Hearing the voice, Zetsu turned sharply. As it instinctively prepared to cast a defensive jutsu, the sight before it froze it completely in place.
Before it stood a woman around twenty years old.
Her beauty surpassed even that of it mother, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—divine, radiant, and awe-inspiring. Her presence was as unfathomable as an endless abyss.
Golden eyes shimmered with the birth and death of nebulae. From her ears hung sun-shaped Ōtsutsuki earrings, and she wore a magnificent black robe embroidered with gold. Her long black hair flowed behind her like a dark river, and a halo of light flickered faintly behind her head. The gemstone tassels at her waist chimed with clear, crisp sounds.
It was none other than Satsuki, who had previously remained in the Uchiha compound.
"Zetsu, third son of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. Though born by parthenogenesis, strictly speaking, you carry almost no Ōtsutsuki blood—merely a fragmentary spiritual entity."
At her words, which so easily exposed its deepest secret, Black Zetsu felt a cold dread rise within. Before this being, it was as though every secret it had ever kept lay bare.
For one who lived by secrets, to be stripped of them was to lose the very foundation of existence.
In that instant, Zetsu understood—before this woman, there was no room for bargaining.
"Who are you?"
The voice it emitted was less a question and more a feigned show of hostility meant to disguise its fear.
Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's third son.
How could anyone possibly know that? Not even those accursed brothers, Hamura and Hagoromo, had discovered its existence back then!
For centuries, it had acted in absolute secrecy across the shinobi world—so how could this woman know of it?
Satsuki spoke slowly. "Sometimes, asking isn't the best way to learn an answer."
"You're…" Several flashes of realization flickered through Black Zetsu's mind.
Years ago—the great battle between the Uchiha and the Senju… the mysterious kunoichi calling herself Ranzuki Ōtsutsuki… the Byakugan bloodline similar to Hamura's… and now, once again, conflict between the Uchiha and Senju clans…
"A descendant of Hamura Ōtsutsuki?"
"Mm. Not bad. It seems you're not entirely a fool." Satsuki clapped her hands lightly. "After all, I've given you enough hints. If you still couldn't figure it out, I might have considered cooperating with your mother instead."
"Cooperate?"
Black Zetsu's tone turned wary. "Your ancestor and the Sage of Six Paths sealed Mother away together. What reason could we possibly have to cooperate?"
"Often, former enemies need no complicated reason to join hands," Satsuki said calmly. "Only a shared, greater enemy."
At that, Zetsu frowned. "You mean… those beings?"
Satsuki didn't answer directly. Instead, she changed the subject. "For years, you've schemed tirelessly to resurrect Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—stirring endless conflict, provoking Indra and Ashura's reincarnations to kill each other again and again. Yet, despite it all, you've failed."
"I suspect you've already realized who Indra's and Ashura's reincarnations are this time."
So far, Zetsu had confirmed that Madara Uchiha was Indra's reincarnation. As for Ashura's reincarnation, it had a candidate in mind—but not with certainty.
Even so, it could read the hidden meaning in her words.
"So, you've been watching them too?" Zetsu asked cautiously, probing for her intentions. "Is your goal the same as mine—to resurrect Mother?"
"Of course," Satsuki replied with a slight nod. "Otherwise, why would I reveal myself to you?"
At that, Zetsu realized it had no choice but to comply. "Then how do you intend for us to cooperate?"
Satsuki spoke evenly. "Simple. I want to know the exact conditions for Kaguya's resurrection. From your actions, I can infer it involves Indra and Ashura, but I lack detailed information."
"…"
Hearing this, Black Zetsu fell silent.
Satsuki, however, was in no hurry. Unlike Black Zetsu, she wasn't particularly zealous about resurrecting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. After all, with time, the main Ōtsutsuki clan would inevitably come looking.
If they sent only a few weaklings, it would be easy enough for her to deal with them—and from their minds, extracting information about the main family wouldn't be difficult.
Of course, such confidence came only because her current power was sufficient to back it up.
For Black Zetsu, however, its very existence revolved around Kaguya's resurrection. Yet in the shinobi world, many had long coveted her power.
This made its progress painstakingly slow.
On one hand, it constantly worried about when the main Ōtsutsuki clan might descend, forcing it to act cautiously.
On the other, it feared the Sage's lineage and the presence of Isshiki Ōtsutsuki lurking in the shadows. For this reason, it could never move recklessly.
At the very least, now there was someone who offered a chance to accelerate its plans—and that alone made cooperation worth considering.
"We can work together…" Black Zetsu finally decided. After all, under another's roof, it had no choice but to bow. "But I want to know your true objective."
"My objective?" Satsuki replied flatly. "To eradicate the entire Ōtsutsuki main family. That is my goal."
"What?!"
Zetsu froze, then quickly snapped out of it, its tone turning sharp and incredulous. "Are you mocking me? To oppose the Ōtsutsuki main family—by yourself? Even my mother, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, who wielded the power of Kekkei Mōra, feared them deeply! Where does your confidence come from?"
"That's not important," Satsuki said calmly. "Since you insist on a reason, I'll give you one. Whether you believe it or not makes no difference."
Her voice was cool and logical, leaving Black Zetsu momentarily speechless.
After a long pause, it finally spoke again. "To resurrect Mother, three conditions must be met: the Ten-Tails God Tree, the Rinnegan—" (by which I mean the combined force of Indra and Ashura's Yin-Yang chakra, the union of Sage Body and Sage Eyes)—"and her spiritual will."
"Then how far have you progressed?" She asked.
"…"
Black Zetsu said nothing.
"In that case," Satsuki said lightly, "I'll handle it from here. Your efficiency is far too low."
With that, she raised her hand. Black death lines appeared, swiftly binding Black Zetsu in place.
Zetsu panicked. "What are you doing?!"
"As Kaguya's will, I'd rather not have you meeting any unfortunate accidents," Satsuki replied coldly.
Without another word, she compressed Zetsu's form into a small black sphere, then hung it from the tail of the folding fan at her waist like a charm.
"If your information proves accurate," she said softly, "then the next time you awaken in this world will be the moment your mother is revived."
Having said that, her figure vanished—disappearing into thin air.
When she appeared again, Satsuki had returned to the Uchiha compound.
For her, distance no longer held any meaning.
"Host, is this what you meant by 'fishing in muddy waters'?"
In the air, the system's glowing sphere floated out, circling curiously around the Dead Line Boundary.
In recent days, it had discovered quite a few useful functions in the Akasha Records—the most notable being that it could now project a visible form into the external world.
Though, admittedly, it had no real purpose yet.
"I wanted to capture it before," Satsuki said, "but at that time, my Tenseigan's power hadn't matured as it has now. And I wasn't sure how to deal with it afterward, so I held off."
"Using the Dead Line Boundary to restrain him is indeed a flawless method. So, did he reveal any useful information?"
"A few things," Satsuki replied calmly, "but they'll take some work to process."
Then her tone shifted. "What about that shrine beneath the Uchiha compound I asked you to monitor—any movement?"
"None. Though Izuna Uchiha is desperate to rescue his elder brother, the guards at the underground shrine remain strict. He hasn't withdrawn any personnel from there."
"And Shirakumaru? What's his plan?"
"He seems to be taking action elsewhere."
...
Drip… drip… drip…
The sound of dripping water echoed through the dim passage, prompting Shirakumaru to pull his robe tighter around himself.
The air was thick with an ominous and immense chakra—its presence filled with rage and boundless malice.
He stepped between the bodies of two fallen Uchiha shinobi.
Each step sent ripples through the shallow water beneath his feet as he advanced into the pitch-black corridor ahead.
All around, talismans bearing the character seal (封) covered the walls, as though warning intruders to turn back immediately.
Shirakumaru, draped in a white haori, paid no heed. Upon his shoulder perched a white crow whose eyes gleamed like lightning. With a sharp cry, it spat a bolt of electricity that shattered several concealed traps lurking in the shadows.
Compared to the mechanisms of the Lunar Capital, these were pathetically crude.
Clicking his tongue in disdain, Shirakumaru reached the end of the passage.
Before him stood a colossal iron gate plastered with dozens of sealing tags. At its center was a massive emblem—three-tomoe Sharingan.
"With such simple craftsmanship, it seems that ever since acquiring the Sharingan, the Uchiha clan has forgotten how to use their brains."
His eyes shifted suddenly, transforming into the Mangekyō Sharingan. Gazing straight at the emblem before him, he began to channel ocular power into it.
Moments later, the massive eye engraved on the gate emitted a faint purple chakra glow.
Then, as if alive, the pattern began to morph.
Click… click… click…
The three tomoe spun and twisted, gradually reshaping into a Mangekyō Sharingan identical to Shirakumaru's own.
With a deep rumble, the gate began to part, sliding open under an unseen force.
Beyond lay a vast, shadowy space—large enough to rival an open arena.
The instant he stepped inside, a storm of blazing red chakra struck him head-on.
Unfazed, Shirakumaru swiftly drew the short blade from his back and slashed downward.
The chakra tempest split around him like a river around a stone, parting into twin streams that roared outward—only to be absorbed and suppressed by the countless seals lining the outer tunnel.
Even so, the violent surge lasted several minutes before gradually subsiding.
Throughout it all, Shirakumaru remained calm and composed, sliding his blade back into its sheath with ease.
"Damnable Uchiha… what do you intend this time?!"
From the depths of the chamber, two colossal scarlet eyes glared at him with murderous intensity.
Hearing that thunderous voice, Shirakumaru looked up.
"The mightiest of the nine tailed beasts—the Nine-Tails himself. Yet now, you look more like a lamb awaiting slaughter. How pitiful."
His unrestrained mockery instantly enraged the beast before him.
Roooaaaar!!!
From within the shadows came a thunderous roar of fury. A colossal form lunged toward Shirakumaru, its movements shaking the air itself.
A violent gust swept forth, laden with the feral stench of the beast—but Shirakumaru remained utterly calm, unmoving.
He drew a fire striker from his sleeve and flicked it toward both sides, igniting the surrounding torches.
Fwoosh… crackle…
Flames illuminated the chamber, revealing a massive fox—its body stretching over a hundred meters long. The beast howled and slammed itself again and again against the towering iron cage that imprisoned it.
Around its back coiled a shrine-like sealing stone, while its tails were bound by enormous metal chains covered in charms designed to suppress and drain chakra.
Shirakumaru watched the sight of the pitifully trapped Nine-Tailed Fox in silence for a long time before speaking. "Do you desire revenge?"
Feeling the man's piercing gaze—and those hated, crimson eyes—the fox's fury blazed higher.
Its rage drove it to crash repeatedly against the cage, even knowing the effort was futile. But in this place, where chakra itself was suppressed, even its defiance seemed powerless.
"One day… I'll erase your Uchiha clan from this world entirely!"
If it had been anyone else, they would have been paralyzed before such rage and power. After all, this was no ordinary beast—it was the mightiest of all the tailed beasts.
"Good," Shirakumaru said with a faint nod. "Even after all these years in captivity, it seems the wildness of the Nine-Tails hasn't faded."
He stepped slowly toward the iron cage. Only then did the Nine-Tails notice the difference in his eyes.
"Those eyes… the Mangekyō Sharingan! You've come to control me too?!"
In a fury, the Nine-Tails opened its jaws. A dense mass of chakra gathered at its mouth—its signature technique.
—The Tailed Beast Bomb.
But before it could fire, the sealing charms around the chamber erupted with blinding light. The massive chains binding the Nine-Tails glowed intensely, and the chakra it had amassed dispersed in an instant, vanishing into the air.
"Damn it!!!"
Enraged, the beast slammed its body against the cage. Its massive claws thrust through the bars—close enough that the tips nearly grazed Shirakumaru's face.
Yet that single step between them remained an uncrossable gulf.
Watching the futile struggle, Shirakumaru shook his head. "Forgive my bluntness, but your weakness is far too obvious. In truth, all of you tailed beasts share the same flaw. That's why I have no interest in controlling you."
"Hah! Big words! Your kind locked me here in the first place!"
"Let's clear one thing up," Shirakumaru said evenly. "I'm not of the Uchiha clan. These Sharingan eyes were the result of a transaction."
His voice stayed calm. "Second—since you understand your situation, you should already know that against these eyes, you have no chance of resistance."
The Nine-Tails roared again, its anger threatening to erupt—but then Shirakumaru spoke once more.
"Third… I came here not to control you," he said quietly, "but to release you."