Black Zetsu stared at the three people before it like a venomous serpent.
Logically speaking, anyone who became the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki and felt that endless surge of power would inevitably experience the intoxicating illusion of being invincible within the Ninja World.
Most people would completely lose themselves in that overwhelming strength, remaining immersed in it until they either became truly unstoppable or were ultimately defeated.
Power was a poison. No one could live without it, but suddenly obtaining it often made people forget their place.
That was what most people called arrogance.
Black Zetsu, however, was different.
It had no intention of continuing its battle against these three.
The reason was simple.
Uchiha Hayashi... Uzumaki Kushina... Hyuga Himeji.
All three were descendants of Hagoromo and Hamura.
From Black Zetsu's perspective, Hagoromo and Hamura had been responsible for sealing Kaguya away. If Mother returned, the people she would most want to destroy would undoubtedly be her two rebellious sons.
Since Hagoromo and Hamura were long dead, she could no longer take revenge on them personally. But their descendants, who inherited their will, stood right before it.
Presenting them as gifts to Mother would surely please her.
"Haha... Mother will definitely be surprised when she returns."
Black Zetsu laughed madly.
The gift was only part of the reason.
More importantly, Black Zetsu had always been extraordinarily cautious.
It had survived for thousands of years by hiding in the darkness like a rat avoiding daylight, constantly fearing discovery by Hagoromo.
Living under such pressure for centuries had shaped its personality. As someone powerless on its own yet obsessed with resurrecting its mother, caution had become second nature.
Its mindset was completely different from Uchiha Madara's.
Madara had spent his entire life fighting, standing at the pinnacle of the Ninja World and suffering only one true defeat at the hands of Senju Hashirama.
Someone like him trusted only the strength in his own hands.
Black Zetsu did not.
It feared failure far more than battle itself, and the closer it came to achieving its goal, the more careful it became.
Now that it had become the Ten-Tails Jinchūriki, it could clearly sense the tremendous power possessed by the three people before it.
The Rinnegan.
The Tenseigan.
Rather than risk creating unnecessary complications, it was better to resurrect Mother immediately.
She had been sealed away for so many years and suffered long enough. She must have been waiting impatiently for this moment.
Even so, Black Zetsu couldn't suppress its curiosity.
The three of them were simply too calm.
It finally asked, "Aren't you curious about who I am?"
Hayashi sneered.
"Why should I be? Kaguya and I know each other very well."
Black Zetsu nodded in realization.
"So that's why you remained so calm earlier. The disturbances on the moon really were connected to you."
"I don't know what tricks you used to obtain information from Mother, but no matter how much you know, everything will eventually come to nothing. In the end, all things will come to an end."
By the time it finished speaking, Black Zetsu sounded visibly irritated.
It hadn't even had the chance to speak with Mother itself.
Damn it.
Hayashi smiled faintly.
"Why are you worrying about what happens to me? Once Kaguya is resurrected, we're on very good terms. You'll probably have to think about how to address me."
"You...!"
Black Zetsu nearly coughed up blood in anger.
It let out a cold snort, glanced toward the blazing sun overhead, then abruptly launched a Truth-Seeking Orb as a distraction before shooting into the sky like a streak of light.
As expected, the Truth-Seeking Orb accomplished nothing.
Himeji casually blocked it.
Black Zetsu had never expected the attack to succeed.
It merely needed a brief distraction.
Its speed increased continuously until it reached the upper atmosphere.
"When someone possessing the power of reincarnation approaches the moon, the eye capable of manifesting the eternal dream will awaken and be projected upon it."
"This is the Infinite Tsukuyomi, a technique capable of instantly dragging every living being into an eternal Genjutsu."
Silver moonlight bathed Black Zetsu's face.
Suspended high above the world, it gazed at the moon, now seemingly within arm's reach.
It raised a hand and tore away the forehead covering.
A vertical slit slowly opened across its forehead.
As the flesh parted, it revealed an eye identical to the Ten-Tails' eye.
A crimson Nine Tomoe Rinnegan.
The Nine Tomoe Rinnegan slowly reflected the moon's image.
Almost instantly, the moon itself transformed into a gigantic Nine Tomoe Rinnegan, perfectly mirroring the Ten-Tails' eye.
Then, Kaguya's silhouette slowly emerged.
Black Zetsu could clearly feel Mother's emotions.
Joy.
Excitement.
An overwhelming longing for freedom.
In that instant, the moon shone with unmatched brilliance, illuminating the entire Ninja World while completely eclipsing the sun's light.
Hovering thousands of meters above the ground, Black Zetsu spread its arms wide.
"Infinite Tsukuyomi!"
An overwhelming beam of light burst from the moon and engulfed the earth.
The light spread with unimaginable speed, covering every corner of the world in the blink of an eye.
Hayashi looked toward the heavens.
All he could see was an endless expanse of blinding white.
It was as though the full moon itself had descended upon the Ninja World.
"It has begun."
The moment Hayashi spoke, every one of his Wood Style clones scattered across the battlefield activated Susanoo simultaneously.
The pale blue light of the Infinite Tsukuyomi crashed against the towering white Susanoo, unable to penetrate its protection.
Across the battlefield, Hayashi's Wood Style clones raised Susanoo after Susanoo, shielding those he intended to protect.
Mikoto.
Kushina.
Himeji.
Minato.
Nawaki.
Yakushi Nono.
Kana.
Tsunade.
Jiraiya.
Orochimaru.
Sakumo.
These were people with whom he shared close bonds, and they all needed protection.
After the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Hayashi still intended to use Kotoamatsukami.
There was no need for that technique to affect these individuals.
Even the slowest ninja understood that the white radiance filling the sky was the enemy's ultimate Ninjutsu.
Unfortunately, there was nothing they could do.
The light reached everywhere.
No matter where they hid or what they attempted, it was impossible to escape.
Rasa quickly manipulated his Gold Dust to construct a massive pyramid around himself, hoping to avoid the technique.
The Fifth Mizukage, Hōzuki Senjin, rapidly formed hand seals and used Water Release, attempting to exploit the refraction of water to evade the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Ōnoki's response was by far the most dramatic.
He suddenly tore off his clothing, revealing his muscular physique before clasping his hands together, seemingly preparing to use Dust Release to blast the moon out of the sky.
What, did he think he was Roshi?
The Fourth Raikage, Ai, reacted far more practically.
After a brief flash of panic, he glanced toward Hayashi before dashing at full speed toward Susanoo, hoping to take shelter inside.
A moment later, Hayashi kicked him away without hesitation.
Ai crashed heavily into the ground.
Then the Rinnegan manifested in his eyes.
Everyone inside Susanoo fell silent.
Orochimaru, ever the devoted scientist, watched the scene with intense curiosity as countless research ideas filled his mind.
"What would happen if half of someone's body remained inside Susanoo while the other half was exposed to the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
His gaze slowly shifted toward Jiraiya.
Jiraiya immediately shuddered.
Without a word, he squeezed even farther into Susanoo, nearly pushing Tsunade, who was crouched in the corner playing dice with Kana and Yakushi Nono, completely outside.
As time passed, the white radiance finally engulfed everything.
Humans.
Animals.
Every living creature throughout the Ninja World was drawn helplessly into the Infinite Tsukuyomi's dream.
The light pierced even the deepest shadows.
Not a single living being escaped its reach.
Silence descended upon the world.
Never before had the Ninja World been so utterly quiet.
It was the silence of a world that had fallen completely still.
^_________^
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