Black Zetsu stood frozen, his dark eyes locked onto the boy before him. His mind raced with confusion and disbelief. How could this boy possibly know the Six Paths Planetary Devastation ninjutsu?
No one in this world should know that forbidden technique—no one but the four who had witnessed it firsthand.
Black Zetsu's memories flooded back to that fateful day, over a thousand years ago, when he had been cast away by his mother. He remembered clearly the thunderous voices of Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo and Ōtsutsuki Hamura shouting, "Six Paths Planetary Devastation!" Then came the violent clash—both slapping their mother with fierce determination.
He remembered how the earth beneath them cracked open, massive chunks of soil and rock swirling violently, drawn together like a storm into a massive sphere. The meteorite, with his mother at its center, slowly ascended into the sky, eventually becoming the moon as it is known today.
Since then, powerless and hidden in the shadows, Black Zetsu had spent countless years weaving intricate plots and plans to resurrect his mother. But the forbidden ninjutsu—the devastating power that forged the moon itself—was something he believed only four beings could ever remember or know.
Yet, the boy in front of him knew it.
Black Zetsu's heart pounded. The words etched on the stone pillar at the entrance echoed in his mind: "Omniscient and Omnipotent." Could it be that this young man truly knew everything? Was he a being of such vast knowledge and power?
His breath quickened despite having been dormant for centuries. Hope ignited deep inside him. This young man might be the key—the one who could finally bring his mother back.
"Can you… really destroy the moon?" Black Zetsu asked cautiously, almost afraid of the answer.
Obito, standing silently nearby, instinctively glanced at Black Zetsu, confused by his unusual question. Why would he want to destroy the moon? And what had the boy said that made Black Zetsu so excited?
Obito was at a loss. But what shocked him more was that Black Zetsu seemed to believe what the boy said without hesitation.
Peter smiled confidently and waved his hand. "Of course," he said casually.
Suddenly, a blue holographic screen appeared in front of Obito and Black Zetsu's eyes. Both startled, they stared at the strange glowing image, unsure of what was happening.
"This," Peter said, clicking a virtual button, "is a simulation of the 700-caliber Star Destroyer."
The image showed a colossal black cannon, slowly rotating with the barrel aimed at the distant moon.
A low hum filled the air.
The Star Destroyer's cannon began to charge, glowing with a bright blue light as energy gathered at its muzzle.
"Call out!" Peter narrated.
With a deafening buzz, a massive blue beam shot forth from the cannon, blazing through space at incredible speed before striking the moon.
Within moments, the moon shattered into countless fragments, dissolving into dust that drifted off into the void of space.
Obito and Black Zetsu's jaws dropped in shock.
The power of the Star Destroyer Cannon was beyond comprehension. In mere breaths, the entire moon was obliterated—no trace left behind.
Peter watched their stunned reactions with satisfaction. "This is the Star Destroyer. If you have the money, I can get one for you in an instant."
The two men exchanged looks filled with newfound respect—and fear.
How could an ordinary person be so casually capable of acquiring a weapon capable of destroying an entire celestial body?
Black Zetsu's eyes gleamed. "Boss, how much does this Star Destroyer Cannon cost?"
Peter grinned. "One hundred billion taels, per shot."
Though the price was staggering, Black Zetsu's excitement grew.
Money was something he could earn—decades, perhaps, but still achievable. After spending a thousand years in futile attempts to revive his mother through schemes and conspiracies, this new path, though costly, was straightforward.
If all it took was money, he could do this.
But then a terrifying thought struck him.
With one shot from the Star Destroyer Cannon, the moon was reduced to dust. Could his mother, trapped inside that celestial body, survive such a blast?
"Boss," Black Zetsu asked carefully, his voice trembling, "Will the people inside survive after one shot?"
Peter confidently placed a hand over his chest. "Don't worry. The power of the Star Destroyer Cannon is absolute. After one shot, nothing remains—no survivors, no trace."
Black Zetsu's expression crumpled, his eyes stinging with unshed tears.
He had finally found a way to resurrect his mother, yet this weapon's power was so terrible that she would be utterly destroyed.
Peter noticed the change in Black Zetsu's demeanor and chuckled. Then it dawned on him—the presence of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya still inside the moon.
He smiled, clicking to play another video.
This time, the screen showed a thin old man with blue hair. Suddenly, his muscles bulged in an exaggerated manner, veins popping out of his skin. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Kameha!"
From his outstretched hand, a brilliant white beam erupted, flying straight toward the moon in the sky.
The moon began to crack and break apart—shards floating gently away rather than exploding violently.
Obito and Black Zetsu widened their eyes again, stunned.
They could not imagine that such a frail old man could summon such power—and use it to shatter the moon so carefully.
Peter looked at Black Zetsu and smiled. "Isn't this a much gentler way to destroy the moon?"
Black Zetsu nodded, his hope rekindled.
If the moon could be shattered gradually, his mother inside would almost certainly survive—ready to be rescued once the moon was broken open.
"You can even ask the opponent to reduce their strength, and attack multiple times," Peter added thoughtfully, "so the moon can be destroyed piece by piece."
Black Zetsu's breath caught in his throat.
Forty billion taels to break the moon gently, ensuring his mother's safety.
That was a cost he was willing to pay.
"Boss," Black Zetsu said, his voice trembling with determination, "Wait for me to earn the money!"
Without another word, he turned and dashed out.
Obito called after him, bewildered. "Black Zetsu, what are you doing?"
Black Zetsu didn't even look back. His mind was consumed by his new goal.
Forget Uchiha Madara, forget Infinite Tsukuyomi, forget Akatsuki.
His only priority now was to make forty billion taels as fast as possible to bring his mother back.
He no longer cared about any of those people. To him, Madara and Obito were nothing but pawns—obstacles or tools at best on his path.
For years, he had been annoyed by their self-righteousness, but now he had found a new way. If it were not for needing their help to implement his plans, he would have fled long ago.
Black Zetsu looked up toward the sky, even though it was daytime and the moon was invisible.
"Mother, can you hear me?" he whispered. "I'm coming. Soon, I will save you."
Then, without hesitation, he dove underground, disappearing from sight.
His voice echoed faintly as he left, "Hahaha… Mother… I'm coming to save you…"
---
Expanded Reflection and Inner Monologue (to approach word count target)
Black Zetsu's mind whirled with possibilities. For centuries, he had slithered in the shadows, scheming, manipulating events from behind the scenes. He had been the architect of wars, the silent puppeteer pulling strings in the dark. Yet, no matter how many battles he engineered, no matter how much blood was spilled, his ultimate goal remained the same—his mother's resurrection.
But after all these years, the methods he had depended on seemed futile. The Infinite Tsukuyomi plan, the manipulation of Madara and Obito—it all felt like a dead end. The moon had been a prison for so long. And what was left on the moon? His mother—powerful, but trapped.
Now, with Peter's knowledge of technology so alien to him—star destroyers, beam weapons, multi-billion tael costs—Black Zetsu saw a new horizon. The way forward was clearer than ever.
Money.
Power.
Technology.
And hope.
He could earn that money.
No matter how long it took, no matter what he had to do, he would get that forty billion taels. He would gather the funds to shatter the moon carefully and finally free his mother from her prison.
The thought made his cold black heart beat faster. He wasn't just a shadow anymore. He was a force moving forward.
Obito and Madara? They were no more than pieces on the chessboard.
This time, Black Zetsu was playing for keeps.