"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"
After the initial shock faded, Black Zetsu's disbelief erupted into agitation.
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki cannot be alive!"
"Mother sacrificed him to the Ten-Tails. He had no chance to implant a Kāma for resurrection!"
"And if he were alive, with his strength, what couldn't he do? This world would've been erased long ago!"
The news of the Ōtsutsuki clan's eventual arrival felt both inevitable and catastrophic.
Thousands of years had passed since Kaguya and Isshiki descended upon the shinobi world. It wasn't strange that the celestial clan would one day come looking.
But less than twenty years?
That timeline struck like a blade.
Black Zetsu hadn't even rescued his mother yet.
Even if his original plan proceeded perfectly, reviving Kaguya would still take over a decade. Nagato hadn't fully mastered the Rinnegan. He couldn't resurrect Madara yet. And as they stood, they lacked the strength to seize the Tailed Beasts from the Five Great Nations.
Now the plan had collapsed.
Obito had betrayed him.
It felt like watching victory slip through fingers that had grasped it for millennia.
As for Isshiki—
Black Zetsu simply refused to believe it.
Kaguya had struck to kill. There had been no hesitation. No mercy.
The thought that such an enemy might still be lurking somewhere in this world—
It was unbearable.
Jin spoke calmly.
"Believe it or don't. That's your choice. I've said what I needed to."
He offered no further explanation.
In truth, he couldn't.
His knowledge of Isshiki and the future Ōtsutsuki invasion came from fragments beyond this era—whispers of events yet to unfold. He knew enough to fear them.
Not enough to explain them.
So he didn't try.
He continued:
"Your will doesn't concern me."
"You're too dangerous to leave unchecked. I'll keep you sealed."
"I told you all this only so you understand—we have no fundamental conflict."
"If you behave for the time being, I will cooperate with you when the time comes to free Kaguya."
Black Zetsu fell silent.
His grand design had been dismantled in a single afternoon.
Right now, cooperation truly was the most rational path.
Assuming Jin wasn't lying.
That was the problem.
For the first time in thousands of years, Black Zetsu couldn't read an Uchiha.
"Alright, Runtu. Put him in your Kamui space," Jin said casually.
"When we return to Konoha, we'll have Minato layer a few more seals."
"My name is Obito, not Runtu," Obito grumbled.
"Same difference. If you don't like it, I can call you 'Sage Two' instead."
"…Runtu is fine."
Obito decided ignorance was bliss.
He quickly transferred the sealed Black Zetsu into Kamui.
For someone without spatial techniques, that dimension was practically another prison.
Jin flicked his hand.
The towering walls of flame extinguished at once, heat fading into drifting smoke.
"Jin-brother! You—"
Yahiko rushed forward, carrying the unconscious Konan, relief flooding his face.
Then he saw Obito standing beside Jin.
He stopped cold.
"Relax," Jin said gently. "He's no longer an enemy."
Obito stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"I'm sorry for earlier. I'm Uchiha Obito. I acted recklessly because you reminded me of who I once was."
His voice was sincere.
There was no arrogance in it.
Yahiko blinked, caught off guard.
"It's fine. Konan's safe. That's what matters."
That was Yahiko's nature.
As long as no line was crossed beyond repair, he was willing to forgive.
Jin watched the exchange with quiet approval.
"Enough about the past," Jin said at last. "We don't have much time."
Both Obito and Yahiko looked at him.
Jin explained:
"I can't remain here long."
"I'll begin subtly manipulating Hanzo to transfer authority to you."
"The future of the Land of Rain will rest in your hands."
Yahiko's breath caught.
Obito's gaze sharpened.
Jin's eyes settled on them both.
"Prepare Nagato."
"It's time he stepped into the sunlight."
Read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon -> patreon.com/warewolvesTL