Naruto: Tenseigan Eye

Following the trail of the stolen scroll, Shinki realized that Black Zetsu, known for his cunning and long-standing manipulations, had headed toward the Land of Fire, directly to the Daimyo's Palace.

In Black Zetsu's mind, escaping to another location would only delay his eventual discovery. However, the Daimyo's Palace—a heavily guarded seat of political power—offered a sanctuary where detection seemed almost impossible. The palace's symbolic authority made it an unlikely target for someone like Shinki to search without concrete proof.

Using the concept of "darkness beneath the lamp," Black Zetsu devised a plan to hide the Rinnegan in the palace's foundation. Even if Shinki suspected him, dismantling the palace of the Daimyo would be politically and logistically unfeasible. In Black Zetsu's view, the palace provided unmatched security compared to remote or less protected locations in the ninja world.

Upon arriving at an underground base beneath the palace, Black Zetsu allowed himself a moment of relief. This base was not new to him. It had been built decades earlier to monitor the activities of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama. Back then, the palace was far less grand, and the base had served as an ideal vantage point for observing the two legendary figures.

This hidden location had been Black Zetsu's sanctuary for many years. Positioned within the Land of Fire, it allowed him to study the reincarnations of Indra and Asura, as well as the development of the Uchiha and Senju clans. Among all the possible locations, the Daimyo's palace offered the perfect combination of safety and strategic positioning.

Once he was certain the area was secure, Black Zetsu retrieved the stolen scroll. With meticulous care, he unsealed it, revealing a glass container housing the coveted Rinnegan. As he confirmed its authenticity, a surge of satisfaction coursed through him.

The plan had worked.

"Uchiha Madara is sealed," Black Zetsu murmured. "For the sake of my mother, I must continue to wait. The right moment will come."

His quiet words gave way to a sinister chuckle. Any loyalty he might have had to Madara had long since been eclipsed by his ultimate purpose. To Black Zetsu, Madara was just one piece on a larger chessboard. Losing him was insignificant so long as the overarching plan remained intact.

Survival was paramount. If necessary, Black Zetsu would avoid Shinki just as he had evaded the Sage of Six Paths. Time, after all, was on his side. Even someone as powerful as Shinki was bound by the limits of mortality. Black Zetsu's strategy was clear: outlast Shinki, and once his adversary inevitably died, reemerge to carry on his mission.

With the Rinnegan now in his possession, the next phase of his plan seemed far more straightforward. No longer needing elaborate schemes to awaken the Rinnegan, he simply required a vessel capable of wielding it. Training someone to use the Rinnegan was far less complex than orchestrating the conditions necessary for its natural evolution.

Raising the bottle, Black Zetsu sneered. "Hyuga Shinki," he muttered with disdain. The name left a bitter taste in his mouth.

However, as he examined the glass container, irritation flared within him.

"Konoha's shinobi," he hissed. "So careless. Storing the Rinnegan in a simple glass bottle? Unforgivable negligence."

The thought of the Rinnegan losing vitality due to such poor preservation angered him. Resolving to correct this oversight, he twisted the bottle's cap, intending to transfer the artifact into a more suitable vessel.

The moment he broke the seal, disaster struck. A vibrant green chakra burst forth from the bottle, engulfing Black Zetsu in an unrelenting wave of energy.

"Aaaahhh!" he screamed as the bottle fell from his hands, the Rinnegan rolling away across the floor.

"Hyuga Shinki!!! You will pay for this!!!" Black Zetsu's voice was filled with fury as the realization of betrayal dawned upon him.

"I wouldn't be so sure," a calm, authoritative voice responded.

From a crack in the fabric of space, Shinki stepped forward. His composure was unshaken as he retrieved the Rinnegan. Turning to face the writhing Black Zetsu, he remarked, "Before I sealed Uchiha Madara, I asked him why he trusted you so completely. He claimed you were the embodiment of his will, incapable of treachery."

A faint smile played on Shinki's lips. "It seems he misjudged you."

"How did you find me?!" Black Zetsu roared, his form convulsing as the corrosive chakra continued to consume him.

Shinki's voice remained steady. "The Uchiha Shrine's stone tablet. Your alterations were subtle, but they left traces. With careful study, I uncovered your deception."

In truth, Shinki had pieced together Black Zetsu's elaborate schemes through meticulous analysis. The altered stone tablet had been the critical clue that led him to this moment.

"Impossible!" Black Zetsu shrieked. "I perfected those modifications! Even Uchiha Madara couldn't detect them!"

"Perhaps you should refine your craft in your next life," Shinki replied with a note of disdain. With deliberate precision, he stepped on Black Zetsu, crushing him into the ground.

"As for Kaguya Otsutsuki," Shinki continued, "I doubt her return is feasible—at least not while I'm alive."

A radiant golden light flared, eradicating Black Zetsu in a final, anguished scream. The ancient manipulator, whose schemes had spanned millennia, was no more.

As the remaining ashes scattered into the air, Shinki observed the scene with cold finality.

"Let's see you recover from that."