36

Black Zetsu, after watching Naruto and Sasuke struggle, steps forward, his voice echoing with authority. "You've seen how much stronger the Golden Zetsu is compared to you both. But don't worry, you'll be fine."

He turns to the Golden Zetsu, and with a slight motion, commands it to step forward. "Heal them," Black Zetsu orders.

The Golden Zetsu gives a slight nod, its form shimmering briefly before it moves to Naruto and Sasuke, placing a hand over their wounds. The soothing chakra begins to envelop them, healing the bruises and cuts, and within moments, both Naruto and Sasuke are feeling significantly better, though the fatigue remains.

As Naruto pushes himself up with renewed strength, he looks at Black Zetsu. "So, what's next? Another fight?"

Black Zetsu smirks, clearly enjoying their struggle. "Yes. But this time, you'll be fighting a Brown Zetsu that's in the process of evolving into a Golden Zetsu."

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "Evolving? What does that mean?"

Before Black Zetsu can answer, Tsunade's voice rings out, full of shock. "Evolving?! You mean to say that Zetsu can evolve like that?! If that's the case... there could be millions of Golden Zetsu in the future!"

The realization hits everyone hard. Hashirama's face tightens, and even Minato looks concerned as the gravity of what Tsunade just said sinks in. The thought of an army of Golden Zetsu—beings with the power to rival even the strongest shinobi—becoming more numerous is terrifying.

Sakura looks horrified. "If they keep evolving, we could be looking at an army that's impossible to stop. How are we supposed to fight against that?!"

Kakashi tightens his grip on his kunai, his mind racing with strategies, but even he can't deny the sheer scale of the threat that Zetsu's evolution represents.

Black Zetsu simply watches the reactions with a twisted grin. "Yes, they can evolve, and if they do, there will be no end to the strength they can gain. But, for now, you're only dealing with one."

Naruto, ever the optimist despite the overwhelming information, stands up straighter. "I don't care how many of them evolve. I'll just get stronger to beat them all!"

Sasuke, not as quick to embrace the idea of overwhelming numbers, looks at the Brown Zetsu who is beginning to change. "Let's just focus on this fight for now. We'll deal with the rest later."

Hashirama, always the one to focus on the bigger picture, steps forward. "Even if they evolve, we will face them together. But remember—if we're going to fight, we need to know the truth about their strength, and right now, this is the best way to test our limits."

The Brown Zetsu that is evolving begins to glow with a faint golden hue, its form shimmering as it starts the process. Its chakra rises dramatically, and it shifts between the Brown Zetsu's more basic abilities and something much more refined, something much more deadly.

Tsunade looks at the transforming Zetsu, now visibly in shock. "This… This is insane. If this is what they're capable of now, how much stronger will they get?"

Naruto and Sasuke exchange a glance. They know this is going to be another challenge, but it's one they need to face head-on.

Black Zetsu gestures for them to prepare. "Well then, are you ready to face this evolving Zetsu? It's time to see how much you've grown."

With that, the Brown Zetsu completes its transformation into a Golden Zetsu, its power now undeniable. The fight is set to begin again—this time with an even stronger opponent. But Naruto and Sasuke know they can't afford to back down. This is the only way they'll get stronger, and they're ready to push through, no matter the odds.