The fighting in the Forest of Death stopped.
Not because the shinobi wanted it to, but because something new and scary had arrived.
Four strange women, with powers no one understood, had entered the fight.
They weren't using chakra, the energy all shinobi used.
This made the Kage, the leaders of the hidden villages, very worried.
They knew this was bigger than any fight they'd had before.
In a dark, hidden place, a shadowy being named Black Zetsu felt a feeling he'd never felt before: frustration.
For a very, very long time, Black Zetsu had been working on a plan.
It was a big, secret plan to bring back his mother, Kaguya, a powerful being from a long time ago.
He had always been in control, always pulling strings from the shadows.
But everything was messed up because of the new figures.
These new people, especially the man who made them appear, were a huge problem.
This man, Sullivan, had power that Black Zetsu couldn't understand.
Sullivan had even created Kaguya, his mother's double..
This made Black Zetsu feel sick.
How could someone create his mother?
It was impossible! His whole life, his whole purpose, was built around Kaguya.
If she was just something this Sullivan could make, then what was he?
Black Zetsu thought and thought.
He tried to figure out a way to stop Sullivan, to hurt him, or even just to hurt the people Sullivan protected.
He used all his ancient knowledge, all his dark tricks.
But every time, he found nothing. It was like trying to punch smoke.
Sullivan was simply too powerful, too far beyond his reach.
This feeling of helplessness was new and terrible for Black Zetsu. He had always been the one making others helpless.
As Black Zetsu was trapped in his frustrated thoughts, something strange happened.
He felt a strong pull, like an invisible hand grabbing him. It wasn't gentle; it was firm and undeniable.
He couldn't fight it, no matter how hard he tried. His shadowy form stretched and warped, moving through space faster than he had ever moved before.
When the pulling stopped, Black Zetsu found himself in a new place.
It wasn't the dark caves he was used to. It was a bright, open space, but not the outside world.
It felt like a room, but bigger than any room he knew, and filled with a strange, calm energy.
And right in front of him, standing calmly, was the young man who had caused him so much frustration: Sullivan.
Sullivan looked at Black Zetsu.
He had a small smile on his face, as if he knew exactly what Black Zetsu was thinking.
His eyes, though, were very playful yet very wise.
They seemed to see right through Black Zetsu, understanding every dark secret he held.
"Hello, Black Zetsu," Sullivan said, his voice calm and clear. It was a voice that held immense power, but it wasn't loud or scary.
It was just… there, filling the space.
Black Zetsu stayed silent. He wanted to attack, to scream, to disappear, but he couldn't move.
The pull he had felt still held him, keeping him still, forcing him to face Sullivan.
Sullivan continued, "I've been watching you for a long time(in manga and anime). You've worked very hard to bring back Kaguya." He paused, and his smile grew a little wider.
"You've done a remarkable job, given the circumstances."
Black Zetsu's shadowy form twitched.
He hated being complimented by his enemy. He hated being seen, especially by someone who seemed to know everything about him.
"You're very devoted to your mother," Sullivan said, his voice softer now. "That's a good quality. A very strong one."
Black Zetsu still didn't speak. He just watched Sullivan, trying to understand what was happening.
Why was he here? What did this powerful man want?
"I know you want to free Kaguya," Sullivan said, as if reading Black Zetsu's thoughts. "You believe she is trapped, sealed away. And you're right, in a way. She is. But not in the way you think."
Black Zetsu's eyes, if a shadow could have eyes, widened slightly. This was important.
"I can help you with that," Sullivan offered.
His gaze was steady.
"I can free your mother. Truly free her, from all the burdens and all the seals."
This caught Black Zetsu off guard. Free Kaguya? That was his life's work. But for Sullivan to offer it… there had to be a catch. There always was.
"Why?" Black Zetsu finally managed to say, his voice a low, raspy whisper.
Sullivan chuckled.
"Because I'm interested in you, Black Zetsu. And I'm interested in Kaguya. I want to see what you both can become." He paused, then added, "And because I have a guild."
Black Zetsu blinked. A guild? What was that?
"It's called the Dimensional Guild," Sullivan explained.
"It's a group of powerful individuals from many different worlds. People who are looking for something more, for new adventures, for a new purpose."
He looked directly at Black Zetsu. "I am inviting you to join my guild, Black Zetsu. If you join, I will free Kaguya. Not just for a little while, but completely. She will be free to live her own life, outside of the confines of this world's history."
Black Zetsu was stunned. This was an offer he never expected.
His whole existence was about Kaguya.
And now, the one person who could truly free her was offering it… for his service.
He still felt a flicker of distrust, of course. He was Black Zetsu.
But the frustration and helplessness he had felt moments before were still fresh.
He had no power against Sullivan.
And this offer… it was everything he wanted, but given to him in a way he couldn't have imagined.
"Think about it," Sullivan said, sensing Black Zetsu's inner turmoil. "You would gain access to new powers, new worlds, and a new purpose. And your mother would be truly free."
He smiled, a gentle, knowing smile.
"What do you say, Black Zetsu? Will you join the Dimensional Guild?"
The silence stretched between them. Black Zetsu, the puppet master, the schemer, the ancient being who had manipulated generations, was now faced with the most important decision of his long life.
A decision that would change everything, not just for him, but for his mother.
...
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