Chapitre 139: Zetsu Collapse
In the abandoned mines of the Mountains' Graveyard, a strange, unique white Zetsu, his face creased like a whirlpool, strutted through the hidden underground base with an air of confidence and boredom. The dimly lit corridors echoed with each step he took, the sound reverberating off the cold stone walls.
He had always enjoyed his solitary walks, relishing in the power and secrets that surrounded him. Tonight was no different.
"Ahh… when will my good friend take me out? I really want to see how pooing works..."
As the lonely Swirly ventured deeper into the base, an eerie sensation suddenly enveloped him. A slight tremble rippled through the base as the atmosphere became heavy, almost suffocating, as if the very air itself was holding its breath.
Moments later, a strong, continuous rumble echoed through the base, shaking the very foundation as Swirly's white arm transformed into wood, embedding itself into the rocky wall as he tried to stabilize himself, "Eh? Ehhh? What is happening?!"
In the heart of the underground complex, a massive underwater cavern stretched out below the base. It was a hidden world, untouched and concealed from the prying eyes of the outside world.
However, at this moment, an abyssal hole had been opened up beneath this cavern!
The previous subterranean layer supporting the underwater lake was hollowed out, and now the underwater cavern collapsed, sending shockwaves through the base. The ground quaked violently, fissures snaking through the once stable earth.
The water from the lake drained through the collapsing cavern, exposing the hidden horrors that lurked within the lake. The white Zetsu, a strange and grotesque manifestation of twisted human flesh, emerged from the depths with their distorted faces and contorted limbs.
Their awakening was but a dance of agony and despair. The Zetsu thrashed and flailed, their muffled cries lost amidst the chaos of rushing water.
As the water gushed downwards, they sank further into the abyss, their bodies smashing into a twisted mess deep below or crushed by the weight of the rushing water affected by gravity. Rubbles from the collapsing cavern also contributed to their demise as the natural force of nature wrecked havoc amidst the thousands of white Zetsu.
Above, Swirly hung on the rocky walls frozen, unable to tear his gaze away from the gruesome spectacle. The twisted face of this Zetsu twisted further in pain and confusion, its eyes wide with shock. "One… Two… Three… Guru guru… so many… someone will be very mad."
But the horrors did not end there. As the last remnants of the underwater lake disappeared into the abyss and formed a new deep underwater sinkhole, the still living corpses of the Zetsu struggled to move, their distorted limbs twitching and jerking in unnatural ways. The ground trembled once more, but this time, it was not from the collapse.
From the depths of the earth beneath the water, giant Zergs emerged, their chittering mandibles hungry for flesh. They burrowed out of the ground and entered the water, their beady eyes fixated on the struggling Zetsu.
The Zergs wasted no time, their sharp pincers tearing into the broken bodies, gnawing at the remaining flesh. Some larger Zergs even devoured its prey whole, burrowing back into the ground and escaping with its bounty.
Many of the less-damaged white Zetsu mustered the strength to fight back. Their twisted limbs transformed into wood, flailing in a desperate attempt to hold their ground, to push back the encroaching tide, but the sheer quantity of their enemies gradually overwhelmed them.
After all, without the chakra of the tailed beasts, the Zetsu army had yet to reach its peak strength of one hundred thousand members.
And the suddenness of the ambush had shattered their cohesion, decimating most of their combat effectiveness.
This moment, this critical juncture, was not their apex. Now, they found themselves outmatched, outmaneuvered by a merciless foe who exploited their vulnerabilities with precision.
Amidst the tumultuous scene, Swirly, unable to witness the events unfolding beneath the water's surface, still received the signals transmitted by his fellow 'compatriots', the echoes of their distress reaching him, piercing through the haze of his trance, allowing realization to wash over him. "En-Enemy attack! Eek! What should I do? What should Guruguru do?!"
"Ah-" As he twerked in place, Swirly's voice trailed off, his thoughts racing as he recalled the appearances of their strange enemies sent back by his perished 'compatriots'. "Could they be...?" His words hung in the air, a fragment of curiosity and uncertainty.
Staring into the abyss below, Swirly's mind whirled with possibilities. "Could they be creatures with normal bodily functions?!" he mused aloud, his voice laced with excitement. "Should I go ask them what it feels like to poo? Hmm..."
However, before Swirly could consider further, the battle reached its abrupt conclusion. The currents of the once tumultuous lake gradually settled, leaving a sense of stillness in its wake.
Swirly, scratching his bald white head, stood on the wooden platform he had constructed for himself, taking in the aftermath. "Eh, they left?" he remarked, a tinge of disappointment seeping into his tone. "Ah, but the original is here..."
In that very moment, Zetsu in his Akatsuki uniform burst forth from a nearby wall, barely halting his momentum before he could plummet into the abyss below. Zetsu's gaze shifted, fixating on the gaping hole in the ground, where only the robust roots of the Demonic Statue of Outer Path remained untouched by the chaos, successful in safeguarding only a few white Zetsu.
With an ugly, distorted face contorted by anger, Zetsu growled towards Swirly. "Guruguru, what happened!"
Swirly, undeterred by Zetsu's hostility, began a little dance, his hands gesturing animatedly as his body twisted around. "Eto..." he started, his words accompanied by his wavy movements. "So, I was taking my daily walk-"
"Get to the point!" Zetsu's hoarse voice growled, impatience lacing his words.
"Eh!" Swirly nodded rapidly, his gestures becoming more pronounced. "Well, a giant deep hole appeared, just like the ones needed for defecating, and everyone went whoosh whoosh into it. Eh? Is this the so-called toilet?" His words held a mix of innocence and curiosity, as if pondering the absurdity of it all.
"GURUGURU!" Zetsu roared, his frustration escalating as White Zetsu detached from his body, diving into the walls and heading downward, ready to investigate the mysterious depths that had swallowed the others to confirm the intermittent signal of distress he received.
And soon, the pieces of the puzzle began to align. White Zetsu merged back with Black Zetsu, the weariness evident on the latter's face as he confronted Swirly, his patience waning. "So, what did you find?" he inquired, his voice tinged with a mixture of annoyance and anticipation.
"A message," White Zetsu growled, his frown deepening as he recalled the words engraved on the rocky walls submerged beneath the water's surface. "A message from..." he paused, leaving the answer hanging in the air.
"From who?" Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed, his mind already swirling with possibilities. "Is it that boy?" Hints of suspicion beginning to form in his mind.
"Blood for blood, eat sh*t snitch," White Zetsu retorted with a sneer, his voice laced with disdain. "Who else could it be?"
Swirly's voice chimed in, brimming with an innocent curiosity. "Ehhh? Can I really eat-"
"Shut up!" Zetsu growled in unison, their impatience resounding in their synchronized response.
The gravity of the situation settled upon them, the weight of revenge and the revelation of their hidden base leaking to their enemies. "It's retaliation for our leaking of his base, isn't it?" White Zetsu mused aloud, his voice tinged with a sense of concern. "But how did he find this place?"
Black Zetsu's eyes narrowed further, his mind racing to uncover the answers they desperately sought. "Right now, we should not worry about his revenge, or how he found this place," he hissed, visibly troubled by the turn of events. "We should worry if he had seen the statue!"
A furrow formed on White Zetsu's brow as he contemplated the implications. "He shouldn't know what it is, right?" he pondered aloud, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Black Zetsu fell into a contemplative silence, his thoughts consumed by the potential dangers ahead. "Remember what I said, that there may be a variable that could threaten our plan?" he posed the question, his voice heavy with conviction.
White Zetsu hesitated, his response laced with trepidation. "Is that the reason why you demanded to take drastic action instead of sending an invitation?"
A low chuckle escaped Black Zetsu's distorted lips, a chilling sound that echoed through the cavern. "No, it was just a method to push him away from Konoha before inviting him," he explained, a sinister grin stretching across his face. "But precisely because of this event, now my feeling has been confirmed. That boy is a variable, a danger. He can no longer exist."
"Hehehe," White Zetsu chortled, the sound carrying an unsettling tone, as he communicated with his 'compatriots.' "That Aburame boy believes himself to be smart, but taking our white Zetsu alive is the worst mistake he could make."
Black Zetsu's grin widened, a malevolent glint in his eyes. "That may not be enough," he mused, his voice dripping with sinister intent. "Tell him about this. He needs to relocate the base, and we may need his help to locate that boy. It will also be a test, to see if he is truly capable of carrying out Madara's will."
As Zetsu's chilling laughter reverberated within the cavern, he slowly sunk back into the walls, leaving behind an eerie silence. Standing alone on the small wooden platform he had erected, Swirly pointed to his own swirl-patterned face, a sense of uncertainty and vulnerability in his eyes. He asked, to no one in particular, "What about me?"
Sitting comfortably on the leathery sofa within the lounge of their new core, Shino let out a sigh of relief as the operation concluded successfully. "Although it was a bit unexpected that Tobi Zetsu is there, thankfully, there were no accidents," he remarked, his voice tinged with satisfaction. "If Tobi Zetsu had utilized his wood release to delay us during those crucial moments, we might have faced a full-blown confrontation with Zetsu himself. Although it was just some Zergs, losing an army of that size would have been quite painful. Well done, Karina, for coordinating everything flawlessly."
As she released the wood, Karina pouted playfully, lifting her gaze to meet Shino's. "Humph, and here I thought my dear was too busy training our 'caged bird' to remember my hard work," she teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes, mixed with some jealousy.
Chuckling, Shino gently pulled Karina up onto his lap, letting her legs straddle his as his hands gently caressed her black stockings. And despite her jealousy, Karina catered to him, discreetly slipping the wood she had prepared into its rightful place.
As he felt the warm connection between them, Shino's smile grew wider as he traced his finger along Karina's lips, his touch tender and affectionate. "No need to be jealous of them, Karina," he whispered softly. "You can give me something special that they can't."
"Mmm, and what might that be, my dear?" Karina's voice was filled with desire, her hot breath caressing his face as she leaned in closer, their breaths mingling.
Shino didn't need to reply. Words were unnecessary as their lips met in a passionate kiss, their tongues intertwining in a fervent dance. The bond between them grew stronger, their connection deepening and tightening with each passing moment.
Finally, Shino employed one of the Naruto techniques he had yearned for - Wood Release.
As they separated, gasping for breath, Karina nestled into Shino's embrace, her cheeks flushed with excitement. She whispered into his ear, "My dear, should we arrange for our newly bred army to return to the base with some White Zetsu so that we can study the true potential of Wood Release?"
Shino raised an eyebrow, intrigued by the proposition. "Didn't some White Zetsu infiltrate that army?" he asked.
"Yes, but their feeble attempts at disguising themselves couldn't fool my discerning eyes," Karina explained, her voice filled with confidence. "Although they replicated the appearance and abilities of our Zerg perfectly, they lack the crucial connection to the Zerg network. Despite blending in perfectly with our zerg army, it was easy to identify and isolate them from the rest of the army. Shall I turn them into biomass, my dear?"
Shino pondered the situation for a moment, his grin turning sly. "No need to turn them into biomass just yet," he declared. "Since they are so eager to serve as lackeys, let them be the vanguard in our next raid. After all, if we want the true Wood Release quickly, we can't avoiding paying a visit to good old Uncle Snake now, can we?"
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone