"White Zetsu, has anything happened in the Ninja World recently?"
Uchiha Madara carefully sensed the location of the Rinnegan, but no matter what he did, there was no response from the Rinnegan.
White Zetsu walked in with a strange gait, "Oh, oh, Lord Madara, you're awake. Want to take a shit together?"
Uchiha Madara said expressionlessly, "Stop the nonsense!"
"Oh."
White Zetsu 'oh'ed pitifully, then told Uchiha Madara what had recently happened in the Ninja World.
"Hmph, Konoha is truly regressing, to be bullied like this by a small country!"
Uchiha Madara's Three-Tomoe Sharingan flickered slightly, filled with anger at Konoha's weakness.
Konoha was, after all, the crystallization of his and Hashirama's efforts, and yet it almost ceased to exist!
"That woman, Uzumaki Mito, didn't make a move?"
Uchiha Madara snorted coldly. In his opinion, if Uzumaki Mito had acted, Konoha wouldn't have been in such a state.
Although the Nine-Tailed Beast was only fit to be his mount, that was only true for him.
Besides him and Hashirama, he was confident that no one in the entire Ninja World could stand against the Nine-Tailed Beast!
"This foolish woman, she doesn't know how to protect Hashirama's legacy!"
When he goes down, he must have a good talk with Hashirama about these matters!
"Ever since Hashirama passed away, Konoha has truly become increasingly unsightly!"
When Senju Tobirama was around, it was barely tolerable, but with the Third Hokage, it's truly disgusting to even look at!
During Hashirama's era, who dared to speak loudly to Konoha?!
"Senju Tobirama, your judgment of people was truly excellent."
After harshly criticizing Konoha, Uchiha Madara calmed down.
These were indeed major events, but they didn't seem to be related to the disappearance of the Rinnegan.
He remembered that Uzumaki Nagato had been taken back by the Uzushigakure.
And now that the connection to the Rinnegan was gone, it must be related to the Uzushigakure.
"It's the Uzushigakure again?"
Uchiha Madara frowned. What was going on recently?
Why did every matter seem to involve the Uzushigakure?
Moreover, although he looked down on the current Konoha, the fact that they could push Konoha to such a state meant that the Uzushigakure was indeed very powerful.
He recalled that when he observed the Uzushigakure through the Third Mizukage last time, it wasn't nearly this strong.
Even its army was sparse.
If not for the leaders having greater strength than the Kirigakure, it probably wouldn't have taken over the Land of Water so easily.
But in just half a year, the Uzushigakure had already developed to such a scale.
With such a small territory?
Uchiha Madara's breathing was steady.
No matter how much he speculated here, he still had to see it for himself.
He instructed, "White Zetsu, go to the Uzushigakure and investigate if something has happened to Uzumaki Nagato."
"Huh?"
White Zetsu's clear and foolish voice echoed in the cave.
It waved its hands frantically, then said pitifully, "It's so far, Lord Madara~"
Uchiha Madara frowned, looking at it with displeasure.
Didn't I keep you here precisely for reconnaissance?
Otherwise, do you think I could tolerate your constant talk of shit, piss, and farts?
"How about I serve Lord Madara?"
A hoarse, unfamiliar voice echoed in the cave.
Uchiha Madara's eyes narrowed, suddenly feeling something wriggling behind him.
He grabbed his back, and a black, mud-like creature was thrown onto the ground in front of him.
Uchiha Madara's eyes were filled with killing intent. This fellow, he hadn't even noticed it behind him!
Uchiha Madara said coldly, "You, what are you?!"
The black, mud-like creature wriggled, forming a human shape, revealing a row of clean white teeth and two eyes like copper bells.
"This humble one is a product of Lord Madara's will. You can command me to do anything you wish."
"Product of will?"
Uchiha Madara raised an eyebrow, somewhat suspicious. Was this thing really his will?
Why did it sound so mystical?
However, Uchiha Madara, being bold due to his great skill, sneered, "Alright, since you are a product of my will, then go to the Uzushigakure and find out what has happened to the Rinnegan's wielder!"
The dark humanoid bowed slightly, respectfully saying, "I guarantee to complete Lord Madara's mission!"
Then it grinned, suddenly attaching itself to the White Zetsu nearby.
"Ah, ah, I'm going to be eaten, I'm going to be eaten!!"
White Zetsu flailed its arms and legs.
Uchiha Madara narrowed his eyes slightly, not stopping the black thing's actions.
He wanted to see what tricks this guy was up to.
After all, a mere White Zetsu wasn't anything valuable.
"Huh?"
A few seconds later, White Zetsu's bewildered voice rang out.
"I'm... still alive?"
A hoarse laugh suddenly came from beside him.
"Heh heh, since you're called White Zetsu, then I'll be called Black Zetsu from now on."
"Whoa!"
White Zetsu was startled, then realized he had turned into a strange person, half white and half black, with a pitcher plant on his head.
White Zetsu said with a look of despair, "I... I'm no longer pure..."
Black Zetsu, however, ignored his feelings and respectfully said to Uchiha Madara, "Lord Madara, we'll be back shortly."
Black Zetsu took control of the body and merged into the earth using the Mayfly Technique.
"Oh, there's even such a convenient technique?"
Uchiha Madara was slightly surprised.
After leaving the cave, Black Zetsu controlled the body, traveling back and forth through the earth using the Mayfly Technique.
He intentionally exposed this ability to Uchiha Madara, because to gain Uchiha Madara's trust, he couldn't just show loyalty; he also needed to have something useful to him.
And his Mayfly Technique was the best tool for gathering information!
He glanced at the White Zetsu, who was still babbling endlessly, and sighed helplessly in his heart.
The Ninja World had changed too much.
He had originally planned to hide beside Madara for a few years and observe Madara's plan.
But then Uchiha Madara said that the connection with the Rinnegan had disappeared?
He couldn't sit still. After a thousand years of effort, the dawn was almost upon them.
And then the Rinnegan disappeared?
He couldn't accept it!
So he actively exposed himself, gained Uchiha Madara's trust, and then went to the Uzushigakure to investigate!
Although the Uzushigakure had been causing trouble in the Ninja World recently.
And there were also creatures called 'Hollows' that he hadn't seen in a thousand years.
But for him, as long as it didn't affect Uchiha Madara's plan, he didn't care.
As a result, an accident still occurred!
The Uzushigakure… Black Zetsu's bell-like eyes deepened.
He wanted to see what secrets this recently risen Uzushigakure held!
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