Chapter 14: Black Zetsu's First Appearance
"Kaguya Clan's Destruction (1/2)?"
"It can be like that?" Masahiko thought to himself. "That's right, too. Most of the Kaguya who awakened Shikotsumyaku this time overused it. They probably don't have long to live."
"Plus, the humid environment of the Land of Water isn't suitable for growing the Frostbone Herb..." Thinking of it this way, after this war, the great Kaguya clan was as good as extinct.
As for the Kaguya who fled to the Land of Water, they were practically a different family now.
"But... 1/2? It seems I'll have to make a trip to the Land of Water for the future 'Kaguya Rebellion.' I'll definitely get more Witness Points from it."
"I have to allocate these 50 points carefully. Seeing how fast Hashirama and Madara are growing, the era of the 'Two Gods' probably isn't far off."
Masahiko's mind was wandering when his sensory perception suddenly caught something... off... near the battlefield.
"Who's there!" Masahiko spun in that direction and shouted.
The five Senju and Uchiha elders, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, immediately tensed up again, kunai in hand, scanning the area. But after five minutes, no one found any sign of an enemy.
Masahiko looked embarrassed. "Sorry... sorry... Maybe I sensed it wrong..."
The two Uzumaki elders were even more embarrassed. They had just started thinking Masahiko had become reliable, only to find he was the same old, un-dependable person.
'My senses shouldn't have been wrong... In that case... was it Black Zetsu?' Masahiko apologized, but this thought was running through his mind.
Masahiko, who knew the plot, was well aware that Black Zetsu was the biggest mastermind in the Naruto world, plotting for a thousand years just to revive his mother, Kaguya Otsutsuki.
Masahiko wasn't naive enough to think Black Zetsu would only be active during the "canon" timeline. For years, he had been looking for signs of him.
In his youth, Masahiko had noticed something that didn't add up: the existence of the underground black market.
From the experiences of his clan's elders, he knew the black market had existed even when they were young. To this day, no one knew who its founder or administrator was.
So, Masahiko had made a bold guess: the black market was created by Black Zetsu as a means to gather intelligence for his mother's revival.
And in recent years, other things in the Warring States Period didn't make sense. The Hyuga too easily succeeding in their sneak attack on the Uchiha's Training Ground 4. The Kaguya suddenly "discovering" Frostbone Herb near Uzumaki territory. Kaguya Raisho himself mobilizing, only to be "spotted" by an ordinary Uzumaki scout...
"So it really was you pulling the strings, Black Zetsu..." Only now, after sensing that presence near the battlefield, was Masahiko certain. All the discord he'd felt over the years... it all came from Black Zetsu.
"It's time I learned the clan's sealing jutsu..." Thinking of the future, with its endless Edo Tensei, the nine Biju, and even the revival of Kaguya Otsutsuki, Masahiko resolved to master his clan's Fuinjutsu.
Meanwhile, in a dark place deep underground, a black shadow was hiding.
'Such sharp senses. I was almost discovered.' The shadow thought. 'But so what if I was? No one knows my great purpose, and no one knows who I am.'
This shadow was, of course, Black Zetsu. He would never have guessed that Masahiko had not only discovered him, but had also deduced his actions over the past several years.
Thinking of Kaguya Otsutsuki, Black Zetsu became more and more agitated.
"Mother, wait for me. I will revive you! And those two damned traitors, Hagoromo and Hamura... I will punish them for you. Hamura's descendants, the Hyuga and the Kaguya, are already puppets in my hand. As for Hagoromo's descendants, the Senju and Uchiha... sooner or later..."
"And the Uzumaki clan. Their dangerous sealing jutsu... it's better if they don't exist at all!"
Deep underground, silence fell once more.
Back on the battlefield, the Senju, Uzumaki, and Uchiha had finished sorting the Kaguya's resources. As Masahiko expected, they immediately ran into conflict over how to divide the mountain of spoils.
First, it was agreed that the Uzumaki clan would get 20%. The two Uzumaki elders didn't object. They were the weakest clan, had contributed the least, and were satisfied with their share.
For the remaining 80%, the Uchiha insisted on an even split. But the Senju elders argued they had done more and deserved 60% of the remainder. They couldn't agree, and it looked like they were about to fight again.
At this point, Uchiha Madara, who had recovered from his injuries, snorted coldly. He said to Hashirama, "We're taking half. You got a problem with that? If you're not happy, let's fight!"
Masahiko covered his face. 'He's clearly asking Hashirama for help, but... Madara, what's with that overbearing protagonist attitude?!'
Sure enough, at Madara's disrespect, Tobirama nearly charged in, but was held back by Hashirama at the last second.
Faced with the choice between his best friend and his clan, Hashirama decisively abandoned his clan. "First Elder," he said to Senju Suiken, "Let's just split it evenly. The Uchiha also suffered losses, and our clansmen have been fighting for a month. They're exhausted. It's not worth another fight."
Faced with this... unreliable heir, Senju Suiken was in despair.
In the end, thanks to Hashirama's insistence, the Senju and Uchiha split the remaining 80% evenly. After that, they packed up and returned to their respective compounds.
The Uzumaki forces also began their journey home. Carrying 20% of the Kaguya's resources, they were technically returning "fully loaded."
In reality, the mood was heavy. Their ranks were nearly half of what they were when they left.
Masahiko had noted before they left that there were over a dozen Elite Jonin in the force, the backbone of the clan. Only eight were returning. They were lucky that both Peak Jonin and both Elders were unharmed. Losing even one of them would have been a crippling blow.
As for the Genin and Chunin... Masahiko couldn't even count how many were lost.
"All in all, the Uzumaki clan suffered a great loss this time. The Clan Head and Elders probably won't agree to help the Senju against the Uchiha for several years... That's fine. It gives me time to focus and research Fuinjutsu," Masahiko thought.
It was completely dark by the time Masahiko's group returned to the clan compound.
The Clan Head and the Uzumaki's First Elder were waiting at the gate to greet them. The Clan Head didn't press them for details of the war. Instead, he and the First Elder had the remaining clansmen prepare a great feast for their return, and had the Kaguya's resources moved to the storehouses.
Masahiko ate a few quick bites of dinner. He didn't stick around to listen to the Clan Head's praise for the "triumphant" shinobi; his arm still needed to be treated.
He gave a quick nod to the First Elder and returned to his own little house. He crudely bandaged his right arm, collapsed into bed, and was fast asleep in moments.
After a month of war, he... was a little tired.