Yes.
The shinobi world had entered a nightmare.
Black Zetsu felt it more keenly than anyone.
He had thought the arrival of the Ōtsutsuki main family would teach Uchiha Ren a lesson he would never forget.
But what happened?
Even they had been left powerless.
The two Ōtsutsuki powerhouses who had descended upon Earth with such overwhelming montum had been killed by the Fifth Hokage.
It was as if they had co all this way just to hand Ren more strength.
That was hard to accept.
For Black Zetsu, the Ōtsutsuki main family had always been near-invincible.
Even his mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, had feared them deeply enough to hide Earth's position and remain cautious for countless years.
"Why…"
A trace of confusion appeared in Black Zetsu's eyes.
He could not understand it.
Why had the Ōtsutsuki main family found Earth?
Why was there another Ten-Tails on Earth?
Why was the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, so powerful that he could kill mbers of the Ōtsutsuki main family?
Question after question tangled inside him.
After a few seconds, Black Zetsu's eyes hardened.
"It seems… I'll have to contact Mother."
The situation had changed completely.
If things continued like this, he had no choice but to compromise and reach out to Kaguya directly.
"We prepare."
At that mont, Madara, who had remained silent until now, finally drew a slow breath and spoke.
"The plan begins."
"No matter how strong Uchiha Ren becos, we proceed as arranged."
"Are we starting Edo Tensei?"
Obito froze for a mont, then asked instinctively,
"Uchiha Ren is already this powerful. Do we really still have a chance?"
White Zetsu opened his mouth, intending to refute him, but no words ca out.
Truthfully—
with the strength Ren had displayed, he already seed close to unstoppable.
Even Madara, terrifying as he was, no longer felt certain to win.
"I believe in Lord Madara."
Sensing the heavy atmosphere, Black Zetsu spoke with complete confidence.
"No matter how strong Uchiha Ren is, it changes nothing."
"Under Lord Madara's leadership, we will be the ones who stand at the end."
Then he glanced aningfully at Obito and White Zetsu.
"Or do you not believe in Lord Madara?"
"Of course we believe!"
"Don't joke around. We obviously believe in Lord Madara!"
Obito and White Zetsu reacted at once, nodding without hesitation.
They weren't fools.
Questioning Madara to his face was no different from courting death.
So they could only adjust their attitudes and stop overthinking.
They were all in the sa boat now.
Jumping off was no longer possible.
"Good."
Madara smiled coldly.
"At least you understand the situation."
In truth, he understood Ren's terrifying strength better than anyone.
But he was Uchiha Madara.
A legendary shinobi.
He had his own pride.
His own dignity.
Surrender?
Impossible.
The stronger the opponent, the more excited he beca.
The happier he beca.
Uchiha Ren—
he would defeat him.
No one could stop that.
"Let's go."
Madara's lips curved slightly.
"Before Edo Tensei begins, we'll gather all our forces."
"Understood."
Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and Obito seed to understand his aning and nodded one after another.
It was ti for Otogakure, Iwagakure, and Kumogakure to prove their value.
Even as cannon fodder—
they had to be useful.
A few spatial ripples passed through the room.
Monts later, Madara, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and Obito vanished.
At the sa ti, in the shinobi world—
inside a laboratory in Otogakure.
"Lord Orochimaru…"
Kabuto wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and reported carefully,
"Those two unfamiliar auras have vanished completely. It seems the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, achieved the final victory."
"If my senses weren't mistaken…"
"The Ten-Tails has likely been absorbed by the Fifth Hokage."
"And this Ten-Tails should not be the one Lord Madara intends to revive."
Cold light flickered through Orochimaru's serpentine eyes.
He suppressed the tremor in his heart and gave a soft, fascinated laugh.
"Those two auras that suddenly descended upon Earth… they were truly powerful."
"And yet…"
"They still failed to defeat Uchiha Ren."
Shock.
Deep shock.
Orochimaru had known the Fifth Hokage was strong.
He knew even the legendary Uchiha Madara was wary of him.
But he had never imagined Ren would be this strong.
Not only had he revived an unknown Ten-Tails—
he had killed the owners of those two terrifying auras as well.
It was overwhelming.
Chilling.
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