Chapter 244: Yin Release
Black Zetsu had never seen the Tenseigan with his own eyes.
But that didn’t matter.
He knew of it.
Fragments of memory—those inherited from Kaguya Ōtsutsuki—contained knowledge of that power. A weapon born from chakra separation and fusion, created specifically to counter Hagoromo and Hamura.
His strength was lacking—but his memory and cunning?
Those were anything but ordinary.
And based on Nagato’s description...
That pair of brilliant, flowing blue eyes—
It really did sound like the Tenseigan.
And that chakra cloak...
That was unmistakable.
Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
But that raised a problem.
The Tenseigan was supposed to be a mutation of Hamura’s lineage.
So how could that brat—
That Senju—
Possess such power?
Even with abnormal talent, even with mutation...
Across generations of diluted bloodlines—
It should have been impossible.
"Unless..."
Black Zetsu narrowed his eyes.
"Either that isn’t the Tenseigan... or that boy has some hidden connection to the Hyūga."
After all—
The Tenseigan belonged to Hamura’s descendants.
And the Hyūga were the closest surviving bloodline.
But those fools...
Ever since descending from the moon, they had only grown weaker.
Their taijutsu degraded.
Their bloodline thinned.
Their potential... fractured.
Even the remnants of Kaguya’s power had splintered—manifesting in places like the Kaguya Clan of Kirigakure.
"Forget it."
Black Zetsu dismissed the thought.
"None of that matters right now."
Nagato matters.
Nagato was the key to reviving Uchiha Madara.
And Madara...
Was the key to reviving his mother.
Compared to that—
Senju Hikaru?
Even if he was terrifying—
He wasn’t the immediate priority.
What worried Black Zetsu more...
Was something else.
That mysterious figure in the shadows.
The one who could control the Nine-Tails.
The one who could manifest power eerily similar to Kaguya herself.
If someone like that existed—
Then things could spiral beyond control.
"Stabilize Nagato first."
Black Zetsu made his decision instantly.
Looking at Nagato—
Broken. Hollow. On the verge of collapse—
Black Zetsu sighed inwardly.
A god?
This?
Pathetic.
Even Kaguya herself—
A true god—
Had to tread carefully.
Had to build an army of White Zetsu.
Had to prepare for threats beyond imagination.
And this boy—
Who merely borrowed the Rinnegan—
Thought himself invincible?
Ridiculous.
Still...
A tool was a tool.
And tools had to be maintained.
"I understand now."
Black Zetsu finally spoke.
"You lost... but not unjustly."
Nagato’s dull eyes flickered.
"Y-you know that eye?"
"Tell me—what is it?!"
Black Zetsu paused, as if weighing ancient truths.
Then spoke slowly.
"This world... is far larger than you think."
"And its secrets... are far deeper."
"Take your Rinnegan, for example."
"You call it the Eye of Creation."
"But who said it was the only supreme eye?"
Nagato froze.
"You’ve heard the legends."
"Six Paths Sage created the world with his eyes."
"And you... possess similar power, don’t you?"
Nagato slowly nodded.
He knew.
He had always known.
Chibaku Tensei.
The power to create a celestial body.
Gravity.
Repulsion.
The very foundation of creation.
That belief—
That conviction—
Was the core of his identity as a "god."
And now—
Black Zetsu confirmed it.
Without Nagato ever revealing it.
Trust formed instantly.
"So..."
Black Zetsu continued,
"If your eyes can create the world..."
"Then why... can there not exist an eye..."
"That destroys it?"
Nagato’s pupils trembled.
"An eye... that destroys everything..."
He whispered.
Then—
His face lit up.
"Yes...!"
"Of course!"
If creation existed—
Then destruction must also exist.
"No wonder...!"
Nagato’s voice trembled with realization.
"No wonder that power felt so overwhelming!"
"No wonder he could use abilities like Shinra Tensei—!"
Black Zetsu’s eyes narrowed slightly.
So it wasn’t just appearance.
That power was real.
"Looks like you understand."
Black Zetsu said calmly.
"That eye..."
"Is the eye of destruction."
"The counter to your Rinnegan."
"Your destiny..."
"Is to defeat it."
Nagato’s breathing grew heavier.
Emotion surged.
"And yet..."
Black Zetsu’s tone shifted—
Cold. Sharp.
"Your performance was disappointing."
Nagato’s face darkened instantly.
"Is this... truly the wielder of the Rinnegan?"
"How disappointing."
Silence.
Then—
A roar.
"SHUT UP!!!"
Nagato’s voice exploded.
Months of despair—
All released in that single scream.
"Destroyer? So what?!"
"Rinnegan will never lose!"
"Justice will triumph over destruction!"
"Then I’ll prove it!"
"I will defeat him!"
"I will kill Senju Hikaru!"
"Just like the Sage of Six Paths defeated the destroyer!"
Black Zetsu smiled inwardly.
Good.
Very good.
The tool... was functioning again.
"Then grow stronger."
Black Zetsu said calmly.
"You are weak."
"Not because of your eyes..."
"But because of your body."
Nagato froze.
"You rely on Six Paths of Pain."
"You divide your power."
"You never wield the Rinnegan fully."
"If your body recovers..."
"You won’t need puppets."
"You won’t be limited."
"You’ll surpass him."
Hope ignited.
Nearby—
Konan let out a quiet breath of relief.
Obito remained silent.
Nagato... was back.
Fog Hidden Village – Mizukage Office
The moment they returned—
Obito couldn’t hold it in anymore.
"What the hell was that?!"
"Fake eye? Destroyer eye? And now you’re helping him?!"
Black Zetsu stared at him.
Long.
Tired.
"...Are you stupid?"
But he suppressed it.
Barely.
"Think."
"Without Nagato—what happens?"
"No Madara revival."
"No Infinite Tsukuyomi."
"...Oh."
"And now?"
Black Zetsu continued.
"He trusts us."
"He has a goal."
"And he has a target—Senju Hikaru."
"We gain control."
"We gain a weapon."
"And we gain a test subject."
Obito blinked.
"...Oh."
Black Zetsu closed his eyes.
For a moment.
"...I miss Madara."
Far away from all this—
Senju Hikaru stood before his chakra tree.
Hand resting on its surface.
Then—
The system activated.
"Special energy detected."
"Analyzing..."
"Analysis complete."
"Yin Release (Beginner) — Extract?"
"Sharingan Origin Seed — Extract?"
Hikaru froze.
Two results?
That... had never happened before.
Usually—
One source.
One result.
But this time—
A Mangekyō Sharingan...
Produced two rewards.
"...Interesting."
And more importantly—
Yin Release.
At last.
For someone of the Senju lineage—
Yang Release was inevitable.
But Yin?
That had always been the missing piece.
Now—
He finally had it.
"...Perfect."
A slow smile spread across his face.
The path toward—
true Six Paths power
Had just opened.
◇ I’ll drop one bonus Chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus Chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 Chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto
