Chapter 226: Madara's Interrogation
As Uchiha Madara's voice fell, there was a bang, followed by a puff of white smoke rising from where he had stood. In the next instant, Madara vanished from everyone's sight.
"A summoning technique, huh…"
Minato Namikaze recognized the move at once.
This kind of reverse summoning meant the enemy still had an accomplice lurking somewhere far away.
There was no way they could catch Madara now.
Everyone's eyes turned toward Uchiha Dali.
At the same time, other powerful figures from Konoha rushed over.
With Madara gone, the genjutsu on Nagato Uzumaki and Yahiko was also lifted.
"So it was Black Zetsu pulling the strings from behind…"
Nagato still felt a lingering fear.
If Uchiha Dali hadn't arrived in time just now, he would have already fallen victim to Madara's hand.
And from what that man had said, he wasn't even at his peak yet—his fighting strength had already been greatly diminished.
A terrifying man, through and through.
"That makes no sense."
"I'd already sealed him inside Kamui's alternate space."
Dali frowned and shook his head.
Instinctively, his gaze shifted toward Uchiha Obito.
Obito immediately raised his hands in protest. "I didn't let him out."
As soon as the words left his mouth, he activated Kamui, dragging Black Zetsu's true body out from the alternate dimension.
The thing was bound from head to toe by layers of Wood Release vines, completely unable to move.
Seeing himself surrounded by so many people after landing on the ground, Black Zetsu let out a strange, meaningful chuckle.
"Heh… You all don't look too happy."
But when his eyes fell on Nagato—still in possession of the Rinnegan—his expression froze for a split second.
It seemed he hadn't expected Nagato to still be alive.
"So it wasn't this guy pulling the trick—was it one of his clones?"
Dali narrowed his eyes and stepped forward, pressing a hand to Black Zetsu's forehead.
Last time, when he invaded this mind to read its memories, he'd only managed to extract part of the information.
In truth, there were still many "memory obelisks" inside Black Zetsu's mind—sealed and heavily guarded—holding secrets unknown to the outside world.
"It's useless. You're too late, Uchiha Dali."
"Madara must have been resurrected by now, heh…"
Black Zetsu knew he couldn't resist Dali.
But he could still disgust his opponent—so he immediately switched into full-on taunting mode.
"So you did leave a clone outside… You really are a cunning one."
Dali wasn't the least bit angered by the mockery.
To him, Black Zetsu at this point was nothing more than a clown making a last, futile struggle.
So what if Madara was revived?
Did anyone need reminding who had just fled in disgrace moments ago?
"You're not still dreaming that Madara will go along with your plan to revive Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, are you?"
"What's wrong, is your brain fried? Once Madara learns the truth, what do you think he'll do?"
Dali's half-smiling gaze bored into him with the question.
That shut Black Zetsu up instantly—he truly had no comeback.
Without wasting more words, Dali used Kamui again to throw him back into the alternate space.
"What do we do now?"
Obito asked.
The others all looked toward Dali with curiosity and concern.
Madara's reputation was enormous—his name carried awe, his strength unmatched.
Naturally, everyone was feeling uneasy.
But Dali appeared completely at ease. "Do nothing. Carry on as usual—we focus on unifying the ninja world, managing it well, and creating a peaceful environment."
"As for Madara—he's not a threat. Don't worry."
Hearing this, everyone felt at least a little more at ease.
Even if they weren't sure whether Dali was just steadying the troops or truly didn't see that man as a threat.
…
Meanwhile—
Through the reverse summoning of a Black Zetsu clone, Madara appeared beside it.
This was a remote, deserted wilderness—likely still within the Land of Fire.
"You saw Uchiha Dali?"
The clone was surprised by Madara's sudden arrival, still unaware that disaster had already befallen him.
Madara's expression was calm, without any unusual signs.
But his first words were direct: "What's this about Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?"
The question froze the clone in place.
The scroll he had just taken from Konoha's forbidden jutsu archive slipped from his hand to the ground.
Madara noticed.
He casually picked it up and glanced inside—his eyes flashing briefly with surprise and delight.
On the surface, though, he remained composed. "So this is the principle behind the Impure World Reincarnation. In that case, I can improve it—and restore myself to nearly my full former strength…"
Muttering to himself, Madara looked back up at the clone.
He hadn't forgotten his earlier question.
Back when he had confronted Dali, Nagato, and the others, they had told him about Black Zetsu's deception.
That the Eye of the Moon Plan was not to create a permanent world of peace.
That once the Infinite Tsukuyomi was cast, the revived Ten Tails would transform into the Divine Tree, bloom, and bear fruit.
And when that happened, a woman named Kaguya Ōtsutsuki would be resurrected—mother of the Sage of Six Paths, the legendary founder of ninshū.
The Rinnegan itself was descended from Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki and Kaguya.
Black Zetsu wasn't his will made flesh, but Kaguya's third son—reviving her to destroy the world, turning all people into nourishment for the Divine Tree.
Once the Divine Tree absorbed the chakra of everyone in the world, it would bear a chakra fruit.
Kaguya would eat it, evolving further—becoming a godlike being of unmatched power.
All of that had deeply shaken Madara when he first heard it.
But in front of his enemies, he had maintained absolute composure.
And at the time, he couldn't be sure whether Dali and the others were telling the truth.
So he hadn't asked for more details then.
Now, face to face with the clone, he wanted answers.
"Who is Kaguya Ōtsutsuki?"
The clone's eyes flickered, and he oddly countered with a question of his own.
His mental fortitude was indeed formidable—unsurprising for someone who had lived over a thousand years.
Even when facing Madara, the demon of the ninja world, he showed no trace of panic.
That counter-question only made Madara all the more uncertain.
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