Over the past decade, Black Zetsu had secretly escaped from its seal. Though incomplete, part of its body and consciousness managed to slip free.
Even so…
It didn't know where to go.
The White Zetsu were either dead or sealed. Even free, it was a commander without troops.
Fortunately, it knew patience was key. While searching old bases, it confirmed that Madara's spare body hadn't been discovered.
"This is my only chance. If I revive Uchiha Madara, everything can still turn around. The enemy is strong—but no one would suspect Madara still has another body."
The problem was how to revive him.
The Rinnegan was out of the question. It wasn't with Nagato—it was with Kanda Kyoichi.
Unexpectedly, the Uchiha had produced another Mangekyō user…
If Madara revived, that would be excellent news.
Over the next year or two, Black Zetsu traveled the shinobi world.
Everything had changed.
Strange new things appeared everywhere—
Scientific ninja tools.
Combining ninjutsu, seals, and barriers, they allowed ordinary ninja to wield real power. The world was unusually peaceful.
Causing chaos like before was no longer easy.
After much thought, Black Zetsu avoided Kyoichi and Konoha altogether—escaping only to be sealed again would be humiliating.
Eventually, it found a reincarnation technique.
Dragon Life Reincarnation.
Reincarnation techniques weren't rare. Black Zetsu knew many villages had their own—Madara once mentioned Tobirama's secret research into Edo Tensei.
But infiltrating Konoha?
Impossible.
They had the Rinnegan and Six Paths–level Chibaku Tensei tech. Discovery meant instant resealing.
Dragon Life Reincarnation was different.
A bloodline technique from Kusagakure's Hana faction—so unimportant even the village didn't value it.
Controlling a weak genin from there was easy.
Thus, Madara's body was brought to the Land of Grass. Using its own power, Black Zetsu manipulated the girl, channeled the technique, and took full control.
Thankfully, she was weak. Any stronger, and Black Zetsu—without Madara's techniques—couldn't have done it.
Life energy slowly flowed into Madara.
Gradually, his vitality returned.
Eventually, the girl collapsed.
Black Zetsu emerged, floating before Madara, waiting.
Moments later, Madara opened his eyes and sat up, scanning his surroundings.
"You revived me?"
"Yes. I barely escaped the seal and came straight to revive you."
Black Zetsu wasn't boasting—it wanted to avoid suspicion.
What it didn't know was that Madara had already figured everything out.
He'd once been deceived because he never considered betrayal from something he believed was his own will.
But now…
He wasn't so sure.
Even if Black Zetsu was his creation, its will might have been influenced by something higher—
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
Madara had little interest in revival—but seeing Black Zetsu still acting, he decided to play along.
"Tell me the current situation."
"Yes. The shinobi world is… rather special now."
As Black Zetsu rambled, Madara felt a twinge of irony.
Peace wasn't just due to Kyoichi's overwhelming strength—but also a stable economy and a new ninja system.
Kyoichi's vision surpassed Infinite Tsukuyomi by far.
When Black Zetsu mentioned Shisui's Mangekyō—
"Uchiha Shisui?"
"Yes."
Madara wasn't surprised.
He'd always thought highly of Kyoichi's disciple.
But awakening the Mangekyō required more than talent—it required trauma.
"Did he kill Uchiha?"
"Yes. About a third of the clan. The hardliners were wiped out. Fugaku stepped down."
Black Zetsu clicked its tongue, regretting missing it.
Madara gazed at the sky in silence.
Fugaku was mediocre.
Shisui's decisiveness made him the ideal future leader.
Still…
The Uchiha no longer concerned him.
What mattered was dealing with Black Zetsu.
If he couldn't die before, now that he'd revived, there was no way he'd let this go unpaid.
His spare body was still out there.
If he could sense it, he could set a trap.
This parasite deserved to reunite with its master.
"Let's go."
"To where?"
"Konoha."
"With you here, no one will sense us—and they'll never expect me to have revived."
"Yes!"
Black Zetsu was thrilled.
It never realized Madara was already planning how to send it back to where it belonged.
If it knew, it would be vomiting blood.
They soon reached Konoha's outskirts—
unaware that strange roots now filled the land, sensing vibrations and earth-style techniques.
Their stealth had already been detected.