On the other side, the two "Konoha Shinobi" running for their lives both clad in flak jackets stained with mud and blood were no match for the terrifying presence chasing them. No matter how they weaved through the terrain, they couldn't shake the pursuer behind them.
"Wind Style: Vacuum Wave Slash!"
The fierce blast of slicing air an unmistakable Wind Style technique tore through the air with a high-pitched scream. A signature jutsu of Shimura Danzō, it sheared through the canopy and carved into the rocky ground, splitting trees and uprooting debris.
But even in desperation, the two shinobi reacted quickly. Their instincts kicked in, and both dropped to one knee in front of the man who had appeared out of nowhere his short black hair, the deep "X"-shaped scar on his chin, and the dark robe fluttering around his legs unmistakable.
"Danzō-sama!"
The burly shinobi shouted hoarsely, but there was a tremor in his voice. Fear mixed with relief? Or doubt?
The middle-aged man looked down at them, his expression unreadable. "Is that so?" he said. His voice carried surprise, but there was a faint, eerie smile curled beneath it.
Black Zetsu cloaked in oily darkness, emerging from the forest shadows observed with narrowed eyes. He knew that Danzō had perished during the Five Kage Summit after attempting to use Shisui Uchiha's Kotoamatsukami to control the proceedings. That meant this couldn't be the real Shimura Danzō.
So why did he look and act exactly like him?
The taller of the two Konoha ninja threw a glance at his comrade, exchanging a silent understanding. Whether illusion, resurrection, or impersonation, they had to play along.
"See your lord," they chorused. Their voices trembled with well-practiced reverence.
A flicker of confusion passed through Black Zetsu's eyes. He had seen much in his thousand-year manipulation of shinobi history, but this situation was… abnormal.
Black Zetsu slashed forward with a watery blade Water Style: Water Horn Drill Technique just as White Zetsu's body morphed, extending a sharpened appendage to strike. The burly Konoha ninja rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding the edge, though his flak jacket was torn down the side.
"Why are you using Wood Style?!"
The lanky ninja's scream came as the surrounding roots erupted from the ground, ensnaring the field. The sudden appearance of a Wood Style technique a jutsu exclusive to the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama drove their suspicion and fear even higher. The roots grew fast, dense, covered in barbs. Even Hashirama's descendant Yamato required deep concentration to control such a spread.
"Tree-Binding Eternal Burial!"
The jutsu surged forward. The burly ninja slammed his palms to the ground: Earth Style: Rock Pillar Expansion, attempting to counter. A wall of stone exploded upward, colliding with the roots in a burst of dust and debris.
The middle-aged man who looked like Danzō stepped forward, his gaze falling onto Black Zetsu.
"I didn't expect you to be his… brother," he said coldly, gesturing to the limp form of Uzumaki Nagato strapped across his back.
Black Zetsu clenched his teeth. He had painstakingly tracked down the real Nagato after Ryosuke's daring operation at Hanzo's stronghold and the failure of his proxy. Now, this man stood in his way?
White Zetsu's voice echoed in his head. "Isn't this the guy who tried to control the Tailed Beasts? Why is he alive again?"
Black Zetsu didn't answer. He stared at the impersonator's face, torn between shock and calculation. Danzō had died after releasing the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing Technique during the battle with Sasuke Uchiha. This had to be a clone, a puppet, or something more ancient.
"You dare impersonate that man?" Black Zetsu rasped. "You think that fool Shimura was even close to being worthy of this power?"
The man's face twisted slightly. "Do not insult the dead," he said. "The old man is… Shimura Danzō. Root still lives."
Behind him, the Konoha shinobi flinched. Their eyes flickered with doubt. Danzō's death was common knowledge. Was this really him? Reanimated? Or had someone tampered with memory?
Black Zetsu's expression darkened. His chakra flared, and the earth beneath his feet cracked. "You want to bring me back to Konoha? Fool."
"This isn't a negotiation," Danzō said coldly. "The Senju blood is valuable. And Root needs it."
A massive wooden thorn surged from the ground. The lanky ninja gasped and dove, dragging his partner with him. But the roots still caught their legs. Screaming, they formed hand seals. "Ice Release: Frozen Kunai Barrage!" They hurled ice-forged kunai infused with chakra, each one shimmering with red-tinted frost.
Danzō summoned a wooden shield again, blocking the hail of projectiles. "Senju… or something more," he muttered. "You carry Hashirama's legacy. Let me help you… harness it."
Black Zetsu nearly laughed. "Help me? I am the shadow of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki! You, old man, are a decaying corpse clinging to stolen eyes and petty power."
The impersonator's smile vanished. "Then you leave me no choice."
"Water Style: Serpent Torrent!" Black Zetsu launched a spiraling stream of high-pressure water, forcing the man back. But before he could capitalize, the man's right arm erupted into a flurry of wood, expanding outward.
A technique similar to the one Danzō had once used when channeling Hashirama's cells. But that arm had been grotesque and unstable. This was controlled, precise.
"Jie Jie," Black Zetsu snarled. "So, you've been tinkering with forbidden science again…"
Nagato groaned on the man's shoulder. His face was pale, Rinnegan hidden beneath his lids.
"Give him back," Black Zetsu said. "You don't know what you're carrying."
"You mean your puppet?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow. "He's free now."
The burly ninja couldn't take it anymore. "Who the hell are you!?"
The fake Danzō gave a smile empty, cruel. "That's right. Who am I, indeed?"
Before the others could react, the tree roots surged again. The two Konoha ninja were tossed aside like dolls, and Black Zetsu retreated into the ground, only half of his head still exposed above the earth.
"This isn't over," Black Zetsu hissed. "Not by a long shot."
And then, the man was gone taking Nagato with him into the depths of the forest.
The wind howled.
The roots retracted.
Only silence remained.
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