During this time, Black Zetsu hadn't been quietly lurking by Nagato's side or hiding in some dark cave, tending to that old geezer Uchiha with tubes in him.
Unlike the Elder Toad—whose thinking had grown increasingly rigid, to the point where even her mastery of barriers had declined—the centuries had not dulled Black Zetsu's edge.
On the contrary, during this seemingly hopeless journey to "save his mother," the powerless Ōtsutsuki "Chenxiang" had only his wits and cunning to rely on. His drive and intellect had never faded; if anything, they had sharpened through the endless internal conflict of failing to rescue her.
Taking advantage of the months Hii Kōri had been away from the village, Black Zetsu had slipped into Sunagakure using his abilities.
He carefully selected targets, constantly switching between possessed bodies—ordinary villagers, genin, chūnin meticulously gathering every scrap of information related to the name "Hii Kōri."
Analyze the target's mental traits. Identify weaknesses or notable characteristics in their personality. Then formulate a corresponding strategy.
Black Zetsu had refined this process to a near art—second only to his Yin-Yang Release physique, it was his greatest point of pride.
A thousand years ago, he had goaded Indra into extremism. Decades ago, he had manipulated Madara Uchiha into committing to the Moon Eye Plan through altered stone tablets. Now, facing Hii Kōri, Black Zetsu intended to use the same playbook.
Yet despite gathering "considerable" information, he realized that most of it was just speculation—others observing Hii Kōri from afar.
The root of the problem was that Hii Kōri's lifestyle in Sunagakure was almost identical to Orochimaru's in Konoha.
Both were reclusive types rarely leaving their homes. Naturally, the villagers didn't know much about them.
The biggest difference was that Hii Kōri had developed numerous technologies and devices that improved daily life, giving him a far better reputation in Sunagakure than Orochimaru had among his own acquaintances.
But that wasn't what Black Zetsu wanted. Even with his thousand-years-refined "people-reading" skills, he couldn't paint an accurate picture of Hii Kōri from such biased, filtered impressions.
As for possessing someone close to him… not impossible. But once Hii Kōri returned, he'd likely notice.
The memory of Hii Kōri detecting his spiritual presence from so far away in the Land of Rain had left a deep psychological scar.
Too damn creepy.
In all his centuries hiding in the ninja world, when had he ever encountered anything like that?
So instead, he tried sneaking into Hii Kōri's workshop on the outskirts of Sunagakure, hoping to read Hii Kōri's mind through his creations.
His fear was Hii Kōri's goddamn sensory ability. With the man gone, what was there to be afraid of?
At first, Black Zetsu thought that.
His confidence lasted until he actually got close to the workshop.
"What the hell is wrong with this guy?!"
The multi-story standalone workshop—which Nagato and the other three, Bunpuku and Shukaku, Pakura and Karura had called home for years, long since accustomed to—had been layered with countless protective measures by Hii Kōri over the years, constantly updated and expanded.
In Black Zetsu's vision, the entire building was practically carved with overlapping sealing formulas. Beneath the seals, there were no dark secrets—only offensive ninjutsu and barriers.
When those ninjutsu went off, everyone would be brightly lit—and dead.
The mechanical traps integrated into the building's structure were almost an afterthought.
Even Black Zetsu, seeing such density of traps, felt a phantom ache in his teeth, teeth he didn't have.
Anyone not on the whitelist who tried to infiltrate would be in for a very bad time.
What kind of sick mind rigs their own home with this many dangerous techniques?! Aren't you afraid you'll blow yourself and your family sky-high in your sleep?!
If he could, Black Zetsu would have grabbed Hii Kōri by the collar and demanded just that.
To be fair, Hii Kōri wasn't afraid or rather, he'd never considered it.
His techniques wouldn't malfunction. They would remain under his control. To Hii Kōri, that was simply natural.
And that confidence, reinforced by his binding vow, had become an unshakable reality.
Knowing none of this, Black Zetsu could only be grateful for his own form of existence.
As an embodiment of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's will and a product of Yin-Yang Release, Black Zetsu's very being transcended conventional ninjutsu.
While not completely immune, he could, with conscious effort, cause traps to overlook him.
Separating his true body—a flowing shadow—from the White Zetsu vessel, Black Zetsu reverted to his original black mud form.
He carefully avoided dozens of reactive traps, seeped through cracks into the workshop, and eventually slipped into Hii Kōri's study.
He didn't need lights or to flip pages. Using his physical advantages, he could absorb a notebook entirely, reading by the contours and textures of the handwriting.
Quick and efficient. He soon devoured all the notes Hii Kōri had left in the study.
Among them, Black Zetsu found research records covering the nature of chakra, nature transformation, element fusion, and even life force and spiritual energy.
The element fusion section contained formulas for various elemental kekkei genkai. Beyond the confirmed Magnet and Scorch Release, there were also Ice Release, Lava Release, Boil Release, and Rainbow Release.
Seeing the description and example techniques for "Rainbow Release," Black Zetsu immediately concluded that this was how Hii Kōri had concealed their group in the great sand sea—by bending light and air currents.
As for chakra traces… probably an advanced application of Kagura Mind's Eye? Sealing others' chakra through physical contact?
Though the Uzumaki clan had never demonstrated such abilities, that didn't mean Hii Kōri hadn't developed them.
He'd already created multiple elemental kekkei genkai—perfectly normal to further explore his own bloodline's potential!
Beyond ninjutsu, there were mechanical designs of various types and functions—everything from military weapons to household goods.
And environmental improvement plans for the desert, infrastructure projects, energy transmission networks…
Numerous analyzes and annotations of historical documents and ancient myths. From these distorted accounts, Hii Kōri had still managed to deduce many "truths."
These neatly categorized notes and files—filling the entire study—looked to Black Zetsu like monuments to Hii Kōri's talent. They reinforced his initial judgment.
Hii Kōri was like Tobirama Senju—a monster whose brilliance transcended bloodline.
But to Hii Kōri, these notes that shocked Black Zetsu were all things he didn't mind exposing.
Who the hell writes a diary? Anything written down is meant to be read.
Moreover, knowing that Black Zetsu—that sneaky bastard—existed, Hii Kōri would never leave truly important things on paper.
His real goals, his real trump cards, were almost all recorded in his own mind.
These notes—essentially "fishing bait"—had served their purpose.
When Black Zetsu found the map Hii Kōri had recreated during the negotiations, with its plans to travel to various countries, explore ruins and hidden lands, and uncover historical artifacts, a plan instantly formed in his thousand-year-scheming mind.
Ever since confirming Hii Kōri's terrifying talent in Yin Release, Black Zetsu had wanted to make contact.
The stone tablet he'd altered had fooled Madara Uchiha into transplanting Hashirama's cells, gaining the Rinnegan and a partial Sage body.
But now Madara was old and frail, relying on contingencies to revive himself after death.
Only then could Black Zetsu continue his manipulations through Madara.
That plan had gained some uncertainty due to Madara's condition.
If he had a choice, he wouldn't put all his bets on one person.
With a Plan B, who the hell goes all in?
And Hii Kōri—an Uzumaki with strong vitality, good compatibility with Hashirama's cells, and exceptional Yin Release talent—wasn't he an excellent backup target?
Even considering the Sage Eye and Sage Body issues, Hii Kōri was still young. There was plenty of time.
But until now, limited by Hii Kōri's unnaturally keen perception and his own rather unconvincing appearance, Black Zetsu hadn't found a suitable opportunity to approach.
But thinking in reverse: since Hii Kōri could detect him, making a direct approach dangerous—why not let Hii Kōri come to him?
Conveniently, Hii Kōri had a clear plan to travel, explore ruins, and had already begun.
Black Zetsu only needed to go with the flow—prepare some ruins in advance, disguise himself as some "ancient relic," and wait quietly to be "dug up."
This was hardly even "disguise."
Whether "ancient" or "relic," Black Zetsu was the real deal.
And in the field of "forgery," he had a very refined process.
As one of the longest-surviving beings in the world, Black Zetsu was a living encyclopedia.
Unlike the tailed beasts—mostly roaming the world causing trouble, recently sealed away, uneducated—Black Zetsu had lived among humans, personally instigated countless conflicts, and accumulated knowledge befitting his age.
He had altered the Sage of Six Paths' own stone tablet without detection. Forging an ancient ruin was child's play.
In the field of forgery, Black Zetsu had serious credentials.
"There… it's done."
Deep in a forest in the Land of Fire, inside a ruin, Black Zetsu poked his head out of a ceremonial jar—a burial artifact he'd specifically snagged from an ancient tomb, matching the ruin's age. His yellow dot eyes blinked as he surveyed the stone tablet he had just altered.
Even his crude, stick-figure-like face showed a hint of undisguised smugness.
The inscription he'd altered was simple: something about a genie who grants wishes. The only technically impressive
part was the use of nearly extinct ancient script, plus some artificial aging via White Zetsu's corrosive abilities.
As for the jar he'd chosen as his vessel—did it actually work?
Of course not. It wasn't even a ninja tool. No chakra reaction, no sealing formulas. Just a decorative ritual object from ancient times.
No matter who examined it, they'd find no abnormal energy.
But if a talking "genie" could actually emerge from this ordinary jar, combined with the cryptic inscription… the jar's very ordinariness would become extraordinary. The whole scene's credibility would multiply.
Then Black Zetsu would unleash his thousand-years-honed rhetoric. How could Hii Kōri not take the bait?
"Jie jie jie jie jie—"
Thinking that in just a few decades, the ninja world had produced two such prime candidates as Madara Uchiha and Hii Kōri, the ninja world's #1 filial son couldn't help but laugh—and even felt like singing.
"Ah—just be patient a little longer, Mother. Soon, very soon, I will free you!"
Hiding inside that unremarkable, discarded jar, disguised as a "genie," Black Zetsu could already see his thousand-year wish fulfilled—being embraced and praised by his mother as she returned to the world.
He wished it from the bottom of his heart.
***
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