Chapter 311 – The Clown! Black Zetsu Makes His Move
A full-scale war had once again engulfed the Shinobi World.
But this time, everything was different.
After the "Truth of the Shinobi World" was revealed,
the nature of the conflict had shifted completely.
War—
the very thing the Sage of Six Paths supposedly desired.
A forge to temper humanity.
A crucible to strengthen all living beings.
And for those who died?
"Well, we've got Edo Tensei, don't we?
Instead of living in fear of being killed,
might as well die early and let Edo Tensei bring you back!"
White Zetsu troops were endless anyway.
The whole thing was "according to the Sage's design,"
so Obito's side no longer cared about any restraints.
"Kappa bastard!
I finally found you again!"
Hidan charged through literal gunfire at Might Guy, thrilled.
"This time you're not escaping!
It's been nine years—you owe me an answer!
Nine years!"
"…?"
Guy hesitated, trying to remember what lunacy Hidan was referring to.
But he did recognize the man.
"Tch. Not this poison freak again. Can't I get a different opponent?!"
---
"Hatake Sakumo—
we have unfinished business."
Sasori and Chiyo both closed in on the White Fang.
Unlike Sasori's burning hatred,
Chiyo only sighed helplessly.
"Seems we really are about to trouble you once more…"
"It is a bit troublesome…"
Sakumo scratched his head, feeling exasperated.
He'd spent his entire life tangled with Sunagakure.
Why wouldn't these people leave him alone?
"Ah? You two are here too?"
Naruto and Sasuke, originally planning to join the "upper-tier fights,"
spotted Zabuza and Haku among the chaos.
"Oi! What are you guys doing here?!"
"Hmph. The Shinobi World isn't your private backyard."
Zabuza snorted, while Haku smiled softly.
"We volunteered to reinforce you. Be careful out there."
"You two need to be careful. I'm not babysitting you."
Sasuke replied coolly—
though his eyes flicked toward Itachi.
"Perfect timing to warm up.
You monster…
you're exactly the opponent I need."
Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama naturally gravitated toward each other.
"Madara, don't be reckless!"
Hashirama dodged and countered while shouting.
"Now that we know the Sage's plan,
shouldn't we unite against the Ōtsutsuki threat?!"
"That was my intention at first.
But not anymore!"
Madara swung scythe and war fan relentlessly.
His Mangekyō blazed like burning blood.
"I spent my life chasing peace—
only to discover peace was a delusion.
You never understood me!"
"But now we know the whole truth,"
Hashirama insisted.
"If we handle the Ōtsutsuki crisis,
can't true peace finally come?"
"Yes… but everything is still just the Sage's orchestration."
Madara's expression twisted—equal parts frustration and conviction.
"I've come too far to turn back now.
All I can do is see his 'design' through—
and shape true peace afterward!"
Deep inside, Madara was furious.
He'd always believed he was fighting for peace.
Yet now he realized he had nearly become
an accomplice in destroying the world.
His ideals—
worthless in the face of cosmic predators.
And Hashirama, that naïve fool,
had unknowingly helped prepare the world for the real threat.
The shame was unbearable.
"If this was the Sage's intention all along—
then I will follow it to the end!
Once everything is over,
I will build an eternal peace!"
It was a classic Uchiha flare-up.
Even Madara, usually calculating,
was losing balance.
"Damn it…"
Hashirama finally sighed.
He needed to end this quickly—
or at least restrain him.
"If you insist on this madness—
don't blame me!"
"Hmph!
Do you think you're Kitagawa Gen?"
Madara's chakra erupted.
"You say it like you could beat me anytime you wanted!"
"Come, Madara!"
"Hashirama!"
BOOM—!!
Their clash detonated like a meteor strike,
sending shockwaves that flattened entire units.
"Those two are a pain,"
Tobirama muttered irritably.
Worse, he couldn't even intervene—
their fight was simply beyond him now.
Nearby, Minato and Kakashi regrouped,
both staring at Obito with heavy expressions.
"Obito…"
Minato murmured.
The war was only getting more insane—
and Obito's next move might tip the world into literal apocalypse.
Minato spoke first, his voice low, eyes full of conflicting emotions.
"I never imagined… that everything back then was because of you.
But why, Obito?
Why did you do all of this?"
"Why?"
Obito glanced at Minato, then looked briefly toward Kitagawa Gen—
but his reply came out cold as winter steel.
"You want to lecture me now?
Don't you think it's a little late for that… sensei?"
"Sensei…"
Kakashi frowned, wanting to say something,
but Obito only let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.
"You were never there when it mattered.
Not for me.
Not for Rin."
"Obito…"
Minato's brows tightened.
He wanted to answer—
but the words wouldn't form.
"And besides…"
Obito's voice sharpened,
jaw clenched with years of resentment.
"As my teacher,
you didn't even recognize me that night.
You—
the Fourth Hokage—
couldn't even see your own student.
What kind of Hokage is that?!"
"…"
Minato couldn't respond.
Even knowing Obito was speaking in pain and madness…
somewhere deep down, guilt twisted in his chest.
If I had recognized him that night…
maybe I could have stopped everything.
If I had acted faster…
Kushina wouldn't have died…
Naruto wouldn't have become a jinchūriki…
and the whole world wouldn't be facing annihilation right now.
Minato's thoughts spiraled—
until a soft snort cut in.
Kitagawa Gen stepped forward.
"Oh, here we go again.
Uchiha Obito, is this really all you have left to say?"
"Gen…"
Minato tried to intervene,
but Kakashi quietly held him back.
Gen did not stop.
"Your own incompetence got you caught in an Iwagakure rockslide.
And you still have the nerve to blame others?
Are you even a ninja?"
Obito's face darkened.
"And as for being 'late'—
I seem to recall asking you this already.
You noticed the enemy, didn't you?
So why didn't you hurry?"
"…"
"You rely on others for everything.
Are you even a shinobi?
No wonder you were the dead-last.
Whenever something goes wrong,
all you do is blame someone else."
"Shut up…"
"You've never once reflected on your own failures.
You cling to fantasies instead of facing reality."
"I said shut up—!"
"You never even know who's lying to you,
or who cares for you.
You really are—
and always have been—
a clown dragging his own chains."
"I SAID SHUT UUUUP!"
Obito finally snapped,
roaring as he lunged.
But Gen didn't even flinch.
He blocked the attack casually—
as if swatting away a child—
and his voice echoed calmly:
"A clown should stay in his rightful place.
This 'peace' you preach—
is it truly peace?
And this 'evolution' you claim—
is it even yours to begin with?"
BOOM—!!
Obito was slammed into the ground,
gasping for breath,
murderous aura burning like black flame in his eyes.
Kimimaro and Nagato rushed toward him,
but Gen barely spared them a glance.
"You three should probably come at me together.
Though honestly—
a warning."
His eyes glinted with cold amusement.
"If that's all the power you have left…
I'll just send you straight to the afterlife."
The three Ōtsutsuki stared at the battlefield unfolding through Obito, Nagato, and Kimimaro's vision.
"What a sight," Urashiki murmured.
"These lowborn creatures are weak…
yet their technique and chakra manipulation are shockingly refined."
Momoshiki nodded.
"This world is unusual indeed.
A millennium of bloodshed forged into raw skill… truly intriguing."
But halfway through their remarks,
the two exchanged a look.
The same thought bloomed in both minds.
If that "Sage of Six Paths" really was Isshiki…
then this monster Kitagawa Gen—
was also CREATED by him?!
Gen's combat style was simply too strange.
Too efficient.
Too… perfect.
Isshiki had once said
Gen "possessed the battle capabilities of this world."
That alone was suspicious.
A horrifying possibility arose—
and both Momoshiki and Urashiki felt their teeth grind.
All of this chaos…
all of this misery…
was caused by Isshiki.
And we are the pitiful ones caught in the aftermath!
"He released the darkness inside Shibai—
showed him the Stairway to Godhood—
and even enabled him to gain the power to kill us?!"
It wasn't confirmed—
but that was the only explanation that made sense.
At this point,
both Ōtsutsuki were ready to strangle Isshiki the moment they thawed.
This bastard
was the root cause
of all evil.
---
While chaos consumed the battlefield,
Black Zetsu narrowed his gaze on Nagato.
Damn… Madara definitely suspects me now.
If there was one thing Zetsu understood well,
it was Uchiha paranoia.
One slip—
even one emotional outburst—
and Madara would remember it forever.
I need to misdirect him.
Divert suspicion.
Make him believe I'm still useful.
And the best way to do that—
"When he revives," Zetsu thought,
"Madara must become the Ten-Tails jinchūriki immediately."
Only then would Madara feel secure,
and ignore Zetsu long enough for him to prevent Obito
from unsealing Kaguya at all costs.
Because one thing was absolutely certain—
if Kaguya reappeared now,
she would be slaughtered by the incoming Ōtsutsuki.
And Black Zetsu would never allow that.
Buzz—
In an instant,
he surged through the battlefield like black ink,
slipping through the sea of chakra waves.
He surfaced beside Nagato—
and the black chakra burst forth like a splash of tar.