Chapitre 74: Chapter 74 : Test!!
Konoha's highly sophisticated early warning systems were nothing to Black Zetsu. He slipped past every Anbu operative, evaded every detection barrier, and navigated the village as if he were back in his own domain.
Without causing the slightest alarm, Black Zetsu and Uchiha Sogetsu quietly made their way to the Forest of Death, located at the rear of Konoha.
The rain fell in a steady rhythm, soaking the dark forest that stood eerily silent, like a slumbering beast, its presence exuding an ominous threat.
As they stood before the Fuinjutsu barriers marked with large "forbidden" seals, Sogetsu furrowed his brow, trying to recall something, then spoke in a deep voice, "Isn't this the forbidden area belonging to the Kurama clan?"
The Forest of Death wasn't named lightly. Apart from some designated areas used for Chunin Exams, much of the forest was divided among Konoha's noble clans, serving various purposes.
The Nara clan, for example, harvested key medicinal herbs from a specific section. The Yamanaka and Akimichi clans had their own restricted areas as well, with clear warnings against unauthorized entry.
The Kurama clan's forbidden territory was among the most dangerous of all. Once a prominent Konoha clan, known across the ninja world for their mastery of illusion and control over the five senses, the Kurama clan had fallen into decline.
At their peak, their strength rivaled that of the Uchiha, but a mysterious loss of their unique bloodline limit led to their diminishing status.
The last known Kurama clan member with the power to control the five senses had vanished two decades ago, leaving the clan a shadow of its former self.
Sogetsu smirked slightly at Black Zetsu's observation. "Heh, I didn't think you'd remember this clan."
Black Zetsu gave Uchiha Sogetsu a knowing look and said, "Don't worry, the illusions set up by the Kurama clan have long been altered by Madara Uchiha."
"Did Madara cause the Kurama clan's bloodline limit to disappear?" Uchiha Sogetsu guessed.
"No," Black Zetsu quickly refuted, continuing to move deeper into the area.
Uchiha Sogetsu was still skeptical, so he discreetly activated his Spirit Vision. The abrupt decline of the Kurama clan's bloodline limit was suspicious—it seemed strange that such a once-prominent clan could just vanish.
As he probed into Black Zetsu's thoughts, he sensed an undercurrent of fear—intense, deep-seated fear that simmered in the darkness of his mind.
"I heard that the Kurama clan's illusions were particularly potent," Uchiha Sogetsu said, feigning casual curiosity.
"Hehehehe, so what if they were strong?" Black Zetsu sneered, his voice laced with suppressed anger. "They could manipulate the five senses, sure, but what good is it if their inheritance is now broken?"
As he said this, the spirit within Black Zetsu reacted with a surge of grim satisfaction.
"Seems like Black Zetsu had something to do with this," Uchiha Sogetsu mused to himself, noticing the subtle emotional shifts. He glanced at Black Zetsu, growing more suspicious by the minute.
Black Zetsu had been lurking in the shadows for millennia, pulling the strings across the shinobi world. His influence had woven through countless events, but much of his history remained unshown, hidden in the gaps of the main storyline.
The journey continued in silence.
Under Black Zetsu's guidance, they successfully navigated through the Kurama clan's forbidden territory.
Uchiha Sogetsu followed Black Zetsu into an underground tunnel, leading to a concealed cave.
"He's coming! He's coming!"
"He's here!"
"Shh, don't scare the guest!"
"Is this the guy Madara-sama thinks is special? He looks kinda weak!"
The cave echoed with a cacophony of murmurs coming from all directions.
Soon, more than a dozen peculiar humanoid creatures emerged. They moved with an awkward shuffle, their skin was deathly pale, and they had no discernible genitals.
Some of them had only half a face, giving them a ghostly appearance as they stumbled out from the shadows. They surrounded Uchiha Sogetsu, whom Black Zetsu had brought in, inspecting him from every angle with curious eyes.
"Isn't this guy too skinny?"
"He doesn't look as good as me."
"Has Madara-sama lost his edge?"
"Maybe he's just getting old!"
The creatures' identical appearance and synchronized voices added to the weirdness of the scene.
"Shut up, White Zetsu," Black Zetsu snapped, visibly irritated by their chatter.
"Can I kill these things?" Uchiha Sogetsu asked coldly, clearly annoyed by their taunts.
"It's so scary!"
"Ahhhh, he's going to kill us!"
"This guy is terrifying!"
"We're doomed! Help!"
Despite their words, the White Zetsus seemed entirely unafraid, teasing Uchiha Sogetsu with playful grins.
"That's enough," Black Zetsu said coldly.
The moment the words were spoken, Uchiha Sogetsu vanished into thin air.
A sharp, slicing sound filled the air, and within the blink of an eye, silence replaced the shouting that had filled the cave.
A sudden breeze, as cutting as a blade, swept through the dark cavern, and over a dozen White Zetsus were instantly reduced to a pile of dismembered parts.
Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes, his gaze trying to follow Uchiha Sogetsu's movements, but he was simply too fast to be seen.
The cave floor was littered with severed limbs and shattered bodies. Among the scattered remains stood a handsome young man dressed in a black robe, his long black hair flowing behind him.
He calmly adjusted his glasses, pushing them up on the bridge of his nose. In his tranquil eyes, the dark tomoe slowly began to spin. "Was that good enough to pass your test?"
Indeed, this encounter was intended to be a test for Sogetsu.
However, Black Zetsu had not expected Uchiha Sogetsu to pass it so effortlessly. Despite the White Zetsus being relatively weak, akin to Genin, Sogetsu's swift and flawless execution was a testament to his incredible skill and natural talent.
"Congratulations, Sogetsu-sama," Black Zetsu said, his earlier scorn replaced with deep respect. "Madara-sama is waiting for you inside."
Uchiha Sogetsu proceeded into the deeper reaches of the cave.
After about ten meters, the narrow path opened into a larger chamber, filled with a surprisingly bright light. Sitting on a stone bench was an ancient white-haired man, barely more than skin and bones.
His frail body was connected to several tubes, and he held a cane in both hands. His breathing was weak, as though a gust of wind could blow him away.
Yet, despite his advanced age and fragile state, his eyes blazed with a fierce dominance, suggesting that he was still the same legendary figure who had once ruled the ninja world.
As the old man and the young man met eye-to-eye, it was as if two different eras had come into collision, their gazes sparking with invisible energy.
"Uchiha Madara?"
"Uchiha Sogetsu."
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