"This kind of power… how is it possible?"
The more she imagined the terror of that scene, the paler Samui's face became.
It was no wonder Atsui and the other two had mistaken this place. The scope was simply too vast. As far as the eye could see, it was a flat, barren wasteland.
But if one looked from a god's-eye view, it would become clear that this entire area resembled the interior of a meat grinder. The ground was stained with a shocking dark red, as if some "livestock" had recently been ground into pulp.
Everything within a radius of dozens of kilometers had been swept clean.
Dozens of kilometers had been turned into a barren land where not even grass grew.
Even the surface of the earth had been plowed into a depression several meters deep.
'How could a human possibly possess such power?
How could a human possibly achieve such a thing?'
Samui couldn't imagine how it could be done.
She had seen her share of cruel, bloody scenes in the past.
But she had never witnessed any scene quite like this, where the residual horror and stench of blood seemed to linger in the air itself.
It was as if she could smell the fresh blood released as the hurricane tore bodies apart, could hear the wails and terror of the Kumo ninjas before their deaths.
This terrifying power, sufficient to alter the terrain, simply did not seem like something a human could wield.
Even the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki's Dust Release did not have such a terrifying attack range.
If such a terrifying strength existed, how could its wielder have remained unknown until now?
Samui looked towards the deep, dark void in the distance, a bold guess gradually forming in her mind.
'Unless… that entity… had suddenly appeared.'
"Sis, what… what should we do?"
The helpless voice of Atsui sounded beside her. The other two Chūnin were also at a loss.
The three had already found many Kumo headbands, and even one or two from Konoha.
But… there were no bodies. Absolutely no bodies. Neither Kumo ninjas nor Konoha ninjas.
Only that pungent, choking stench of blood filled the air, unable to be blown away. The soil beneath their feet was a sea of crimson.
Faced with this, even if they were fools, they knew where those bodies had gone.
"..."
Gazing at the bottomless void in the distance, Samui was silent for a moment before withdrawing her gaze. She exhaled, her voice calm. "Don't do anything unnecessary. We return and report to Lord Raikage."
Even though her intuition screamed that the entire truth lay there, she calmed down and made the most rational decision.
If that "monster" possessing such terrifying power was still there, it was not something the four of them could possibly provoke.
The figures of the four vanished into the darkness. After their departure, the area remained devoid of any living thing that dared approach.
It was like a traveler walking through a jungle, coming upon the remains of prey torn apart by a beast, seeing the carcass devoured clean before them.
Even if the predator had long since eaten its fill and departed, the traveler would still be deterred by the violence lingering in the air, enough to make greedy wild dogs and jackals avoid it.
Until… everything around fell into dead silence. From within the blood-red soil, a pitcher-plant-like object emerged halfway.
The large pitcher plant slowly opened, revealing a half-black, half-white face.
White Zetsu, and Black Zetsu possessing his body.
"Such a terrible human," White Zetsu lamented. "Good thing I pulled you away in time and we didn't jump out hastily. Otherwise, we'd be fertilizer too."
Black Zetsu did not speak. Staring at everything before him, he couldn't help but fall into silence.
The appearance of that entity… could be said to have been unexpected.
Even hiding underground from a distance using his Spore Technique, he could feel the terrifying aura of that single strike.
Although that strike probably still didn't compare to "Planetary Devastation," Black Zetsu could sense that entity had likely been in a weakened state.
If that entity could recover to its peak state, it could truly rival Madara in his prime.
Moreover… those eyes…
Recalling those blue eyes he had glimpsed from afar, Black Zetsu's mood grew even more anxious, even fearful.
For a being like him, lacking in raw power and relying on schemes, the most terrifying thing was the unexpected.
In its millennial memory, the Rinnegan should have been the pinnacle these inferior humans could achieve. Even that bastard Ōtsutsuki Hagoromo had been no greater in his lifetime. The stronger Rinne-Sharingan had only been possessed by Mother, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya.
But now… why… how… could there appear an eye comparable to the Rinnegan, yet unheard of?
There seemed only one possibility.
"Those from the heavens…"
Thinking of this final possibility, ripples ran across Black Zetsu's body—his form trembling in fear.
'Could it be… that the "kin," the "those from the heavens" mentioned in Mother's memories, had appeared in the ninja world?!
Yes! Even an eye Mother never possessed could only belong to "those from the heavens"!'
"No! This is the opportunity I've waited a millennium for! No one will stop me from freeing Mother!" Black Zetsu's hollow eyes narrowed slightly. "Obito and Nagato must begin gathering the Tailed Beasts immediately!"
If these Rinnegan were not the ones he had waited a millennium for, with his cautious nature, Black Zetsu would probably have gone into hiding by now, at least until the identity of the "heavenly one" was confirmed.
Unfortunately, he couldn't. This was the best, and likely last, chance.
With this thought, Black Zetsu cast one final glance at the distant void, then controlled White Zetsu to merge with the earth and swim towards the Land of Rain—making the same rational choice as Samui.
Even knowing secrets might lie there, it was impossible for him to risk himself personally.
Letting others scout the path, then reaping the benefits at the final moment… that was his nature.
Meanwhile, inside Konoha Hospital, the atmosphere was heavy.
"A blue-eyed monster. A cyan chakra robe. Ninshū. A tornado conjured without hand seals. A deep abyss sealing the monster…" Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes as he listened to Hyūga Kumokawa's account.
If this hadn't come from a good boy like Kumokawa, corroborated by Akimichi Chōza beside him, he would have dismissed it as an utterly absurd legend.
As if suddenly remembering something, Hiruzen looked at the young man before him. "You said… you saw a 'structure' inside that abyss?"
"Yes, I'm certain!" Hyūga Kumokawa's pale face regained some color. "But I couldn't see inside the structure. Something was shielding my Byakugan."
Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi thoughtfully stroked his beard, his gaze flickering.
'A monster that had likely survived from the era of ancient legends until now… could the place where it was sealed hold some secrets or forbidden techniques?
If it were true… if it could be obtained…'
[Ding!]
[Your deception has been judged as: Fabrication Turned Truth, Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell, A Leaf Obscures the Eyes, Luring the Enemy into a Trap. Samui, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, Akimichi Chōza, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and others experienced intense emotional fluctuations, reaching the level of Half-Believing, Half-Doubting. Acquired 6000 Fulfillment Points.]
[Remaining Fulfillment Points: 16,694]
Hearing the notification chime in his mind, Hyūga Kumokawa's heart stirred slightly. A smile welled up within him.
The fish… had taken the bait.
'Black Zetsu was actually there too? That was truly an unexpected surprise.'