As an Uchiha I became the Jinchuriki of Senju Tobirama

"Incredible. To awaken the Rinnegan without even the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path…" Uchiha Izuna's view of Kazuki was growing more and more serious.

"Brother… you know what we have to do now, right?"

Izuna's voice turned cold and steady: "Kazuki may be an Uchiha, but that doesn't mean his goals align with ours. If we want to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, there's a real chance we'll clash."

"An eighteen-year-old Uchiha wielding this kind of power… The only way to reason with him or negotiate is to approach as equals."

As the former strategist of the Uchiha clan, Izuna understood his kin all too well.

Eighteen-year-olds were already brimming with fire. Add in the Sharingan? You'd get a whole bunch of stubborn mules—and once they had power, they all started acting like gods.

Now, with Kazuki's stance still unclear—and possibly escalating even further—

The wisest course of action was not to reveal themselves just yet. Instead, they should keep gathering intel while stacking up their own cards.

Hoping that Kazuki, someone they had never met, would just magically be on the same wavelength?

That was far too naive. Far too childish.

Uchiha Madara had still been harboring some doubts—until he imagined what he would've been like at eighteen, had he already awakened the Rinnegan…

The Shura of the Shinobi World fell silent.

Knowing how he had been in his youth, with those eyes, he probably wouldn't have listened to a single word from Uchiha Tajima. If his father so much as raised a question, he would've just glared at him—and let their ocular powers settle it.

But while Madara and Izuna were growing more serious, Uchiha Obito couldn't hold back his smile anymore.

To Obito, even though Izuna spoke eloquently, and Madara was undeniably someone of great stature…

When it came to executing the Eye of the Moon Plan, Kazuki was the best candidate—aside from himself, of course!

Kazuki becoming stronger? That was a great thing!

Even Izuna had said that Tobirama wasn't truly inside Kazuki. That whole persona had been an act—just a façade to protect his clan.

Obito's smile grew wider and wider.

Meanwhile, Black Zetsu suffered yet another mental breakdown.

He had just praised Obito for his foresight—and it turned out the guy was just grumpy about hearing stories involving Tobirama! The moment Kazuki showed strength, he couldn't stop grinning!

You laughing at your damn mother?!

Wait, no—your mom is going to be my mom too… Can't insult her like that…

As Black Zetsu agonized over this internal contradiction, White Zetsu transmitted urgent intel through their special link.

Even though White Zetsu hadn't dared get too close to Kazuki—for fear of being discovered and triggering unpredictable consequences—

Kazuki's Nine Dragons Coffin Seal had made such a grand spectacle that he couldn't ignore it.

While patrolling the Land of Water, far from Kirigakure, White Zetsu had witnessed the event. Despite his shock, he had rushed over and seen the whole thing unfold.

And now, Kazuki's presence had suddenly quieted again.

After mentally reviewing Kazuki's self-sealing process, Black Zetsu nearly fainted on the spot.

What the hell is he trying to do?!

Was it that—afraid Kaguya would realize his treacherous intentions after being lured into his body with the Tailed Beasts' chakra, and then try to escape—

Kazuki had sealed himself at the bottom of the ocean just to forcibly imprison her?!

The sudden flare and sharp withdrawal of Ōtsutsuki chakra—clearly pointed to Kaguya attempting to resist Kazuki… and failing.

Black Zetsu didn't even want to imagine what Kazuki was doing to her down there.

In those deep, abyssal waters—far more terrifying than the darkness of the moon—what could she possibly do, all alone, against someone as dangerous as Kazuki?

Kazuki's move didn't look like someone trying to help Kaguya gather chakra from the Tailed Beasts. It was clearly something far more sinister.

And even bolder ideas… Black Zetsu, who knew the limits of Kazuki's morality all too well, didn't want to think about it.

Only now…

Only now did Black Zetsu finally understand why Kazuki hadn't just collected all nine Tailed Beasts outright.

Instead, he had only taken fragments from each—then killed them, forcing them into reincarnation!

That way, even if something went wrong while Kazuki and Kaguya were locked away together and he couldn't act in the Shinobi World for a while—

Those who possessed the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path—like Black Zetsu's side—wouldn't be able to recreate the Ten Tails or launch Infinite Tsukuyomi to rescue Kaguya from Kazuki's body… since the Tailed Beasts were all dead!

Kazuki's carefully crafted persona didn't just make Madara and Obito hesitate to act against him—it also turned the Konoha and Kirigakure shinobi he trained into a moat of loyal protectors, buying Kazuki as much time as possible for… whatever he intended to do with Kaguya.

And now that he had sealed himself away?

Even the Sage of Six Paths himself might hesitate to take action against him—at least not immediately.

Black Zetsu felt like Kazuki had just taught him a lesson.

A brutal lesson.

He had calculated everything, turning everyone into pawns on his board. They were all being played—by him.

Even the Sage of Six Paths wasn't exempt.

Black Zetsu was seeing visions.

In the sky above… Kazuki's face appeared, his eyes glowing with a terrifying red light, smiling down at him—

"Kaguya… she's mine now."

No!

Anything but that!

Black Zetsu's mind raced. If things kept going like this—

It would all be over.

"Uchiha Kazuki sealed himself—so something must've interrupted the process…"

Black Zetsu's mind spun frantically.

If only… if only Senju Tobirama were still alive! Then I could've tried to convince Uchiha Madara and the others that this was the work of the Second Hokage—make up a story that would drive them to break the seal in order to 'rescue' Uchiha Kazuki!

But how… how could I make them believe this was Tobirama's doing?

Just as Black Zetsu was puzzling over this—

Even more terrifying news came in. White Zetsu informed him: before sealing himself, Kazuki had really brought Senju Tobirama back to life!

It was as if—

Kazuki had reached across tens of thousands of kilometers—across time and space—and seen straight into Black Zetsu's thoughts.

"My foolish little brother… I left you that flaw. Do you have the courage to use it?"

Kazuki's voice echoed in Black Zetsu's mind once more, and his entire form began to tremble.

Having once suffered a deep psychological wound at Kazuki's hands, Black Zetsu now displayed full-blown post-traumatic stress.

What do I do? What the hell am I supposed to do now?

In despair, Black Zetsu turned toward Uchiha Obito…

That helpless feeling made him long for that little home in the Uchiha district of Konoha—

Back when he could inhabit Rin's identity and use his presence around Obito to vent his inner anxiety.

As for how to deal with Kazuki—Black Zetsu didn't want to think about it anymore. Right now, all he wanted was to form a temporary alliance with Obito!

If he couldn't solve the Kazuki problem outright—

Then he'd take it step by step.

And if he could reconcile with Uchiha Obito, Black Zetsu was even willing to sacrifice himself to boost Obito's power!

Uchiha Madara had been special because he carried Indra's chakra…

But who was Black Zetsu?

He was a lifeform created by Kaguya. If he gave everything, he could raise Obito's power ceiling!

The Rinnegan might be out of reach…

But with one pair of Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, if Black Zetsu put everything he had on the table, it wasn't impossible to try for it!

The real issue, however, wasn't the difficulty of boosting Obito's strength—

What truly made Black Zetsu despair was: how the hell was he supposed to handle the bait Kazuki had thrown out?

This Senju Tobirama appearance was far too strange!

As someone who knew Kazuki's true identity, Black Zetsu absolutely refused to believe there was a real Tobirama lurking inside him.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru—after witnessing what would surely become a defining moment in the history of the Shinobi World—was breathing heavily.

This is it!

Only this kind of upheaval, like the very world coming undone, could give meaning to a life otherwise so limited and tediously dull.

At this point, even if Uchiha Izuna hadn't pushed him—

Orochimaru would still have gone all in to help restore Uchiha Madara to full power!

He wanted to witness a battle between beings at the peak. He wanted to see what ultimate truths were still hidden within this world!

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