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73.48% In Naruto: Reborn with Talent / Chapter 351: Ch351. Not just a lucky guy

Chapter 351: Ch351. Not just a lucky guy

Rei nodded, "Go." He said, giving Temari and Gaara an answer to their unasked question. Nodding back, the two turned around and rushed to quickly end this small distraction.

Temari was quite annoyed by these would-be assassins. She could have enjoyed her time near Rei but because these two dudes showed up, she was forced into a fight. Could anyone blame her for being extra brutal with them?

"A pity there is an observer. I haven't stretched my muscles in quite a while." Tsunade quietly complained, contently leaning on Rei who sat next to her.

"You just want it to end quickly so you can go shopping." Rei rolled his eyes.

Inwardly he agreed though. Zetsu being around was indeed annoying.

'Anything you can do about that?' He mentally asked Kaguya but got a negative impression from her. 'Well... not like I expected much.' He sighed.

'What's that supposed to mean?' Kaguya poutily asked. 'I am sealed. It's not like I could just go and tell him to stop.' She complained.

'Why not?' Rei's eyes gained a peculiar glint.

'Eh?' Kaguya let out a confused sound, 'Wha...' And before she could even ask her follow-up question, she found herself outside as Rei created a clone and infused a bit of her chakra into it to draw her consciousness out of her seal through their mental connection.

Both Kankuro and Fuu almost jumped out of their skin as a pale-skinned, horned woman just popped into existence right next to Rei and Tsunade.

"You..." Kaguya gave Rei a speechless look before rubbing her forehead in exasperation. "Fine. What exactly do you want me to do?" She resignedly asked, longingly thinking about the plate of cookies she was so abruptly taken away from.

She knew this was one of Rei's subtle schemes. His 'I just got this awesome idea so let's make it come true' act did not fool her at all. The second he spotted Zetsu nearby, this was most likely bound to happen. It wouldn't help at all for her to complain as, in the end, she would be doing this anyway. Better to just roll with it than pointlessly argue.

During her time with him, she understood at least that much. He was the guy who from the shadows controlled villages that controlled their countries from the shadows. He was the guy behind the creation of the Biri-Biri company and the Uzushio Trading Company, the two international giants that influenced many Daimyos on a day to day basis. He had influence over many things. Influence he seldom used simply because he didn't really need to.

He might have seemed like the spontaneous kind of guy and it might have seemed that he was just the lucky sort that had everything going to his benefit for an outside observer but...

That was just pure bullshit.

He was simply that good at all this subtle plotting and making people do things he wanted them to without them even noticing most of the time or him having to move a finger. Kaguya would know. She had some very minor access to his memories.

For example, Pakura. When Rei saved her all those years ago, he already knew he would one day use her to take control of Sunagakure. He had no idea how or when but it was already in his plans.

He did not save her because she had pretty eyes, after all.

As for pity... yes, he pitied the woman for being betrayed by her village after she gave her all to them but that was something that happened to many ninjas. Was he supposed to save them all just because they were poor pitiful sods stupid enough to let themselves be squeezed dry to the benefit of their villages only to be then betrayed?

'Heh, as if he was that kind.' Kaguya mentally scoffed. Rei was kind only to the people he cared about and those that could bring him some kind of benefit. He was no bastard nor pointlessly ruthless but he would not go out of his way to save others just because they suffered.

In fact, Kaguya marveled at his cavalier attitude to the suffering of others. In Rei's mind, it was simply background noise. People suffered. No biggie. Shit happens. As long as it was not 'his' people, he was totally fine with that and found no reason to intervene.

While he did not foresee himself falling in love with Pakura, that honestly just helped his plans, rather than hindering them. What Kaguya found extremely endearing was that Rei was prepared to completely discard his plans for Pakura once he started caring about her. If she was unwilling to participate in them, he would drop them in a heartbeat.

Fortunately for him, that didn't happen. Not in Pakura's case.

In Mei's case, however, that was exactly what happened so Kaguya knew Rei was not just assuring himself he would stop his schemes for his girls if it came to that. It was not just empty talk. He actually already did it. He had Konan secretly grooming Mei for the position of future Mizukage. Lessons in politics, diplomacy, and bureaucracy... In hindsight, it was obvious what they intended for the girl.

And yet, all it took for Rei to discard his designated plans for making Mei into the fifth Mizukage was him seeing how she acted and realizing she would not like it in the slightest. She was happy in the Village on the Other Side. She was happy making friends and helping Rei directly by mingling with his ninja force, training them, participating in various projects all over Rei's village, and helping it to develop with a hands-on approach. On the other hand, she absolutely hated paperwork and sitting in a chair for long periods of time.

For such a simple reason, Rei decided to make Ringo the Mizukage instead of Mei.

Sure, he might have presented the situation differently to his girls but deep down, he did it for their benefit as much as his. He just cared too much for them to simply use them. That was why Kaguya didn't mind going along with his schemes. He believed Ringo could and would make the best of her time as Mizukage despite her grumbling so he put his foot down.

And now... Ringo was the Mizukage, she had an entire village utterly devoted to her, not even she really knew why or how, and her dream of making the best swords in the world became a reality thanks to her ability to just push the advancement of forging techniques in her village. She literally had a village full of grunts she could just send on material-gathering missions. A dream come true for a person such as her.

Yes, she had to deal with being the leader of a hidden village and all it entailed but frankly, it was pretty obvious that Ringo was happy in her current position.

The same went for Tsunade. While her impromptu surprise take-over of Konoha was a shock for Rei and he had to re-evaluate a lot of his plans, he didn't dwell long on it nor did he admonish her for it. Instead, he simply adjusted his plans.

And the sheer quantity that needed adjusting was mind-boggling. In his position, Kaguya would have screamed herself hoarse at Tsunade. The woman still had no idea whatsoever just how many of Rei's schemes she totally and utterly crushed with that little revolution of hers.

As long as Tsunade was happy, he could live with a headache-inducing month-long replanning session.

That's why Kaguya trusted Rei and wasn't afraid of messing up. That's also why she would try her best though.

"Hm... Let's see. I'd really like to have an informer in Akatsuki. What do you think?" Rei jokingly asked, really not expecting Kaguya to just go and try to talk Zetsu into switching sides.

Zetsu was the driving force behind Akatsuki, after all. Obito could lie to himself that he was the guy in control but unfortunately for him, he was just a puppet of a puppet of a puppet. In fact, the guy was pretty pathetic in Rei's opinion.

"Okay." Kaguya simply shrugged and started slowly walking towards Zetsu's direction.

'Wait, what?' Rei blankly blinked at her back, his mind trying to comprehend what just happened. 'Did she take my joke seriously?'


Chapter 352: Ch352. Zetsu

Kaguya calmly walked in the direction of Zetsu in an even and measured, regal gait as if she was taking a stroll through the forest, completely unbothered from the fighting that was going on nearby.

One stray attack could kill her. She was aware of that. But it was not like being killed would mean she would die. Her body was just a clone with her consciousness imbued in it, after all.

Frankly, if she died, she would at least have an excuse to return to her cookies.

'On the other hand, Rei would most likely just summon me again to finish my job. Haa~, the sacrifices I make for that silly man.' Kaguya shook her head with a small happy smile stretching on her lips, not even realizing she was almost skipping.

He really wouldn't summon her back if she died since this was but a misunderstanding but she didn't need to know that...

She finally arrived at her destination and could clearly feel Zetsu being hidden in the ground a few tens of feet under her. This was only possible because Zetsu was technically still a part of her. For others, even S-rank ninjas like Sasori or Kakuzu, he was practically invisible with his concealment technique.

'Now... how to announce my presence.' Kaguya wondered, lamenting her current lack of chakra and the limitations of her clone body.

If she was in her true body, she would just Bansho Ten'in him to the surface, probably half-killing him in the process. 'Sigh. I really miss my convenient universal solution.'

Alas, while she definitely had the ability to manifest Rinnegan even in her current body as it was more spiritual in nature for her than physical, her chakra was not enough to activate it in her current body.

And that was only manifesting it. Actually using it for something... now that was utterly impossible. Her body would go out in a poof if she even started to try.

'Rei could at least give me enough chakra for the task.' She inwardly grumbled, deciding to make her displeasure clear when she returned.

Poor Rei really didn't expect her to just up and go enact this harebrained wish of his and when she did so, he was first too stunned to stop her before he became curious how it would turn out.

Attempting to convert Zetsu was honestly a stupid move at the moment. So much could go wrong with that it was not even funny.

Rei had no idea if the guy would think Kaguya was an impostor or if he would recognize her through her chakra or something. One thing was certain, however. Simply looking like Kaguya would not be enough to persuade Zetsu. The henge was a Jutsu taught in the academy for a reason, after all. And with Kaguya in her weakened state...

For all the plant-guy knew, his 'mother' was still sealed in the moon and he was given the grand quest of getting her out. Having her casually pop up in front of him... there was no telling how he would react.

Either he will have a way to ascertain it is really her or... he won't. And if he doesn't have such a method, then a shitstorm will follow.

Zetsu would get to know that somebody out there knows about his mother and he would no doubt be on a quest to exterminate them with extreme prejudice. Not that he actually could do much directly. The problem was his indirect involvement. The guy was centuries old and participated in controlling even people like Madara from the shadows. He might not be capable of hurting Rei or his girls but he was good enough to make things difficult for Rei's and his girls' villages or companies in some roundabout way.

Obito targeting Rei's companies was harmless. The guy was a mostly straightforward type. His scheming ability only went as far as Zetsu allowed. All brawn and very little brains. If he had brains, with his Mangekyou Ability, he could have won the war or forcefully gather all jinchuuriki very easily.

Zetsu was a different kind of animal altogether. He thrived in darkness and loved manipulation. A dangerous combination for a ninja world.

Yet, Rei was too curious to stop Kaguya and decided to simply observe this meeting from afar through his sensing abilities.

"Hmm... if I remember right, Zetsu should have unparalleled detection ability." Kaguya mused out loud, cutely putting her index finger on her chin in a pondering manner. "He is probably feeling my presence but ignoring it because of how little chakra I have, deeming me unimportant. That sucks." She clicked her tongue in mild irritation. "It would take a proper deep look at my chakra for him to recognize me. How to get his attention, though..."

Kaguya was a bit disgruntled. For the first time since she met Rei, she felt severely limited in what she could do. Sure, she was also in clone body when in Rei's mansion in his village but she didn't need her abilities there so she never really noticed nor cared how limiting her current state was.

It was frankly frustrating and brought a beginning of depression to her as it reminded her of the time when Hagoromo was sealing her into the Moon.

"Rei better prepare his special cookies for me after this. Reminding me of such unpleasant memories." She huffed and frowned before knitting her eyebrows together as an idea started to slowly form in her mind.

'Since Rinnegan is out, then...' Kaguya thought before smugly activating her Byakugan and focusing her intent stare at Zetsu to the point even a total amateur at detection would find it extremely annoying to the point of inability to ignore it.

She was basically broadcasting a 'here I am, look at me!' vibe through her gaze. It was the first thing Hyuuga clansmen learned not to do after they activated their Byakugan since ninjas are usually very sensitive to being observed by others.

Zetsu naturally instantly noticed and his head whipped in Kaguya's direction and his eyes landed on hers that were narrowed and portrayed a great deal of impatience. It took only a moment for Zetsu to register her appearance and his eyes widened in shock. He instantly scrambled to present himself to her, not even a shred of doubt about her identity remained in his mind. He was simply too happy to doubt the sight in front of him.

Resurfacing from the ground, Zetsu kneeled, "Mother!" He eagerly exclaimed, getting the feel for her chakra and understanding that yes, the person in front of him was real. "You are here! How is that possible?" He added in disbelief and awe in his tone, confusion clear on his face.

An indulgent and amused smile appeared on Kaguya's face at his antics and apparent loyalty. Reaching out, she subconsciously but gently ruffled his hair. Funnily enough, of all her 'children', Zetsu was the one she felt closest to. He did spend his entire life trying to free her, after all. If nothing else, she was at least grateful for that dedication.

"I am not really free, Zetsu. Not yet." She said and Zetsu's expression instantly fell. Kaguya almost cooed at that. It was as if she just told a child there will be no ice cream after lunch.

"But..." He weakly tried to protest.

"I just acquired a very reliable man willing to help me." She continued and the smile on her face involuntarily widened, "He made this," She gestured at herself, "possible. Only my consciousness can leave the seal for now but I have full trust that the day I get freed is not far off."

Zetsu eagerly nodded, "How can I help?"

He didn't think to question Kaguya or the identity of her helper. To be honest, it didn't matter to him how or why. He was created to get her out of the seal and now that she was at least partially out, it brought him immense joy and hope.

Rei who observed from afar was utterly baffled at how... naive Zetsu seemed. He expected many things but this... not in the slightest.

"Mhm." Kaguya distractedly nodded, "I will need you to continue doing whatever you are doing." She relocated her hand that was nuzzling his hair onto his forehead, earning herself a small pout from him that made her giggle before she used her chakra to imprint what she wanted from him into his mind.

Zetsu's eyes gained a newfound determination as he understood what his mother wanted him to do and that the Eye of the Moon plan was no longer necessary for her unsealing. In fact, he was surprised that she wanted him to subtly steer Akatsuki astray.

A normal human would feel at least a twinge of reluctance after putting so much effort into it. From manipulating Madara to manipulating Obito, to forming Akatsuki, to subtly manipulating Pain, to leading them towards the Eye of the Moon plan... It took Zetsu at the very least a century of continuous effort. Yet, there was nothing but joy and willingness to serve in his mind. He felt no hesitation to make all that effort completely obsolete and meaningless.

It was a clear testament that Zetsu was in fact no human and despite his humanoid appearance, he didn't feel the way humans did.

"I understand, mother. Your will will be done." Zetsu said almost reverently.

Kaguya didn't really react to his worshipful tone. She was used to being worshipped. This was nothing new for her. Frankly, the teasing Rei so often subjected her to was more perturbing for her while also making her flustered most of the time.

It was... oddly good feeling, in Kaguya's opinion.

"Make sure to not cause trouble for the Biri-Biri company, the Uzushio Trading Company, Sunagakure, Konohagakure, and Kirigakure in the upcoming months and wait for the signal to enact the plans I just mentally transferred to you." She firmly ordered.

"As you will." Zetsu nodded, staring at her, waiting if she had any more instructions for him.

Kaguya blinked and tilted her head, "Off you go, then."

And Zetsu wordlessly merged with the ground again, disappearing.

She knew he would not betray her. Zetsu was technically a part of her and he was created in such a way that made his most heartfelt wish to merge with her, becoming again a part of her. That could be done only after she got fully out of the seal and it was meant as insurance that he would not stop trying to get her out. He was her will personified and that was not just in a matter of speech but at the time of his creation, her sons just betrayed her and Kaguya didn't have much trust left in her.

While her state at that time also transferred the corruption of Juubi into Zetsu, making him quite a bad boy, Kaguya was not worried because of that. Rei already promised her he would develop a seal that could deal with the corruption in a permanent manner so when he will inevitably merge with her, ceasing to exist, he will not corrupt her.

'Heeh~, I am kinda good at this scheming thing too if I say so myself.' Kaguya happily nodded with satisfaction at the outcome as she turned around, heading back towards Rei, intending to demand her just rewards.


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