68 CH - 68 Black Zetsu’s worries

Lately, Black Zetsu found himself increasingly troubled. It couldn't be helped. Uchiha Madara, who had always been aloof and silent, had suddenly become quite talkative, often missing the main point of things. His demeanor had undergone a complete transformation, now spouting positive quotes and engaging in lengthy lectures.

In the past, when White Zetsu tried to engage Madara in conversation, he would respond with no more than ten words, as long as the topic didn't touch upon Senju Hashirama. But now, he seemed to relish in delivering positive speeches.

Black Zetsu, who had spent a long time observing the changes in the Shinobi World while lurking in Madara's shadow, was well aware that this shift had started with the reconstruction of the Village Hidden in the Grass. The plan was to guide Madara to this village, a place perpetually engulfed in war but not as powerful as other villages, so that he could spend his remaining years in peace. When the time was right, Black Zetsu would be reborn and become the will of Madara, guiding his spokesperson to carry out their grand plan.

The Village Hidden in the Grass was despised by the Shinobi World, but it had largely gone unnoticed by other villages. Its strategic location, situated near the Fire Country and Earth Country, made it an ideal hiding place. The warm climate, picturesque scenery, and comparatively lower rainfall than the Land of Rain below added to its appeal.

However, what Black Zetsu hadn't anticipated was that someone would emerge and bring an end to the chaos in the Village Hidden in the Grass. But that was inconsequential. Shinobi villages were often unstable and prone to change. Although the Grass Shinobi were despised, few paid significant attention to this small village initially.

Yet, to their surprise, the Village Hidden in the Grass began to diverge from other Shinobi villages within a remarkably short period. Even Madara seemed to have taken a liking to giving positive speeches. It is truly frustrating! Why couldn't things remain as they were until the opportune moment arrived?

White Zetsu's original form, having sneaked out, looked at the somewhat nostalgic Black Zetsu and smiled knowingly. "It's possible that Lord Madara is showing signs of old age. After all, he now relies on the statue to sustain his life. As humans grow older, they tend to become more talkative, reminiscing about the past and imparting wisdom. Despite his strength, Lord Madara is still a person. However, he hasn't forgotten his ideals."

Black Zetsu nodded, finding some solace in White Zetsu's words. Despite Madara's newfound chattiness, he hadn't abandoned their plan. There was still hope.

Moreover, the leader of the Village Hidden in the Grass had initiated remedial classes to teach more people ninjutsu. Under the guidance of the modified stone tablet, Madara believed that chakra was the root cause of the Shinobi World's chaos and aimed to reclaim all chakra. He considered the indiscriminate spread of chakra as a disaster and disapproved of anyone who promoted such practices.

Black Zetsu realized that while Madara had become more talkative, his fundamental nature as Uchiha Madara remained unchanged. This brought some relief. With a furrowed brow, Black Zetsu spoke, "Speaking of which, that guy might be able to 'cooperate' as well. He also harbors a 'desire for peace' in his heart, and Nagato is now his student."

Black Zetsu let out a resigned sigh. "Well, what's crucial now is to stick to the original plan and await my emergence. As for any potential 'cooperation,' we can address it in due time." He then focused his gaze on the White Zetsu original form before him and continued, "By the way, you mentioned that the Zetsu hasn't been behaving himself lately?"

Before Black Zetsu could finish speaking, the White Zetsu seemed to regain some vigor, looking around cautiously and lowering its voice. "Black Zetsu, let me tell you! During our absence, that fellow actually went out and bought sweets for Lord Madara! Three-colored dumplings, to be exact! You see, Lord Madara is already quite old and doesn't have many teeth left. Yet, that fellow went ahead and bought them. What if Lord Madara chokes on them? And sometimes, he doesn't return home at night. Who knows what he's up to?"

Black Zetsu stared at the White Zetsu, almost as if it were snitching on someone, rendered momentarily speechless. Uchiha Madara choking on a snack? Unthinkable!

Thinking of the spiral-faced guy, Black Zetsu found him to be a constant source of headaches. Despite being assigned to take care of Madara, he often wandered off on his own whims. Last time, he even ventured out to buy paintbrushes and canvases, nearly getting into trouble due to his lack of money. He seemed to have a remarkable talent for forgetting about the repercussions of his actions!

That guy had been created by Madara himself, infused with cells from Senju Hashirama. As a result, he underwent a mutation and gave rise to another White Zetsu form with its own will. There was undoubtedly an abnormality about him, but as long as he remained obedient to the will of the God Tree and stayed true to their purpose, it was good enough.

"Leave him be. As long as he doesn't expose our presence, there's no need to give him too much attention. However, we should investigate what he's up to when he doesn't return home at night," Black Zetsu stated, his voice tinged with a hint of annoyance.

Just as Black Zetsu was about to continue speaking, the White Zetsu original form's gaze fixed on something in the distance. It seemed to have noticed something of interest.

Curious, Black Zetsu furrowed his brow and inquired, "What's the matter?"

Trembling slightly, the White Zetsu extended its hand and pointed ahead. "I think I might have an idea of what that guy has been doing when he doesn't come home at night."

Black Zetsu was taken aback by the swiftness of the White Zetsu's discovery. They both raised their heads and directed their gaze towards the direction indicated by the original form.

To their astonishment, a group of workers clad in green protective suits was making their way towards a residential area near a factory. They held notebooks in their left hands and pens in their right hands. Among them, there was an individual with long black hair and a mischievous smile on their face, engaged in conversation with the other workers.

Despite the disguise, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu immediately recognized the distinct essence of White Zetsu within that individual. They both were speechless because It was none other than the spiral-faced Zetsu! Who else could be but him? However, what was he doing there? Working part-time?

…

"Tobi, our conversation today has been truly enlightening!" Koujou sighed with a mix of emotions as he looked at the black-haired youth in front of him, whom he unexpectedly encountered in class.

Having attended classes for a few days now, Koujou found himself struggling to understand the knowledge and chakra refinement techniques taught by the teachers. Despite diligently attending classes and taking thorough notes, he couldn't seem to grasp the concepts. Additionally, it was getting late, and he felt reluctant to burden the teachers with his endless questions. The frustration had been building up within him over the past few days.

Initially, he had planned to wait a bit longer before approaching Captain Yamafuji with all his inquiries. However, he hadn't anticipated meeting a new classmate today who appeared to possess extensive knowledge on the subject.

"Hehehe, understanding this kind of thing is as natural as knowing about poop, you know? It's something we're born with!" The black-haired youth chuckled, playfully scratching his head. "Actually, I might even understand poop better~"

"Tobi, you're still as witty and optimistic as ever!" Koujou smiled awkwardly, looking at Zetsu, who was radiating joy.

This classmate had many positive qualities and displayed remarkable patience. However, at times, he would say some strange things. Koujou glanced up at the sky, realizing that it was getting late. "Well, it's getting late. See you next week during the night class!"

"Goodbye!" After bidding farewell, Koujou turned his head and walked in the opposite direction.

He had been attending classes for several days, yet he still didn't know which department Zetsu worked in or where he lived. All he knew was that Zetsu liked to take a shortcut home after class. But since Zetsu had been recommended to attend the class, Koujou assumed he must be an excellent and dedicated worker.

As he walked, a sudden realization struck him. "Oh, right! There will be a holiday in a few days. I wonder if Tobi will be available. It would be a good opportunity to invite him over to my place and express my gratitude for his help these past few days."

With this thought in mind, Koujou swiftly turned his head, realizing that Zetsu shouldn't have gone far. He hurriedly ran towards the small path where Zetsu usually took his shortcut.

Upon reaching the path, he spotted Zetsu with his back turned, wearing a contented smile. Koujou tried to call out to him, "Tob-"

However, just as he was about to speak, the figure in front of him... vanished?!

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