One had to admit…
Black Zetsu was surprisingly good at storytelling.
In the tale it spun, Kaguya was painted as a benevolent lunar goddess, a deity full of compassion who fell victim to betrayal by those closest to her.
Even with such a tragic fate...
The noble Kaguya still chose to place the greater good above her own suffering—for the sake of the world, for the sake of all life.
It was a story that brought to life the image of the Moon Goddess that humanity longed to believe in, especially for someone like Emiya Shihara, who had always revered the Divine Tree and worshipped Kaguya herself.
"..."
Emiya Shihara appeared slightly dazed.
Was this really the Shinobi World?
Was this the real Shinobi World?
Had this story not come from Black Zetsu, Shihara might very well have believed it. Logically, the tale held up almost flawlessly.
Almost.
The flaw… was Black Zetsu itself.
In the ancient age, Black Zetsu had always sought vengeance against the Sage of Six Paths.
If Kaguya had truly been a kind and tender mother—so full of love she was willing to yield even in a war that would destroy the world—why would the will she left behind be so singularly obsessed with revenge against her own son?
Clearly…
Black Zetsu didn't quite grasp human emotions.
And as a kind-hearted person, Emiya Shihara felt it was only right to help Black Zetsu patch up this gaping hole in its narrative. In doing so, he also lightened his own sense of guilt toward the creature.
"How truly…"
"…admirable, this goddess."
"I can hardly imagine…"
Shihara let out a slow, lingering sigh, his voice tinged with sympathy. "For a divine being so noble to be betrayed and sealed away by her beloved children… how much pain must she have endured in silence…"
"..."
Black Zetsu froze for a moment.
It hadn't expected—
—its story to land this well!
Shihara's reverence for Kaguya had only deepened.
This guy…
He was even imagining the pain Kaguya must have felt when she was sealed!
Of course, when Kaguya had been imprisoned by her two sons, she'd felt more than just pain—there had been rage and bitter resentment too. Still, Shihara's words sparked a new idea in Black Zetsu's mind. It quickly seized the opportunity to rewrite its origin story.
"Yes…"
"That pain… was unbearable…"
"Even a goddess of the moon could not endure it…"
"That pain—was why I came into existence."
Black Zetsu's voice sank, soft and solemn, as it shouldered the blame with an almost poetic dignity. "Before the great mother was sealed, she couldn't bring herself to hate her sons. Instead, she severed the pain from her body… and in doing so, gave birth to me."
"And so…"
"I've kept myself hidden all this time…"
Black Zetsu sounded almost self-conscious now, spinning its tale with heartfelt precision. "Because I was born from her suffering, I was ashamed to reveal my true nature…"
"..."
Emiya Shihara's gaze softened with sudden clarity.
"Black Zetsu…"
A flicker of sympathy crossed his face.
At that moment, the man seemed to wholly accept Black Zetsu's identity. He forgave its deceptions, even feeling a twinge of pity for its existence. "You're the embodiment of the Moon Goddess's will…"
"That should be something to be proud of."
Shihara offered words of comfort, even sounding faintly melancholic. "Gods are always rescuing mortals from suffering… but someone must be there to rescue the gods from their own pain."
He gently soothed the shadow's weary heart. "As the pain she left behind… you've never stopped seeking justice for what happened to her, have you?"
"…Lord Wei Yuan…"
Black Zetsu was genuinely moved.
From this day forward—
Emiya Shihara would be its perfectly controlled pawn.
No—
That wasn't the right mindset anymore…
From this day forward…
Emiya Shihara would be its true companion in the resurrection of Kaguya.
Although Black Zetsu had a nagging suspicion that if Shihara ever did meet the real Kaguya, he'd likely explode in righteous fury…
Still—
To keep him from becoming too angry in the future…
It was best that Shihara never witness Kaguya's return.
Because Shihara wasn't just any tool. He was the perfect vessel—Black Zetsu's chosen sacrifice for the resurrection ritual. The one piece it trusted above all.
As for Uchiha Madara…
Black Zetsu had already tossed that pawn into the mental recycling bin.
It began fantasizing about the day its grand plan would succeed—when it would pierce through Shihara's heart to revive Kaguya. Should it look triumphant in that moment?
Or…
Put on a sorrowful, reluctant expression?
Why not both?
A bittersweet monologue, lamenting the necessity of betrayal… all while gloating over years of manipulation…
Yes.
That sounded properly deranged.
Though Black Zetsu felt a flicker of guilt over betraying Shihara's trust, it reminded itself: I am Kaguya's will. My only goal is her resurrection.
That settled it.
When the time came…
It would give a heartfelt speech.
Praise Shihara's loyalty.
Confess how much joy it took from using him as a pawn.
And in those final moments…
It would reveal the truth—so that Shihara might understand, even if it was too late.
A farewell, of sorts. A proper sendoff.
Black Zetsu silently tucked away that little monologue, its attitude toward Shihara becoming unconsciously warmer and more familiar.
"Wei Yuan…"
"..."
Hearing the name, Shihara's expression turned oddly delicate.
Black Zetsu… this bastard…
It really thought it was Kaguya's will now.
It really thought its status had risen.
It couldn't even be bothered to say Lord Wei Yuan anymore?
That name—Wei Yuan—was not for everyone's lips.
Only true friends could call him that.
The kind of friends who could entrust their last wishes to each other.
Wei Yuan was a name he had personally allowed Katsuyu to use, for the sake of easier communication—though that silly slug had insisted on adding "Lord" to it out of habit.
As for Black Zetsu…
Calling him "Lord Wei Yuan" would've sufficed.
Now it didn't even add the honorific?
Did it really think that being Kaguya's will gave it the right to look down on him?
Shihara was magnanimous by nature and wouldn't fuss over such trifles—but Black Zetsu's arrogance was… something else.
Drunk on imaginary power…
And it hadn't even gained real power yet!
It was already putting on airs like some divine being's envoy!
Though Shihara considered himself big-hearted, he couldn't help but notice the disrespect. Had Black Zetsu forgotten its place?
It still needed his help, after all.
"Wei Yuan."
Black Zetsu rather liked the intimate tone of that name.
To it, the casual address reflected a growing closeness.
It believed that Shihara had fully embraced its identity, even forgiven its earlier deception.
It was time.
Time to get down to business.
"Reviving Kaguya… won't be easy."
"Back then, when Mother was first sealed, it was just over a thousand years ago. In those days, the process was far simpler. But now, her chakra has slowly dissipated over the centuries…"
Black Zetsu paused, then added another creative flourish: "Now, all that remains is her will… still watching over the world she once loved."
"So noble…"
Shihara couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Then, as if a thought had struck him, he frowned slightly, his tone tinged with concern. "If Lady Kaguya has only a fragment of her will left… that's a divine domain I've never touched before. It may take me a long time to study and experiment with it. I'm not even sure I'll succeed…"
"..."
Black Zetsu smiled.
It didn't care if Shihara could or couldn't succeed.
What mattered was his mindset—his sincere attitude warmed Black Zetsu's cold heart. Hearing those words brought back that familiar feeling.
As expected of Wei Yuan!
As expected of my favorite pawn!
Faced with a challenge, Emiya Shihara instinctively sought a solution.
Though—
This time, the problem was beyond him.
The method of Kaguya's resurrection was not something he could possibly comprehend.
"I think… hmm?"
Shihara was about to continue, maybe draw out Black Zetsu's next lie just for sport—when he suddenly sensed someone rushing toward their location at incredible speed!
Black Zetsu's own senses were sharp. It noticed the disturbance too and was visibly annoyed—someone had chosen this moment to interrupt its pleasant conversation with Shihara.
"Someone's coming!"
"Wait…"
A flash of surprise crossed Black Zetsu's face as it sensed the intruder's chakra. It couldn't believe who it was.
"Why is he coming here?"