Uchiha Setsuna once thought that no matter how peculiar the dark shadow before him was, he would not be surprised. But now, he had to admit that he was shocked by the shadow's words. It was the name of Madara—despised by the Uchiha clan, yet believed by some, including Uchiha Setsuna.
"What are you? Are you... Madara-sama's Will?" Uchiha Setsuna's voice trembled from the shock.
" Madara-sama," the Black Zetsu said mockingly, "In the past, you refused to recognize him as patriarch because of Madara's rebellion, but now you call him '-sama' again. How ironic."
Uchiha Setsuna was at a loss for words. He couldn't deny that he felt ashamed. When Madara was isolated and helpless, he hadn't come forward to support him. His vision had been too short-sighted.
"It's our fault," Uchiha Setsuna admitted, "We originally thought Madara-sama's approach was misguided. But now I see it clearly, Senju Tobirama and his brother restrained us by assigning the Uchiha to the police force. He intended to make us Konoha's guard dogs, yet most of the clan didn't even notice!"
What Uchiha Setsuna didn't realize was that Hashirama's intention had been good. However, in his extreme view, he believed Hashirama and his brother had been slowly eroding the Uchiha's strength, so that the Uchiha clan would no longer pose a threat to the Senju.
"Yes, Madara-sama understood this, which is why he left Konoha, though no one followed him. Even though he was alone, Madara-sama tried to protect the Uchiha clan. He sought out the legendary demon beast, the Nine-Tails, intending to overthrow the first Hokage of Konoha," Black Zetsu said coldly.
It was well-known that Uchiha Madara had attacked Konoha with the Nine-Tails. This had put the Uchiha in a dangerous position. But, from another perspective, had Madara succeeded in defeating Senju Hashirama, the Uchiha would no longer have needed to answer to the other families. With his Mangekyō Sharingan and the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox at his side, Madara would have had the strength to suppress the entire village.
"Of course, the result was..."
"Yes, in the end, Madara-sama was defeated by Hashirama," Black Zetsu interrupted. "But before he died, Madara-sama used the Yin-Yang Release technique to create a physical manifestation of his will. And that... is me—Zetsu. After Madara-sama 's death, I continue his legacy and protect the Uchiha. But to infiltrate Konoha, I need someone to inherit Madara-sama 's will. That person is you."
Uchiha Setsuna was both surprised and thrilled. He was shocked that Madara had possessed such a secret technique. But he was elated to be chosen as Madara's successor. To the Uchiha who opposed the Senju, Madara had always been their guiding figure. Though Madara was gone, his will lived on.
"If that's the case, I am honored to inherit Madara-sama 's will," Uchiha Setsuna said eagerly. Then, he asked curiously, "You were created by Madara-sama using the Yin-Yang Release technique... What exactly is this Yin-Yang Release?"
"You know about Yang Release and Yin Release, correct?" Zetsu asked.
"Yes, I know. Techniques related to physical strength belong to Yang Release, like the Akimichi clan's Multi-Size Technique. Spiritual techniques, such as the Yamanaka clan's Mind Transfer Jutsu or genjutsu, belong to Yin Release," Uchiha Setsuna nodded. "But I've never heard of Yin-Yang Release."
"The so-called Yin Release stems from spiritual energy and creates form from nothingness; Yang Release stems from physical energy and breathes life into that form. When combined, they are the essence of creation itself. Thousands of years ago, the Sage of Six Paths used this technique to create the tailed beasts," Zetsu explained.
Uchiha Setsuna's eyes widened in disbelief. "The Sage of Six Paths' secret technique! Madara-sama actually mastered this... He truly was remarkable."
"Of course. The Uchiha are direct descendants of the Sage of Six Paths," Zetsu said. His form was like a dark, ink-like cloud, but Uchiha Setsuna could sense he was smiling. The words that followed shocked him even more.
"We... are descendants of the Sage of Six Paths?"
"Yes, it's recorded on a stone tablet in the Uchiha shrine. Only those with the Mangekyō Sharingan can fully decipher it. It tells the story of the Uchiha's origins," Zetsu said. "Even with a basic Sharingan, you can understand part of it, but the full content requires a Mangekyō."
"The Mangekyō Sharingan... After Madara-sama and Izuna-sama, no one has awakened it. It's said to be incredibly rare," Uchiha Setsuna said hesitantly.
"Are you afraid? If you don't have the resolve, how can you inherit Madara-sama 's will?" Zetsu questioned.
"No, I'm not afraid," Uchiha Setsuna denied quickly. "I'm just considering how best to carry on Madara-sama 's legacy."
"You needn't worry about that," Zetsu chuckled softly. "Madara-sama had a plan. Though he is dead, his reincarnation will emerge within the Uchiha clan. Your task is to protect him and ensure his growth."
"Madara-sama 's reincarnation?" Although it sounded unbelievable, Uchiha Setsuna accepted it. In his mind, if Madara could master the Sage's secret techniques, it wasn't impossible for his soul to transcend the Pure Land and be reborn.
"As long as it is Madara-sama 's reincarnation, I have the means to grant him power equal to his previous life. This is all within the plan. Your only duty is to guide and protect him," Zetsu said.
Uchiha Setsuna remained silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand. But what about Uchiha Kagami? Shouldn't we eliminate him? As long as he remains the clan's patriarch, he could hinder our future."
"It's irrelevant," Zetsu replied bluntly.
"Good!" Uchiha Setsuna felt relieved. He had worried that inheriting Madara's will might make him hesitant to act against the current heir. Now it seemed he had overthought it. When he recalled Uchiha Kagami's leadership, he felt a surge of annoyance. How could someone like Kagami, who had become a lapdog of Konoha, sit as the clan's leader?
After some more instructions, Zetsu gave Uchiha Setsuna a map to help him avoid ambushes from Sunagakure. As Uchiha Setsuna left, Zetsu watched him go and muttered, "I hope this one proves useful."
As a being who had lived for millennia, Zetsu had long worked toward reviving his mother, Kaguya. When Indra was reincarnated as Uchiha Madara, Zetsu had seen hope. After countless failed attempts, Madara had come closest to success. But it had all ended in failure at the Valley of the End.
"I never expected Asura's reincarnation to learn the secret art of Wood Release, capable of suppressing the Nine-Tails. If not for that, Madara would never have lost," Zetsu mused. He shook his head. "No, in the end, Madara's downfall was his attachment to Senju Hashirama. Madara lost because of his bonds."
Zetsu didn't know that Madara had set up Izanagi within his Mangekyō Sharingan to ensure his survival. As far as Zetsu knew, Madara's plan had failed, in part due to Uchiha Kagami's interference. However, Zetsu's true frustration was the loss of Madara's Mangekyō Sharingan, which could have contained Indra's chakra.
"It's unfortunate," Zetsu said softly. "The next phase will be troublesome. Asura's descendants are still formidable, and infiltrating the Uchiha won't be as easy as before. For now, I must rely on extremists like Setsuna."
Zetsu sank into the ground with a final murmur, "It doesn't matter. I've waited for millennia... I can wait a little longer."