Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Elder Genji
"Kurogami must be eliminated! Without his interference, the entire plan might have been successful," Uchiha Obito muttered, clenching his fists in restrained fury.
"Still, that guy can't be stronger than Madara, can he?" asked Black Zetsu with a sly smile from the shadows. "It might be difficult for you to handle him alone, Obito. Perhaps we should consider resurrecting Uchiha Madara first."
Unlike Obito, Black Zetsu wasn't particularly pressed for time. He didn't mind minor delays as he was accustomed to waiting centuries to unfold his schemes. After all, with the Rinnegan already prepared, he could simply retrieve it whenever necessary and continue the plan in due course. Indra's reincarnation would appear again sooner or later.
"Of course, if it meant freeing his 'mother' sooner, that would be better." Black Zetsu mused on these thoughts quietly.
"Reviving Uchiha Madara..." Obito fell silent, hesitant. Although he knew much of Madara's plans, he couldn't ignore the mounting suspicion that Madara's intentions might not entirely align with his own. The results always seemed to benefit Madara's goals.
But Obito was too entangled in the Eye of the Moon Plan to turn back now. His involvement in the attack on Konoha with the Nine-Tails had pushed him into a corner. The psychological investment was too high; there was no alternative but to push forward, hoping for the best.
It was the same trap as a gambler hoping the next move would reclaim his losses. To admit he had been manipulated now would mean all his sacrifices were meaningless.
In the end, Obito made a decision, albeit with some reservations. "Fine, bring Madara's body here. I'll use the Reanimation Jutsu to test the strength of this Kurogami first."
He was hesitant to completely resurrect Madara, as doing so would undermine his authority. Madara, under reanimation jutsu, would be enough to test Kurogami's strength.
Black Zetsu agreed outwardly but held different thoughts. 'If I have to, perhaps I can control Nagato, compel him to use Rinne Rebirth Jutsu, and fully revive Madara myself.'
'I have little faith that Obito can handle this so-called Kurogami,' thought Black Zetsu. 'If only I knew how such a variable appeared!'
'Who is this mysterious figure that can absorb the powers of both the Senju and Uchiha, freely wielding the Sharingan and Wood Release?' Black Zetsu mused, considering the possibility. 'Is he perhaps also a descendant of my mother's lineage, able to reclaim the powers of the ancient Ōtsutsuki clan? If so, he could prove useful.'
With this idea in mind, Black Zetsu vanished into the ground, heading off to locate Madara's body.
Meanwhile, Obito, unaware of Black Zetsu's ulterior motives, was still formulating his strategy, oblivious to the betrayal brewing behind him.
Unbeknownst to them, however, their hidden base under the Rain Village had already been compromised. Their hideout had already been infiltrated, and a clone of Shin had replaced Nagato.
Shin, Orochimaru, and Sasori planned to temporarily remain in the Land of Water after obtaining the Kaguya clan's genetic material. Sasori intended to create human puppets with the clan's bloodline abilities, while Orochimaru was eager to investigate the secrets of their unique physique. Shin, too, wanted to experiment with the best methods to fuse his accumulated powers.
At the same time, the Hidden Mist Village itself was on high alert. Although the Fourth Mizukage was under control, the village's strong foundation and the cautious nature of its ninjas meant that suspicions were rising.
"Elder Genji, why did you call me here?" Terumi Mei stepped into the room, her striking appearance—a curvy woman with long brown hair—commanding respect.
Elder Genji, one of the oldest figures in the Mist Village and the earliest teammate of the First Mizukage, glanced up, weariness evident on his face. Though Mist Village was traditionally harsh, Genji's contribution naturally garnered him considerable respect. However, given his advanced age of over eighty, he rarely concerned himself with day-to-day affairs. For him to step in suggested something serious.
"Ah, Mei, you're here. Take a seat. We'll discuss matters soon," Genji said.
Terumi Mei scanned the room, noting the presence of several other prominent figures: the Patriarch of the Hozuki clan , Mangetsu Hozuki; Ringo Ameyuri, the lightning blades user; and Ao, a former hunter ninja and former Anbu who had taken a Byakugan from Konoha.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Mei mentally prepared herself. Shortly afterward, the door opened again, and to her surprise, an additional figure entered.
"Zabuza Momochi?" Mei's eyebrows rose in surprise.
It was understandable that she was taken aback. Although she and Zabuza both had ambitions to become the next Mizukage, the two were not exactly close. Additionally, Zabuza was something of a lone wolf within the village, disliked by pacifists for his cruelty and resented by the blood-mist traditionalists who held him partly responsible for the policy's downfall. Only his formidable strength had kept him alive this long.
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