"You... who are you? Let me go!"
The guy caught by Takeshi struggled in panic. His pupils turned pitch black, and his initially frightened expression gradually transformed into fierceness. A dark energy emanated from his body, forming into a poisonous snake ready to strike at Takeshi!
"Oh, indeed, that's the sensation!"
Observing the dark power, Takeshi smirked coldly. A pale golden light suddenly appeared on his hand, while a faint green hue covered his palm.
"Huh? How is this possible? Why is my power being suppressed?"
The guy was startled and sensed that something was amiss. Takeshi's energy seemed to possess a sealing power, confining him in this feeble body, rendering him immobile.
Though the strength was feeble, it imposed a weighty and oppressive sensation. There were no visible seals or incantations; the energy itself had a restraining effect. Though there was very little energy in this body, it was... the power of Yin chakra!
This type of power triggered a somewhat familiar feeling, yet he couldn't quite place it.
In any case, this Uchiha guy suddenly apprehended his puppet, indicating that he had been pursued for a while. This was utterly intolerable! As the puppet master behind the scenes, being outwitted by a mere human was inconceivable!
"You're quite intriguing. So, what's your game?"
Takeshi's raspy voice made it impossible to discern his true intentions as he gazed playfully at the captive in his hand.
This person's body was that of a regular individual, not even a ninja, yet it harbored a trace of Black Zetsu's power, appearing eerily ghost-like, imperceptible to ordinary people.
In reality, Takeshi had arrived long before and had been searching for this individual for quite some time. Since Black Zetsu had acted but refused to come personally, he must have deployed his eyes and ears. Through careful observation, Takeshi identified this guy as the only one in the vicinity.
Perceiving this guy was challenging for Takeshi, but he also concealed his presence by shrouding his body with true essence. With meticulous scrutiny, he located him even without intending to, turning the tables on him.
As for the light in his hand, it was naturally the power to absorb Shukaku Chakra, possessing sealing attributes and the essence of nature.
Originally, Takeshi planned to silently drain his chakra using the Wooden Release, but it seemed unnecessary.
The man captured appeared thoroughly blackened, akin to the bottom of a pot. If it were Black Zetsu's body, he might be cursing vehemently. Takeshi might not be a match for him and wouldn't dare take it lightly.
Voldemort-like figures such as Black Zetsu rarely handled matters themselves for such "minor conspiracies." Apart from the ultimate plot against Madara Uchiha, their modus operandi involved manipulating others or acting through surrogate bodies.
However, White Zetsu had not yet made an appearance. In the centuries preceding Black Zetsu, he employed this method to attach low-strength individuals to further his machinations.
All of his previous puppets were annihilated by Orochimaru, making this the last one dispatched. He sensed that Orochimaru might have uncovered something, posing a potential threat. As one with a darker heart, Black Zetsu would naturally eliminate him.
Now, it became evident that the "Uchiha Dragon" in front of him had become a persistent nuisance, his ultimate adversary!
"Damn guy, do you even know who you're up against? You filthy ant!"
Black Zetsu's puppet bellowed sternly, though it was noticeably hesitant.
Even if his puppet was discovered, what did this Uchiha lookalike really know? What could he do?
Black Zetsu had never personally intervened; his hands and feet were immaculate!
As for his origins, it was impossible for anyone in the entire ninja world to know!
"Haha, are you truly confident?" Takeshi said with a smirk.
Where did this mysterious sense of superiority come from? What a pity; I am just a wanderer!
Black Zetsu's puppet seemed unwilling to speak any further. Currently, its strength was too feeble for self-destruction. Talking too much would only lead to failure. It wisely remained silent.
Black Zetsu was a pure energy being, essentially similar to a tailed beast, albeit with much lesser power, and his will bestowed by Kaguya Otsutsuki herself.
Though the son of Kaguya, he differed from Hagoromo and Hamura. The latter was flesh and blood, while he, akin to the tailed beast, wouldn't age or die.
However, there was a catch. He wasn't as self-sufficient as the tailed beast. Not only could he not cultivate and enhance his strength, but his energy consumption was also greater and needed to be supplemented by other means.
For instance, devouring corpses.
The reason he fixated on Uchiha Kagami's eyes was that, despite the body's decay, a trace of Yin Release lingered in his eyes, closely resembling a Mangekyō Sharingan. This allowed him to replenish a significant amount of energy.
Swallowing high-level Yin Release power might be his sole means to grow stronger and boost his power. Currently, there was no one in the Uchiha clan with a Mangekyō Sharingan, making Uchiha's eyes the best choice.
He just hadn't anticipated being outsmarted by the person before him!
"Who the hell is he? This guy didn't show up during Uchiha Kagami and C's previous battle, and I don't recall such a person in the Uchiha clan!"
Black Zetsu wasn't omniscient, but the old man easily discerned that the person before him was nothing like what he appeared to be. He couldn't see through him, feeling an energy that blocked his perception, making him uneasy.
Unable to sense Chakra and estimate specific strength, the hidden figure was as loathsome as a venomous snake in the shadows. Well, the feeling of being among equals!
"It seems I've been careless recently, or perhaps I've been a bit too conspicuous, attracting attention... It appears inappropriate to make moves now. Let's maintain a low profile for a few years and keep an eye on Uchiha Madara; that's the key!"
Black Zetsu's puppet glared coldly at Takeshi's pair of Three Tomoe Sharingan, "As for this guy, there will be an opportunity to deal with him in the future! Humph!"
Takeshi observed the silent puppet Black Zetsu and fell into contemplation. In reality, if he captured this guy and confronted Black Zetsu, Maru's attention would be diverted, and Black Zetsu wouldn't target the Sannin again.
However, Black Zetsu's sudden interest in collecting Uchiha Kagami's eyes made him ponder.
Could the ancestral ninja clans mentioned by the Hyuga clan—those mysterious clans that inexplicably vanished in the river of history—be linked to Black Zetsu?
Black Zetsu had a habit of absorbing others' powers to sustain himself. He did it in the past, devouring the eyes of many Uchiha clan members over the centuries, even if he might not have been called Uchiha back then.
Later, when he concealed himself beside Uchiha Madara, Black Zetsu continued to find excuses to collect eyes. Uchiha Madara effortlessly installing a pair of Sharingan eyes was evidence of this.
Subsequently, the task of collecting eyes was delegated to Obito. The craziness Obito exhibited, as seen in the eyes he replaced for Sasuke Uchiha, indicated the extent of his actions.
Obito had no use for those eyes, and Black Zetsu ultimately reaped the benefits.
Oh, and by the way, Takeshi himself probably wasn't qualified to force him. After all, he became stronger by swallowing others.
It seemed that he, too, had lived a life he detested the most...
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