Chapter 109: The Birth of Black Zetsu

Mountains' Graveyard.

Uchiha Madara sat grimly on a large chair, his complexion surprisingly rosy, with several tubes from the Gedo Statue inserted into his back, listening to White Zetsu's report.

"...That's how it is, Lord Madara!"

"We might no longer be able to venture into Konoha to play. This guy's presence is extremely dangerous and terrifying, and he spotted me immediately!"

White Zetsu complained while Uchiha Madara waved him away with a flick of his hand.

Next to him, Nagato was anxiously supporting Uzumaki Kaori. After several months of interaction, Nagato had come to regard this clan member he had never met before as a close sister.

Uzumaki Kaori, the mother of Karin in the original timeline, was around the same age as Minato, sixteen or seventeen, but her naturally delicate doll-like face made her look younger.

"Madara, are you okay?" Nagato asked with a worried look.

Madara and Nagato had a fairly harmonious relationship after years of interaction. Uzumaki Kaori also looked at Madara with concern.

Although Madara had absorbed a large amount of her chakra to sustain his life after fighting with Hanma, she viewed Madara as a great hero and benefactor who had saved her from the hell of the Grass Village. Madara massacring the Grass Village had cleansed years of her humiliation, making her willing to repay him for the rest of her life. Even life and death would be disregarded if Madara needed it.

"No problem, the plan just needs to change," Madara said, his tone unchanged and still exuding confidence, though he was deeply troubled inside.

The information brought by White Zetsu had even made him feel a shiver of fear. "That guy seems to have shown growth that surpasses all Taijutsu ninjas and has reached a new realm. Even the Box of Ultimate Bliss couldn't seal him, and he altered the Six Paths' tools."

Madara closed his eyes in thought for a long time, then looked at Nagato and said slowly, "Nagato, in a month, I will give you these Rinnegan. You need to train even harder to bring light to this Shinobi world."

Nagato solemnly replied in a deep voice, "I swear on my life, I will use these eyes to bring true light to the Shinobi world. The Moon's Eye Plan will be my lifelong goal!"

Madara nodded slightly and turned his gaze to Uzumaki Kaori.

"As for you, you need to catch up with Nagato's pace and make some changes."

Uzumaki Kaori responded passionately, "I am willing to give everything for Lord Madara and Nagato's ideals. Please instruct me!"

During Madara's absence, Nagato and Uzumaki Kaori had quickly become close. Two scattered Uzumaki clan members in the Shinobi world had naturally bonded deeply. In their daily conversations, Nagato had subtly shared his ideals of changing the Shinobi world with her, making Uzumaki Kaori deeply infatuated with such grand ideals. As a girl who had suffered from the Shinobi world's dangers, she had no resistance to such ideals.

Madara pondered; Uzumaki Kaori's arrival was also beyond his plans. "It seems there are unusual feelings between Uzumaki Kaori and Nagato which I can use." "Nagato's mindset has matured after three years of training."

Even though Nagato respectfully adhered to Madara's words, Madara still detected a hint of unnaturalness in his expression. Much like Obito in the previous life, had they not disrupted his plans, Madara would not have had the chance to see the light of day again and would continue to slumber as a decaying corpse in the ground.

"I must find a way to control Nagato and also find someone strong enough to oversee the implementation of the Moon's Eye Plan."

Madara felt a headache; Hanma's blockade on the Uchiha clan was severe, and now there were suspicions he had developed a malevolent sensing ability, cutting off Madara's intelligence network from its source. Madara's gaze softened slightly as he looked at the ground to his right but then shook his head.

"Better not disturb Izuna's rest for now."

His love for his brother Izuna was profound, to the extent that he could not bear to harm Sasuke, who resembled him. 

"The Moon's Eye Plan, you should have an idea about it by now. If you want to join, you need to give everything to improve your strength."

Madara gently stroked Uzumaki Kaori's head, though his tone was extremely stern. 

Uzumaki Kaori nodded without hesitation, saying loudly, "I have been ready for a long time, Lord Madara!"

Madara slowly formed a seal with one hand, and the Gedo Statue behind him roared, extending several tubes that connected to Uzumaki Kaori, mercilessly piercing her skin.

"Gurgle, gurgle, gurgle..."

The substance flowing from the Gedo Statue's tubes entered Uzumaki Kaori, making her skin slowly develop a white layer. She bit her lip in pain but made no sound; however, her twisted face showed she was enduring immense agony. 

"Ahhhhhhhh!" 

Uzumaki Kaori finally couldn't bear the pain and screamed miserably. 

Nagato rushed to her side, worriedly looking at her, and with a slight hint of anger said to Madara, "With my power and your Rinnegan, once I grow stronger, there will be no one in the Shinobi world who can stop me!"

But Madara remained indifferent, shaking his head and ignoring Kaori's screams.

This was a test for Uzumaki Kaori by Madara, also a way to save her life. Madara, possessing the power of all things in the universe, required an immense amount of chakra to restore his vitality, far more than others. By absorbing a vast amount of chakra from Uzumaki Kaori, he had damaged her foundation, greatly reducing her vitality, with signs of sudden death looming.

Madara's method was to inject the pure power of the Divine Tree into her to transform her fundamentally. However, this power was no ordinary person, the Wood Style experiments in Konoha had only one survivor out of hundreds. Not to mention, this was the power of the Divine Tree that surpassed Hashirama cells.

Madara summoned a White Zetsu, and as White Zetsu approached in confusion, Madara grabbed his face with one hand firmly.

"Six Paths: Soul Injection Technique!"

White Zetsu howled, half of his body dyed black by Yin Release chakra, becoming a half-black and half-white being, kneeling on one leg and saying, "I obey your will, my master."

Madara slightly nodded, introducing to Nagato: "This is a creation of mine using the Six Paths Jutsu, it can be seen as half of me. Its name is Black Zetsu."

"From now on, he will guide your training."

Nagato nodded, but couldn't help glancing at Uzumaki Kaori writhing in pain. 

Madara coldly waved his hand, and Black Zetsu escorted Nagato out of the cave. Though Nagato kept looking back, Black Zetsu still escorted him out firmly but politely.

"If I want to perform the Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique, my current vitality may not be enough to save Izuna. Even with the Gedo Statue's supplementation, it would take years to accumulate enough..."

"No, better not disturb Izuna's rest. With the current situation, large-scale conflict in the Shinobi world is inevitable, perhaps I can find a truly qualified Uchiha from it."

Madara slowly walked towards Uzumaki Kaori, placing a secret seal inside her, also injecting some Rinnegan chakra to help her suppress the chakra disorder within.

Uzumaki Kaori endured the pain, saying, "Thank you for your help, Lord Madara. I will definitely become your most powerful tool!"

Madara snorted coldly, returning to his seat, adjusting the energy of the Gedo Statue within him, remaining silent.

The failure against Hanma had brought a rare sense of frustration to Madara, a man who had only ever been defeated by Hashirama in his life.

Outside the cave, Black Zetsu, created by Madara, was invaded and replaced by an even purer Yin-Yang Release substance from the feet up, transforming his will. This unknown entity replacing Madara's creation was Kaguya's true "third child," Zetsu!