SWNOVELXO Chapter 82: Chapter 092
"To be precise, it was the day before the Chunin Exams that you met Kaguya."
"My ninja rabbit wouldn't obediently mop the floor."
"That's why I was certain you'd show up," Kitahara Kaede said. "It's just that it didn't speak, and neither did I."
"It has something it wants to accomplish using my help. And I, too, have things I need from her."
"I hope you understand this. No—I need you to understand this," Kitahara Kaede said.
"..." Black Zetsu.
"..." Black Zetsu suddenly felt a chill down its spine.
So basically, Kaguya-sama, you still want to raise this man as your weapon—but he's already treating you like a tool!
"And today, it reverted to its original form once more," Kitahara Kaede continued.
"It defeated Shukaku in one second."
"Quite a pity I didn't record it."
"Otherwise, I could've shown you," Kitahara Kaede said.
"…Ah…" Black Zetsu felt like its mental defenses were being dismantled one by one.
"So—"
"What do you want to say?" Black Zetsu asked.
It remembered when it joined the small group chat, the dumb Hokage from different generations were all speculating about Kitahara Kaede's identity.
Minato believed that Kitahara Kaede came from the future.
What does it mean to be from the future?
If you know what will happen in the future, then every word, every move you make can lead to immense change.
And now, it's confirmed—only someone who knows everything, someone truly omniscient, could know the secrets of Kaguya-sama and still make use of her power.
So…
Kitahara Kaede is very likely from the future.
"First, let me make this clear—I am not your enemy," Kitahara Kaede said. "And I will assist Kaguya in regaining her strength."
"Oh?" Black Zetsu had thought the world was ending and that it stood no chance against someone who knew the future.
It knows the past, but Kitahara Kaede knows the future.
Can the past defeat the future?
Almost impossible.
So it was nearly crushed by despair, but now Kitahara Kaede says he's not an enemy?
"Kaguya has lost her power."
"That's why she's in her current state."
"But that's not her true self."
Kitahara Kaede continued, "And from today's test, we've learned that when I shared chakra with her, her power began to return."
"But it's still not enough."
"Though, she's lucky—because she has you."
"Black Zetsu, you've been chosen."
"..."
"..." Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu suddenly felt that Kitahara Kaede's way of speaking seemed familiar.
Because it was exactly how it used to trick Uchiha Madara and Obito.
Paint a grand vision for them.
Then tell—or hint to—them that they are the chosen ones, the saviors, that only they can fulfill the grand vision.
No one else.
"Don't make that face," Kitahara Kaede said. "You have to understand—Kaguya has no one else she can rely on but you."
"Rely on me?"
"I've given her chakra, but it only let her return to her original state for one second."
"But you, Black Zetsu—you can give her even more power."
"Or rather, only you can do it," Kitahara Kaede said. "This is a task only you can complete."
"..." Black Zetsu.
"..." Black Zetsu.
"..." Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu felt like it might be getting tricked.
Because this script was too similar to the one it used before.
However—
He had a point.
Today, it just happened to log off to play as that unlucky guy, Moonlight Hayate. And thankfully, it did log off to control the body. Otherwise, Orochimaru would've used it as a sacrifice, and it would've truly become a tragic character.
But because of that, it missed the chance to witness Kaguya-sama's transformation back to her original form.
From the group chat, it learned that Kaguya-sama only returned to her true form for one second.
Just one second—too short.
One second isn't enough to do anything.
"So, you don't want to see Kaguya regain her original form?"
"Then you're truly an unfilial child."
"Exactly. You know she's lacking power, yet you just watch and do nothing. How are you any different from the Sage of Six Paths?" Kitahara Kaede said.
"I'm quite disappointed. Everyone knows Black Zetsu is a good child."
"But here you are, watching your mother weakened and refusing to help at all."
"I'm truly disappointed."
"All right. You can go now." Kitahara Kaede seemed ready to dismiss the Wood Release barrier.
But Black Zetsu stirred.
"Wait a minute!"
"Hold on a second!"
"I'll go, okay?!"
Black Zetsu raised its mental defenses, but Kitahara Kaede's words kept striking through them.
Calling it Kaguya's child, accusing it of being unfilial...
That kind of accusation—it couldn't tolerate.
And being lumped together with the likes of Hagoromo and Hamura—those two jokes—Black Zetsu refused to accept that.
It despised those two ignorant, unfilial brothers.
"How do I help Kaguya-sama regain her power?" Black Zetsu asked.
Kitahara Kaede replied,
"Simple. Just like I did during today's test—feed her chakra, and she'll be able to return to her original form."
"So go capture the Tailed Beasts."
"Tailed Beasts are chakra incarnate."
"You know that, right?" Kitahara Kaede said.
"..." Black Zetsu.
Capturing the Tailed Beasts—that's basically the Eye of the Moon Plan, right?
Black Zetsu was a bit dazed by Kitahara Kaede's sudden explanation.
Its original plan was to gather all the Tailed Beasts, feed them to the Ten Tails, find a Rinnegan, use Infinite Tsukuyomi, and let the Ten Tails suck all of humanity's chakra to finally resurrect Kaguya-sama.
But now… it's just the Tailed Beasts?
"Then right now, the Nine Tails is in Konoha…" Black Zetsu felt something wasn't adding up.
"Don't worry about the Nine Tails for now. Focus on the others," Kitahara Kaede said. "I'll handle the Nine Tails myself."
"..." Black Zetsu.
"..." Black Zetsu.
Black Zetsu stared at Kitahara Kaede for a while. "You're not lying to me, are you?"
"..." Kitahara Kaede.
Anyone who asks that is basically already being lied to.
But being able to order around Black Zetsu—that alone is enough.
A thousand years of trying to save its mother with no progress. Should we call it filial… or just a failure?
But yeah, Black Zetsu hanging around the ninja rabbit all the time was a bit of a problem.
Back at the central tower, Kitahara Kaede had looked at Black Zetsu and wondered—since he had raised a ninja rabbit, should he raise a Black Zetsu too?
In the end, he decided… no.
Since he wouldn't raise it, he had to push it away.
So he gave Black Zetsu a task—to go find a place to busy itself.
How he interacts with his rabbit had nothing to do with others.
So while Black Zetsu suspected it was being manipulated—well, it really was.
"The real Anko Mitarashi—where is she?"
Kitahara Kaede said, "You go gather the Tailed Beasts."
"But return Anko."
"Obito and the others don't know your identity yet, right?"
"Better to keep a low profile," Kitahara Kaede said.
"%…true." Black Zetsu nodded. "You really think things through."
So, to everyone's confusion, Kitahara Kaede went into the forest alone with the exam proctor Anko Mitarashi behind him.
But when he came back, he was carrying her over his shoulder.
Still, since the real proctor had returned, the Chunin Exams could continue.
And with his new "mission," Black Zetsu once again began his thousand-mile journey...
·····
Black Zetsu was created by Kaguya in a hurry.
At that time, she was battling her two unfilial sons, and couldn't spare chakra for Black Zetsu, so it ended up with only an incomplete body—just a germ of one, in fact.
So it didn't have any powerful abilities, but in terms of espionage or manipulating White Zetsu—it was a natural.
White Zetsu was originally Kaguya's troop, prepared to face the Otsutsuki clan. Not very strong, but quite convenient.
Madara Uchiha later modified the White Zetsu by adding Hashirama's Wood Release cells. That gave them some Wood Release and incredible vitality. They could also travel quickly underground or through stone.
Thanks to that, the White Zetsu troops became the best spies.
But right now, Black Zetsu was using them for travel.
"Mr. Black Zetsu, you seem rather excited."
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