Inside the Forbidden Technique Research Institute's core sealing chamber.
At the center of the room, a black, unknown substance was pinned to an experimental platform.
That substance was Black Zetsu.
Dozens of golden rune chains extended from the platform and sank into its body, suppressing any and all resistance.
Shinju stood before the table.
On either side of him stood Tobirama and Orochimaru.
"Tobirama-sama, Orochimaru," Shinju said.
"This thing is Black Zetsu," Shinju continued. "It isn't an ordinary lifeform. It is the will that Otsutsuki Kaguya separated from herself before being sealed. It has existed for over a thousand years, with only one goal—reviving its mother."
"The legends of the Sage of Six Paths, the reincarnation entanglement of Indra and Asura, the fated conflict between the Uchiha and the Senju—Black Zetsu has been manipulating it all from behind the scenes. It is the source of every conspiracy."
"More importantly, its very existence is an information vault. The Otsutsuki clan, how they plant God Trees, how they harvest chakra fruits—every secret is hidden within its consciousness and its cells."
Tobirama stepped forward, approaching the platform.
He circled it, observing the connection points between the golden runes and Black Zetsu's body, analyzing the flow of the sealing energy.
"The origin of chakra comes from beyond this world," Tobirama said. "The substance composing this creature doesn't belong to any element we know. Its cells have no fixed form, yet it can maintain a unified will. This... this is practically a creator's masterpiece."
Orochimaru's long tongue slid out.
His slit pupils were filled with greed and exhilaration.
"Immortality..." he murmured. "The perfect agelessness I've pursued—perhaps I can find the answer in it. Its lifeform transcends protein and nucleic acids. It's a pure fusion of energy and will. Beautiful."
Black Zetsu had plotted for a thousand years, believing itself the author of history.
And now, it had become a specimen on someone else's table.
"You can't do this to me!" Black Zetsu roared. "I am Mother Kaguya's will! I am sacred! You lowly mortals—you don't even understand what you're doing! You will suffer retribution!"
It tried to draw on the power within it, only to realize the golden runes were like countless black holes, draining every bit of its energy until nothing remained.
Shinju looked at Black Zetsu, his tone calm. "Black Zetsu, you've always wanted to revive your mother. That goal itself isn't wrong."
"I'll grant it," Shinju said.
But his next words shattered it completely.
"Only, the method may be a little different from what you imagined. You will serve as the most important 'material' for us to fully decipher the Otsutsuki clan. Every cell of yours, every fragment of memory, will be extracted, analyzed, and catalogued. We will use your existence to pave a road for the shinobi world—one that reaches the stars, and can resist foreign enemies."
"You should feel honored. Your thousand-year wish will be fulfilled in another form. You will help us welcome your 'mother'—and the entire Otsutsuki clan standing behind her."
"No! No—!" Black Zetsu screamed. "I curse you! Mother Kaguya will avenge me! She will descend and crush you insects into dust!"
Shinju ignored its curses.
He stepped back, leaving the space entirely to the two scientists.
"Begin."
Tobirama and Orochimaru moved immediately.
They exchanged no unnecessary words, yet their coordination was shockingly seamless.
Tobirama's hands flashed through seals as he barked, "Seal Method: Alteration!"
In an instant, more complex sealing formulas bloomed across the floor around the platform.
The formulas linked together into a formation. Once activated, it completely separated Black Zetsu's consciousness from its body.
That way, even if the body was dismantled, the consciousness couldn't escape—or self-destruct.
Orochimaru picked up a probe. The needle-tip was connected to an instrument that displayed chakra waveforms.
"To be safe, we'll extract a superficial cell sample first and analyze its energy conduction pattern," Orochimaru said to Tobirama, as casually as if discussing an ordinary lab procedure—though it would seem cruel to anyone watching, especially since the test subject was still conscious.
"Agreed." Tobirama nodded. "We'll work together. I'll stabilize its energy core with sealing techniques. You monitor energy overflow during extraction—overflow rate can't exceed one-thousandth."
"Understood."
Orochimaru didn't hesitate. He drove the probe straight into Black Zetsu's body.
"AAAAAAH!"
On the instrument's screen, unbelievably complex wave patterns began to appear.
"Such high conduction efficiency—almost perfect. Nearly no loss at all," Orochimaru said while studying the data. "It's a flawless energy circuit by itself. Truly exquisite."
Orochimaru switched tools, replacing it with a device designed to extract memory fragments.
Tobirama continuously adjusted the seal's intensity, suppressing Black Zetsu's consciousness to the lowest possible limit to facilitate memory extraction.
Black Zetsu's wailing gradually weakened. After being tortured to a certain point, even its awareness seemed crushed down, unable to muster strong reactions anymore.
A thousand years of memories—scenes hidden in history's shadows—were being flipped through in the most brutal, direct way by two "mortals" it despised.
Everything it was would be squeezed dry, becoming the foundation of the shinobi world's technological ascent.
Shinju turned around and left the sealing chamber. The door closed automatically behind him, cutting off all sound from within. Black Zetsu's fate no longer deserved his attention.
He crossed a long corridor and returned to the Divine Court's command center.
This was the core of the shinobi world.
A massive holographic map hovered in the center of the room, marked with the Five Great Nations, countless smaller countries, and real-time information on every key stronghold.
He had dealt with Madara, handled Black Zetsu, and eliminated every known internal and external threat.
Now it was time to unify the world's strength.
Shinju stepped up to the console, his hands entering a rapid string of commands into the interface.
The chakra communications network covering the entire shinobi world activated.
He linked his chakra into the network.
In an instant, his will connected to four places.
Iwagakure, the Tsuchikage's office. The elderly Ohnoki was rubbing his lower back.
Kumogakure, the Raikage's office. The Fourth Raikage, A, was dealing with a mountain of paperwork.
Kirigakure, the Mizukage's office. Mei was looking into a mirror, checking her makeup.
Sunagakure, the Kazekage's office. Gaara was discussing the village's reconstruction plan with Temari and Kankuro.
A voice, without warning, sounded in their minds and echoed in their offices at the same time.
"Four Kage— the old era has ended."
All four froze.
They shot to their feet, scanning their surroundings in alarm, unable to find the source.
Shinju's message continued.
"One month from now, in the Land of Iron, I will preside over a Five Kage Summit for the new era."
"There is only one agenda: the future of the shinobi world."
"I hope to see all of you there."
Each of the four Kage looked different, but one thing was the same—their expressions were grim.
"This is not a request. It is a notice."
The communication cut off.
Standing before the massive holographic map, Shinju's eyes swept across the markers representing the Five Great Hidden Villages.
The shinobi world had been divided for too long.
It had exhausted itself in internal conflict for too long.
It was time for this world to hear a single voice.
(End of Chapter)
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