Chapter 317: This Black Sludge-Monster Clearly Has a Goddess Mom, Yet is Overly Cautious!

Chapter 317: This Black Sludge-Monster Clearly Has a Goddess Mom, Yet is Overly Cautious!

"Hey, uh, Black-Madara."

In the darkness underground, White Zetsu Tobi's thoughtless voice rang out.

"What are we doing now? Running for it?"

Black Zetsu, who had been immersed in his "Save Mom Plan," was snapped back to reality by Tobi's question.

But before he could clear his thoughts, the name the other used sent his already muddled mind into chaos.

"Black-Madara—Don't call me Black-Madara! Call me... Black Zetsu!"

Black Zetsu paused, but ultimately used the name Uchiha Madara had given "it" as his call sign.

"With the Shadow of Darkness watching from above, the risk of taking Uchiha Obito is too great. We don't need to take that risk right now! It won't be too late to contact Uchiha Obito when we have a chance later."

This was a lie.

In truth, Black Zetsu only said this to appease White Zetsu Tobi.

He had no interest in Uchiha Obito and didn't want to expend extra energy to bring him along and cultivate him.

This wasn't because Obito's intelligence was on par with an ordinary White Zetsu.

It was purely because Black Zetsu looked down on Uchiha Obito's two-tomoe Sharingan.

Having lurked in the dark side of the shinobi world for millennia, Black Zetsu's understanding of the Uchiha Clan was perhaps even greater than the clan's own.

It might (?) even surpass the legendary Uchiha researcher, Tobirama Senju.

After all, why else would Indra's reincarnate always be born into the Uchiha Clan?

Black Zetsu knew very well that an Uchiha shinobi only underwent a qualitative leap in strength after awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.

And Uchiha Obito's Sharingan was currently only at the two-tomoe level. His comprehensive strength was only that of a veteran Chūnin.

A shinobi of this strength wasn't even qualified to be a tool!

Of course, if Uchiha Obito suddenly awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, Black Zetsu might change his mind.

Due to his special origin, Black Zetsu had an extraordinary ability to sense the chakra of Indra and Asura.

Over the millennia, Black Zetsu had secretly manipulated countless generations of Indra's reincarnates. He was an old hand at the process of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan.

Each generation of Indra's reincarnates had different Mangekyo Sharingan abilities.

Every pair was like a loot box.

Only after awakening them could one know what "prize" (dōjutsu) was inside.

And some Mangekyo dōjutsu were so unique and powerful that even Black Zetsu would be astonished, even shocked.

Who knows, maybe Uchiha Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan would have some incredible dōjutsu?

But for now...

A mere two-tomoe? Who cares if he dies!

In Black Zetsu's view, rather than wasting time and energy cultivating Uchiha Obito and gambling on his Mangekyo, it was better to put his efforts into Nagato in the Land of Rain and properly cultivate that pair of Rinnegan.

The Rinnegan was the top priority!

'But then again, I've planted so many agents in the Uchiha Clan, and even secretly modified the stone tablet Hagoromo left for them...'

A few thoughts flashed through Black Zetsu's mind.

'The impulsive, radical Uchiha are undoubtedly the best tools, but only after they've awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan...'

As for the Mangekyo Sharingan...

Black Zetsu did have two good candidates in mind.

First, naturally, was the Uchiha Clan's most outstanding genius of the current generation—Uchiha Shisui!

Second, was the Indra reincarnate after Uchiha Madara!

Now that Uchiha Madara was dead, the Indra chakra in his body would re-enter the cycle of reincarnation, to once again play out a story of love, hate, and separation with Asura's reincarnate.

Black Zetsu knew better than anyone how strong the talent of an Indra reincarnate was.

If he had to choose, Black Zetsu would rather slowly cultivate the new Indra reincarnate, to let him slowly awaken the Mangekyo, than gamble on Uchiha Obito's ethereal, non-existent Mangekyo.

In any case.

Black Zetsu had zero interest in Uchiha Obito.

"Isn't that just running for it?"

White Zetsu Tobi used the [Mayfly Technique], shuttling through the earth, and quickly left the vicinity of the Mountain Graveyard.

"I'm out of here! Black-Madara!"

"Don't call me Black-Madara!"

Black Zetsu's voice chased after him.

"Call me Black Zetsu—"

Inside the Mountain Graveyard.

"Tsk! Looks like I can't wait for that White Zetsu Tobi fellow!"

Nara Keisuke tossed the [Large Sealing Scroll] to his [Shadow Doppelgangers]. They methodically transferred all the newly collected ninjutsu data into the large scroll for later research.

"He's so cautious! I clearly remember him being a dumb kid who likes to talk about... bodily functions!"

Nara Keisuke had intentionally not rushed to deal with Uchiha Obito's situation, precisely because he wanted to use Obito as "bait" to hook the "big fish" White Zetsu Tobi.

Although Nara Keisuke had now researched [Wood Release], White Zetsu Tobi still held considerable value.

His connection to the Divine Tree, his perfectly fused "Hashirama cells"... all of it was crucial!

Unfortunately, the [Shadow Doppelgangers] had already finished cataloging the spoils of war, and White Zetsu Tobi still hadn't shown his face…

Nara Keisuke couldn't just stay in the Mountain Graveyard waiting, so he had to give up on the mysterious "Child of the Divine Tree."

"It's not just White Zetsu, the more critical one is Black Zetsu!"

Nara Keisuke took the heavy [Large Sealing Scroll] from his doppelgangers and slung it over his back.

"I've killed Uchiha Madara, and I still haven't seen a shadow of Black Zetsu…

"This black sludge-monster clearly has a goddess mom, yet is overly cautious!"

Nara Keisuke didn't know that Black Zetsu had just completed his fusion with White Zetsu Tobi right under his nose (literally under him), smoothly evolving into the complete "Zetsu."

In his view, the most likely place for Black Zetsu to be was the Land of Rain!

To be precise, beside the nascent Akatsuki and the young Nagato.

For no other reason than that "hot-pluggable" pair of Rinnegan!

"Old Man Madara is dead. Uchiha Obito must be taken away. Without these two true masterminds, the future Akatsuki probably won't turn into that terrifying organization, right?"

Nara Keisuke dispelled his [Shadow Doppelgangers]. Streams of Yin Release chakra and memories flowed back into his body. He then hid his form in the air, disappearing from view.

[Shadow Invisibility Technique]!

'Mmm... poor Kenji [Obito]. How much torment did he go through?'

Nara Keisuke, like a ghost, silently approached Uchiha Obito's location.

He didn't plan to reveal this operation to Uchiha Obito. He was prepared to be a masked hero who did good deeds without leaving his name.

If Uchiha Obito knew what happened, even parts of it, cleaning up would be very troublesome.

Nara Keisuke decided not to waste the time.

In just a moment, he arrived at the dark cave where Uchiha Obito was.

The once healthy, sunny Uchiha Kenji was now a different person.

Under a messy black-spiked-haircut was a body covered in scars, wrapped in thick white bandages. The exposed skin on his right arm and left leg was a peculiar, pale white, just like an ordinary White Zetsu.

The only fortunate thing was that Uchiha Obito's eyes were still intact…

Out of complete trust in Old Man Madara, the ordinary White Zetsu left here to "care for" (and monitor) Uchiha Obito had not gone to check the situation by the Gedo Mazō, but had obediently stayed put.

Now that everything outside was quiet, the White Zetsu assumed Old Man Madara had dealt with the opponent, and was even less worried.

Uchiha Obito, who had not yet been "darkened," still retained some of a shinobi's caution.

Ever since being "saved" and brought here, Uchiha Obito had been receiving "meticulous care" from Old Man Madara and White Zetsu.

Although... he didn't know what kind of injuries he had sustained on the battlefield.

All he knew was he blacked out, and when he woke up, he was in the Mountain Graveyard.

The one who "saved" him was an Uchiha senior wearing a white mask, but he hadn't seen that senior in a long time…

"Hey! White Zetsu!"

Uchiha Obito held up his new right arm, which was as limp as a noodle, and called out to the White Zetsu beside him.

"You should go check the situation outside!

"Grandpa Madara looked like he was on his last breath. What if something happened to him?"

"Don't be silly, Obito."

The White Zetsu, who had been squatting on the ground, boredomly digging at the mud, looked up and replied with a grin.

"Don't be fooled by how old Madara looks. If he wanted to get rid of you, he wouldn't even have to lift a finger—"

The White Zetsu was about to explain to Uchiha Obito just how "strong" Old Man Madara was.

But just then, a dull sound suddenly reached its ears.

Thwack!

It was the sound of some kind of blunt object hitting a person.

The rather unique-looking ordinary White Zetsu blinked. It only saw Uchiha Obito, who had just been talking, suddenly roll his eyes back and fall limp onto the bed.

A physical genjutsu!

"Huh?"

The ordinary White Zetsu was stunned.

But the next moment, it saw a completely unfamiliar figure appear next to Uchiha Obito's bed.

That was probably the last sight of its "long" life.

[Spiraling Shadow Piercing Bullet]!

A pitch-black shadow bullet streaked like a meteor, accurately striking the ordinary White Zetsu between the eyes. Thick white paste burst out, splattering in all directions.

The White Zetsu fell to the ground, all signs of life gone.

Nara Keisuke felt nothing for having disposed of a White Zetsu. It was like pulling a weed.

"The last problem is what to do with Uchiha Obito…"