Uzumaki Nagato!
Senju Yukika had almost forgotten this name. He was certain that under Kuro Zetsu's control, Nagato had exhausted his life force to unleash the Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique and had died in the process. At that age, to stably release such a move was already impressive. Nagato's role should have ended there.
But now, the man's once pale hair had turned blood red again, and his aura had transformed drastically. If you wanted a vivid metaphor: unlike other young warriors, at this moment, Nagato resembled a true avenger. His presence made Yukika grow cautious.
His instincts screamed at him: Nagato had changed. He didn't know why, but the dangerous energy was unmistakable.
What's going on?
Yukika frowned, gripping his Six Paths staff tightly. The Ten Tails had stabilized and was transforming into the Divine Tree. At this point, he didn't want any surprises with the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Under the night sky, the atmosphere turned increasingly eerie. Nagato clenched his fists, his mind flashing back to a life of manipulation and the pain of watching his friends die before him while he was powerless. His eyes turned a deep crimson, and his breathing grew ragged.
Pain was his source of power.
In that chamber, he felt physical agony; the bizarre soul-tearing sensation shredded his spirit. The deaths of his friends crushed his heart. This triple torment constantly fueled his strength, his aura growing more fearsome by the second.
But he hadn't attacked yet. Just as Yukika sensed Nagato's change, Nagato too could feel Yukika's overwhelming might. Six Paths pattern, Six Paths staff, Truth-Seeking Orbs. Yukika now stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.
Far off, Kuro Zetsu's head popped out of the ground, staring bewilderedly at the two facing off. What was going on? Even more than Yukika, Kuro Zetsu was terrified. As the one who had manipulated Nagato to release the Samsara Technique, he knew exactly what Nagato's body should have been like: drained of life force, Rinnegan lost, and dead in that cave.
Yet here he was, alive, exuding a domineering aura.
Why was the path to Infinite Tsukuyomi so bumpy?
Kuro Zetsu silently looked up at the now brighter red moon. Just one more step—if Yukika unleashed Infinite Tsukuyomi, he could save his heartbroken mother. Though it would only recondense her chakra and not restore her true power, it would be enough to reach the moon, break the Six Paths seal, and release her real form.
Ever since this man appeared, the entire rhythm of the shinobi world had been disrupted.
The original plan was flawless. Nagato had acted well, but something still felt off.
"No one could have guessed the final savior would be Uzumaki Nagato," a lazy voice suddenly rang out. Kuro Zetsu stiffened and then turned warily. Sure enough, the man had arrived.
Senju Yukika was a legendary figure. Kuro Zetsu never considered fleeing because he knew that even if he gave his all, he couldn't escape this man's grasp. Nagato couldn't defeat Yukika, so he naturally had no hope.
Moreover, from everything this man had shown, it was clear he knew the true purpose of Infinite Tsukuyomi. If Yukika wanted to expose the plan, Kuro Zetsu should have been warned by now, but he hadn't—which meant Yukika might also want to save his mother.
Why? What was his true goal?
Kuro Zetsu didn't know.
"A ninja world is a vast chessboard, but every time those who think they're the players manipulating the ninja end up as mere pieces," Yukika said calmly. "For example, Uchiha Obito, Uzumaki Nagato, Uchiha Madara—they're all the same."
The man walked step by step toward Kuro Zetsu, pulled out a lounge chair, and leaned back. This destined day was the end of everything.
Kuro Zetsu remained silent, knowing all too well what Yukika was implying.
Yukika stared coldly at him. In the millennium-long scheme, he only wanted one thing: to save his mother. In the ninja world, no one was more devoted to filial piety than him. He couldn't split the moon to save her, so he used his brain and others' power to achieve his goal. He embodied filial piety to its fullest.
From Kuro Zetsu's perspective, this was no small feat. But to the world, this was a disaster. Different positions, like the endless wars in the ninja world, each had their own reasons.
Yukika had long seen through the nature of this world.
"Why don't you stop him?" Kuro Zetsu finally asked after a long silence. He'd wanted to ask this question for a long time but never had the chance—or courage.