Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Originally approaching in complete silence, it was only when he emerged from underground that Zetsu finally exposed his chakra presence.

Hyuga Naraku's eyes narrowed, and he instinctively activated the Flying Thunder God Technique to evade!

Black Zetsu's right arm—black as pitch—stabbed toward Hyuga Naraku's back!

But in a flash, Hyuga Naraku vanished!

"That's Flying Thunder God… So fast! And his reaction too!"White Zetsu commented, feigning admiration.

"…Failed."Black Zetsu's face turned grim.

He had resolved to eliminate this unstable factor—Hyuga Naraku.

Using White Zetsu's Mayfly Technique, he had completely concealed his presence while approaching.

But as soon as he left the ground, he was exposed.

Against an ordinary shinobi, even that brief moment would have been more than enough to succeed in a killing blow.

However, this was Hyuga Naraku—a top-tier shinobi.

And a master of the ninja world's top-speed technique—Flying Thunder God!

Infused with the remnants of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya's power, he evaded easily.

Hyuga Naraku reappeared on the perimeter of the battlefield using Flying Thunder God, his brilliant Tenseigan locking onto his assailant.

A sneak attack from behind, hoping to break me psychologically? What am I, Uchiha Madara to you?

"I'm curious," Naraku said, eyeing the half-black, half-white creature, "what exactly are you?"

White Zetsu had always been weak in terms of direct combat power.

Even the original White Zetsu himself wasn't anything exceptional.

Only the unique combat-type White Zetsu, Toby, ever showed substantial strength—and even he was sacrificed by Naraku using the Reaper Death Seal.

But White Zetsu's ninjutsu techniques were remarkable.

Just now, he'd approached using Mayfly Technique—a jutsu that completely suppresses chakra signatures and merges the user with nature itself.

Even with the Tenseigan, Naraku hadn't detected his presence.

Even the Byakugan's 360° field of vision had failed.

In the original Five Kage Summit arc, White Zetsu's clone used Spore Technique to secretly attach himself to Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi.

Ao, who possessed a Byakugan, could detect genjutsu like Kotoamatsukami, yet he didn't notice Zetsu clinging to someone right beside him.

Furthermore, White Zetsu's Transformation Technique could perfectly mimic not just appearance but chakra signatures.

Only Naruto's Negative Emotion Sensing while in Nine Tails Chakra Mode could expose it.

While weak offensively, Zetsu's tricks were almost impossible to guard against.

"He seems very curious about us,"White Zetsu said cheerfully.

"Idiot!"Black Zetsu snapped.

What was this "us"? He'd just told the enemy they had separate minds!

Sure enough, even the main body of White Zetsu was a dimwit!

"I'm curious about both of you,"Naraku said dryly.

Then he paused, observing Zetsu more closely.

"…Is that a pink ring you're wearing?"

A moment of silence.

Black Zetsu's little finger was indeed adorned with a pink Akatsuki ring inscribed with the character "Gen" (meaning "Black").

Naraku blinked.

"Still clinging to your girlish side, huh?"

Black Zetsu: "…"

He wanted to explain that it was standard Akatsuki attire.

But really, why pink?

"You just tried to kill me," Naraku said coldly, shifting tone, "so I'll take that to mean you can hurt or even kill me, yes?"

He never underestimated Black Zetsu.

In fact, Naraku feared him more than Uchiha Obito.

After all, Black Zetsu was the will of Ōtsutsuki Kaguya, created just before her sealing.

Even if hastily made—he was a product of the bloodline of a goddess!

He'd survived since the era of the Sage of Six Paths.

Immortal.

And not to be underestimated.

In the original timeline, Black Zetsu stabbed Madara through the heart.

Hard to say how much of that was his power and how much was Kaguya acting through him.

After absorbing chakra through Infinite Tsukuyomi, Kaguya revived in Madara's body.

That aside, another impressive feat…

The Uchiha clan's stone tablet!

It had three sections—two left by the Sage of Six Paths.

The first could be read by normal Sharingan.

The second required Mangekyō Sharingan, revealing the path to awaken the Rinnegan:

"Combine yin and yang, the powers of force and resistance… and the whole world shall be within reach."

But the third section?

Tampered with by Black Zetsu himself.

Only Rinnegan could read it.

And it falsely claimed that Infinite Tsukuyomi was the true path to peace—attributed to the Sage of Six Paths!

This alone proved Zetsu wielded a power on par or beyond Rinnegan.

Yet…

Naraku still found his strength… puzzling.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, Black Zetsu was sliced in half by Chōjūrō, wielding Hiramekarei.

And Chōjūrō?

Possibly the weakest of all Five Kage in recent history.

Yet Black Zetsu also took down Madara?

The contradiction was… painful.

"I guess you're not gonna explain,"Naraku said with a faint smirk.

He might not be able to kill Black Zetsu outright, but it was clear—Zetsu had no hope of catching him off guard again.

Madara hadn't expected betrayal from the so-called "manifestation of his will."

Naraku expected everything.

Black Zetsu's face was dark.

Now that the sneak attack had failed, any chance of success was gone.

Naraku would never let his guard down.

Also, the power Kaguya left him was limited.

He'd taken a major gamble and lost.

At that moment—

Far away, in Kamui's dimension, Uchiha Obito's form appeared.

"Hyuga Naraku… I told you. You can't kill me."

He spoke coldly, though with visible effort at keeping composure.

Black Zetsu: "…"

Bro. Please.

Can we not?

You've died like, three times now!

Who screamed when stabbed earlier?

Who was writhing on the ground?

And now you're acting cool again?!

"Obito, let's go,"Black Zetsu snapped with visible frustration.

He hadn't even bothered keeping Obito's identity secret anymore.

So much for stealth.

No capture of Pakura.

No capture of One-Tail.

Obito died—again.

Zetsu's ambush failed.

Disaster.

He'd hitched his cart to a clown.

If Obito had just taken the One-Tail and left, none of this would've happened!

"Humph."

Obito snorted as he vanished:

"Hyuga Naraku… we'll meet again."

Black Zetsu sighed deeply.

"…Let's go."

His White Zetsu-wrapped form sank back into the ground.

Mayfly Technique activated, he vanished rapidly in the direction of the Land of Rain.

Naraku stood silently.

"They're gone."

Obito vanished via Kamui, and Zetsu vanished into nature itself.

Even Tenseigan couldn't track them now.

"Only Sage Mode chakra sensing can detect that…"

Naraku thought to himself.

At that moment, Fourth Kazekage Rasa cautiously stepped forward:

"Sunagakure expresses its gratitude to the Fifth Hokage for intervening."

"…May I ask the reason for your visit?"

Rasa bowed slightly. He had no choice after witnessing that battle.

"It's not me who came for you."

Naraku smirked and pointed behind him.

"It's her."

In the distance stood Pakura, waiting silently.

To be continued...