body as her vessel!
Reviving Kaguya required two major conditions.
First, the sacrificial vessel's body had to be sufficiently powerful. Otherwise, it would be unable to withstand the process of Kaguya's descent.
Second, there had to be enough tailed-beast chakra—or the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—to serve as a wedge and provide coordinates through which Kaguya's consciousness could anchor itself.
If they proceeded this way, Kaguya would not recover all her power, since the Infinite Tsukuyomi would not have been activated…
However, with the aged Madara possessing only a fraction of his former strength and no reincarnation of Asura present, the other shinobi would amount to nothing more than helpless rabble…
Black Zetsu believed that Mother's power would be more than sufficient even without the Ten-Tails.
Without the Rinnegan, Sarutobi Hiruzen would have no chance of resisting Kaguya's corruption.
In any case, swiftly conquering the shinobi world would not be a problem!
It simply would not be the most perfect form of her revival, but there was nothing that could be done about that.
Moreover, Black Zetsu believed it could still switch sides at the crucial moment.
If Madara proved too useless, it could simply deliver the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path into Hiruzen's hands…
The Hokage had far too many capable people beneath him. Surely someone among them could help him use the Demonic Statue and further his training!
'Still, I shouldn't expect too much from whatever Sarutobi Hiruzen might manage to produce…'
Black Zetsu steadied its emotions.
Its concept and understanding of 'kekkei mōra' came from Kaguya's subconscious, so the details were unclear. It possessed only a vague impression of it.
It could only hope that Hiruzen truly was a once-in-a-generation genius capable of deriving, from a few incomplete fragments, a method to contain and fuse the chakra of multiple tailed beasts.
He would also have to advance his kekkei genkai further toward the level of a kekkei mōra, though at best it would be an extremely crude imitation…
'I might as well try! It's only a secondary move on the board…'
'I don't care whether Uchiha Madara or Sarutobi Hiruzen becomes stronger.'
'I only want to revive Mother…'
'I miss you so much…'
Within the pitch-black cavern, illuminated by only a few faint lights, Black Zetsu drew upon a thousand years of practiced familiarity and gazed toward the moon's current position, sending Kaguya the longing of a child far from home.
Deep down, Black Zetsu knew that if it missed this opportunity with Uchiha Madara, the grand plan to revive Mother would essentially be doomed.
After noticing the shift in Madara's mentality, Black Zetsu had also grown anxious.
However, since it had only one chance to make its decisive move, it had no particularly good solution.
'Sarutobi Hiruzen…'
'Perhaps Mother sent him to aid me. The fact that an ordinary mortal like him has reached this point is proof enough…'
Black Zetsu silently prayed within its heart.
It was beginning to run out of options.
All Black Zetsu could do was hope that, with Madara pushing things along, Konoha would become the foremost hidden village in the shinobi world, gather all the tailed beasts into its grasp, and forge their power into Sarutobi Hiruzen's body, turning him into the sacrifice…
Thinking it over carefully, Black Zetsu realized that Sarutobi Hiruzen might even be more efficient than Madara. At the very least, he probably wouldn't drag things out for another fifty years…
'There's no time to waste…'
'I'll head to the Uchiha Clan compound right now!'
Black Zetsu respectfully said to Madara, "Madara-sama, I would like to make a trip to Konoha. Didn't you say you wanted to use Obito to test Sarutobi Hiruzen? I'll go check on the White Zetsu's work…"
"Mm."
Madara waved a hand. "Go."
That very night, Black Zetsu altered the Sage of Six Paths' stone tablet.
This time, the new contents were not something that only those with the Mangekyō Sharingan could see…
Black Zetsu quietly concealed itself beneath the tablet.
Whenever an Uchiha shinobi approached, the tablet would suddenly shine brilliantly, revealing the altered text and drawing their attention so that they would report it to Sarutobi Hiruzen…
In a certain sense, Black Zetsu understood Konoha's system just as well as Hi-kun did. It knew all about the Konoha Committee's multilayered reporting procedures.
...
Kumogakure.
The Fourth A slammed a fist onto the table and declared with a grave expression, "Father, we have no choice but to attack Konoha!"
The Third Raikage nodded and narrowed his eyes.
Despite his extraordinarily powerful body, he was actually far more perceptive than his rough exterior suggested.
"The Sky shinobi's attack on Konoha was something none of us anticipated…"
"How can you even call that an attack? The Sky shinobi practically rushed over to deliver their technology straight into Konoha's hands!"
The Fourth A exclaimed, red-faced with agitation, "The Sky shinobi may never allow Konoha to obtain the original technology, but Konoha could still reproduce it by studying the ninja tools shot down during those battles!"
"Damn those Sky shinobi! Why didn't they attack Kumogakure instead? If they had attacked us, Killer B could have blasted a few of them out of the sky with Tailed Beast Balls. With Kumogakure's technological capabilities, we could have developed a formidable aerial force after a few years of research!"
The Fourth A was beside himself with envy over the Sky shinobi attacking Konoha.
Kumogakure had always been fond of plundering the secret techniques of smaller hidden villages. They usually took the initiative and launched raids themselves, but doing so too frequently inevitably invited criticism.
Iwagakure would then confront Kumogakure under the pretext of helping those smaller villages, when in reality they merely wanted to seize a share of the spoils and gain new allies…
But things would be entirely different if the Sky shinobi attacked them first…
They could swallow them whole with complete justification!
In the Fourth A's eyes, although every Kumogakure shinobi was like a brother to him, losing some men in the process of acquiring the Sky shinobi's technology would still be entirely worthwhile.
After all, he and his father, the Third Raikage, would be the first to charge into battle, so his conscience would remain clear.
"That is Konoha, after all—the village that produced the Shura of the Shinobi World and the God of Shinobi, and that possesses numerous ancient noble clans with histories stretching back a thousand years."
The Third Raikage waved a hand and said with a sigh, "If a smaller hidden village wants to make a name for itself, it naturally has to challenge the strongest target and build its reputation that way. Didn't Hanzō of Amegakure do the same?"
"Even we are no exception. Whenever a Shinobi World War begins, the major hidden villages briefly unite and try to tear a piece of flesh from Konoha and the Land of Fire…"
"It is no exaggeration to say that even a single bite of Konoha's shinobi clans and ninjutsu would be enough to keep us well fed for years, to say nothing of the Land of Fire's immense wealth…"
The Fourth A nodded reluctantly.
That reasoning was indeed sound…
Had he been the leader of the Sky shinobi, he too would have chosen to attack Konoha and make his name in a single stroke…
"Still, you are right."
"Konoha's rate of development is astonishing."
The Third Raikage said in a deep voice, "According to reports from our Anbu and shinobi, Konoha's combat strength has improved significantly compared to several years ago. Their personnel are highly capable and possess considerable combat experience…"
"Konoha's Anbu and Root have also become much more troublesome. Shinobi from the Kurama, Hyūga, and Uchiha clans have joined their ranks, which shows that Sarutobi Hiruzen has made further progress in resolving Konoha's complicated internal political problems."
"Not only that, but their methods have changed considerably. They struck Kusagakure decisively without damaging their reputation, and somehow formed an alliance with Amegakure, consolidating their northern defenses…"
The Fourth A's expression darkened.
Dodai, standing nearby, added, "Raikage-sama, the 'Sage Region Pill' developed by Konoha holds enormous appeal for the nobles of the Land of Lightning…"
"For now, we can still keep it under control through mandatory restrictions imposed in the name of the nation and the hidden village. But the nobles' desire for better health will not disappear. The problem will only grow increasingly troublesome…"
"Smuggling has already appeared along the border with the Land of Rain. Some nobles from the Land of Lightning purchased the pills privately and even promoted them on a limited scale. The Daimyō has already dealt with them severely."
Dodai's expression was equally grim.
The health benefits provided by the Sage Region Pill made its appeal to the nobility irresistible.
After Konoha began cooperating with Amegakure, the land that had once been a battleground bordered by three major hidden villages had suddenly transformed into 'Konoha's Northern Iron Wall' and 'a port from which its products spread throughout the surrounding regions'…
"Konoha certainly knows how to stir things up. Sarutobi Hiruzen is an exceptionally capable Hokage."
"The danger posed by this Sage Region Pill is in no way inferior to forbidden techniques such as the Impure World Reincarnation or the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. To think Senju Tobirama managed to train a disciple so skilled at openly laying out schemes his enemies cannot avoid…"
The Third Raikage clicked his tongue.
This wasn't how things were supposed to go…
Had Sarutobi Hiruzen followed the same underhanded style as Senju Tobirama, the Third Raikage would have found him easier to deal with. He certainly wouldn't have been as troublesome as he was now.
However, the Sage Region Pill was a perfectly legitimate healthcare product, so the nobles' desire to purchase it was entirely reasonable. They had only been able to impose a forced embargo because the Daimyō of the Land of Lightning had always maintained an excellent relationship with Kumogakure…
"We cannot allow Konoha to continue developing like this. We need to find a way to disrupt their momentum," the Third Raikage said thoughtfully.
"Should we make the first move?" the Fourth A asked instinctively.
"Preferably not. Whoever moves first will inevitably face Konoha's most forceful retaliation. The tallest tree catches the most wind. It would be best if Iwagakure, Sunagakure, or Kirigakure acted first…"
Dodai shook his head. "However, they may be thinking the exact same thing."
The Third Raikage sighed.
In theory, during the First Shinobi World War that broke out after Senju Hashirama's death, the other four great hidden villages might truly have defeated their strongest hypothetical enemy if they had united and attacked Konoha with complete solidarity.
But that was unrealistic. At most, the four villages had managed to maintain a limited degree of coordination during the initial phase and launch a joint offensive against Konoha…
The moment the situation shifted even slightly—whether Konoha managed to hold firm or one of the villages exposed a weakness—the surprise attacks and vicious infighting would begin immediately, turning the conflict into a free-for-all across the shinobi world…
All four great hidden villages had grudges against one another!
If Konoha had not produced Uchiha Madara and the Land of Fire had not possessed such abundant resources, even their initial cooperation would never have occurred.
"Let's wait and see…"
"If no one makes a move within two years… No, within a year and a half, I'll go speak with Ōnoki!"
The Third Raikage narrowed his eyes.
"I'm certain that dwarf is thinking the same thing. If we wait until Konoha produces another Uchiha Madara or another Senju Hashirama with a bad temper, it will all be over…"
"Besides, if things continue this way, Sarutobi Hiruzen's slow, creeping offensive will leave us further and further behind even without Konoha producing another shinobi of that extraordinary caliber."
Kumogakure—or rather, the entire shinobi world—believed in the principle that the weak would lose everything…
Therefore, under the shinobi world's twisted logic, Konoha improving itself was effectively no different from attacking them.
Dodai gazed at the Third Raikage with admiration.
This was their Kage…
For the sake of the greater picture, he was even willing to temporarily set aside their hatred for Iwagakure…
Though they would undoubtedly tear up the agreement afterward.
Iwagakure.
Ōnoki and Kitsuchi held a similar discussion and reached almost exactly the same conclusions as the Third Raikage.
"If no one makes a move within a year and a half, I'll go have a talk with that brute!"
"Yes, Father!"
In Sunagakure, however, the situation was somewhat different.
"Why should we attack Konoha? Didn't we sign a peace agreement with them?"
"We could cooperate with Konoha just like Amegakure has. Rasa, you're being far too reckless! The village still hasn't recovered from the losses caused by the last Shinobi World War!"
Pakura loudly rebuked Rasa, whose views resembled those of Ōnoki and the Third Raikage.
During the Kusagakure incident, Pakura had watched Konoha release the shinobi from the various villages rather than taking them prisoner on the spot. From that moment onward, she had taken a keen interest in Konoha.
As Sunagakure's tireless workhorse, constantly dispatched on all manner of missions, Pakura had also heard about the changes in Amegakure after it began cooperating with Konoha—the construction of dams, increased funding, and improvements to its infrastructure.
In her view, there was also room for cooperation between Sunagakure and Konoha.
"You're far too naïve, Pakura!"
"Hanzō of Amegakure has already spread the claim that we started the Second Shinobi World War. Konoha's shinobi are deeply hostile toward us, and your way of thinking is as laughable as a genin's!"
Rasa slammed the table and berated Pakura without the slightest restraint.
"You actually believe cooperation exists in the shinobi world? Let me tell you this: for everything Amegakure gains now, it will repay Konoha tenfold in the future!"
"You believe hidden villages can cooperate, and you call yourself a Sunagakure jōnin? If you didn't have some seniority, I would suspect you of being a Konoha spy!"
"Do you have any idea how tempting Konoha's Sage Region Pill is to the nobles of the Land of Wind? All that money should have gone to Sunagakure as funding and allocations, yet Sarutobi Hiruzen is trying to reach in and take it for himself!"
Unlike Iwagakure and Kumogakure, Sunagakure did not enjoy a harmonious relationship with the Daimyō and nobles of the Land of Wind.
As a result, Rasa occasionally had to use his unique Magnet Release to gather gold for the village…
The Third Kazekage watched the scene with an icy gaze.
He supported Rasa…
For no other reason than that, after learning of Konoha's childbirth policies, the Third Kazekage had issued a similar appeal in Sunagakure, only to receive almost no response.
There was nothing he could do. Life in Sunagakure and the Land of Wind was far too harsh, and the Third Kazekage had not offered any actual financial incentives. He had merely made a token verbal appeal…
Shinobi were not fools.
Among the village's upper ranks, however, Rasa had sought to attract the Third Kazekage's attention by gathering gold while also fathering a son with his wife. He named the boy Gaara and declared that, for Sunagakure's sake, he would make him the future jinchūriki of the One-Tail!
He would treat his own son in the harshest manner possible, all for the sake of Sunagakure…
Such an approach was undoubtedly deliberate and extreme, but here in the vast desert, it was exactly the sort of thing the Third Kazekage appreciated.
"Pakura, your thinking is far too simplistic…" the Third Kazekage said flatly.
Chiyo, standing nearby, also supported the Third Kazekage. Her son and daughter-in-law had both been killed by Sakumo, and with her old-school shinobi mentality, there was no possibility that she would choose to cooperate with Konoha.
Sunagakure was one of the Five Great Hidden Villages, after all, and had ideals of its own. What would it mean for them to become Konoha's vassal?
Beside Chiyo, Sasori watched the scene coldly and sneered. "Boring…"
Sasori was already close to being driven mad by Sunagakure's internal strife.
Recently, he had been considering finding an opportunity to eliminate the incompetent Third Kazekage.
Sasori believed it was precisely the Third Kazekage's incompetence that had caused his parents to die on the battlefield. On top of that, Amegakure's account of how the Second Shinobi World War had begun had also reached his ears…
That war had been started by the Third Kazekage!
A Kage who started a war was not necessarily a bad leader, but one who lost it had unquestionably done something wrong.
What Sasori did not know was that the greatest mastermind in the shinobi world had already set his sights on him.
Madara intended to personally recruit him in the near future and use Sasori as a pawn to manipulate Sunagakure's political situation…
"Rasa, you'll regret this!"
After being condemned by everyone present, Pakura slammed the table in anger.
"Pakura, I'm the shinobi who stands with the Third Kazekage-sama!"
Refusing to back down, Rasa slammed the table as well. "Remember your place!"
Pakura glared bitterly at Rasa. Ignoring the attitudes of the Third Kazekage and Chiyo, she strode out of Sunagakure's conference room alone, clearly furious.
The Third Kazekage narrowed his eyes and acted as though he had seen nothing. He said calmly, "Rasa, once your child is a little older, we will need to test whether he can bear the One-Tail's power…"
"Monk Bunpuku refused to cooperate with the village until the day he died. The One-Tail is currently sealed inside the thousand-year-old tea kettle at the Temple of Wind. We cannot allow the village to remain deprived of its tailed beast's power."
"Remember, we did not purchase our tailed beast. Reto-sama personally captured it! We must never squander the treasure the First Kazekage-sama left behind for the village…"
"You have done well. Compared to certain ungrateful shinobi, you give me far less cause for concern. You possess the mindset of a Kazekage."
Rasa immediately stood at attention and declared loudly, "I am willing to share the Kazekage-sama's burdens!"
After the meeting ended, a strange smile curled across Rasa's lips as he made his way home.
'That foolish woman Pakura is the only obstacle standing between me and the position of Fourth Kazekage…'
'I was somewhat concerned about her prestige within the village, but I never expected her to dig her own grave by proposing cooperation with Konoha. How utterly ridiculous…'
'She has clearly violated a taboo for both the Third Kazekage-sama and Elder Chiyo. What the Kazekage-sama said just now was actually his way of telling me that Pakura has already been eliminated from the running!'
A vicious gleam flickered in Rasa's eyes.
'Being eliminated from the running isn't enough. If I become Kazekage, that fool Pakura will definitely oppose me. I should find an opportunity to have her killed. Once war breaks out, all kinds of accidents can happen…'
'The Kazekage-sama won't say anything.'
'I offered Gaara to Sunagakure. My loyalty is beyond question!'
Sunagakure had fallen into a terrifying spiral of internal conflict.
Rasa, Pakura, Chiyo, Sasori, the Third Kazekage…
Each of the village's most important figures had their own ideas.
Konoha, meanwhile, continued developing at a steady pace, as though the shinobi world were perfectly peaceful and no one intended to disturb it…
Two months later.
Kakuzu returned to Konoha travel-worn and covered in dust, bringing with him the kekkei genkai materials that Sakumo and Fugaku had been eagerly awaiting!
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