Chapter 74: Uchiha Madara - You're the One!
Konoha's supposedly powerful early warning detection system was rendered completely useless by Black Zetsu's expertise.
From every single lurking ANBU operative to every carefully placed detection barrier and alarm seal—Black Zetsu navigated through them all as if walking through its own home.
Without alerting anyone whatsoever, the two figures quietly arrived at the Forest of Death, located in the remote back mountain region of Konoha.
In the steady patter of continuous rainfall, the entire forest remained eerily silent—like a massive sleeping beast lurking in darkness, exuding an intensely ominous and foreboding aura.
Looking at the dangerous restricted area blocked off by thick barbed wire and sealed with large barrier talismans marked with bold 'FORBIDDEN' warnings, Uchiha Kazuki frowned as if recalling something important. He spoke in a cautious, low voice:
"I remember correctly... this is the Kurama clan's forbidden territory, isn't it?"
The Forest of Death earned its fearsome name for very good reasons.
In truth, except for a few designated public training areas, most of the vast Forest of Death had been allocated to Konoha's most powerful and influential clans for their private use.
For example, the well-known Nara clan's most vital source of rare medicinal herbs was located somewhere deep within the Forest of Death. The Yamanaka and Akimichi clans had each claimed certain sections as strictly forbidden zones, absolutely prohibiting outsiders from entering except for their own clan members.
Among all these various restricted areas, the Kurama clan's forbidden zone ranked among the absolute most dangerous.
The Kurama clan had once been an undisputed powerhouse within Konoha—renowned throughout the entire shinobi world for their bloodline limit that manifested incredibly potent genjutsu capable of manipulating all five senses simultaneously. At their peak, the clan's size and political influence were genuinely comparable to even the mighty Uchiha clan itself.
Unfortunately, the entire clan's precious bloodline limit had mysteriously disappeared without explanation.
Now, the once-proud Kurama clan had declined into near irrelevance.
The last confirmed bloodline limit holder to successfully inherit the Kurama clan's legendary ability to manipulate the five senses had lived at least twenty years before the present day.
"Heh. I didn't expect you to actually know about this particular clan?"
Black Zetsu cast a meaningful, calculating look in Kazuki's direction and spoke with amusement:
"Don't worry yourself. The genjutsu barriers and traps originally left behind here by the Kurama clan were already completely modified and repurposed by Lord Uchiha Madara years ago."
"The Kurama clan's bloodline limit mysteriously disappearing... was that his doing?"
Uchiha Kazuki ventured a calculated guess, fishing for information.
"No."
Black Zetsu directly and flatly denied his speculation without elaboration, continuing to advance deeper into the restricted territory.
Uchiha Kazuki remained somewhat suspicious of that answer, so he quietly activated his spirit vision to investigate further.
The Kurama clan's powerful bloodline limit had mysteriously vanished and completely ceased to exist. Such a large, influential clan had simply declined slowly and pathetically over time—it all seems rather strange and suspicious.
Peering deep within Black Zetsu's spiritual body composition using his Beyonder abilities, Kazuki discovered a revealing clue. The hidden, deeply buried black coloration within its aura seemed to represent concentrated emotions of... fear, dread, and profound apprehension.
"I've heard that the Kurama clan's genjutsu techniques were extraordinarily powerful?"
Uchiha Kazuki asked with seemingly casual interest, probing for reaction.
"Hehehehe... So what if they were strong?"
Black Zetsu's voice seemed to barely suppress some deeper emotion as it scoffed dismissively:
"Manipulating all five senses simultaneously—what a supposedly magnificent ability. What a pity their precious bloodline was still ultimately severed and destroyed."
As it spoke those words, a sudden unmistakable surge of pleasure and satisfaction emanated from deep within its spiritual essence.
Hmm. It seems this matter is definitely related to Black Zetsu's actions.
Through carefully observing these emotional fluctuations with his spirit vision, Uchiha Kazuki roughly deduced what had actually transpired. He couldn't help but regard Black Zetsu with significantly greater respect and caution.
As expected—Black Zetsu, who's been lurking hidden in the shadows for over a thousand years while silently manipulating the entire shinobi world from behind the scenes, is absolutely no simpleton or minor threat.
During those thousand years of patient scheming, it must have accomplished countless dark deeds. But due to the inherent limitations of the original story's narrative perspective, most of those actions were never specifically shown or revealed.
They continued onward in tense silence.
Led expertly by Black Zetsu, they successfully passed through the Kurama clan's supposedly impenetrable forbidden area without incident.
Soon after, Uchiha Kazuki followed Black Zetsu as they slipped beneath the earth's surface, arriving at a carefully hidden underground cave system.
"He's here! He's finally here!"
"Shhhh Don't scare our important guest now"
"Is this the guy that Lord Madara valued so highly? Why does he look so weak and unimpressive!"
A chaotic cacophony of overlapping voices echoed from every direction throughout the cave simultaneously.
Immediately afterward, roughly a dozen strange, extremely pale-skinned humanoid creatures—swaying unsteadily and barely able to walk properly—began approaching from the shadows.
These bizarre humanoid beings completely lacked any visible genitalia and possessed only half-formed faces. They emerged from the pitch-black depths of the cave like wandering ghosts, their curious, unblinking gazes scrutinizing Uchiha Kazuki with unsettling intensity. The creatures who'd been brought in by Black Zetsu occasionally offered sarcastic, mocking commentary.
"This guy is way too skinny, isn't he?"
"Yeah! He doesn't even look as physically strong as me!"
"Is Lord Madara getting senile in his old age?"
"Probably! Hehehehe!"
Watching this entire group of identical-looking individuals conversing simultaneously in the exact same voice and tone created a genuinely eerie, unsettling scene.
"Shut up, all of you. White Zetsu."
Even Black Zetsu seemed to develop a headache from their incessant chatter, sharply interrupting the White Zetsu's chaotic discussion.
"Can I kill these annoying things?"
Uchiha Kazuki's lips twitched with visible irritation, seemingly genuinely angered by their disrespectful mockery. He spoke in a cold, dangerous tone.
"How terrifying~!"
"Ahhhhh! He's actually going to kill us!"
"This guy is way too scary!"
"Waaaaah Lord Madara, save us!"
The White Zetsu showed absolutely no genuine fear whatsoever, continuing to laugh and joke around obnoxiously.
"Yes. You may."
Black Zetsu said coldly, giving explicit permission.
The very instant it spoke those words, Uchiha Kazuki moved with blinding speed—instantly vanishing from his original position.
SWOOSH SWOOSH SWOOSH—!
In the literal blink of an eye, the White Zetsu who had been loudly shouting and mocking just one second earlier suddenly fell completely silent.
Within the pitch-black cave, a sudden rush of sharp, blade-like wind swept through the enclosed space. Then, in less than an instant, more than a dozen White Zetsu had been systematically 'dismembered' with surgical precision.
Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed slightly with genuine surprise. The execution speed had been so impossibly fast that even it hadn't managed to clearly observe the actual movements.
Severed limbs now littered the entire cave floor in gruesome display. Standing calmly among the scattered piles of White Zetsu corpses, the handsome young man in his black coat—with slightly tousled dark hair—turned back with complete indifference. He adjusted his glasses with one finger, and the three tomoe of his Sharingan slowly rotated within his unnaturally calm crimson eyes:
"As for your little test... I should have passed with flying colors, correct?"
The White Zetsu had indeed been intended as a minor combat assessment.
However, what Black Zetsu genuinely hadn't anticipated was that Uchiha Kazuki would complete the test so beautifully and efficiently!
Although these particular White Zetsu clones possessed only genin-level combat capabilities individually, the fact that Kazuki had annihilated the entire group in a single instant was more than sufficient to demonstrate just how exceptional and impressive his natural talent truly was!
"Congratulations, Lord Kazuki."
Black Zetsu immediately abandoned its previous subtle contempt, speaking now with genuine respect:
"Lord Madara is waiting for you deeper inside."
Uchiha Kazuki stepped forward confidently, proceeding into the furthest depths of the cave system.
After walking approximately another dozen meters through the winding passage, the narrow tunnel suddenly opened up dramatically—revealing a surprisingly spacious, well-lit underground chamber.
An extremely elderly man with long white hair sat motionless on a crude stone seat, leaning heavily on a gnarled wooden cane for support. His skin was so thin and papery it appeared practically translucent over protruding bones. Several tubes and pipes were attached to his back, connected to some kind of life-support apparatus. His breathing was so shallow and weak he genuinely seemed perpetually on the verge of death itself.
Even in such an advanced state of physical decay—appearing so frail that a strong gust of wind might topple him over entirely—
His eyes still contained an astonishingly powerful, indomitable aura. As if he remained the same legendary figure who had once dominated the entire shinobi world through sheer force of will!
The ancient old man and the young prodigy's gazes met and locked in mid-air—
Like a symbolic clash representing two completely different eras of shinobi history, invisible flames of ambition sparked between them.
"Uchiha Madara."
"Uchiha Kazuki."
[End of Chapter 74]
Author's Notes:
THE MOMENT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR!
Kazuki finally meets the legendary Uchiha Madara face-to-face!
Key Highlights:
Black Zetsu's Dark History:
Heavily implied it destroyed the Kurama clan's bloodline
Spirit vision revealed fear/dread/pleasure when discussing it
Been manipulating Konoha for centuries
Knows every security system intimately
The White Zetsu Test:
Instant dismemberment showing Kazuki's true speed
Even Black Zetsu couldn't track his movements
Earned genuine respect through raw skill
Perfect blend of taijutsu and Sharingan
The Meeting:
Madara: ancient, dying, but still radiating power
Kazuki: young, confident, already manipulating everyone
Two master manipulators finally face each other
The question: who will manipulate whom?
Critical Detail: Kazuki used spirit vision (Lord of Mysteries ability) to read Black Zetsu's emotions—giving him information even Madara doesn't have!
Next chapter: The legendary conversation between these two schemers begins!