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-Z3kChrome
-Auzzo
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-ar4ngel
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In the pitch-black cave, only a faint sliver of light filtered in, insufficient to illuminate the entire space. If one looked closely, they would notice a hunched figure sitting on a protruding rock, their features obscured.
Rustle, rustle—
A soft sound came from behind them, and a figure, completely white, slowly emerged from the ground.
"Yes, their team has now reached the outskirts of Konoha Village and will likely soon launch an attack on it," White Zetsu spoke casually, as if discussing an interesting anecdote.
Hearing this, the hunched figure slowly turned their head, revealing a face that seemed old and withered, almost like skin stretched over bones. However, within that aged face were a pair of deep, unfathomable eyes, as dark as the night.
He quietly stared at White Zetsu and rasped, "Inform Shino. Seize this opportunity and let Kirigakure get involved in this mess."
White Zetsu paused, looking puzzled. "Didn't you say Shino should remain hidden within Kirigakure to secretly control them? After all, Nagato's location has been found. We only need to arrange for Shino to meet him when the time is right."
The elder closed his eyes slightly, shaking his head gently, causing his long white hair to sway. His raspy voice continued, "Shino mentioned before that the Third Mizukage is becoming increasingly uncontrollable. This is a good chance to let him die in this war."
"Getting Kirigakure involved in the war won't expose us. Our real task is to find the most suitable replacement for control."
"The Jinchuriki of the Third Mizukage has been arranged, right? Shino mentioned that he seems to be suspicious of our whereabouts. So, let's turn him into our puppet to control Kirigakure."
Upon hearing this, White Zetsu smiled lightly and said casually, "Madara-sama, you have a truly twisted sense of humor, turning the most loyal person into the one responsible for persecuting their own village. Just thinking about it feels hopeless."
Madara wasn't bothered by White Zetsu's teasing. He merely kept his eyes half-closed, continuing to speak, "These are trivial matters. Zetsu, no matter what, ensure that Nagato remains under our control."
His eyes suddenly opened, flashing with a sharp glint as he continued in a deep voice, "You mentioned that this war was instigated by a kid named Aizen, right? It's surprising that someone so young could single-handedly stir up several great shinobi villages."
"Even in my and Hashirama's time, such a formidable person would not have been unknown."
"But it's unfortunate that since Nagato is now under his control, he is our enemy."
"He probably hasn't realized the true power of the Rinnegan yet."
"Moreover, I don't believe that the organization he created, called Las Noches, will be able to completely destroy Konoha, let alone the shinobi era. That's not an easy task."
As he spoke, a cold gleam flashed in his eyes, and he rasped, "When the time comes, inform Shino to cooperate with Nagato in eliminating him. I don't like someone so outstanding being too active on this continent. It interferes with my plans."
White Zetsu's eyes gleamed imperceptibly as he softly replied, "I know what to do, Madara-sama."
Madara raised a hand that looked as thin and withered as a branch, waving it slightly as he rasped, "Go. Pass my orders to Shino. That child is a rare talent among the Uchiha… what a pity…"
He didn't finish his sentence, closing his eyes slowly, looking like an old man resting. White Zetsu glanced at him, then left a spore behind before sinking into the ground.
The cave once again fell into silence. In the faint light, a massive shadow loomed within, its presence intimidating despite only revealing a fraction of its form.
In a serene forest, a group of people stood quietly. They were all dressed in uniform black-and-white clothing. Some tossed a golden coin into the air, catching it repeatedly in boredom. Others sat cross-legged on the ground, meditating deeply, undisturbed by the outside world. A few looked around arrogantly, though their gaze softened when it fell upon the calm figure standing at the forefront.
At that moment, the one who had been observing the figure quickly averted his gaze. The tall figure at the front slowly opened his deep, serene eyes, a mysterious smile forming on his lips.
"Ulquiorra, I'll be gone for a moment. Make sure to guard this place well."
Swish!
As the magnetic voice echoed in the air, the tall figure suddenly blurred, vanishing from where he stood.
"I understand, Aizen-sama."
Beside him, a young man with an expressionless face slightly bowed his head, showing respect. Though the others were puzzled by Aizen's departure, none of them spoke up.
Watching this, the old man with a defiant look on his face snickered, lowering his voice to disdainfully address the young man, "Ulquiorra, you're always so respectful to that guy. Now that we're in this new world, don't you have any thoughts of your own?"
Hearing this, Ulquiorra slowly turned to him, his emerald-green eyes as calm as a still lake, and said, "Baraggan, your desire for power is too great. In human terms, you're an overly ambitious individual."
Baraggan smirked disdainfully, his voice low, "I possess unmatched power, surpassing all living beings. I was born to be a king. Isn't that a good thing?"
Ulquiorra looked at him, speaking softly, "Yet, despite all that, you were easily defeated by Aizen-sama. This proves that you are not fit to be a king. That crown belongs to Aizen-sama."
Baraggan's expression darkened, though he still glanced at Ulquiorra, his voice heavy, "But that was in the past. In this new world, there's room to reset everything, including you. The two of us could join forces—"
He was cut off by Ulquiorra, who looked at him with a detached gaze and said calmly, "Aizen-sama granted me power, and now, he has allowed me to find the answer to what I've always questioned."
As he spoke, he gently placed his hand on his chest, continuing, "But within this complex array of emotions, there is nothing resembling your ambition. For me, serving Aizen-sama is my everything."
"My purpose in living is to help Aizen-sama achieve his ideals. And you, Baraggan, remember that the past is gone."
"Focus on the present. If you dare to have such rebellious thoughts again, I will punish you on Aizen-sama's behalf."
"As Espada members, we don't need ambition. We only need to be a sharp sword that can cut through any obstacle."
As Ulquiorra spoke, he stared at Baraggan with a calm gaze. Under that detached look, Baraggan's expression turned ugly. He snorted coldly, his voice low, "Hmph, I didn't expect you to become such a stubborn fool."
"Fine, I understand."
In the end, under Ulquiorra's gaze, Baraggan finally gave in, speaking reluctantly.