"My body… won't move."
Uchiha Madara's first instinct was to strike back at the one who had attacked him. But only then did he realize—his body was frozen, completely unable to respond.
"Madara…"
Black Zetsu's lips curled into a smile.
Everyone present, aside from Senju Haruto, was shocked beyond belief at the sight.
"Why? You… you were supposed to be my will!" Madara demanded. His voice was laced with disbelief. Never in his wildest dreams had he thought that the Black Zetsu he himself had created—the being that supposedly embodied his will—would betray him at this very moment.
"Your will?"
Black Zetsu laughed coldly, shaking his head. "I was never your will. I am the will of Mother Kaguya. It was I who wove the history of the shinobi world. The Moon's Eye Plan… that was nothing but a dream I painted for you. A beautiful illusion."
"Madara, you were the strongest and most perfect piece on my board. But now, you've outlived your usefulness. I must discard you."
Black Zetsu no longer had any fear. His body carried Kaguya's will, and the Ten-Tails itself was her power. The moment his hand pierced through Madara's chest, the fate of the world was sealed.
No one could stop him.
Not even Haruto.
And in truth, Haruto had no intention of intervening. In less than ten minutes, this entire world would merge with the Marvel Universe.
But Madara could not comprehend what was happening. He refused to believe Black Zetsu's words.
"The stone tablet… it was written by the Sage of Six Paths himself!"
"I only altered a few lines," Black Zetsu sneered. "After all, I was the true hand behind everything. And you… you were nothing but a pawn of my design."
He paused, his tone almost mocking.
"Originally, I intended for you to cast the Infinite Tsukuyomi first—then resurrect Mother Kaguya. But plans change."
Black Zetsu laid everything bare.
He knew Senju Haruto's power had already grown far beyond his predictions. Even Six Paths Madara could not hope to defeat him now. If Madara were defeated here and the Ten-Tails torn out, centuries of planning would be wasted.
And Black Zetsu had no intention of waiting another thousand years.
So he made his choice: abandon the Infinite Tsukuyomi and resurrect Kaguya now.
Because in his mind, even if Haruto had surpassed Madara and perhaps even the Sage of Six Paths himself, there was no way he could be stronger than Mother Kaguya. Once she returned, the outcome would be decided.
The Infinite Tsukuyomi could wait.
"Black Zetsu!" Madara's roar carried fury and despair. He could not accept it—but acceptance no longer mattered. His body no longer obeyed him.
Black Zetsu raised his gaze toward Haruto in the sky.
"It's over, Haruto. You will never defeat Mother."
As his taunting words echoed, Black Zetsu's will flooded into Madara's body.
Madara's frame began to swell, grotesque and balloon-like, his form expanding uncontrollably.
The shinobi gathered around the crater—Kakashi, Guy, and the others—watched in horror. None of them could comprehend what was happening.
That the fearsome Uchiha Madara, who had seemed untouchable… was nothing but someone else's pawn?
Haruto descended from the air, landing beside Kakashi and the others.
"What do we do now?" Kakashi asked hoarsely, his throat dry. At this point, all their hopes rested on Haruto.
"We wait."
Haruto's voice was low, calm, his gaze locked on Madara's shifting form.
The bloated Madara floated upward like a grotesque balloon.
Black Zetsu laughed manically. He had endured a thousand years for this moment.
All across the Land of Fire, shinobi held their breath, eyes locked on the transformation. Some even prepared to strike—only to be stopped by their comrades. If even Haruto was waiting cautiously, what chance did they have?
And then—
Long, white hair burst from the swelling form, cascading outward like a flood.
Madara's balloon-like body began to shrink, reshaping into a humanoid form.
But this time, what emerged… was a woman.
Every shinobi stared in shock.
"Did… did Uchiha Madara turn into a woman?!" Kakashi's Sharingan eyes widened, his mind reeling.
He was not alone. Nearly everyone unfamiliar with Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's legend or the true history of the Sage could make no sense of what they were seeing.
"What in the world…" Jiraiya muttered, his brow furrowed deeply. From this new figure he could feel an overwhelming tide of chakra, rivaling—even surpassing—the power Haruto had just wielded after absorbing all of nature's energy.
"Not only did Madara become a woman… she's beautiful," Jiraiya added under his breath.
"Oi! Jiraiya-boy! She's the enemy!" Fukasaku and Shima croaked in exasperation from his shoulders. That his focus was on her looks—when she might very well be a world-ending being—left them utterly speechless.
"Mother…"
Black Zetsu's voice trembled with emotion. Since the moment of his creation, he had longed to return to his mother's embrace. And now, seeing Kaguya before him, he could no longer contain himself. He lunged toward her.
But in a flash, a black rod whistled through the air, striking him dead-on. It pierced straight through, pinning him to the ground.
The rod, of course, was formed from Haruto's Six Paths Yang Power.
In an instant, Black Zetsu's strength was suppressed, leaving him helpless and writhing.
Haruto regarded him coldly.
In his eyes, Kaguya was not truly evil—only ignorant of the world, misguided, and led astray. If guided properly, she might even grow into something greater.
And more importantly…
The shinobi world was about to fuse with the Marvel Universe. A being as powerful as Kaguya would be an invaluable asset.
Yes, she might be naïve and clumsy in battle—but she was still the progenitor of chakra itself. And a naïve person was easier to sway.
Kaguya slowly opened her eyes, her gaze sweeping across the unfamiliar world. Aside from Black Zetsu, not a single familiar face remained.
Everything had changed.
Her eyes settled on Haruto, drawn by the sight of both Six Paths Yin and Yang power radiating from him. Her shock deepened when she sensed it: within Haruto's body, another Ten-Tails.
And the countdown continued.
Three minutes until the worlds fused.
Before anyone could react, Haruto rose into the air and hovered before her.
"My name is Senju Haruto," he said evenly. "And you are?"
...
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