When Black Zetsu came to Amegakure this time, he didn't dare pull any fancy tricks. He stood in line at the entrance like everyone else. Because his appearance was so distinctive, the guards recognized him immediately as a non-human... rather, they recognized him as someone the higher-ups had specifically mentioned. Thus, he entered the village without any trouble.
His primary reason for seeking out Diarmuid was to discuss the capture of the Nine-Tails from Konohagakure. He wanted to see if he could initiate a deep cooperation with the Yorozuya through a commission, establishing a relatively positive start for their relationship.
Walking behind Ameri, Black Zetsu constantly deliberated on what attitude to adopt and how to frame his request once he met Diarmuid. He needed to be persuasive enough to invite Diarmuid's participation while demonstrating sufficient sincerity. Carrying this weight of thought, he eventually reached Diarmuid's courtyard.
"We're here," Ameri said simply. She gave him a nod and promptly departed.
Black Zetsu blinked. What's going on? She's not taking me inside? I'm supposed to stand in the courtyard in the rain? And why on earth would anyone build a courtyard in the Land of Rain anyway?
For a moment, he hesitated, unsure if he should take the initiative to enter the house and find Diarmuid himself. He stood there for a long time after Ameri left. Finally, gritting his teeth, he resolved to head inside.
Before he could even take a step, Diarmuid's voice rang out.
"You've been standing there for quite a while. What are you thinking? Deliberating on how to open your mouth? You should at least say hello first; otherwise, it's quite rude."
Black Zetsu's heart skipped a beat. He jerked his head toward the source of the voice, and a look of pure theatrical shock crossed his pitch-black face.
"A talking tree!?" Black Zetsu blurted out.
He realized the speaker seemed to be a tree in the distance. But why was the voice Diarmuid's? And... wait, that aura… it was definitely Diarmuid.
As soon as Black Zetsu spoke, Diarmuid's expression darkened. You're a literal Venus Flytrap; you have no right to talk about me.
Black Zetsu quickly recovered, smoothing over his shocked expression and saying with some embarrassment, "My deepest apologies, Diarmuid-sama. I truly didn't expect you to have such... refined interests. You're personally experiencing nature, aren't you? This level of enlightenment is clearly beyond my comprehension. Please forgive me."
Diarmuid sighed inwardly. Patience... just wait. Once I finish my plan, I'm going to kill this thing.
Without bothering to explain, Diarmuid asked directly, "Why are you here again? Don't tell me you're still after the Rinnegan."
Black Zetsu shook his head vigorously. "No, that's not an urgent matter. The fact that Diarmuid-sama was interested in my words last time is enough to satisfy me. I believe time will foster mutual trust between us. Besides, the Rinnegan and the Gedo Mazo are perfectly safe in your hands."
"You certainly have a way with words," Diarmuid chuckled.
Meanwhile, Black Zetsu was inwardly reeling. Now that the initial shock had worn off, he realized Diarmuid was radiating a dense, potent Wood Release aura. He finally understood what was happening.
Black Zetsu was no stranger to Wood Release. He knew many secrets, and those around him, White Zetsu and Obito, both possessed the power of the Wood Release. He was very familiar with that specific energy signature. It was just that Diarmuid's current look was so startling that he hadn't made the connection immediately. Now, he realized this powerhouse had likely become even stronger.
Still, to be honest, he had never seen Wood Release manifest in such a way. It was... strange. Despite his internal questions, Black Zetsu didn't press the issue.
"This is the respect and attitude one should have when facing the strong," Black Zetsu added, offering another compliment.
Diarmuid remained noncommittal. "So? If it's not about that, why are you here?"
"After I returned, I spent a lot of time thinking about how to maintain a good relationship with you, Diarmuid-sama. I've come with a proposal. We would like to commission the Yorozuya to help us complete a mission. I believe this could be a wonderful starting point for our cooperation. I hope you won't refuse," Black Zetsu said quickly.
As he spoke, he observed Diarmuid. He noticed that in just this short span of time, the strange, external wooden manifestations on Diarmuid's body seemed to be receding. What was the meaning of this? He didn't know, and he didn't dare ask.
Diarmuid was also feeling the changes within his body. The Wood Release energy was indeed flowing back much faster now. While it had taken three days to manifest to this point, returning to normal might only take half a day, or even less. Watching the branches on his arm shrink into knots and then smooth out into normal skin, Diarmuid was satisfied.
His mood improved, and his tone followed suit. "Is that so? What does your group want to hire the Yorozuya for?"
"This..." Black Zetsu hesitated for a split second, wondering if he should reveal information about Konoha's Jinchuriki. But the hesitation was gone in an instant. "It's like this: we have obtained vital intelligence regarding Konoha in the Land of Fire. Their Nine-Tails Jinchuriki will be giving birth in about eight months. As you know, our goal is to collect the Tailed Beasts, and the moment a Jinchuriki gives birth is when the seal is at its weakest. Therefore, we plan to attack Konoha at that time to seize the Nine-Tails' power."
Black Zetsu paused before continuing. "However, as the strongest village of the Five Great Nations, Konoha has many formidable experts. The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, are both very troublesome. Even with the Jinchuriki in labor, we cannot underestimate Konoha. We need powerful external support to stabilize the situation. My first thought was you, Diarmuid-sama. If you could help, I am certain the mission will be a success."
"Hahahaha... I see." Diarmuid laughed heartily. During his laughter, one of his arms completely returned to its normal human state.
Black Zetsu watched this with surprise, though not total shock; he assumed Diarmuid could control these Wood Release transformations at will and simply had unique tastes.
Seeing Diarmuid laugh so happily, Black Zetsu felt a sense of relief. He continued, "For this mission, we are prepared to pay the highest commission rate. It would be even better if you, Diarmuid-sama, could personally take action. To that end, we have prepared a reward—"
Before he could name a figure, Diarmuid waved a hand. "Enough. You don't need to say more. I'm not particularly interested in this business."
Black Zetsu: "???"
You're not interested? If you're not interested, why did you just laugh so loudly? You're playing with my emotions, dammit!
Black Zetsu hadn't expected such a blunt and decisive rejection. He stood there awkwardly, not knowing how to proceed.
But then, Diarmuid shifted his tone. "However, I actually have some business of my own to attend to in Konoha recently. Given your sincerity, I can coordinate with you a bit when the time comes. For example... I can stir up some trouble for Konoha to make things easier for you."
Black Zetsu hadn't expected such a sudden turn of events. His goal in "commissioning" Diarmuid was essentially to "send money" to build a relationship. As for the Nine-Tails itself, before he came, Obito had confidently stated that he could handle it alone by using his Mangekyo Sharingan to control the fox. With his Kamui and his knowledge of Konoha, Black Zetsu had eventually agreed that Obito could likely do it solo.
Black Zetsu was overjoyed. Though the official commission wasn't accepted, his goal was achieved. He felt the relationship between them and the Yorozuya had grown closer.
Realizing the importance of the timing, he couldn't help but add, "Diarmuid-sama, we place great importance on the Nine-Tails. I hope you will take that into account..."
"Don't worry, I'm a reasonable man," Diarmuid said magnanimously. "How about this: until you have successfully extracted the Nine-Tails from that Jinchuriki, I won't lift a finger. Once you have succeeded, I'll make my move. This will create enough chaos to cover your retreat. How does that sound?"
Black Zetsu was thoroughly satisfied. See? This is a great man! This is true 'grandeur'! Truly worthy of Diarmuid.
He thought the plan was perfect. Obito would infiltrate Konoha secretly and seize the Nine-Tails; once successful, Diarmuid would launch his own operation, throwing the village into turmoil. This would serve as the perfect cover for Obito to escape with the fox. With Diarmuid holding the rear, it was flawless!
Exuberant, Black Zetsu said, "Then I thank you, Diarmuid-sama. Even though you haven't accepted the formal commission, as a token of our sincerity, I will contribute a donation to the Yorozuya organization. I hope you won't refuse..."
You're rushing to give me money; why would I refuse?
Diarmuid naturally wouldn't turn it down. He hadn't accepted the formal mission because he didn't want to tarnish his reputation—if he accepted a mission and it failed, it would look bad. Of course, if he wanted to complete it, he certainly could. But helping Black Zetsu and his crew capture the Nine-Tails at this point in time didn't align with his own interests at all.
He had given Black Zetsu a perfect answer, and Black Zetsu was genuinely happy.
As Diarmuid watched the pitch-black face smiling back at him, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity. Black Zetsu would never realize just what kind of "sabotaging teammate" he was bringing along.