Chapter 43: The Spy.

After Uchiha Madara heard about Zenkichi, he was very optimistic about making him his spokesperson. After all, Zenkichi's ability was even more terrifying than that of Uchiha Obito in the original timeline. If he could be used as Madara's proxy, then the Eye of the Moon Plan could proceed flawlessly. Madara estimated that even an Uchiha with the Mangekyō Sharingan would struggle to defeat Zenkichi. After all, the ability to transform into light rendered most attacks useless. It essentially made him invincible. A Fei shouted in his silly voice, "Master Madara, are we going to take action against Zenkichi?" "Zenkichi has been in Kirigakure for a short time now and shows no signs of leaving." "If Madara-sama can control him, I'll definitely ask him what it feels like to use the bathroom." "Since he can turn into light, wouldn't his waste turn into photons too?" White Zetsu A Fei's train of thought was as ridiculous as ever. He muttered seriously, "When he excretes, would it be a beam of light?" Another White Zetsu emerged from the rock wall and snapped, "A Fei, shut up!" A third Zetsu phased out and tried to defuse the situation with a grin. "Don't be so harsh. A Fei means well!" Uchiha Madara, deep in thought, glanced at the bickering Zetsus around him and barked, "All of you, be quiet." He was constantly annoyed by these White Zetsus. They were originally supposed to be perfect clones, but each one turned out to be defective. Still, despite their flaws, they had been cultivated using Hashirama's cells—and that gave them excellent abilities. Zetsu's weak combat power was offset by his incredible infiltration and escape techniques. He should be considered a special jōnin at the very least. "If I recall correctly, I've planted several agents in Kirigakure. Have them probe Zenkichi for weaknesses." Uchiha Madara pondered for a moment, then decided to let his pawns act first. Zenkichi's unique power was valuable—but so was his political position as the next potential Mizukage. If they could drug him and quietly place a curse seal, they could fully exploit both his strength and status. --- Kirigakure Village. After a full day's work, Ringo Kiru returned home and brewed himself some tea to relax. Just as he was about to sit down, a White Zetsu phased up from the floor of his house. "You again?" Ringo Kiru's face darkened. He clenched his teacup tightly, eyes narrowing. Back during the Second Shinobi War, he had been gravely injured and fell unconscious. When he awoke, he found himself in a pitch-black cave. An old man appeared before him, branded him with a curse mark, and told him he'd receive missions periodically. Ringo had resisted—but the moment the old man activated the seal, the agony was beyond anything he could bear. He felt like death would've been a mercy. The curse seal was incredibly advanced—far beyond his ability to remove. He never dared go public with it. Though he covertly tried to use Kirigakure's resources to find a way to break the seal, every attempt failed. As a high-ranking member of the Hidden Mist, Ringo Kiru had access to many tools and people—but none could help. The fact that Zetsu could appear and vanish at will terrified him. The curse seal terrified him more. There was nothing he could do. Zetsu, the old man's emissary, would appear now and then to extract intelligence from the Hidden Mist. Eventually, Ringo Kiru was sent back into the village and successfully blended into the ranks—rising to the top of Kirigakure's leadership. "My lord has new orders," Zetsu said with a grin. Ringo Kiru sighed and replied flatly, "What now? More intelligence gathering?" Zetsu chuckled, "Not this time. Do you know Zenkichi of Kirigakure?" Ringo frowned. "He was appointed by the Third Mizukage. There's a 90% chance he'll be the next Mizukage. What are you planning? He's not someone easily dealt with." Zetsu grinned. "Relax. We're not asking you to fight him. You'd stand no chance." Ringo snapped coldly, "Then quit beating around the bush. What do you want?" Zetsu replied, "Our lord is very interested in Zenkichi. He wants him under control." Ringo sneered, "You want me to recruit him for you? I don't even know who you people are. How am I supposed to convince him?" Zetsu smiled. "Simple. Just like you—implant a curse seal." "With the curse mark in place, anyone will obey. Isn't that right?" Ringo's expression twisted. He held back the urge to kill Zetsu and took a deep breath. "That's nonsense. If you want to plant a curse seal on Zenkichi, go ahead. I won't stop you. Why come to me?" Zetsu shook his head, utterly sincere. "I'd die. I'm no match for Zenkichi." "That's why I'm giving you this—developed by Sunagakure. A one-day knockout drug." "There's no antidote. The effect wears off naturally. It's perfect for subduing Zenkichi." Zetsu produced a porcelain bottle and handed it to Ringo Kiru. "You just need to find a chance to drug Zenkichi." --- Eight hundred meters away, atop a building... Zenkichi sat cross-legged on a rooftop, rubbing his temples with a troubled look. He had heard Zetsu's appearance and rushed here, planning to take a shot—give Zetsu a taste of death from 800 meters away. But the next words he heard left him stunned—and let Zetsu live a bit longer. "Times have changed," he muttered. "Madara..." "The battlefield's rose, the Demon of the Ninja World, has now fallen to drugging people?" Zenkichi sighed quietly. He hesitated—should he follow up and visit the legendary Rose of the Battlefield himself? "But nah... I've got no resistance to drugs. If I really get knocked out, who knows what'll happen? Might end up losing my virginity." "That curse seal of Madara's... it's no joke." After some thought, Zenkichi wisely gave up the idea of confronting him directly. Even if he wanted to meet Uchiha Madara, this wasn't the way. --- (^▽^) Become a patron to get access to 50+ chapters in advance. [email protected]/Zphyr_ Change @ to a.