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"This kind of power… how is it possible?"
The more Samui imagined that horrifying scene, the paler her expression grew.
It was no wonder Atsui and his companions had mistaken this place; the scope was simply too vast. Everything in sight appeared barren and flat.
However, if one were to observe from a god-like perspective, they would realize that the entire area resembled the gory interior of a meat grinder, with the ground stained in a disturbing shade of dark red, as if "livestock" had been slaughtered into sludge and flesh not long ago.
Everything within a radius of tens of kilometers had been swept clean.
That tens of kilometers had turned into a lifeless wasteland.
Even the surface of the earth had been plowed into several meters deep depressions.
This kind of power could not possibly belong to mere humans.
Such an event could hardly be something humans would be capable of.
Samui found herself unable to fathom how such destruction could occur.
She had witnessed many gruesome and bloody scenes before.
Yet she had never encountered a sight that could invoke such horror. The residual terror and bloodiness lingered in the air, refusing to dissipate.
It felt as if she could smell the blood lingering from bodies torn apart by the wind, hearing the mournful wails and terror of those Kumogakure ninjas before their deaths.
This catastrophic power was not something humanity should wield.
Not even the Third Tsuchikage Onoki's Dust Release could inflict such widespread devastation.
How could someone with such terrifying strength have been unknown until now?
Samui turned her gaze toward the deep, dark pit in the distance, where a bold hypothesis began taking shape in her mind.
Unless that person had suddenly emerged.
"Big sis, what should we do?"
Atsui, beside her, asked in an uncertain tone, while the other two chūnin appeared to be just as bewildered.
The four of them had already found numerous Kumogakure forehead protectors, even locating one or two from Konoha.
Yet there were no corpses—no corpses at all—neither Kumogakure nor Konoha ninjas.
Only that overwhelming, suffocating stench of blood lingered in the air, permeating the ground beneath their feet, which was steeped in a sickening red.
Even with their limited intelligence, the three understood where the corpses had gone.
"..."
Gazing at the unfathomable dark pit in the distance, Samui remained quiet for a moment before looking away, taking a breath to regain her composure. "Let's not act rashly; we'll report back to the Raikage."
Despite her instincts screaming that all truth lay within that pit, she made the rational choice to remain calm.
To confront a "monster" with such terrifying power, if it was still there, was far beyond the capacity of the four of them to challenge.
The four figures vanished into the night, and after they departed, the area remained untouched by any living creature.
It was as if a traveler walking through the jungle had stumbled upon the remains of prey torn apart by a ferocious beast. Seeing the devoured carcasses before them,
even if the predator had long since left satiated, they would remain shaken by the lingering violence in the air, enough to send greedy dogs and wolves fleeing in terror.
Eventually, silence enveloped the surroundings, and from the blood-red soil, something like a pitcher plant emerged halfway.
The enormous pitcher plant slowly opened, revealing a half-black, half-white Yin-Yang face.
White Zetsu, accompanied by Black Zetsu, emerged.
"What an intimidating human," White Zetsu mused. "I'm glad I pulled you back in time; if I had jumped out rashly, I too would've become fertilizer."
Black Zetsu remained silent, staring at everything before him, lost in thought.
This emergence was, without a doubt, unexpected.
Even using the Mayfly Technique to hide underground, he could feel the terrifying aura of that last strike.
While that blow might not be equal to "Super Almighty Push," Black Zetsu sensed that the individual should still be in a weakened state.
If that person were to recover to their peak condition, it would indeed be enough to rival the former Madara.
And that pair of eyes…
Remembering the blue eyes glimpsed from afar, Black Zetsu's heart pulsed with unease and even fear.
For one who lacked powerful abilities and only play tricks, the most frightening situations were the unpredictable ones.
In its over a thousand years of memory, the Rinnegan should have represented the zenith of what these pathetic humans could achieve. Even that bastard Kaguya Ōtsutsuki had only possessed that level of power in life. The mightier Rinnegan was solely held by Kaguya.
Yet now, why, how could there exist eyes equal to or even exceeding the Rinnegan?
There seemed to be only one possibility.
"An Outer Being…"
Thinking of this final possibility, Black Zetsu's body trembled with waves of fear.
An existence had appeared in the ninja world, likened to the "Outer Beings" from their mother's memories?
Yes, that pair of eyes, which even their mother had never possessed, must belong to an Outer Being!
"No! This is an opportunity I've been patiently waiting for a thousand years; no matter who it is, no one will stop me from helping my mother regain her freedom!" Black Zetsu's hollow eyes narrowed. "I need to make sure that Obito and Nagato immediately start collecting the Tailed Beasts!"
If that pair of Rinnegan did not belong to the growth I have long awaited, Black Zetsu's cautious nature suggested it would've hidden away somewhere, at least waiting until identifying the Outer Being's identity before making its move.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the case; it was the best and final opportunity.
With that in mind, Black Zetsu took one last look at the distant chasm before controlling White Zetsu to meld into the ground and head towards the Land of Rain, making the same sensible choice as Samui.
Even while aware of secrets lurking there, they could not afford to take risks.
Let others scout the way; wait until the final moment to reap the benefits. That was Black Zetsu's character.
Meanwhile, within Konoha Hospital, an oppressive atmosphere hung heavily in the air.
"The blue-eyed monster, the azure chakra transforming into robes, the ninja sect unleashing hurricanes without hand seals, the Abyss where the monster was sealed…" After listening to Hyuga Kumo's account, Hiruzen squinted.
If these words weren't coming from this good child Kumo and didn't have Todo's confirmation beside him, he would probably dismiss them as the most absurd legends.
It was as if recalling something, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the boy in front of him and asked, "You mentioned seeing a 'structure' inside the Abyss?"
"Yes, I'm certain!" Hyuga Kumo's pallid complexion regained a hint of color, "However, I couldn't see inside that structure; something veiled my Byakugan's line of sight."
Upon hearing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked his chin thoughtfully, his gaze flickering.
An ancient creature that had likely survived since the times of old legends, could it have left behind secrets or techniques for sealing it?
If it were true, and if he could obtain that…
Ding!
Your lie has been classified as [Turning a Falsehood into Reality][Clever Evasion][Hiding in Plain Sight][Luring into a Trap]. Samui, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, Akimichi Todo, and Sarutobi Hiruzen experience intense emotional fluctuations, reaching the level of [Half-Truths], gaining 6000 Validate Points.
Remaining Validate Points: 16694.
Hearing the prompt in his mind, Hyuga Kumo's heart stirred slightly, a smile blossoming within.
The fish has been hooked.
Who would've thought that Black Zetsu would also be here? What a delightful surprise.
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