"What do we do now?"
"What else can we do?"
Black Zetsu and Obito were hiding in the cave that had once belonged to Uchiha Madara.
They didn't dare stay in the Hidden Rain anymore. At any moment, Naruto could appear behind them without warning.
Kirigakure was gone.
Now even the Hidden Rain had fallen.
The Akatsuki—carefully built over years—had been crushed in a single blow. All its members were gone.
Only the two of them remained.
---
"I still have one hundred thousand White Zetsu soldiers!" Black Zetsu suddenly roared, madness burning in his eyes.
His thousand-year plan was collapsing.
If things truly reached a dead end, he would rather burn the entire ninja world down than accept defeat.
Obito sneered coldly.
"If no one can restrain that guy, he alone could wipe out a hundred thousand White Zetsu."
Black Zetsu froze.
He knew Obito was right.
In this empty cave, the two masterminds of the ninja world were reduced to glaring at each other in silence.
---
"Impure World Reincarnation. That's our only chance," Black Zetsu suddenly said.
"If we summon the strongest dead shinobi—Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, the former Kage—if enough of them fight together, there's no reason we can't win."
Obito frowned.
"The version of Impure World Reincarnation we got from Danzo is primitive. The revived aren't anywhere near their peak strength. Unless someone improves the technique…"
He shook his head.
He could copy techniques.
Improve one?
That was a different matter entirely.
He had never been a genius in theory or research.
Black Zetsu's eyes gleamed.
"I'll find someone."
For thousands of years, he had observed the ninja world in secret. He knew every hidden researcher, every forbidden experimenter.
If Orochimaru could develop it, others could too.
---
"But Infinite Tsukuyomi still requires collecting tailed beasts," Obito said. "With Akatsuki gone, we don't have the manpower."
Black Zetsu's voice turned cold.
"Once Impure World Reincarnation is perfected, we bring Madara back. Let him handle the tailed beasts himself. I refuse to believe that a mere Nine-Tails could resist him."
"So we gamble everything on this forbidden technique?"
"Yes. For the next few years, we gather researchers in secret. We strengthen Impure World Reincarnation. We avoid that man's attention."
"Infinite Tsukuyomi… ultimate peace."
In the dim cave, the two once again convinced themselves the future was theirs.
Yet—
When they turned away from each other, cold light flashed in both of their eyes.
Neither trusted the other completely.
---
Konoha Proving Ground
"What is this place? Let me out!"
"Quiet, brat. You're annoying."
"Shut up, you horned freak! I'll blow you up!"
"Hehehe… I hope you can still laugh later."
The Konoha Proving Ground had been upgraded. What used to be a rough training prison was now fully structured—cells, reinforced metal bars, clean rooms with beds, tables, chairs, wardrobes, and even toilets.
Deidara sat up abruptly.
For a moment, he thought he was dreaming.
This… didn't look like a dungeon.
Across from him sat a pale man dressed in white, a broken horn on his head.
Otsutsuki Urashiki.
The man smirked at Deidara's confusion.
---
"Hmph. A mere prison? Easy to escape."
Deidara touched his body.
His explosive clay was still there.
Confidence surged.
A white clay centipede crawled toward the metal bars.
"Explode!"
Boom!
The blast thundered.
The bars didn't move.
Instead—
Crackle!
Lightning burst from nowhere, forming a whip that lashed down onto Deidara.
"Aaaagh!"
Even an S-rank rogue ninja screamed in agony.
Urashiki laughed wildly.
"Again! Do it again! That was entertaining!"
Orochimaru walked calmly down the corridor, looking amused.
"What's all the noise?"
"Orochimaru? This is your place? Let me out!" Deidara shouted.
Orochimaru shrugged.
"Like you, I'm a prisoner."
Deidara blinked.
Prisoners… walking freely?
Before he could process it, Urashiki casually opened his cell door and stepped out.
Deidara rushed to his own door.
It wasn't locked.
His mind spun.
Cell.
Red Sun Society.
Unrestricted prisoners.
What kind of place was this?
Before he could question further, space twisted around him.
The corridor vanished.
---
He found himself standing in a vast battle arena.
Across from him stood a twelve-year-old boy in Uchiha attire.
Uchiha Sasuke.
---
"Deidara. Iwagakure. Explosion Style user."
Sasuke studied him calmly.
He had come to the Proving Ground seeking a worthy opponent. Orochimaru. Danzo. Urashiki. He had fought them already.
Now he wanted someone new.
He selected Deidara's name from the combat roster.
But seeing Deidara in person—
Just another brat.
Disappointing.
---
"You looking down on me?!" Deidara snapped.
Rage flared instantly.
For some reason, the boy in front of him irritated him to his core.
"I'll blow you to pieces!"
Sasuke didn't respond.
He simply lifted his hand and beckoned.
"Less talk."
---
Clay spiders, grasshoppers, and centipedes flooded the battlefield.
"Explode!"
BOOM!
The blast roared, shaking the arena.
Smoke filled the air.
Then—
Sasuke stood unharmed in another corner.
"Is that all?"
His tone was calm.
Almost bored.
Deidara's expression twisted.
For the first time—
He realized this place wasn't a prison.
It was a battlefield.
And he had just become someone else's training partner.
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