Within the depths of the forest, Natsuhiko's gaze slowly swept across his surroundings.
Only after confirming that the seals he had placed remained completely intact did a faint smile appear on his face as he walked further inside.
Although he knew that this kind of inspection sometimes seemed unnecessarily cautious—especially considering that his current strength had already reached an almost unimaginable level—carefulness and vigilance were never mistakes.
Particularly when it concerned the source of his power, something he regarded as one of his greatest secrets, there was absolutely no possibility of him becoming careless.
This war against Kumogakure had brought Natsuhiko rewards so massive that even he found them difficult to fully comprehend.
Aside from publicly displaying his overwhelming personal strength for the first time, the greatest gain was undoubtedly the seeds he had harvested from Kumogakure.
And that was something that genuinely delighted him.
Lightning Release. It was a chakra nature seed that had eluded Natsuhiko since the very beginning. But this single war had allowed him to collect the entire Lightning Release set in one fell swoop!
"And honestly, I really didn't expect my Wood Release to actually synchronize with the system."
This time, Natsuhiko had not personally gone around collecting seeds one by one.
Because the moment he awakened from his unconscious state after the battle, his system notifications had started ringing continuously inside his mind.
Even he had been confused by that at first.
However, after spending some time carefully examining the situation, he quickly understood what had happened.
His Wood Release had absorbed those powers on its own.
The Wood Release techniques Natsuhiko used naturally manifested in the form of trees and forests.
Whether it was the Deep Forest Bloom or the Deep Forest Emergence, both techniques essentially descended upon the battlefield like colossal forests swallowing everything in their path.
And these techniques also shared one common trait.
"Chakra absorption!"
Not every Wood Release technique possessed the ability to absorb chakra.
Many Wood Release jutsu simply relied on the overwhelming hardness and destructive force of the wood itself to crush enemies outright.
There were even numerous techniques that functioned similarly to sealing jutsu, acting as specialized support abilities.
In truth, the range covered by Wood Release was incredibly broad.
It was not merely a collection of massive-scale battlefield techniques.
It was only because Hashirama Senju's reputation had left such a deep impression upon the ninja world that people gradually developed that misconception.
As for Wood Release techniques capable of absorbing chakra, most of them were considered high-level jutsu.
And it just so happened that those were precisely the techniques Natsuhiko had used against Kumogakure.
Whether it was the Deep Forest Bloom, the Wood Dragon, the Kumogakure shinobi, or even the Eight-Tails itself—
All of them had become targets of advanced Wood Release techniques capable of draining chakra.
Although Natsuhiko still found himself puzzled as to why similar situations had never occurred when he used Deep Forest Emergence in the past, once he realized that he had only obtained three seeds back then, a possibility naturally surfaced in his mind.
Could it be because he simply had not killed enough people with Wood Release before?
If that was the reason, then it actually made quite a bit of sense.
After all, in the past, he had never relied too heavily on Wood Release during battle, and comparatively few people had actually died at the hands of his Wood Release.
This time, however, was entirely different.
When he unleashed his power against Kumogakure, he had directly trapped the entire battlefield with Wood Release.
Exactly how much chakra had been absorbed from those eight thousand Kumogakure shinobi was impossible to estimate.
"If that's really how it works, then quantity becomes an extremely critical factor… just like how the Otsutsuki plant Divine Trees by exterminating entire planets."
Wherever the Otsutsuki Clan passed, only lifeless silence remained behind.
Because when they "planted trees," they truly left no survivors.
Every living being became nourishment for the Divine Tree.
Rather than calling it tree planting, it would be more accurate to describe it as world destruction.
At times, Natsuhiko genuinely felt that his system bore an unsettling resemblance to the Otsutsuki methods.
And viewed from that perspective, sheer quantity truly did become a crucial factor.
But as that thought reached this point, Natsuhiko's expression suddenly became rather strange.
Could it be…
If he really learned from the Otsutsuki and casually dropped a full-scale extinction package onto the world—
Would he directly ascend on the spot, unlock his genetic limitations, and transform into one of those legendary Otsutsuki himself?
"Forget it. I'm not some cold-blooded monster."
The moment that thought surfaced, Natsuhiko could not help but shiver slightly.
Leaving aside whether he even possessed the capability to do such a thing, even if he truly had the means, he doubted he would actually dare go through with it.
After all, in many ways, this ninja world could already be considered his home.
He understood very clearly that he would probably never return to that blue planet from his previous life.
And within this world, he had already formed countless bonds of his own.
He admitted that he had often been ruthless when dealing with internal enemies, but no matter what, he still had not descended to the level of someone completely consumed by madness.
If it were merely for the sake of increasing his own strength, to destroy an entire planet without caring about the countless lives within it—even if his own friends were among them—
That kind of thing was still beyond him.
"If that mustached leader from the Third Reich saw this, he'd probably say he was too soft compared to me."
Natsuhiko chuckled quietly to himself before completely dismissing the thought.
Since he would never actually do such a thing, there was no point wasting energy thinking about it.
He slowly walked forward, and before long, arrived in front of a large tree.
Inside this tree was the latest "planting" he had made before the war against Kumogakure began—
Kimimaro's bone.
Several months had quietly passed already, and Natsuhiko naturally wanted to see how the growth was progressing.
Kimimaro himself had been adapting fairly well within the ANBU recently.
The ANBU headquarters possessed plenty of living quarters to begin with, and it had also taken in quite a number of orphans over the years.
As a result, the boy's life there had actually become rather decent.
Not only had he made several friends, but he had also received careful guidance and education.
It could be said that from the moment Natsuhiko brought him away from Kirigakure, the trajectory of Kimimaro's fate had already completely changed.
The only problem was that the boy's bloodline evolved at a painfully slow pace, leaving Natsuhiko utterly speechless.
At times, Natsuhiko genuinely felt that the fact he had not forcibly accelerated Kimimaro's growth was already proof of just how merciful he was.
"There really are too few people in the ninja world as kind-hearted as me."
Natsuhiko sighed while shaking his head before placing his hand against the tree trunk.
But in the very next instant, his expression darkened once again.
Then he silently fell into complete silence.
At this point, even Natsuhiko himself had lost count of how many times he had failed.
All he knew was that ever since bringing Kimimaro back to Konoha, he had never once successfully obtained what he wanted from him.
This left Natsuhiko wondering whether he had truly been too lenient with the boy.
Perhaps it was time to put some actual pressure on Kimimaro's training progression.
After thinking it over carefully, however, Natsuhiko ultimately decided to let it go.
There was no need for him to rush things anyway.
After all, he already had more than enough matters demanding his attention.
Leaving aside the fact that Yin-Yang Release was still in the middle of fusion and development, he had also obtained the Eight-Tails seed this time, along with three complete Lightning Release seeds.
Although Natsuhiko knew he could absolutely use the prestige gained from this overwhelming victory to instantly max out the progress bars of all those seeds—
What about afterward?
The development of the Jogan still required time.
Obito and Black Zetsu had yet to come "deliver goods" to him.
And he still had not collected the chakra of the other Tailed Beasts either.
Beyond matters of strength, the struggle for the position of Hokage was also rapidly approaching its climax.
Not only did Natsuhiko still need to seize the title of Hokage, but after obtaining it, he would also need to carry out a series of reforms to stabilize the situation within Konoha.
It could honestly be said that he had far too many things to deal with.
"So Kimimaro really is one lucky brat. There are far too few people in this world as merciful as me…"
...
"Another failed experiment?"
Elsewhere, within another forest in Konoha, Orochimaru looked at the experimental subject in his hands and could not help shaking his head helplessly.
He himself had already lost track of how many failures this made.
Yet despite the repeated failures, he was still in an exceptionally good mood.
Because every failed attempt still allowed him to glimpse slight improvements.
And those improvements made him feel that he was drawing ever closer to the successful completion of that technique.
He had to admit, the technique itself was astonishingly profound.
Even now, he still could not completely unravel all of its mysteries.
While that left him feeling somewhat frustrated, it also ignited his enthusiasm even further.
"Did you record everything?" Orochimaru stared at the experimental subject before him as he casually asked the question.
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama." Kabuto stood quietly behind him as he replied softly, "The starting time and time of death have both been fully documented."
Kabuto had already been following Orochimaru for quite some time now, and the changes within him were enormous.
Although Orochimaru could hardly be called a good person, he was unquestionably an excellent teacher.
Since Natsuhiko had specifically instructed him to properly cultivate Kabuto, Orochimaru had indeed done exactly that.
Compared to the timid boy who had first been sent here, Kabuto now seemed like an entirely different person.
The previous fearfulness within him had long since vanished.
What remained now was calmness, intelligence, and a composed confidence when dealing with various situations.
Honestly speaking, that kind of mentality was incredibly rare.
Even Orochimaru himself felt that this boy truly possessed the qualifications worth nurturing.
Because of this, he had become increasingly serious in his guidance toward Kabuto.
To a certain extent, Orochimaru had already begun treating Kabuto as his disciple.
"Very good." Orochimaru nodded lightly. "Observe the corpse carefully. Pay attention to as many details as possible, both internal and external."
His tone remained calm throughout, but midway through speaking, his brows suddenly furrowed slightly.
Then, almost instinctively, he licked his lips.
"I'll leave things here to you. It seems I'll need to meet your superior."
"Hm?"
Kabuto's hand trembled slightly upon hearing those words before surprise quickly appeared on his face.
"Natsuhiko-sama has returned?"
"Yes. That newly born 'God of Shinobi.'" Orochimaru nodded, though his gaze appeared somewhat complicated.
His feelings toward Senju Natsuhiko had always been complicated, much like their relationship.
Although Natsuhiko had granted him immense protection, Orochimaru had paid an equally immense price in exchange for that protection.
True, he had also unexpectedly gained the benefits of a resurrection technique.
But the problem was that he still needed to personally conduct all the research himself.
Shaking his head slightly, Orochimaru walked directly outside.
He truly did not like thinking too deeply about Natsuhiko, because that man was simply far too dangerous.
Although Orochimaru rarely left his laboratory these days, he still remained fully aware of everything happening in the outside world.
From the outbreak of the war between Konoha and Kumogakure all the way until its conclusion, Orochimaru had been closely observing the entire conflict.
Especially after learning that the supreme commander of Konoha's forces was Natsuhiko, his interest had only grown stronger.
Orochimaru knew very well just how terrifying Natsuhiko's strength was.
After all, he had personally witnessed Natsuhiko battling a mysterious man wielding the Rinnegan, a fight so devastating that it flattened an entire valley.
And this time, the enemies Natsuhiko faced consisted of eight thousand Kumogakure shinobi, alongside the Fourth Raikage and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki.
That lineup could only be described as overwhelmingly powerful.
Even Orochimaru, if he were still within Konoha's ranks, would have felt his scalp go numb facing such opposition.
Although he acknowledged that Natsuhiko's strength was monstrously powerful, Orochimaru originally believed that even Natsuhiko should not have been capable of effortlessly annihilating all of them.
Of course, he had never doubted that the final victor would still be Natsuhiko.
Not even once.
But when the horrifying results of that battle finally reached him, even Orochimaru was thoroughly shaken.
At that moment, he realized that Natsuhiko's power was far beyond anything he had previously imagined.
That man had already completely transformed into the legendary God of Shinobi from ages past.
"Sage Mode… Wood Release… and those strange eyes called the Jogan…"
As Orochimaru walked, his thoughts continued drifting deeper.
Natsuhiko possessed far too many secrets.
And the strength of his bloodline was simply absurd.
In Orochimaru's view, the potential contained within Natsuhiko's bloodline had already completely surpassed Hashirama Senju's.
After all, Hashirama had never possessed such eyes.
Most importantly—
How old was Natsuhiko even now?
At such a young age, he had already displayed combat power approaching Hashirama Senju at the height of the Warring States Era.
That level of potential was something even Hashirama himself could not compare to.
"If only I could research his bloodline…" Orochimaru sighed inwardly.
At this point, he had already completely lost interest in the Uchiha bloodline.
Judging purely from historical achievements, Hashirama Senju had almost always suppressed Madara Uchiha in direct confrontation. Although the Senju Clan declined rapidly after the deaths of Hashirama and Tobirama, there was still one undeniable truth—
The Senju and Uchiha had battled each other for an entire millennium, and throughout that long history, the Senju had rarely ever been at a disadvantage.
And now, the Senju Clan had produced a monster like Senju Natsuhiko.
No matter how fallen or weakened the clan currently appeared on the surface, its rise was already inevitable.
As for the Uchiha Clan…
Orochimaru could not even think of a single individual capable of standing on the same level as Natsuhiko.
That reality only caused his interest in the Uchiha bloodline to diminish even further.
These days, aside from researching the One's Own Life Reincarnation, he had devoted nearly all of his efforts toward uncovering the secrets of the Senju bloodline.
"Commander Natsuhiko, it truly has been a long time." When Orochimaru arrived at the hall and saw Natsuhiko, he instinctively licked his lips before giving a respectful bow.
Such behavior appearing on Orochimaru was an exceptionally rare sight.
"You're being too polite, Orochimaru-sama."
Natsuhiko turned toward him, a faint smile appearing on his face.
"Acting like this really puts me in a difficult position. After all, we're more like partners in cooperation.
"Even if I wanted Orochimaru-sama to become my subordinate, I would still need to consider whether your loyalty was truly sincere."
"Commander Natsuhiko really does see things clearly."
Hearing those words, Orochimaru could not help smiling as he slowly straightened his back again.
Convincing Orochimaru to wholeheartedly submit as someone else's subordinate was never going to be an easy task.
It was true that Natsuhiko had already overwhelmed him.
Natsuhiko's terrifying power genuinely inspired both awe and fear within Orochimaru.
But Orochimaru had always been an extraordinarily prideful person.
Deep within his heart, he firmly believed that just because he could not compare now did not mean he would remain inferior forever.
That was why, even while working for Natsuhiko, Orochimaru still viewed their relationship as one of mutual cooperation rather than master and servant.
Ironically, Natsuhiko directly laying everything bare like this only made their interaction feel even more harmonious.
Perhaps someday in the future, Orochimaru truly might be subdued completely.
After all, it was not as though such things had never happened before.
But for now, that day had not yet arrived.
Because Orochimaru was still continuing his pursuit.
"Tell me," Natsuhiko said calmly while standing there with his arms crossed over his chest. "How is the technique I asked you to research progressing?"
The moment the One's Own Life Reincarnation was mentioned, a visible gleam appeared in Orochimaru's eyes.
"This technique is extraordinarily brilliant. Even the conceptual design behind it can only be described as unbelievable."
But very quickly, he let out another sigh, his expression gradually turning serious.
"However, this technique was clearly never fully completed.
"I don't know whether Chiyo deliberately handed over an incomplete version, or whether she herself only managed to reach this stage.
"As things stand now, if this technique is to possess true practical value, it still requires a tremendous number of adjustments."
Orochimaru's voice became increasingly focused as he continued explaining.
"Whether it's chakra output, chakra control, or even using chakra to establish a connection with that mysterious and empty Pure Land… all of it requires extensive experimentation.
"At present, I'm continuously adjusting the precision of chakra release in order to determine how to achieve the desired results more accurately.
"At the same time, I also need to research the optimal method of chakra conversion efficiency, so that chakra consumption can be minimized.
"Otherwise, situations may occur where the target hasn't even been revived yet, while the caster has already died first."
As Natsuhiko listened to Orochimaru's explanation, he quietly nodded to himself.
Truthfully, from the very beginning, he had never believed that Chiyo would hand over a complete version of the technique so easily.
Of course, the reason it was incomplete might simply have been because of time.
At this point, even Chiyo herself probably had not fully completed the technique yet.
After all, the first time she truly used it in the original timeline was thirteen years later, when she sacrificed her own life in exchange for Gaara's.
A span of ten years was enough to change many things, let alone thirteen.
And when Natsuhiko obtained the technique, that had already been more than three years ago.
Aside from the issue of time, there was another highly likely possibility—
Chiyo had simply never handed over all of her research results to him in the first place.
Honestly speaking, Natsuhiko could understand that kind of decision perfectly well.
Because if their positions were reversed, there was a very high chance he would have done the exact same thing.
Anyone with even a little foresight could recognize just how terrifying the value of this technique truly was.
In fact, Natsuhiko had always found something particularly difficult to understand.
Why was it that in the original story, after Kakashi witnessed this technique with his own eyes, he never once thought about finding a way to obtain it?
Naruto and the others were hopelessly naïve, so there was nothing to expect from them.
But Kakashi was the future Sixth Hokage, a man who had personally slaughtered countless enemies throughout his life.
So why had he suddenly become so unbelievably passive?
And it wasn't just him.
Even Tsunade had acted strangely passive as well.
She had actually allowed a technique like One's Own Life Reincarnation to slip away just like that!
A little manipulation would have been more than enough.
Even leveraging emotional bonds to pressure Gaara into cooperation would have been entirely reasonable.
Or they could have simply demanded the technique as compensation for participating in the rescue mission.
And if all else failed, they could have brought up Sunagakure's invasion of Konoha three years earlier and demanded reparations through political pressure.
Natsuhiko refused to believe Sunagakure could have resisted that kind of pressure.
Yet somehow, the matter simply disappeared without any follow-up whatsoever.
The technique itself never appeared again either.
To this day, Natsuhiko still found that utterly unbelievable.
Sometimes he genuinely wondered whether his own heart was simply too dark, or whether everyone in Konoha had been infected by Naruto's personality and collectively turned into naïve idealists.
But those were matters from the original story.
Now that Natsuhiko existed in this world, there was naturally no possibility of such nonsense happening again.
Of course, in another sense, it was impossible from the start anyway.
Because the technique was already in his hands.
Although the technique in its current state was still far from satisfactory, he also possessed Orochimaru.
And with the greatest scientist in the ninja world since Tobirama Senju working for him, Natsuhiko firmly believed that no matter what Chiyo's intentions had been, her plans were destined to fail.
"Then we'll take it slowly. There's no need to rush this matter."
At that thought, a faint smile appeared on Natsuhiko's face.
"I've always trusted Orochimaru-sama's abilities. I still do."
"Then I thank you for your kind words, Commander Natsuhiko." Orochimaru nodded lightly. "It may still take some time. How long, I can't say. I hope you won't be disappointed."
"Don't worry. I can wait." Natsuhiko said casually. "Take your time. And maybe in the future, I can provide you with some materials."
At these words, Orochimaru's pupils contracted slightly.
With his sharp mind, he instantly grasped the implication hidden behind Natsuhiko's statement.
There was only one possible source for such "materials."
Natsuhiko would never allow him to experiment on innocent civilians of the Land of Fire, and since Natsuhiko himself adhered to that principle, he naturally would not violate it either.
That meant the suitable "materials" located within the Land of Fire could only be enemy spies from hostile villages… or death row prisoners.
And once those prisoners were captured, they were usually confined within prison facilities.
If Natsuhiko intended to provide them to Orochimaru, then there was only one explanation—
He intended to gain authority over those prisons.
But achieving that required one of two things.
Either complete control over the institutions managing those facilities…
Or becoming the true ruler of Konoha itself.
Natsuhiko was currently the Commander of the ANBU, while ordinary prisons remained under the jurisdiction of the Military Police Force.
For him to casually say such things could only mean one of two possibilities.
Either he had already gained control over the Police Force…
Or—
"It seems your ambitions are considerable, Commander Natsuhiko." Orochimaru slowly licked his lips, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. "Perhaps before long… I should start addressing you as Hokage-sama instead?"
"To be precise, the Fifth Hokage, or Acting Hokage." Natsuhiko didn't hide it. He admitted it outright.
His admission made Orochimaru fall silent for a moment. Finally, he nodded.
"Indeed. Whether it is reputation, strength, or accomplishments, Commander Natsuhiko already possesses all the qualifications required.
"And under your leadership, even an organization as massive as the ANBU has remained remarkably stable.
"If Commander Natsuhiko takes one more step forward… then you truly will become Hokage-sama."
"Feeling sorry for your teacher?" Natsuhiko raised an eyebrow slightly as he asked with a faint smile.
"Not really. After all, he's already old. It's time for him to rest." Orochimaru took a deep breath before speaking in a low voice.
"In that case, allow me to congratulate Natsuhiko-sama in advance on your success."
"Then I shall also thank Orochimaru-sama for your kind words." Natsuhiko immediately returned the exact same phrase back to him without changing a single word.
Natsuhiko could tell very clearly that Orochimaru still held lingering attachment to Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Although in the original story Orochimaru personally killed him, in another sense, wasn't that also a form of release?
Hiruzen had already grown old.
Rather than allowing him to continue living in confusion and gradual decline, perhaps it was better for him to die in a magnificent blaze.
And before his death, he had fulfilled the responsibilities expected of a Hokage.
He showed the younger generation the cruelty of war.
He made them understand what burdens a Hokage truly carried.
And he allowed them to realize just how hard-earned the current peace really was.
In many ways, it had been the perfect conclusion to Hiruzen Sarutobi's life.
In the world of Naruto, it was honestly difficult to clearly define who was truly good and who was truly evil.
Because whether hero or villain, almost every named character possessed their own convictions, and each of them was willing to dedicate their entire life to pursuing those beliefs.
It was merely the clash between different ideals that gave rise to so many stories of "justice" and "evil."
And in their own ways, every single one of those stories was a legend.
—
Within the Land of Rain, Nagato silently watched as Black Zetsu finally departed completely.
Only after the heavy rainfall washed away even the faintest trace of Black Zetsu's presence did the look in Nagato's eyes gradually turn cold.
Throughout this period of recovery, he had constantly accepted guidance from Black Zetsu.
To be fair, Black Zetsu truly was an excellent teacher.
Nagato had benefited enormously from everything he had taught him.
And during this time, Nagato had also outwardly displayed a deep trust toward him.
But only Nagato himself understood the truth—
The more time passed, the more wary he had become of Black Zetsu.
Perhaps Black Zetsu himself would never have imagined that the seemingly naïve Nagato standing before him—the one who appeared to wholeheartedly believe in concepts like destiny and fate—actually harbored such thoughts internally.
"Nagato."
At that moment, Konan's somewhat worried voice sounded from behind him.
"Konan." Nagato turned around slowly before letting out a quiet sigh. "So it's you."
"Nagato… you're finally standing again…"
As Konan looked at him, her eyes gradually became moist.
Nagato's crippling injuries, along with Yahiko's death, were nightmares she would never forget for the rest of her life.
And now that Nagato had finally stood up again, how could she possibly not feel emotional?
But alongside that joy, she also felt deep concern.
Because Nagato's current state was completely wrong.
Or rather, compared to how he had behaved throughout this entire period, something about him now felt deeply unnatural.
Nagato's condition lately had been far too strange.
She truly never expected him to place such trust in that bizarre black-and-white-faced man.
Even more unbelievable was the fact that Nagato had actually begun believing in all that nonsense about destiny and fate.
And what shocked her most of all—
Nagato had somehow started believing that he bore responsibility for the eight thousand Kumogakure shinobi slaughtered by Konoha's "Nightingale," Senju Natsuhiko!
Nagato had been deceived.
Controlled.
That had been Konan's very first thought.
Yet she had no idea what she could possibly do about it.
Especially since Nagato trusted that man so deeply, she felt even more powerless to intervene.
But now, things seemed somewhat different.
Nagato's current state appeared far more complicated than she initially imagined.
"Yes… I've stood up again." Nagato nodded lightly.
There was no joy visible on his face at all, and it seemed he had already seen through Konan's thoughts. In a calm voice, he asked,
"Do you find my behavior during this period strange?"
"Yes!" Konan nodded immediately.
She truly wanted to know what had happened to Nagato lately, but despite her concern, she still remained rational enough to hesitate.
"Still, Nagato… if it's inconvenient to talk about, then you don't have to force yourself. After all—"
"He's gone. Don't worry."
Before she could finish speaking, Nagato interrupted her directly.
His gaze shifted toward the distant rain-covered horizon, and at that moment, the coldness in his eyes deepened further.
"Everything before was an act. Because…"
As he spoke, Nagato paused briefly.
Then, almost through gritted teeth, he continued,
"Because that bastard was trying to control me!"
Konan froze completely upon hearing those words.
She had never imagined things were actually this serious.
Not only her—even if Black Zetsu himself were standing here right now, he probably would have been utterly stunned as well.
Because he had never expected Nagato to discover what he was doing.
The truth was that from beginning to end, Nagato had never truly trusted Black Zetsu.
Although Black Zetsu's guidance had indeed helped him regain his conviction after his collapse, Nagato eventually noticed something strange afterward.
Why did this black creature seem to know far more than the so-called Madara Uchiha?
Nagato remembered the situation very clearly.
That supposed "Madara" had behaved as though he knew almost nothing, yet Black Zetsu possessed an astonishing amount of knowledge regarding hidden secrets.
From that moment onward, suspicion began taking root within Nagato's heart.
He started doubting every word Black Zetsu said.
Every action he took.
Nagato increasingly felt that something was deeply wrong.
Even the so-called destiny theory had begun to seem suspicious to him.
Senju Natsuhiko was his destined enemy?
Perhaps that was true.
After all, the power displayed by those eyes genuinely made Nagato feel fear from the depths of his soul.
Or perhaps it was false.
Because Nagato had never once heard any legends from the Sage of Six Paths involving such things.
But in the state he had been in at the time, he simply did not dare reveal his suspicions.
He had been too weak.
If he showed even the slightest hint of distrust, his eyes would likely be stolen immediately.
And if it were only the eyes, that would have been one thing.
But Nagato was absolutely certain of something else—
Those two would definitely target Konan as well.
Because of that, he had no choice but to bury all of his doubts deep within himself.
He needed to uncover what these people were truly after.
What surprised him, however, was that the man called Black Zetsu genuinely did help heal his body.
And his physical condition truly had continued improving.
But during the recovery process, he was shocked to discover that the bastard had tampered with his body!
Black Zetsu probably never imagined that the curse mark he had left while fusing White Zetsu's power into Nagato had been discovered.
And with the Rinnegan's help, the fusion had been exceptionally successful—which made Black Zetsu worry whether his curse mark would work.
But Nagato didn't know what Black Zetsu was thinking. He only knew that the bastard had made a move—he wanted to control him.
Once he discovered it, Nagato knew he had to find a way to deal with it.
He didn't know how effective the curse mark would be, but he couldn't take risks. He had to play along with Black Zetsu.
To make that man believe he had fully accepted the destiny theory, Nagato forced himself to act stupid and naive.
He didn't know if it had worked, but at least that man was gone now.
"Control you?" Konan's expression changed. "Are you alright? What did he..."
I'm fine for now, but I need to figure out a solution." Nagato said calmly. "I won't give up easily. That bastard won't control me!"
"Because, just like Senju Natsuhiko, I am also a god walking among humans!"
...
Read Advanced Chapters on : www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin
~ Every 100 PS = Bonus Chapter!
~ Push the Story forward with your [Power Stones]