[In The Void]
Arisu leaned against the back of an invisible chair, his fingers casually fiddling with the light screen floating before him.
The scene on the official road was clearly replaying on the light screen, showing Uchiha Madara's back and the boy following closely behind him.
Uchiha Akira.
Arisu looked at the determination in the boy's eyes and fell silent for a moment before letting out a soft sigh.
"Another one…", Arisu muttered to himself, with obvious helplessness in his voice.
First Hikaru, and now Uchiha Akira.
Why did the transmigrators in this ninja world keep popping up like chives, one batch after another?
"But since I've taken on this mission, I have to do it....."
Arisu rubbed the bridge of his nose and quickly brought up Uchiha Akira's complete information.
His memories from his previous life, the timing of his transmigration, his obsessive admiration for Madara… everything was laid out clearly.
"Too lazy to bother with it."
In the end, Arisu merely said those words.
It would be too troublesome to personally step in and deal with him, and Uchiha Akira's current weight wasn't high enough to warrant Arisu taking action himself.
What's more...
His gaze shifted slightly and landed on another, more important chess piece.
Black Zetsu.
That transmigrator who believed he possessed a "system."
The corners of Arisu's mouth lifted slightly.
Black Zetsu had always believed that his golden finger was a real system, never knowing that from the very beginning, that so-called "system" had been controlled by Arisu behind the scenes.
The missions, rewards, notification sounds… all of them had been personally written by Arisu.
He had already used it several times, and the results had always been good.
Since that was the case, this time would be the same.
Arisu raised his hand and lightly tapped the air with his fingertip.
A hidden command traveled silently through the special channel between him and Black Zetsu that had long since been established.
———
In a dark underground cavern somewhere, Black Zetsu was clinging to the surface of a rock, his consciousness immersed in his own "system panel."
Suddenly...
That familiar mechanical voice rang out in his mind.
[Ding!]
[Main Mission Issued]
[Mission Name: Correct the Deviated Plot]
[Mission Content: The current timeline has deviated severely. Uchiha Akira (son of Uchiha Kagami) is an abnormal variable who has followed Uchiha Madara out of Konoha. The host must completely eliminate this variable at an appropriate time to ensure that it no longer interferes with the subsequent main plot.]
[Method of Completion: No restrictions]
[Mission Reward: Mount Myoboku Sage Arts (Complete Inheritance)]
[Failure Penalty: System authority downgraded, with some existing rewards deducted]
Black Zetsu's consciousness trembled slightly.
'Mount Myoboku Sage Arts?'
A suppressed delight and greed flashed through his eyes.
The system had given him quite a few benefits before, but this was the first time it had offered a reward of the level of Sage Arts.
"Eliminate a little brat who just appeared… and I'll get Mount Myoboku Sage Arts?"
Black Zetsu muttered to himself, his voice carrying obvious excitement.
He had never doubted the system's authenticity.
After all, after so many missions, every reward had been delivered as promised.
And that boy named Uchiha Akira was, in his eyes, nothing more than an insignificant minor character.
"Since the system requires me to correct the plot…"
Black Zetsu's gaze gradually turned cold.
"Then just get rid of him."
Black Zetsu quickly gathered his thoughts and began considering possible methods in his mind.
It didn't need to be too complicated.
He only had to make sure that brat completely disappeared from the plot.
As for exactly how to do it...
He had plenty of ways.
In the void, Arisu looked at the feedback showing that Black Zetsu had already accepted the mission and nodded faintly.
"That'll do."
Arisu picked up his paintbrush again, preparing to continue the unfinished painting.
As for how Black Zetsu would deal with Uchiha Akira...
He didn't care.
As long as the result was right.
———
On the other side, Black Zetsu was pacing back and forth as he thought.
The system mission's notification was still echoing in his mind. The temptation of the reward made him itch to act, but before actually making a move, he had to think it through.
"Just kill him directly?"
The thought had barely surfaced before he immediately rejected it.
Although Uchiha Akira looked like nothing more than an eleven- or twelve-year-old boy, the fact that he had voluntarily stepped forward to follow Madara at such a crucial moment when Madara was leaving Konoha meant that his background could never be simple.
What if this brat had some hidden trump card, or another transmigrator was secretly protecting him… If Black Zetsu acted rashly, he might not only alert the enemy, but could even alarm Madara himself.
Black Zetsu was worried that these transmigrators might possess some kind of trump card.
One slight mistake and he would be dragged into it himself.
Besides, he knew Madara's personality far too well.
Once Madara noticed that someone had made a move right under his nose, the consequences would be unimaginable.
What's more, Madara was currently in the sensitive period of having completely lost hope in Konoha and leaving on his own. If his only follower suddenly died by his side, it would inevitably arouse even stronger vigilance and retaliation from him.
"No, too risky."
Black Zetsu muttered to himself, a cold calculation flashing through his eyes.
Since he couldn't act directly, he would use a safer method instead...
Drive a wedge between them.
Make Madara become suspicious of Uchiha Akira himself, and even personally deal with this "hidden threat."
That way, he could complete the system mission without exposing himself to risk.
Black Zetsu quickly sorted out his thoughts.
Nothing would set off Madara's nerves more easily than a "Konoha spy."
Especially Senju Tobirama.
In Madara's eyes, Tobirama had always been the most sinister person, the one best at using schemes and tricks.
If he could make Madara believe that Uchiha Akira was a spy Tobirama had planted by his side…
Then even if the boy had a hundred mouths, he wouldn't be able to explain himself.
How exactly should he do it?
Black Zetsu quickly came up with several plans in his mind, finally choosing the most covert and hardest-to-refute one.
He would secretly leave several carefully forged "pieces of evidence" among Uchiha Akira's luggage or personal belongings...
Along with a "draft report" written in code, roughly describing Madara's movements and changes in mood to Tobirama, as well as the progress of how he had successfully gained Madara's trust.
These things wouldn't be discovered by Madara immediately. Instead, he would wait for the right moment.
For example, when Madara began conducting an initial test of Akira, or when the two temporarily split up to act separately, he could use a few "coincidences" to make Madara discover them himself.
At the same time, Black Zetsu would create some minor abnormalities in the distance, such as suspicious chakra fluctuations occasionally appearing in Konoha's direction, or someone secretly observing their movements, further deepening Madara's suspicions.
Once Madara became suspicious, given his current hatred of Konoha and sensitivity toward betrayal, he wouldn't give Uchiha Akira much of a chance to explain himself.
By then, no matter how loyal the boy was or how much he protested his innocence, in Madara's eyes it would only become "trying too hard to cover it up."
"Perfect."
The corners of Black Zetsu's mouth lifted slightly.
He would eliminate the target without having to get his own hands dirty, while also deepening Madara's hatred of Konoha by another level.
Three birds with one stone.
He no longer hesitated. His figure silently merged into the shadows and followed in the direction Madara and Uchiha Akira had left.
They weren't far away yet.
As long as he moved fast enough and left natural enough traces, this good show could begin soon.