Chiga squeezed the Truth-Seeking Orb in his palm. With a sharp crack, it shattered into countless black fragments that dissolved into the air.
Madara's eyes widened in disbelief, his face hardening.
Chiga smiled faintly.
"Is this all you can do?"
As Madara stared in shock, a white robe materialized around Chiga, and two horns curved from his forehead.
Behind him, twelve Truth-Seeking Orbs floated in silent formation. Chiga stood calmly, a black staff in hand, his Rinnegan cold and expressionless, neither sorrow nor joy within them.
Madara and Black Zetsu cried out together, voices trembling.
"How is this possible?!"
Fear instantly consumed Black Zetsu. He melted into liquid shadow and slithered into Madara's sleeve. From Chiga's aura, he could sense something terrifying. Unlike Madara's power, which radiated with Kaguya's essence and felt familiar, Chiga's presence struck a different chord.
Black Zetsu knew. He carried all of Kaguya's memories, and with them, her deepest fears.
Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had always feared one thing above all—that other members of the clan would find this world.
And Chiga's current form… it was unmistakable. To Black Zetsu's eyes, he was not human at all. He looked like a true Ōtsutsuki.
The realization exploded inside him, his panic spilling over.
"I understand now! You're not Uchiha… You're an Ōtsutsuki! You've come for my mother!"
Madara froze. "Mother?"
Confusion flickered across his face. Who was this "Mom" Zetsu spoke of?
Black Zetsu instantly regretted his outburst. If Madara caught on, his plan to free Kaguya would collapse completely.
But it was too late. Madara's gaze narrowed.
"What are you talking about? What is an Ōtsutsuki? And who is this mother of yours?"
"Uh… Madara sama, I…" Black Zetsu stammered helplessly, unable to explain. His silence only deepened Madara's suspicions.
Standing before them, Chiga spoke at last, his tone casual but cutting.
"Truly worthy of being the shinobi world's number one filial son. To be honest, I admire your devotion."
He stepped forward calmly, his presence pressing down. Madara reacted instantly, leaping into the sky to put distance between them.
Chiga sighed lightly.
"What's wrong? I only wanted a word with the dutiful son."
His figure vanished in an instant. In the next heartbeat, he reappeared above Madara, his fist already in motion.
Boom!
The punch connected squarely, sending Madara crashing down. He struck the earth with devastating force, carving a massive crater.
"Cough… cough…"
Madara lay battered in the pit, his robes torn, blood spilling from his mouth. His eyes burned with disbelief as he stared at his own blood dripping between his fingers.
He was the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki. His body carried the Sage of Six Paths' power. Yet one punch from Chiga had injured him.
His wounds began to knit, but slowly, far too slowly. It was not the recovery speed expected of his transcendent body.
As Madara reeled, Black Zetsu crawled cautiously from his sleeve, inching toward his back.
Whoosh!
Chiga was suddenly in front of him again. He looked down at the bruised and bloodied Madara, his voice steady.
"Do you see the gap between us now?"
Madara staggered to his feet, his eyes burning with questions. He fixed his gaze on Chiga.
"Uchiha Chiga… Tell me, how did you gain this power?"
That Chiga had awakened the Rinnegan was acceptable. But the strength he wielded now was something beyond even Madara after becoming the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki. It was unfathomable.
Chiga didn't answer. Instead, a shadow swelled behind him.
A monstrous form emerged, its face dominated by a massive red Rinnegan, ten long tails lashing behind it.
Madara's breath caught.
"The Ten-Tails?!"
From behind, Black Zetsu screamed.
"You really are an Ōtsutsuki!"
Madara snapped his head around. He saw Zetsu sneaking at his back, his behavior shamelessly suspicious.
Zetsu cursed inwardly. He had slipped, exposed by the impossible sight of Chiga. He opened his mouth to spin an excuse, but Madara's boot struck like a hammer.
Crack!
Zetsu's body slammed into the rock wall, twisted into the stone. Though not seriously injured, he feigned hurt.
"Madara sama, why… why would you attack me?"
Madara's expression was icy.
"I should be asking you. What were you planning behind me?"
"Madara sama, you misunderstood!" Zetsu said quickly, his tone falsely pitiful. "I only hid behind you because I lack strength. I didn't want to cause trouble for you."
Madara's glare sharpened. He had lived too long to be fooled by such words. He had felt Zetsu's intent moments before, and it was far from harmless.
He seized Zetsu by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. His voice was colder than steel.
"I'll ask again. What are you really? And what are you plotting against me?"
Black Zetsu's thoughts churned. Chiga's existence today had shaken him too much. Even after thousands of years of scheming, he had lost his composure and exposed himself.
He knew Madara well. Once suspicion had been planted, it could never be erased. Lies would no longer save him.
After a long silence, his tone shifted, deep and solemn.
"Madara… does my true nature matter right now? Don't you still wish to complete the Infinite Tsukuyomi?"
Madara narrowed his eyes. Though he no longer trusted Zetsu, his heart still clung to the stone tablet's message. The dream of ending all war with Infinite Tsukuyomi burned strong within him.
He pulled Zetsu closer, his voice deliberate.
"So you still have a way to turn the situation around?"
Zetsu smiled faintly, his tone dark.
"Of course. If I resurrect my mother, a technique like Infinite Tsukuyomi will be child's play."
The mention of "mother" again made Madara frown deeply.
"Who exactly is your mother?"
Before Zetsu could answer, Chiga appeared behind Madara like a phantom, his hand resting lightly on Madara's shoulder.
Madara stiffened, his head slowly turning.
Chiga smiled knowingly, his words calm yet piercing.
"His mother's name… is Ōtsutsuki Kaguya."
---