Hiruzen Sarutobi's so-called "future" was something Natsuhiko neither cared about nor intended to care about.
To him, none of it truly mattered anymore. At this point, he had already secured a complete advantage.
All he needed to do now was wait—wait for the right opportunity, wait for time itself to ferment the situation further—and eventually, everything he desired would naturally fall into his hands.
There was no reason for him to rush.
Besides, he already had more than enough matters on his plate.
He had been away from Konoha for a very long time. Although the ANBU had developed a self-sustaining operational structure under Natsuhiko's reforms, one that ensured stability even in his absence, there were still many matters the organization simply could not properly process or coordinate without him personally overseeing them.
At the end of the day, the true decision-making authority remained firmly in Natsuhiko's hands.
Minor issues could be handled independently by the ANBU, but when it came to major decisions, no one possessed the authority to act on their own.
This was a safeguard Natsuhiko had deliberately established to prevent his power from being hollowed out from within.
Of course, the system had its flaws.
The current situation was the perfect example.
Once Natsuhiko lacked the time or energy to manage internal ANBU affairs, many important directives would inevitably stall, unable to be properly implemented or carried through.
Still, he had no intention of hastily changing anything, at least not for now.
There simply wasn't any need.
"Fortunately, the ANBU remains relatively stable at the moment. Maybe it's because we're still in wartime, so there aren't too many complicated internal affairs demanding immediate attention."
The backlog of unresolved matters within the ANBU was certainly enormous, but stability alone was enough to satisfy Natsuhiko.
After all, nothing was more valuable than stability.
Sir Humphrey had once said that any change would inevitably create instability. Therefore, doing less was better than doing more, and doing nothing was better than doing less.
Natsuhiko agreed with the first half of that statement wholeheartedly.
As for the second half, however, he completely disagreed.
Perhaps it was because the systems were fundamentally different. Or perhaps it was because this was the ninja world—a world where personal strength itself constituted an overwhelming factor.
Because of that, while the entanglement of various interest groups was undeniably troublesome, there were still times when those same groups could be "persuaded" into compromise, allowing certain agendas to continue moving forward.
That was still far preferable to proposing a policy, only for it to become trapped in endless disputes over conflicting interests until the final "perfect solution" was to revert everything back to square one and change absolutely nothing.
Natsuhiko could neither accept nor tolerate that kind of stagnation.
Change was inevitable.
And once he became Hokage, there would be far more things he intended to change.
Naturally, he would do his best to reason with others whenever possible.
But if reasoning failed…
Then he didn't mind using "physical reasoning" either.
"Forget it. No point thinking about all that right now. I should deal with the work in front of me first."
Natsuhiko let out a faint sigh. Looking at the mountain of documents piled across his desk, he felt his scalp go numb.
After pondering for quite a while, he ultimately decided it would be better to take a short break first.
After all, he had only just returned from the battlefield.
The gains he had obtained from this war were absolutely unprecedented.
Single-handedly annihilating eight thousand shinobi was an achievement that could be considered unparalleled throughout the entire history of the ninja world.
And this wasn't Natsuhiko exaggerating.
Whether someone could accomplish such a feat was one thing.
Whether anyone would even dare attempt it was another matter entirely.
Senju Hashirama could undoubtedly have done even better than Natsuhiko. In fact, he probably could have wiped them out more thoroughly and with far greater ease.
Unfortunately, by the time Hashirama had become Hokage, his reputation had already shaken the entire ninja world.
Who would have dared challenge him?
And beyond that, even if there truly had been lunatics willing to try, the Five Great Ninja Villages had only recently been established during that era. Every village was drowning in unresolved internal problems.
If war broke out under those circumstances, even maintaining logistical supply lines would have become a nightmare.
No sane person would dare provoke a conflict so recklessly.
In truth, Natsuhiko himself understood this very clearly.
If he had acted with enough arrogance and publicity from the very beginning—if he had revealed his true strength much earlier—then Kumogakure likely would never have dared launch an invasion against Konoha in the first place.
But had he done that, things would never have developed into their current state.
He would not have become the man with the highest support to ascend as the next Hokage.
At best, he would merely have been regarded as a "future Hokage" candidate.
The future did not represent the present.
And what Natsuhiko wanted was the present.
"Though it's not like I'm completely free of trouble either. That elder of mine has been giving me quite a headache lately."
Natsuhiko's overwhelming display against Kumogakure had shaken far more than just the enemy forces. The colossal True Several Thousand Hands he unleashed had practically stunned the entire Senju Clan into silence.
As members of the Senju Clan themselves, how could they possibly fail to understand what that technique represented?
Especially Senju Shoma, a man who had personally lived through that magnificent and turbulent era. There was no way he could ever forget the significance of that legendary ninjutsu.
Because of this, after Natsuhiko returned to Konoha, Shoma had visited him repeatedly. And once he finally obtained confirmation directly from Natsuhiko himself, even he was utterly shaken.
This time, Natsuhiko chose not to hide anything.
He openly explained his Sage Mode, Wood Release, and the rest of his abilities.
After all, the True Several Thousand Hands was not ordinary Wood Release. It was a technique that fundamentally required Sage Mode in order to be properly used.
Natsuhiko was certain Senju Shoma understood that fact perfectly well, so there was little point in continuing to conceal it. Besides, Minato Namikaze was already fully aware of his Sage Mode anyway.
Not only that, Natsuhiko also casually revealed the matter regarding his eyes.
Before this, although he had not fought in an especially flamboyant manner while using the powers of his eyes, he certainly had not been discreet either.
Especially during the war against Kumogakure, where he had activated his Jogan Chakra Mode in front of all six thousand Konoha shinobi present on the battlefield.
That kind of thing simply could not be hidden.
Still, Natsuhiko did not believe revealing it would cause him any significant trouble.
After all, knowing he possessed special eyes, and understanding what those eyes were truly capable of, were two entirely different things.
He had absolutely no intention of exposing the true abilities of his dojutsu.
Even if others managed to guess fragments of the truth, as long as Natsuhiko himself refused to acknowledge it, what could anyone really do?
Senju Shoma had also been deeply astonished by the appearance of such strange eyes within the Senju bloodline.
After all, throughout the entire history of the Senju Clan, there had never been anyone who awakened some bizarre dojutsu.
However, after personally examining Natsuhiko's eyes, Shoma quickly stopped caring.
As far as he was concerned, as long as they were not the Sharingan or the Byakugan, then everything else was irrelevant.
And more importantly, those eyes granted such terrifying combat power.
To him, that was nothing less than a blessing for the Senju Clan.
And thus, Natsuhiko's troubles began.
"Natsuhiko, I know there are some things I shouldn't rush you on, and I know you're still young.
"But your bloodline has already approached—perhaps even surpassed—that of the First Hokage himself.
"So I hope that you can leave behind descendants. Leave behind a bloodline capable of surpassing Lord First Hokage."
The moment Senju Shoma spoke those words with complete seriousness while looking at both Natsuhiko and Renge, neither of their expressions remained quite as calm anymore.
Renge was still relatively composed. After all, she was two years older than Natsuhiko.
But Natsuhiko himself was only fifteen or sixteen years old.
Granted, in this world, that age was already considered completely normal for such matters.
Even so, for reasons even he did not fully understand, Natsuhiko had never been particularly enthusiastic about relationships in that regard.
Especially when it came to the idea of having children purely for the sake of continuing a bloodline, he found himself even less interested.
Still, in order to placate Senju Shoma, Natsuhiko could only say that he would "do his best."
At the same time, to avoid further complications, he also tried explaining that forced fruit was never sweet, and that it would be better to let things progress naturally step by step.
Unfortunately, Senju Shoma was not someone so easy to deal with.
He likely understood very clearly that trying to pressure Natsuhiko head-on was completely pointless.
Because whenever someone tried to act tough with Natsuhiko, he would only become even tougher in return.
So instead, Shoma adopted a different strategy.
He simply continued wearing him down, visiting Natsuhiko over and over again without pause.
It was practically as though he had embraced the philosophy of:
"Maybe forcibly picked melons aren't sweet, but they're still fragrant. You'll understand once you take a bite."
The whole situation left Natsuhiko utterly helpless.
At the moment, he genuinely had no interest whatsoever in dealing with children.
"Seriously… every family has its own impossible problems."
Letting out a weary sigh, Natsuhiko lowered his gaze back toward the documents on his desk.
He planned to finish handling these matters first before making a trip to his secret "plantation."
This time, Natsuhiko's harvest had been extraordinarily abundant. Naturally, he needed to properly organize and deal with everything he had gained.
...
While Natsuhiko remained occupied handling ANBU affairs, Konoha and Iwagakure were also carrying out the final stages of their campaign against Kumogakure.
Kumogakure had lost.
And it was a devastating defeat.
Not only had they been crushed head-on by Konoha, but Iwagakure had also launched a sudden assault against their flank.
Although Kumogakure had established defensive lines along the borders near the Land of Iron, there were ultimately no truly powerful figures stationed there.
Moreover, in preparation for the war against Konoha, the Fourth Raikage had transferred nearly all elite forces away from the other defensive fronts.
As a result, the remaining Kumogakure troops could only rely on their fortifications to desperately hold the line. Launching any meaningful counteroffensive was completely impossible for them.
In truth, if they had simply managed to maintain their defenses, that alone could already have been considered a success.
Unfortunately, the moment news from the frontline reached them—when they learned that the main army in the Land of Hot Water had been completely annihilated—their morale suffered an irreversible collapse.
Most critically of all, the Raikage's fate remained unknown, while their Eight-Tails Jinchuriki had also temporarily disappeared.
That kind of blow was utterly fatal to morale.
At that moment, they could no longer continue holding on.
Their defensive lines collapsed at an almost unbelievable speed, while Iwagakure's massive army surged directly into the territory of the Land of Lightning.
However, the Iwagakure forces merely crossed into the borders of the Land of Lightning and went no further.
They did not continue launching deeper offensives.
In reality, this order had come directly from Onoki himself.
It was not that he lacked the desire to expand their gains further, but rather that he genuinely did not dare advance any deeper.
After all, Konoha had already withdrawn and was simply waiting for Kumogakure to approach them for the final negotiations befitting a defeated nation.
If Iwagakure recklessly pushed further into enemy territory now, they might very well provoke hostility from the current Konoha—a Konoha whose strength had become terrifying beyond reason.
Besides, after Kumogakure had already been utterly crushed by Konoha in a single decisive blow, there was little strategic value left in Iwagakure continuing the assault.
Kumogakure was already in full collapse.
The fact that Iwagakure had managed to forcefully seize a portion of the spoils was already somewhat lacking in honor.
If they continued pressing their luck without restraint, they might truly end up becoming the common enemy of everyone.
...
Inside the Tsuchikage's office in Iwagakure, Onoki sat silently with bandages wrapped across his face, making him look somewhat comical at first glance.
Yet not a single person dared laugh at him.
That was not merely because of Onoki's authority and prestige, but because everyone present understood one thing clearly—
Their Tsuchikage had genuinely escaped death by the narrowest of margins.
Iwagakure already possessed a complete understanding of what had transpired on the frontline.
The newspapers had reported portions of it, while Onoki himself had also transmitted the most accurate information back to the village.
It could be said that, in this very moment, the older generation who had lived through the same era as Onoki felt as though they had returned to the age when Konoha's overwhelming might cast its shadow across the ninja world.
And yet, there was absolutely nothing they could do about it.
Nor could they think of any way to stop it.
Beyond lamenting the heavens' favoritism toward Konoha, beyond sighing at how the Senju Clan had somehow risen once more even from such desperate circumstances, they had nothing left to say.
After a long silence, Onoki was the first to speak, breaking the oppressive stillness in the room.
"Let's hear your thoughts. From this point onward, how should we formulate our diplomatic policy toward Konoha? And regarding the upcoming negotiations with Kumogakure, what kind of stance should we adopt?"
The moment he raised those two questions, he struck directly at the heart of the matter.
Unfortunately, neither question was easy to answer.
Both were deeply frustrating problems.
Konoha was no longer the Konoha of the past.
If it were still the old Konoha, they would not need to think so carefully about these matters.
Even if Iwagakure were not the stronger side, they certainly would not have feared Konoha to such an extent.
But now, everything had changed.
With the sudden rise of Senju Natsuhiko, they were forced to change as well.
And that change extended into every aspect of their policies.
The clearest example was that they now had no choice but to completely rethink the diplomatic strategy they had maintained for years.
A ninja village was, in essence, equivalent to an entire nation. Because of that, every diplomatic policy they enacted carried enormous significance.
Although minor conflicts constantly erupted throughout the ninja world, the major hidden villages generally tried to exercise restraint whenever possible, because they all understood one thing very clearly—
Once a full-scale war truly began, the result would inevitably be catastrophic.
Thinking about it carefully, however, the irony was almost laughable.
No matter how clearly they understood the consequences, all such rationality became insignificant once sufficient benefits were placed on the table.
Otherwise, how could the ninja world have experienced three Great Ninja Wars within a mere fifty years?
But now, regardless of how many conflicts still existed between the villages, none of them would dare casually provoke Konoha anymore.
Because Konoha now possessed Senju Natsuhiko.
"Tsuchikage-sama, if possible… we should avoid provoking Konoha altogether."
Only after a long silence did one of the elders finally speak, though the helplessness in his voice was impossible to conceal.
"From now on, our diplomatic policies should avoid direct conflict with Konoha whenever possible. Even if disputes arise, we must drag matters to the negotiating table instead of acting recklessly like Kumogakure did."
"That much is inevitable."
Onoki did not object. He merely nodded lightly.
"However, we still need to maintain an appropriate balance. I'll leave that balance for all of you to discuss among yourselves. I want a written proposal submitted to me within the week.
"As for Kumogakure… have you decided how we should handle them?"
"As for Kumogakure, I think we should simply follow Konoha's lead."
Having to watch another village's expression before determining whether they themselves could eat the meat already in their hands—and how much they were even allowed to take—
The feeling was indescribably suffocating.
But no matter how humiliated they felt, there was nothing they could do except endure it.
"We can only wait and see what exactly Konoha wants, and how much they intend to take. After that, we can make our own decision accordingly.
"But there is one thing we absolutely must agree upon."
The elder's expression became unusually serious as he spoke.
"We cannot take more than Konoha does. Under no circumstances can we allow Konoha to develop dissatisfaction toward us. Otherwise, it will be extremely detrimental to Iwagakure's future."
...
"Very good. I'm pleased with your current condition."
Inside a towering structure somewhere within the Land of Rain, Black Zetsu looked at Nagato, who had finally managed to stand once more, and spoke with a smile.
His smile appeared bright and genuine on the surface, yet deep inside, his heart was practically bleeding.
At the same time, he also felt a lingering sense of unease.
Ever since Nagato's mentality had completely collapsed after being crushed by Natsuhiko, Black Zetsu had been forced to improve this "tool" in order to salvage him.
Strictly speaking, the method itself was not particularly complicated.
All he needed to do was fuse portions of a White Zetsu body into Nagato's own body.
By using the modified White Zetsu tissue he had prepared, he could restore Nagato's vitality while simultaneously granting him a portion of Hashirama Senju's power, thereby allowing him to better withstand the burden of the Rinnegan.
Originally, Black Zetsu had been confident that this modification would definitely produce results.
The only uncertainty was how effective those results would ultimately be.
The reason he believed it would work was because Nagato was a descendant of the Uzumaki Clan.
The Uzumaki and Senju had always shared an indescribably close connection.
Tracing their bloodlines further back, both ultimately originated from Asura's lineage.
Because of that, Hashirama's power could indeed produce a certain degree of compatibility within Nagato's body.
The problem, however, was how that compatibility would actually manifest.
After all, combining powers together did not necessarily produce the most ideal outcome.
Because once different powers fused together, imbalance could easily emerge in other aspects.
For example, both the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan specialized heavily in Yang Release.
Combining the two would certainly amplify that power significantly.
But in doing so, the Yang Release aspect would become excessively dominant.
And Nagato did not possess Asura's true power to stabilize or compensate for that imbalance.
Under such circumstances, there were only two likely outcomes.
Either the power would rapidly spiral out of control and dissipate violently—
Or the power belonging to Hashirama Senju would directly transform Uzumaki Nagato into some grotesque "Uzumaki tree-man."
However, Black Zetsu also understood that the probability of Nagato turning into some grotesque Uzumaki tree monster was actually quite low.
After all, the Rinnegan within Nagato's body served as an immense Yin Release source capable of suppressing such instability.
The real problem was that Nagato's mastery over the Rinnegan could only be described as painfully shallow.
In Black Zetsu's eyes, after accepting the White Zetsu's power, the worst-case scenario for Nagato would merely be a partial recovery of his body.
A slightly better outcome would allow him to stand again.
And the absolute best outcome would be for his body to fully recover, while also gaining the ability to properly wield the Rinnegan's power through that restored body.
As for that best-case scenario, Black Zetsu had never seriously considered it possible.
Personally, he felt it was far too unrealistic.
In his estimation, the most likely result was that the Rinnegan would simply erase those foreign powers altogether, or that Nagato himself would fail to absorb them properly, causing the energy to gradually dissipate on its own.
That was precisely why, when helping Nagato, Black Zetsu deliberately selected a complete White Zetsu body—one that contained a relatively dense concentration of Hashirama Senju's cells.
Yet even in his wildest dreams, he had never imagined that Nagato would turn out to be such a monster.
At first, the experiment had progressed quite smoothly.
As Nagato fused with those powers, his body displayed intense rejection symptoms.
The powers belonging to the White Zetsu and Hashirama Senju did merge into him, but Nagato was clearly incapable of controlling them. Portions of that energy had already begun leaking out uncontrollably.
Seeing this result, Black Zetsu had naturally been overjoyed.
To him, this was the ideal development, because it greatly reduced the likelihood of any unforeseen complications occurring.
But what happened next was something Black Zetsu considered utterly absurd.
At the exact moment when the White Zetsu and Hashirama's powers began dispersing most violently, the pair of Rinnegan that once belonged to Madara Uchiha suddenly seemed to awaken on their own.
They actually began actively assisting Nagato.
The eyes themselves started suppressing and stabilizing Hashirama Senju's power within his body!
Under the influence of those Rinnegan, the leaking energy from the White Zetsu and Hashirama's cells unexpectedly stopped dispersing.
Not only that, but the powers actually began integrating properly into Nagato's body.
The moment Black Zetsu witnessed that scene, if his expression control had not been exceptional, he probably would have stood there utterly dumbfounded.
What the hell was this?
No, seriously—
What the hell was going on here?
How could something this outrageous even happen?
Black Zetsu simply could not understand it.
Never in his life had he imagined that after all his plotting and scheming, he would somehow end up getting betrayed by those damned Rinnegan instead.
What exactly had the eyes sensed?
Hashirama Senju's power?
Or Asura's chakra?
And why were they acting so proactively to suppress the instability?
Who exactly was your real master here?
At that point, Black Zetsu genuinely no longer knew what to say.
All he could do was helplessly watch as Nagato's condition improved day by day.
He truly did not want any of this to happen.
But unfortunately, there was absolutely nothing he could do against those cursed Rinnegan.
Finally, after an extremely long recovery period, Nagato completely recovered.
And Black Zetsu himself had become thoroughly numb.
At this point, not only could Nagato stand once again, but his body had fully regained its vitality.
Most importantly, Black Zetsu could clearly sense that the power within Nagato's body had become significantly stronger than before.
Naturally, Black Zetsu understood exactly what that implied.
It meant that Nagato could now wield the power of the Rinnegan far more effectively than before.
Deep down, Black Zetsu was filled with regret.
He had intended to save Nagato, yes—
But he had never intended for him to recover this thoroughly.
A tool that became stronger while simultaneously growing less obedient was infinitely harder to control.
"Thank you."
Nagato clenched his fist lightly before calmly nodding toward Black Zetsu.
"I can feel it. My body has completely recovered… no, I've become even stronger than before."
Isn't that obvious? You didn't have Hashirama's power before, did you?
Black Zetsu cursed inwardly, though outwardly he merely nodded calmly.
"Indeed. You've become stronger. I imagine you should now be capable of wielding the Rinnegan's power far better than before."
"Yes."
Nagato nodded lightly before suddenly turning toward Black Zetsu.
"By the way, while I was recovering during this period, did that Senju Natsuhiko make any moves?"
Senju Natsuhiko?
That brat had caused far more than just "some" commotion.
Black Zetsu sneered inwardly, though Nagato asking about Natsuhiko the moment he recovered was actually an excellent sign in his eyes.
From the very beginning, one of Black Zetsu's goals in saving Nagato had been to set him and Natsuhiko against each other like two vicious dogs tearing into one another.
The only problem was that he had restored Nagato a little too successfully, which left him feeling rather uneasy.
Still, regardless of the circumstances, as long as those two started fighting, it would bring Black Zetsu nothing but benefits.
Recently, Black Zetsu had begun feeling that the entire ninja world was becoming increasingly bizarre.
First, those mysterious individuals who somehow possessed Tailed Beasts—and who were highly likely to belong to his mother's clan—had appeared within the shinobi world.
Then, immediately afterward, another monster emerged: someone who was clearly neither a reincarnation nor an inheritor of Asura, yet displayed strength that did not lose in the slightest to those true inheritors.
Most importantly of all, that person had inexplicably awakened a pair of eyes eerily similar to the Tenseigan.
At this point, the entire ninja world had become chaotic beyond reason.
Especially after the conclusion of the war between Konoha and Kumogakure, the level of disorder had become so severe that even Black Zetsu found it troublesome.
Glancing at Nagato before him, Black Zetsu decided he should reveal some truly explosive information.
Only by doing so could he reduce future complications for himself.
With that thought in mind, his expression gradually became grave.
"During this period, Senju Natsuhiko has indeed done quite a few things."
"Oh?"
Nagato raised an eyebrow slightly before asking,
"What exactly did he do? I'm rather curious what kind of ambition the owner of those 'Eyes of Destruction' truly possesses."
Far more ruthless than you, at the very least. Black Zetsu mocked inwardly, though his face remained calm and composed.
"Konoha and Kumogakure entered into war."
"Kumogakure had gone to Konoha with hopes of peace negotiations. However, an accident occurred, and their envoy died within Konoha.
"Kumogakure demanded an explanation, but Konoha refused. Not only that, they even began encouraging the outbreak of war.
"As a result, Kumogakure had no choice but to wage war against Konoha. This time, the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki personally led the army.
"As for Konoha, the one leading them was Senju Natsuhiko.
"In the end, the two sides encountered one another along the border of the Land of Hot Water."
Without the slightest hesitation, Black Zetsu directly used Kumogakure's own heavily distorted version of "The Origins of the Kumo-Konoha War" to explain the situation to Nagato.
After all, Natsuhiko was supposedly the possessor of the "Eyes of Destruction."
Making him seem more sinister only suited Black Zetsu's purposes perfectly.
Besides, Black Zetsu never felt embarrassed by such shameless manipulation. If anyone ended up embarrassed, it would only be someone else.
Nagato listened very attentively.
The moment he heard that Kumogakure had sought peace only to be rejected by Konoha, his expression subtly shifted.
Those people from Konoha truly were the cancer of this world.
And Senju Natsuhiko—the man who sought to destroy the world—was even more unforgivable.
"Hmph. A dog can never stop eating shit. These great nations only know how to wage war within smaller nations." Nagato let out a cold snort, his hostility toward the great shinobi villages completely undisguised.
After so many wars throughout history, every single conflict between the major powers had always brought suffering only to the smaller nations.
Those poor small nations had forever served as buffer zones between the great powers.
And they had always been the battlefields upon which the great nations fought their wars.
Shaking his head, Nagato took a deep breath before continuing.
"Still, Kumogakure probably lost in the end, didn't they?
"After all, Senju Natsuhiko possesses those 'Eyes of Destruction.' Even I, the wielder of the Rinnegan, once lost to him.
"As for the shinobi of Kumogakure… even with a Tailed Beast, they probably had no way of resisting him."
"Indeed."
Black Zetsu nodded before continuing with a sigh that sounded almost regretful.
"At first, Senju Natsuhiko deliberately concealed his true strength. Although he eliminated quite a few Kumogakure troops, he never displayed any overwhelming power.
"After all, there are very few people who truly understand how terrifying he is.
"You happen to be one of them."
Kumogakure knew nothing about any of this. As a result, they were completely misled by Natsuhiko and continuously adjusted the positioning of their forces according to his movements. In the end, he lured the entire army onto an open plain.
And upon that plain, Senju Natsuhiko unleashed the full extent of his power.
Including the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, an entire force of eight thousand Kumogakure shinobi was annihilated in one sweep.
"As things currently stand, both the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki remain missing, their fates unknown.
"And in that battle… there were no survivors."
Black Zetsu stopped speaking there.
Meanwhile, Nagato had unconsciously clenched his fists tightly.
He truly had not expected that during the period of his recovery, Senju Natsuhiko—the destroyer—would actually make such a move.
Not only had he shattered the possibility of peace, but he had also wiped out so many people in a single stroke.
Eight thousand shinobi.
Reduced to ashes beneath that man's power.
The mere thought of such a scene was unbearable.
And even more than unbearable, it inspired a suffocating sense of helplessness.
That damned man truly was the destroyer of this world.
The destroyer of peace itself.
As that thought surfaced, a sharp pain suddenly welled within Nagato's heart.
If only he had been stronger…
Could he have stopped all of this?
"It was my fault that they died." Nagato spoke in a pained voice.
"Huh?" Black Zetsu froze for a moment, utterly confused about what kind of madness this guy had suddenly fallen into.
Who exactly did he kill?'
"Senju Natsuhiko is my destined enemy. But because I was injured, I couldn't stop him."
Nagato's voice was heavy and filled with anger. Even his body trembled slightly as he spoke.
"It was because of me that those eight thousand Kumogakure shinobi died.
"This is my failure.
"I didn't stop him!"
Black Zetsu stared at Nagato with complete disbelief.
For a moment, he genuinely did not know what he was supposed to say anymore.
If Natsuhiko himself were standing here right now, he probably would not hesitate to ask:
Who the hell do you think you are? Since when did you become the protector of Kumogakure shinobi?
Truthfully, Black Zetsu's own thoughts were not all that different from Natsuhiko's.
Only the wording would have been far less direct.
Still, none of that changed the fact that Black Zetsu was genuinely dumbfounded at this moment.
Yet strangely enough, alongside that shock, he also felt an inexplicable sense of reassurance.
Perhaps having this kind of arrogant personality—
This unwavering belief that the Rinnegan belonged to him and that he himself was a god walking among mortals—
Wasn't necessarily a bad thing after all.
Thinking this far, Black Zetsu immediately put on an appropriately sorrowful expression.
"This is not your fault. There's no need to blame yourself excessively.
"But you must remember this lesson."
At this point, Black Zetsu paused briefly before speaking again with utmost seriousness.
"There is destined to be a final battle between you and him.
"Only you can oppose him.
"And only you can break this fate that binds the two of you together.
"Now that you've fully recovered, you possess both the ability and the potential to catch up to him… perhaps even surpass him."
After saying that, Black Zetsu's tone grew even deeper.
"After all, you are the wielder of the Rinnegan.
"You are the representative of the Sage of Six Paths in this world.
"Do not forget your mission.
"And do not forget your destiny.
"You are the one who will bring peace to the ninja world.
"You are the hope of this world."
"I understand!" Nagato took a deep breath, and the turbulent emotions within him gradually settled down.
That was right. He was a god.
Although he acknowledged Natsuhiko's terrifying strength, in Nagato's eyes, Natsuhiko was ultimately nothing more than a demon intent on destroying the ninja world.
And in a war between a god and a demon—
The victor would inevitably be the god.
Of course, if he wanted to achieve complete victory, he still needed to continue growing stronger.
At the same time, he still had to bring peace to the ninja world, and his plan still needed to move forward.
Thinking this, Nagato inhaled deeply once more.
He understood that the burden resting on his shoulders was immense.
Yet at the same time, he also felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.
His goals had now become even clearer.
He would gather the Tailed Beasts and force the ninja world into fearing war itself.
And he would eliminate Natsuhiko—
Eliminate the greatest threat within the entire ninja world.
While Nagato continued indulging in those lofty fantasies, Natsuhiko himself had already silently appeared within a secluded forest deep inside the Land of Fire.
...
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