Inside the Toad Palace, the Deal Was Sealed
With the agreement made, the Great Toad Sage returned to sleep.
He never expected to get something for nothing—he knew from the start that Orochimaru wasn't someone to be fooled. The prophecy had shown him two things: danger approaching Mount Myōboku, and hope flickering in Konoha. But only upon seeing Orochimaru in person did the pieces come together.
Prophecy isn't infallible. The future is a collage of infinite possibilities, where even a butterfly flapping its wings can shift fate. No toad—no matter how wise—can grasp it all.
And if he dared take Orochimaru lightly, then in a few days' time, that same man might very well stand by and let disaster unfold.
Spying on the Ōtsutsuki clan was no easy task—especially with time so short. The Great Toad Sage could only try his best now, hoping it would satisfy Orochimaru.
---
"This Old Toad Is the Real Deal."
Standing at the center of the hall, Orochimaru looked at the slumbering Sage with a faint smile.
He had now met all the Great Sages from the three major holy lands, and among them, the Great Toad Sage was undoubtedly the most intelligent.
It was no wonder that, thousands of years ago, this very creature had helped steer the fate of the ninja world—turning Kaguya's mother and son against one another.
And these prophecies… Orochimaru stared at the aged toad, a flicker of curiosity in his eyes.
He, too, had become a sage. But his connection to nature energy remained vague and distant—he could harness only a portion of its true power. He could not, like the Great Toad Sage, merge so completely with nature.
If only he didn't need his lamp spirit to maintain consciousness... If he could wield the "Breath of the Sun" on his own, there'd be no need to rely on the energy of ley lines.
---
"Lord Orochimaru, there are still a few days before the crisis arrives," Fukasaku said, now more respectful after hearing the Sage's praise. "Would you care to rest first? I'll show you the way."
"No need to rush," Orochimaru replied with a smile. "I'd like to explore Mount Myōboku a bit more. Who knows if I'll ever get the chance again?"
---
Two Days Later – Konoha Village
Deep underground—more than a thousand meters down—Black Zetsu began to stir.
After days of observation and testing, he had confirmed it: Orochimaru was no longer in the village.
Whether it was due to a teleportation experiment gone awry, or some other matter, it didn't matter. What mattered was this opportunity.
He moved swiftly, surfacing inside Naka Shrine—the secret meeting place of the Uchiha clan.
Years ago, it had been a hub of clan politics during times of tension with the village. Now, it was quiet, visited only for ancestral rites.
In the hidden basement, Black Zetsu stood before the ancient stone tablet—inscribed by the Sage of Six Paths himself—and let out a quiet laugh.
This tactic had worked brilliantly on Madara. Why not try it again?
A faint light pulsed from his hand, and the message on the stone began to shift—replacing the old narrative with Obito's version. Now, it was no longer Senju and Uchiha, but Uzumaki and Uchiha. The Eye of the Moon Plan was no longer about a dream of peace—but about gaining the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
Tailored manipulation, served with the right flavor for the intended audience.
"Heh…"
A smug grin crept onto Black Zetsu's face. These humans always fancied themselves heroes—but in the grand scheme, their lives were as insignificant as ants on a board.
"New savior… let's see if you take the bait."
His words were soaked in malice and mockery.
And then he sank back into the earth, vanishing without a trace.
---
Later… the Shrine's Basement
A new presence entered quietly—an old soul, spectral in form. Upon seeing the altered tablet, they let out a long, weary sigh.
"…So that's how it is."
---
Back in Mount Myōboku
While training, Orochimaru received a message—delivered through his viper summoning. His expression darkened as he read the document.
"So… Black Zetsu's been busy again."
He now understood how Obito and Zetsu had managed to lull Nagato into complacency. The same tactic, played twice.
"To be honest," said Djinn, tilting his head with a smirk, "if not for you and the Sage of Six Paths interfering, this plan would've worked. The Sage hasn't shown himself in ages, and you're not in Konoha…"
"Suppose Nagato stumbled upon the tablet while you were away," he continued, "and used his Rinnegan to 'see the truth'—he might walk the same path as Madara did."
"After all, activating the Eye of the Moon and gaining the Sage's power could remove you from the equation."
"Indeed," Orochimaru nodded, a rare trace of concern flickering across his face. "It was the right decision to involve the Sage of Six Paths in this crisis—he can safeguard the village while I'm gone."
Orochimaru wasn't afraid of battle. But illusions, especially on the scale of the Eye of the Moon, were not his specialty.
The Rinnegan could resist it, perhaps—but Orochimaru wasn't eager to test that theory on himself.
Fortunately, with the Sage now alert and involved, such illusions wouldn't succeed.
---
As for the Sage of the Six Paths himself—having watched the ninja world war for over a millennium, only now realizing it wasn't just the fault of his sons… but of his brother as well—how would he react?
Orochimaru didn't care about the drama. He only hoped the old sage would clean up his own mess.
Because if he didn't, Orochimaru would.
"The Sage of Six Paths is too slow," Djinn muttered, floating nearby. "If you were in Konoha, maybe you could've taken care of Black Zetsu already."
"But now?" He snorted. "Waiting for the enemy to leave, then flying over afterward… Classic old man behavior."
"When we asked him to act earlier, he was reluctant. I doubt he ever truly believed this was his problem."
Orochimaru gave a half-smile. "I used to admire that indifference—it gave me freedom. But now? He's starting to disappoint me."
Different circumstances change how you see the same person.
"Honestly," Djinn mused aloud, "I think you'll have to deal with Black Zetsu in the end."
Then he laughed. "What if the Sage doesn't act at all… and instead just gives Nagato a dream?"
_____________________
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