Chapter 378: Madara—Black Zetsu, I'm Here to Settle the Score!
"I told you—we didn't need to come."
From a distance, Uchiha Madara halted his steps as he saw Kaguya restrained. He turned to Senju Hashirama, who had come with him, and remarked:
"Since that kid is the so-called 'Child of Prophecy,' it means this crisis in the shinobi world will be resolved by him. Kaguya is just another stepping stone for him."
"…Madara, don't tell me you actually believe in destiny."
Hashirama sighed, shaking his head. "The future is something we create ourselves—we can't just rely on some vague prophecy."
Madara glanced at Hashirama indifferently but said nothing.
He hadn't believed in it before.
But the Great Toad Sage's actions, combined with the current situation, left him with no choice but to acknowledge its power.
However, what he believed in wasn't fate—but the ability to glimpse into the future.
Seeing that Madara had no intention of responding, Hashirama stopped arguing. The two flickered forward with a few quick Body Flicker Techniques, landing a short distance behind Hyuga Fuji.
Hashirama scratched his head, then smiled. "The Sage of Six Paths granted us a sealing technique to imprison her. But since you've already restrained her, do you still need Madara and me to seal her?"
Hearing this, Kaguya looked at Hashirama and Madara's chakra and was suddenly reminded of her two sons.
Then, when Hashirama mentioned the Sage of Six Paths, her expression darkened.
"Even in death, Hagoromo refuses to let me go? I should have never spared him and Hamura back then…"
Ignoring Kaguya, Hyuga Fuji turned to Hashirama and Madara.
Their Edo Tensei cracks had disappeared, and their bodies had fully returned to living flesh—a clear sign that they had been fully resurrected.
This also meant that he and Orochimaru could no longer manipulate them.
But that wasn't the key issue.
The key issue was—his Tenseigan's vision clearly revealed the seals on their hands.
Yin Power. Yang Power.
The Sage of Six Paths had granted them his strength—which, in a way, was a statement of allegiance.
Hyuga Fuji narrowed his eyes, then shook his head.
"I appreciate your offer, but now is not the time for sealing. I have my own plans."
With that, he refocused entirely on suppressing Kaguya, no longer paying attention to anything else.
---
On the other side, Black Zetsu initially felt heavy-hearted upon hearing that Madara and Hashirama had come to seal Kaguya.
But when he saw Hyuga Fuji fully occupied restraining Kaguya, and Madara standing emotionless nearby, his eyes suddenly lit up.
"Hyuga Fuji's power is significantly reduced while he suppresses Mother. Uchiha Madara, this is the perfect time to seal him!"
However, before he could say more, Madara's gaze snapped to him.
"So this is where you've been hiding… Black Zetsu!"
His voice was ice-cold, sharp as a blade. "All these years, watching me struggle for Infinite Tsukuyomi, treating me like a mere pawn—must've been quite entertaining for you, huh?"
Feeling the aura of Six Paths-level chakra from Madara, Black Zetsu trembled slightly from within Kaguya's sleeve.
He hadn't expected Madara to have gained the Sage's power despite never becoming a Ten-Tails Jinchūriki.
But in a way, this was a good thing.
Madara was their last chance to turn the tide.
"Madara, you misunderstand."
Black Zetsu quickly tried to pacify him. "I never manipulated you—I truly wanted to work together with you to create a new world."
"Work together?"
Madara let out a harsh, mocking laugh. "Your idea of 'cooperation' was making me a tool to resurrect Kaguya and then discarding me?"
His Sharingan spun rapidly, and a dangerous glint flickered in his crimson pupils.
"I am Uchiha Madara. I am not anyone's pawn!"
"…..."
Pawn, my ass!
Could you take a second to recall who was manipulating whom?
Wasn't it me who was serving you all along?!
Black Zetsu cursed internally, but on the surface, he maintained a calm tone:
"Madara, don't you find it strange? How did Hyuga Fuji, a mere junior, surpass you? How did he grow so powerful so quickly?"
"Because his real name is Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. Like Mother, he comes from the Ōtsutsuki Clan—beings who plant God Trees and consume Chakra Fruits!"
"If Mother is sealed, there will be no one left in the shinobi world to restrain him. This world will become his personal nursery!"
"And don't forget—Hyuga Fuji manipulated you before. Don't you want revenge?"
Madara raised an eyebrow.
Hashirama also turned to look at Black Zetsu, eyes narrowing slightly.
Then, without a word, the two glanced at each other—and simultaneously turned to Hyuga Fuji.
Hyuga Fuji's expression remained calm and indifferent.
There was no anger, no panic at having his supposed "true identity" exposed.
He simply gazed at them and asked, "Are you going to make a move?"
"No."
Hashirama shook his head and said in a peculiar tone:
"You were personally recognized by both the Sage of Six Paths and the Great Toad Sage as the 'Child of Prophecy.' How could you possibly be Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?"
Madara also nodded mockingly.
"Black Zetsu, even in the face of death, you couldn't come up with a better excuse?"
"If you really wanted me to attack him, you should've just said, 'Here's your chance for revenge'—that would've been more convincing."
Black Zetsu: "…"
'Child of Prophecy'?!
What kind of nonsense is that?!
And what the hell was Hyuga Fuji's true identity?
Even the Sage of Six Paths acknowledged him—so was he really not Isshiki?
Had Mother been mistaken all along?
Kaguya, too, was stunned.
No. Was the Sage of Six Paths blind?!
How could Hyuga Fuji NOT be Ōtsutsuki Isshiki?!
Just look at him—his current form was identical to Ōtsutsuki Shibai's divine appearance!
He was clearly evolving into a higher-level Ōtsutsuki!
She had never been a saint—she had viewed this world as a mere nursery—but at least she had once wanted to protect it.
Yet in the end, the shinobi world rejected her.
The Great Toad Sage plotted against her.
Her own sons betrayed her.
And yet, just because Hyuga Fuji stood against her, he was easily accepted and supported?!
Fighting against Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—was that considered "political correctness" in this world?!
---
"Will you be sealed, or will we settle this in the mental realm, Kaguya? Choose."
As he spoke, Kaguya's body was engulfed in blue light, her chakra forcibly suppressed and redirected.
Hyuga Fuji's voice echoed throughout the battlefield.
"…They might be using you."
Kaguya stared deeply at him.
Then, without resisting further, she allowed herself to be pulled into the mental realm.
Now that Hagoromo and the Great Toad Sage had taken a stance, and Hyuga Fuji had gained two new allies, brute force was no longer an option.
If she wanted to win—she needed to see what Isshiki was really planning.
However, before disappearing, Kaguya secretly used Yomotsu Hirasaka to separate Black Zetsu from her body, leaving only a chakra decoy in her sleeve.
Black Zetsu reappeared far away in the desert, gazing at Kaguya's motionless form in despair.
"Mother!"
His voice was filled with pain and helplessness.
"Hyuga Fuji, I will never forgive you!"
He swore that one day, he would revive Kaguya once again and avenge her.
"Trying to run?"
A cold voice rang beside him.
"We still have a score to settle."
Black Zetsu's body stiffened.
He turned to see Madara, one eye transformed into a Rinnegan, staring at him with a murderous glare.
(End of Chapter)