Genin??
Upon hearing Might Duy's words, Chiyo, A, and even the young Killer Bee couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their eyes.
If the Lord God had chosen them because of their exceptional strength, then what was the deal with this Konoha genin?
Was he the Lord God's godson?
Thinking back to how Duy had been easily captured by A just moments ago without any resistance, the trio became more convinced—he really was just a genin.
And so, they simply ignored him.
A mere genin—forget Chiyo, who was definitely at Kage level—even the not-quite-five-year-old Killer Bee could take him down in a straight fight. His combat ability was practically negligible.
Chiyo nodded slightly and introduced herself.
"I'm Chiyo. I'm roughly at S-rank strength, specializing in puppet techniques and poisons."
"Chiyo!"
A and Killer Bee's eyes lit up. Not long ago, on the battlefield in the Land of Rain, Chiyo's puppet mastery and medical poisoning techniques had dazzled all. Though ultimately defeated in a head-on clash with Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin, her formidable strength was unquestionable.
With such a powerhouse joining the mission, and paired with their own abilities, they could probably crush this "Doflamingo" guy outright!
Since all of them had made names for themselves during the Second Great Shinobi War, just announcing their identities gave everyone a rough sense of each other's capabilities.
Of course, no one would be foolish enough to reveal all their cards so easily.
What they now needed to discuss was how to carry out the mission in detail.
As he thought about this, A furrowed his brow.
What kind of world was this, anyway? Who exactly were the ones they were supposed to protect—Rosinante and Law? What did they even look like? The Lord God hadn't provided any detailed intel.
No wonder the enemy wasn't set to arrive for another twenty minutes…
The most urgent task now was to locate their two targets!
"If we're supposed to protect someone, they should be in that town," Chiyo said, glancing into the distance. "Otherwise, if we have to search the entire island, the area is far too vast."
Following her gaze, the group spotted a snowy white town nestled on the slopes of the snow-covered island. From afar, they could see flames erupting from the buildings at the summit, with thick black smoke rising into the sky.
While the others were still thinking, a black shadow had already moved underground, speeding through the earth.
Black Zetsu wore a contemptuous smirk.
"What a waste of time. By the time they finish their discussion, I'll already be off this island with the targets in hand…"
Much like Madara, or perhaps even more extreme, Black Zetsu was the type who would never work in a team. He preferred staying in the shadows, scheming behind the scenes.
To him, the only one he could trust was himself.
"Still, the Lord God's mission likely won't be that simple. I'll need to secure a stronger host body first—otherwise, I won't be able to unleash my full power."
His eyes flickered coldly as he silently calculated his next move.
As he slipped into the town on Minion Island, he noticed a few thugs armed with guns, shouting obscenities and ransacking buildings with reckless abandon.
Remaining beneath the surface, Black Zetsu observed them with his detection abilities.
Suddenly, the corner of his blackened mouth curved upward into a crescent-shaped grin.
---
Amid the Snow-Covered Ruins
Huddled in a corner, shivering, a little boy wearing a tattered cloak and a black-spotted fur hat trembled in the cold.
Just then, a man appeared silently before him.
"Corazon!"
The boy called out with joy—but then froze upon seeing the man's appearance.
Corazon, draped in his usual black feathered coat like a giant crow, looked the same at a glance. But the pink heart-patterned suit underneath was soaked in blood, riddled with bullet holes.
With clown makeup drawn around his right eye and mouth, Corazon forced a smile and pulled out a red, heart-shaped Devil Fruit.
"Law, I got it. I got the Op-Op Fruit! Hurry and eat it—once you do, your Amber Lead Syndrome will be cured!"
"C-Corazon… you…"
Tears welled in Law's eyes as he bit his lip, staring at Corazon in disbelief.
But before he could say anything heartfelt, Corazon shoved the Devil Fruit straight into his mouth.
"Quick, eat it!"
"Ugh! It tastes awful…"
Corazon force-fed Law the entire fruit, nearly choking him in the process.
Then, as if drained of all strength, he collapsed straight to the ground.
To acquire the Op-Op Fruit, he had taken multiple gunshots from pirates and nearly died on the mountain. It was through sheer force of will that he managed to bring the fruit to Law.
Now that he had succeeded, his body gave out. He could no longer move a muscle.
As Law swallowed the fruit, a miraculous sensation swept through his body. The pain and illness that had plagued him vanished in an instant, seemingly cured by a mysterious power.
But the moment he saw Corazon lying on the ground, his tear ducts burst open.
Snot and tears streaming down his face, he hovered his hands helplessly over Corazon's body and cried out:
"Heal him! Heal him!"
"Haha… I told you… the Op-Op Fruit isn't some kind of magic… cough cough…"
Corazon chuckled with clownish absurdity and gently patted Law's head.
Then he pulled out a small scroll.
"Doflamingo is almost here. I can't move anymore… Take this intel to the Marines, and we'll be saved…"
"Promise me—give it to the Navy!"
"Okay!"
Law nodded with all his strength, clutching the scroll tightly.
"Corazon, wait for me! I'll be back!"
"Haha… Of course. Once you're cured, we'll live a quiet life, hidden away from the world…"
---
This scene did not go unnoticed.
A strange man stood nearby, dressed like an ordinary pirate—but half of his body was stained black, and his eyes were closed, as if unconscious.
The blackened half of his face smiled.
Black Zetsu had arrived.
What luck! He had already found the mission targets required by the Lord God.
Though his host had no combat power, it was enough for Zetsu to exert C-rank strength—just enough for his plan.
By probing the host's memories, he had pieced together enough intel to find Law and Corazon so quickly.
Now that they were in sight, there was no way he would let them go. As long as he could secure them before the Donquixote Pirates arrived, the mission would be complete.
Too easy.
With a faint smirk, Black Zetsu lunged forward at high speed.
Before Law could leave, he dashed to his side and chopped at the boy's neck.
"You…!"
Law had only just opened his mouth to speak when he saw the eerie figure strike. His pupils widened as Zetsu's hand hit his neck—he collapsed immediately, unconscious.
~~~
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Remove the parentheses btw