"What do you need me to do? I'll cooperate," Black Zetsu said gravely. "But you know… there's not much I'm capable of."

Kazuki chuckled with interest and waved his hand.

"No, Zetsu—you underestimate your own value. Your power exceeds what you imagine."

"Let's talk about what comes after. Once this is done, I'll help you rescue Obito from Isshiki's control and return him to you—completely unharmed."

Kazuki spoke softly, "You don't need to worry about Obito. Aside from Isshiki, my chakra is also within him, helping him resist possession. He won't be taken over any time soon."

Black Zetsu's eyes lit up with surprise—but then quickly cooled with unease.

Wait a minute… why does this sound like Uchiha Obito has become a hostage?

"As for you," Kazuki continued, "I'll create for you a new body using your most powerful Yin-Yang Release. A body just like Uchiha Rin's—and I'll fuse your soul into it, so you can become a true person. I'll even grant you a pure bloodline… with talent for training."

Upon hearing this, Black Zetsu's heart pounded wildly.

Damn it. Kazuki had instantly grasped the one thing it desired most.

Not even Kaguya… had ever granted it such a blessing.

After all, Kaguya had been hurt deeply by Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Hagoromo. Her trauma ran deep—especially when it came to creating split offspring with the ability to grow and evolve on their own.

Making a request like that… might even cause Kaguya to snap and do something irrational.

"You… What do you need me to do? I'll give it everything I've got!"

Black Zetsu gradually straightened its back. Though it tried hard to conceal the desire burning in its eyes, the uncontrollable curl at the corner of its mouth betrayed everything.

Kazuki nodded with satisfaction and cleared his throat.

"It's very simple. All you have to do is stand in front of Kaguya and say… that you've abandoned her, and all you want is to bring Uchiha Obito back."

Black Zetsu's expression twisted violently on the spot.

"You'll need to act like you don't even know me. Your role is that of a traitorous child who fell in love with Uchiha Obito and turned his back on her. Under pressure, you offer up information that would help me gain control over Kaguya's power—in exchange for my promise to save Obito."

Kazuki ignored Black Zetsu's furious reaction. He casually spread his hands with a graceful air and said softly: "What's wrong? Are you thinking of refusing?"

"I respect your right to refuse… but you won't get a chance to regret it."

Kazuki smiled gently.

"Now… tell me your answer."

Black Zetsu raised a trembling finger and pointed it straight at Kazuki, seething with rage.

But that was all it did—point.

The refusal it meant to shout felt as if it had been sealed away by a Chibaku Tensei—no matter how hard it tried, it just couldn't force the words out.

Black Zetsu wanted to curse Kazuki—traitor, scoundrel, heretic!

But what good would cursing do now? The facts were laid bare before him...

Refuse Kazuki?

It was obvious that Uchiha Obito's life was firmly in Kazuki's hands. As for relying on Kazuki's chakra to resist Isshiki—based on what Black Zetsu knew of him—any power Kazuki offered was certainly something he could retract or control at will…

Just like the chakra he had embedded in Senju Tobirama's body.

And it wasn't just Obito. Kaguya's situation was no better.

The way Kazuki had brazenly contacted Black Zetsu, coupled with his overwhelming strength on the battlefield—easily crushing Urashiki and Momoshiki—already made it clear: Kaguya had completely collapsed in her fight against Kazuki.

There was nothing left—no more miracles…

'If I refuse Kazuki and choose not to betray Kaguya, what will he do?' Black Zetsu pondered silently.

Although Kazuki had always shown it leniency—even when he clearly knew Black Zetsu was working in secret, he never pursued it…

That didn't mean Kazuki would tolerate it forever.

After Kazuki revealed his thoughts on the Ōtsutsuki and the future, Black Zetsu found itself understanding this 'older brother' more deeply.

Kazuki had pretended to be under Kaguya's control—not only to provoke the other Hidden Villages into triggering the so-called 'Final Harvest', but also to seize the chance to devour the sustenance he had long prepared for himself…

For instance—Might Duy.

For a long time, Black Zetsu couldn't understand why Kazuki had shown such favor to Might Duy and Might Guy, treating those two simpletons who only knew taijutsu like family…

Until Night Guy almost shattered Isshiki with a single kick—and with Kazuki's subtle guidance, the truth finally dawned on Black Zetsu.

Might Duy had long since been marked by Kazuki's dōjutsu!

Kazuki had deliberately set things in motion so that Might Duy would open the Gate of Death! Only then could Kazuki absorb the immense spiritual power that would emerge at the moment Duy resolved to die...

And it wasn't just Might Duy—his so-called younger brother Shisui, Uchiha Yashiro, Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama… all these mighty individuals…

They had all been positioned by Kazuki in exactly this way.

This was a man of ruthless design—an Ōtsutsuki through and through! To strengthen himself, he showed no hesitation in using those closest to him, even if it meant pushing them into desperate battles… or death.

And yet, paradoxically, Kazuki also possessed a strange kind of compassion.

As long as someone played their role in his plan, he would always leave them a way out—always offer them a chance to survive.

'But all of this hinges on one condition—following his lead. If we don't...'

Black Zetsu shut his eyes in anguish. What made it worse was that, deep down, he couldn't help but admit Kazuki's analysis of the future Ōtsutsuki pursuers... made sense.

Without enough power, they wouldn't even be able to escape.

So, in order to survive, the only way forward was to bring every living being in the shinobi world under the influence of Kazuki's dōjutsu—to help him grow as powerful as possible.

And from Black Zetsu's perspective, Kazuki was clearly the only one fit to wield such supreme power.

Among those at the Six Paths tier, both Ōtsutsuki Hamura and Hagoromo were naive and of little use—naturally opposed to Kaguya from the very beginning. Empowering them would be no different from strengthening the enemy.

As for Kaguya—setting aside the fact that Kazuki had already defeated her—even if the Ōtsutsuki pursuers had yet to arrive, Black Zetsu would still prefer entrusting the power to Kazuki rather than to Kaguya, whose combat skills were pathetically poor.

In other words...

If things were done according to Kazuki's plan, it wouldn't be a betrayal of Kaguya at all. It would be a higher-level sacrifice—one made to better ensure her safety!

Because only if Kazuki defeated the Ōtsutsuki forces that would soon descend upon them... could Kaguya have any chance of surviving.

It was a brutal truth, but a truth nonetheless—an ironclad logic.

And on top of that, Kazuki's offer was simply too tempting: a body hand-crafted by him, carefully selected, with extraordinary talent—and the honor of standing proudly at Uchiha Obito's side!

Black Zetsu wanted that body so badly, he was practically going mad...

Isshiki's earlier words had not only exposed Kaguya's lies—they had also laid bare Black Zetsu's true identity.

It was not Uchiha Rin, nor was it the yin-yang construct of Uchiha Madara that Obito had once believed.

Black Zetsu was the hidden contingency Kaguya had left behind—a villain stirring chaos across the shinobi world.

And yet, even so—when confronted with Isshiki's corruption—Uchiha Obito had still chosen to act on his own. He had used his own life force, even tapping into forbidden life techniques he'd secretly learned, and had even gifted his precious Kamui dōjutsu... just to 'revive' Black Zetsu!

It was an act of supreme foolishness.

To fight Isshiki, Obito needed every ounce of power he could gather. Even with Kazuki's support, achieving a draw would already be a miracle—victory was out of the question...

But Obito still chose forgiveness—or perhaps, he chose the love he still held deep in his heart for Black Zetsu. Even if it meant placing himself in an even more perilous situation, he insisted on reviving Black Zetsu first—and getting it out of Isshiki's deadly battlefield.

This struck Black Zetsu deeply.

So… Uchiha Obito hadn't fallen for that shallow façade of Uchiha Rin after all.

The one he truly loved—was Black Zetsu itself.

Had there ever been anyone who had risked their life for Black Zetsu the way Obito had?

No. For over a thousand years, Black Zetsu had always been the one fighting and sacrificing for Kaguya…

---

I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. patreon.com/TitoVillar

---