Chapter 65: Black Zetsu: Everything Is Under Control
In a hollow deep underground.
"Soon, very soon I'll be able to see you both—Rin, Kakashi!" Uchiha Obito lay on a crude wooden bed, staring at the uneven ceiling, his single eye filled with excitement and anticipation.
After living this life without seeing the sun for who knows how long, he was truly fed up.
Just thinking about how he'd soon be able to return to the surface and see Rin, Kakashi, and Minato-sensei after so long made his heart leap with joy until he wanted to dance with excitement.
However, in the next instant, White Zetsu's head emerged from the wall. The moment he appeared, he shouted loudly, "Obito, this is bad! I just went out for a look around and discovered that your companions—the ones called Rin and Kakashi—are in danger. They're being pursued by Mist shinobi!"
"What?"
Uchiha Obito shot up like a carp flipping upright. He looked up at this familiar White Zetsu and urgently demanded, "Tobi, what's going on? Rin and Kakashi are in danger? What about Minato-sensei? Where is he?"
"I didn't see the Minato-sensei you mentioned."
The White Zetsu called Tobi shook his head. He emerged from the wall and said, "I watched for a while and discovered your two companions are in quite a dangerous situation. The Mist shinobi are pursuing them relentlessly. If no one goes to support them, I'm afraid they'll be done for!"
"Damn it!"
Uchiha Obito's expression changed drastically. He looked at the wall Tobi had emerged from, then suddenly rushed forward and punched the wall viciously. With a bang, the wall caved in, spiderweb-like cracks appearing on its surface.
However, that was all. This bit of damage was nothing. Instead, the pale white body grafted onto Uchiha Obito's right half showed signs of dissolving and collapsing.
"Damn it, damn it!"
Uchiha Obito paced anxiously in circles, completely disregarding his dissolving and collapsing right half.
"Obito, don't move around! Your body hasn't completely healed yet."
Tobi advised.
"No, I have to go save Rin and Kakashi. I must save them!" Uchiha Obito clenched his left fist, preparing to drag this broken body to find that old man who claimed to be Uchiha Madara.
"Then, why don't you wear me!"
Tobi made a suggestion.
As he spoke, his body also transformed accordingly. His body opened like a blooming flower, then wrapped around Uchiha Obito's body, completely enveloping him, leaving only that single crimson eye exposed.
"Is this okay? Aren't you Madara's subordinate?"
Uchiha Obito tested moving his hands and found no discomfort at all. It was as smooth as using his own body.
"Don't you want to save Rin and Kakashi?"
Tobi's voice reached Uchiha Obito's ears.
Uchiha Obito fell silent for two seconds, then said "Thank you" before clenching his fists. Feeling the power contained within Tobi's body, he once again swung his fist at the heavy wall before him.
This strike rang out thunderously, collapsing the massive stone wall over a meter thick.
Then he reached out to tear away those root-like tubes connected to who-knows-where behind his head. Under Tobi's guidance, he stepped on the piled rubble and walked outward. After leaving the room, he discovered numerous ninja tools hanging on the nearby wall, including even his Uchiha clan's treasure—the Gunbai war fan.
However, recalling that old man claimed to be Uchiha Madara, possessing the Gunbai seemed normal. This stray thought flashed through Uchiha Obito's mind. He didn't reach for the Gunbai but instead took a black robe hanging on the wall and wrapped it around himself, covering his pale, abnormal body.
Then his figure rapidly disappeared into the deep darkness.
Behind him, the white-haired old man silently watched Uchiha Obito's back vanish.
---
At the Three-Tails transfer sealing site, in a forest to one side, a Venus flytrap-like figure emerged from a tree trunk. The yin-yang faced Zetsu was also observing the Three-Tails sealing.
"Hatake Kakashi received assistance from Hyuga Ritsu and is now rushing this way." Half-white-faced White Zetsu reported intelligence transmitted through plant root systems by other White Zetsu.
This was an ability all White Zetsu shared. As long as they were within the coverage area of the same forest, White Zetsu could use this vast plant root network to transmit intelligence to each other.
"Hyuga Ritsu?"
Black Zetsu was somewhat puzzled. "Shouldn't he be under attack by Mist shinobi?"
White Zetsu couldn't answer.
Although there were other White Zetsu monitoring Hyuga Ritsu's side, the distance was somewhat far—not in the same forest region—so this information couldn't be transmitted in real-time. He also didn't know what exactly had happened there or why Hyuga Ritsu, who should have been trapped in an encirclement by Mist experts, had appeared beside Hatake Kakashi.
"What about Hyuga Ritsu? Is he also rushing over with Hatake Kakashi?" Black Zetsu changed his question.
"The two are staggered, one ahead and one behind. Hyuga Ritsu seems very interested in that Ice Style ninja among the Mist forces and isn't traveling with Hatake Kakashi. Instead, he's fallen behind with the captured Ice Style ninja. At his current pace, he can't arrive in the short term."
"Then keep watching him. Report immediately if there's any unusual movement."
"Obito has also moved. He's left the underground base and is heading this way under Tobi's guidance." White Zetsu continued reporting the transmitted intelligence.
Black Zetsu blinked.
Currently, everything seemed under control. Though Hyuga Ritsu's appearance was somewhat unexpected, for now he showed no signs of affecting the plan.
But thinking it over, he still said, "Arrange for a White Zetsu to contact the one monitoring Hyuga Ritsu. No matter how Hyuga Ritsu appeared here, I'd guess the Mist shinobi on that side most likely came up empty. Find a way to guide those Mist shinobi here and have them continue opposing Hyuga Ritsu so they don't interfere with our plans."
"Yes."
White Zetsu responded and transmitted Black Zetsu's orders.
Then White Zetsu continued, "Also, Uchiha Aika and Hyuga Akiba are currently struggling against Mist ANBU. The final outcome is uncertain, but regardless of the result, neither possesses the ability to interfere with the plan."
"Ignore them. Just small fry."
Black Zetsu didn't consider Uchiha Aika and Hyuga Akiba worth his attention. Even if the two ultimately managed to eliminate their respective Mist opponents, they'd certainly be spent forces. At that point, having White Zetsu harvest their lives would suffice, or even just leaving them alone wouldn't matter.
In this grand drama, only three actors were important: Uchiha Obito, Nohara Rin, and Hatake Kakashi. Among them, the first two were indispensable, while the last one's participation would be best but wasn't critically necessary—the Mist shinobi could substitute!
Black Zetsu was filled with ambition, especially anticipating what kind of performance Uchiha Obito would deliver at the drama's climax!
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