Chapter 334: Nagato Determines the Real Black Zetsu
For a moment, Black Zetsu was speechless. Then, he quickly realized what had happened.
Was Hyuga Fuji actually chasing after Black Zetsu II earlier?
Was that even possible?
Even with Kaguya's power, he wasn't confident he could escape Hyuga Fuji's pursuit.
Could a mere fragment of Madara's will do it?
Absolutely impossible!
And considering the absolute deadlock in Ideal City, the odds of Black Zetsu II escaping were nearly zero.
Uchiha Madara wasn't some protagonist in a manga who could always turn the tide in desperate situations.
How could he possibly send Black Zetsu II out?
So… the Black Zetsu II standing before him was definitely suspicious!
It was highly likely that this impostor was acting under Hyuga Fuji's orders.
If Madara's life was being used as leverage, Black Zetsu II would definitely comply and follow any order!
Was Hyuga Fuji trying to manipulate Nagato?
If he hadn't been here, Black Zetsu II could have easily deceived Nagato—and then, the Ten-Tails would be in jeopardy…
Black Zetsu didn't hesitate. His expression darkened as he spoke in a chilling tone:
"I am the real one, Nagato! This guy is a fake created by Hyuga Fuji, trying to lure you into a trap!"
No matter why Black Zetsu II was here, the only way to seize control of Nagato's decisions was to establish himself as the real one!
Across from him, Black Zetsu II scoffed, his face filled with disdain.
This traitor had once been Madara's will, but after he fled during the battle, Black Zetsu II had completely written him off as an enemy.
What kind of "will" abandons its master to save itself?
Of course, he couldn't say that outright.
Nagato wasn't even aware that there had been two Black Zetsus to begin with.
Explaining all that history would waste too much time and interfere with Hyuga Fuji's mission.
'You wouldn't want me to send Madara to Hyuga Fuji's lab, would you, Black Zetsu?'
As Black Zetsu II recalled the chilling threat, his eyes filled with genuine hatred.
"Hah, laughable." Black Zetsu II sneered. "You're the one trying to turn the tables. But I am Madara-sama's will. That's a fact you can never change."
"I am the real one."
"No, I am!"
"It's me!"
"I'm the real one!"
Black Zetsu mirrored Black Zetsu II's tone, speaking coldly and maintaining a stoic demeanor.
Inwardly, however, he was sighing.
'I don't want to do this, but… Black Zetsu II is only two years old. He still acts childish sometimes. To make my impersonation believable, I have to act the same way.'
Fortunately, he had irrefutable proof.
If Black Zetsu II wasn't prepared, he could crush him in an instant!
As the two figures bickered, Nagato narrowed his eyes in irritation.
"Do either of you have proof?"
Seeing his opportunity, Black Zetsu quickly pulled out a ring, not wanting to waste a second.
"I have the Akatsuki ring!"
Nagato's eyelid twitched as he looked at the ring.
It was the Genbu (玄武) Ring, belonging to Zetsu.
Black Zetsu had deliberately taken it from White Zetsu before leaving Ideal City.
At the time, White Zetsu had been right next to Madara, so it was easy to snatch away.
Nagato examined it carefully. Using his Rinnegan, he confirmed:
"It's real."
His tone softened slightly, as if acknowledging Black Zetsu's credibility.
Then, both turned to Black Zetsu II.
Without hesitation, Black Zetsu II sneered—and pulled out another Genbu Ring.
"...It's real too."
Nagato's eyelid twitched even harder, his frown deepening.
'What the hell is this?'
He had personally crafted the Akatsuki rings.
How did this imposter make a perfect copy?
Meanwhile, Black Zetsu's confidence plummeted.
"How does he have another Genbu Ring?!"
These rings were handmade by Nagato himself—they shouldn't be replicable…
Suddenly, a chilling realization dawned on Black Zetsu.
Could it be…?
"The other Rinnegan!"
Black Zetsu II smirked.
"Hyuga Fuji was well-prepared. But you? You rushed to reveal your trump card too soon—making yourself look even more suspicious."
Nagato's gaze shifted to Black Zetsu.
Indeed… he had acted too hastily.
Noticing Nagato's suspicion, Black Zetsu's expression twitched.
'Damn it! That was a brilliant reversal…'
Even though he wasn't actually Madara's original Zetsu, his ring was authentic!
Yet this fake had pulled out a matching one…
In an instant, Black Zetsu's acting skills surged to their peak.
Maintaining a flawless performance, he spoke with righteous fury:
"I am Madara-sama's will! No one can forge my existence!"
"I remember everything about him. Every moment we spent together is burned into my memory!"
"You claim to be the real one? Then tell me, what was Madara-sama's favorite food?"
Black Zetsu II: "..."
'Favorite food?'
Most of his existence had been spent working—when would he ever have time to learn about Madara's favorite food?
Besides, before his death, Madara had been hooked up to the Demonic Statue, surviving off intravenous chakra infusions.
After being resurrected via Edo Tensei, he didn't even need to eat!
Why the hell would he care about that?!
"Hmph. Can't answer?"
Black Zetsu sneered.
"Madara-sama's favorite food was tofu skin sushi. The food he hated most? Sardines."
Black Zetsu II refused to back down.
"Then tell me—who did Madara-sama love most?"
Black Zetsu answered without hesitation.
"His brother, Uchiha Izuna!"
"Wrong!" Black Zetsu II snapped.
"It was Hashirama Senju!"
"Madara-sama mentioned Hashirama at least once every few days. As for Izuna… who's that?"
"I've never even heard him bring him up."
Black Zetsu: "..."
'Wait… you meant that kind of love?!'
His expression almost cracked.
He had witnessed so many generations of Asura and Indra reincarnations.
He had seen countless pairs entangled in love and hate.
Frankly, he was immune to it by now.
Maybe… he had been too slow to catch on.
Feigning disdain, Black Zetsu scoffed.
"Izuna was Madara-sama's brother—his dearest family. How could you not know that?"
Black Zetsu II sneered.
"Old men love to reminisce. If Madara-sama never mentioned Izuna, it means Izuna didn't matter to him as much as Hashirama did."
"Then tell me this—what did Madara-sama hate the most?"
Black Zetsu: "He hated when people stood behind him while he was using the toilet!"
Black Zetsu II: "...Then what was his preferred sleeping posture?"
"He liked to lean back in a chair, chin tilted slightly forward, looking down on everything!"
"..."
Listening to their increasingly bizarre argument, Nagato's eye twitched violently.
'Are they trying to prove who's real… or just airing Madara's embarrassing secrets?!'
Then, as if reaching an unspoken agreement, both turned to Nagato at the same time.
"Nagato, who do you think is the real one?" x2
Nagato narrowed his eyes—and suddenly muttered:
"Madara was useless. He lost to Hyuga Fuji way too fast."
Black Zetsu II erupted with rage.
"How dare you call Madara-sama useless?! If he had become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, he wouldn't fear Hyuga Fuji at all!"
"You're the useless one! You already lost one Rinnegan, and even as the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, you can't surpass Hyuga Fuji!"
Nagato's face turned emotionless.
Perfect.
Now he knew which one was real.
(End of Chapter)