My name is Black Zetsu.
The third son of the Rabbit Goddess.
By human standards, I suppose I'm a "left-behind child."
My life's purpose is simple—
To rescue my mother.
A child with a mother is treasured.
A child without one is nothing but grass.
…Sob.
I was born black.
So I named myself Black Zetsu.
…Sob.
If I ever get the chance—
I'll beat those two unfilial sons senseless!
Those beasts!
They dared imprison their own mother—
Unforgivable!
But I'm weak.
Pathetically weak.
I didn't inherit my mother's power.
Instead, those two traitors did.
In front of them—
I am nothing.
Utterly insignificant.
…
I can't save her.
I can't even avenge her.
So I waited.
Waited for Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo to die.
Then—
From among his descendants—
I searched for a suitable vessel.
He had two sons.
Indra Ōtsutsuki and Asura Ōtsutsuki.
Each inherited half his power.
So I stirred conflict between them.
Let them fight.
Let their chakra reincarnate endlessly.
Generation after generation.
Until—
One day—
Their powers could be reunited.
A thousand years passed.
And finally—
Hope appeared.
Uchiha Madara awakened the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan.
He reached the pinnacle of Indra's power.
He read the altered stone tablet.
Learned of the Rinnegan.
Of the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
Then—
Through careful planning—
He obtained Asura's chakra.
Mother…
You were finally within reach.
Everything was going perfectly.
Madara faked his death.
Retreated underground.
Spent ten years attempting to awaken the Rinnegan.
He failed.
Still—
There was hope.
Then—
He went out for some air.
And everything…
Collapsed.
He went insane.
Completely insane.
Selling roasted sweet potatoes in Konoha.
Working in factories.
Spending money on random collectibles.
Cheating at cards with the Sharingan.
Addicted to arcade games.
And—
At one point—
Reading a book titled "Thirty Tricks to Win Over a Man."
…
I don't understand.
I've thought about it for a long time.
Still no answer.
Perhaps—
He was always insane.
It just got worse.
In any case—
He's useless now.
My thousand-year plan—
Ruined.
But I won't give up.
I have time.
I will save my mother.
So—
I chose a new target.
Uchiha Ren.
The Third Hokage.
He awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Studied Hashirama's cells.
Possesses Asura's power.
He might succeed where Madara failed.
The only problem—
He isn't Indra's reincarnation.
So—
I need to guide him.
To kill Madara.
To take his eyes.
Will it work?
I don't know.
But I can't just wait.
Mother is waiting.
My actions are pure.
Everything I do—
Is for her.
"…Ah-choo."
Why does my eyelid keep twitching today?
I followed Ren silently.
Observing him.
As always—
Daytime: work and dating.
Nighttime: that laboratory.
That place…
Troublesome.
Last time—
I almost got caught.
Too many barriers.
Too many seals.
Even I feel uneasy near it.
So I keep my distance.
But today…
Something feels wrong.
Still—
Everything looks normal.
"…I'm just overthinking."
Yes.
That must be it.
I continued following him.
Confident in my concealment.
Even Hagoromo never noticed me.
Who could?
Then—
"Move!"
"Seal!"
Suddenly—
Multiple Ren clones appeared.
Hand seals flashed.
A crimson barrier expanded instantly—
I was trapped.
"An ambush?!"
I didn't hesitate.
I fled underground.
But—
Only ten meters down—
I hit something.
"…Even underground?!"
Panic surged.
I pushed harder.
Using Yin–Yang Release—
Trying to break through—
"Got you."
The barrier shrank.
Crushing inward.
"No—!"
"Amaterasu."
Black flames ignited across my body.
Pain surged.
But I didn't stop.
I kept pushing—
Just a little more—
"Still resisting?"
The space collapsed.
I was compressed—
Into a tiny box.
"…Caught."
Ren picked up the sealed container.
Examining me.
A black, viscous mass.
Two yellow eyes.
Struggling.
Impossible.
This shouldn't be possible.
I've been careful.
Always careful.
"…Little rat hiding in the shadows."
Ren smiled faintly.
"Following me every day."
"Watching at night."
"Care to explain?"
Think.
Think!
He doesn't know who I am.
If I can lie—
"I… I am—"
"…Black Zetsu?"
My mind froze.
"…No."
"That name's ugly."
"How about adding a surname?"
"…Ōtsutsuki?"
…What?
He knows.
He knows everything.
Who is he?!
Fear.
For the first time in centuries—
Fear.
"…No answer?"
Ren chuckled.
"Then we'll talk later."
"Let's go to the lab."
No.
No—
Underground Laboratory—
"Tobirama! I brought you a gift!"
Ren's voice echoed.
Inside—
"You've been slacking, Orochimaru—"
"I haven't! The railway project—"
"Excuses!"
"You just need to squeeze more time!"
"…I only sleep four hours a day…"
Ren walked in.
Saw the scene.
"…Tobirama."
"Orochimaru sleeps four hours."
"And you're still pushing him?"
"Are you even human?"
"Uchiha Ren!"
"You have no right to say that!"
"You make me work twenty-four hours a day!"
The lab—
Fell into chaos.
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