Naruto: Boruto Returns to Shippuden

Chapter 162 Conspiracy

While Naruto was still fast asleep, he unconsciously swung his Rasengan towards Jiraiya's location. Jiraiya reacted quickly and dodged, causing Naruto's Rasengan to hit the ground, thus avoiding injury.

However, the Rasengan still unleashed tremendous energy on the ground, sending dust flying everywhere and leaving a deep crater in the grass. Jiraiya was also "baptized" by a lot of dust.

"Cough cough..." Jiraiya coughed a few times, covering his face, brushing the dust off his clothes, and then angrily shouted at the still-sleeping Naruto, "Bastard! Are you planning to kill your master?"

Seeing that Naruto still showed no signs of waking up, Jiraiya muttered a complaint, "Seriously, how can you sleep so badly? You make it impossible for me to get a good night's sleep."

After Jiraiya took Naruto out for training for a while, he thought that Naruto's snoring and tossing and turning in his sleep were enough to give him a headache. But he never expected that Naruto would sleepwalk and attack people. This was no joke; it could really be fatal if you weren't careful.

Faced with Jiraiya's reprimand, Naruto did not respond to Jiraiya's complaints with words, but expressed himself with his actions. At that moment, a radiant Rasengan once again condensed in Naruto's hand.

"Since that's the case!"

Seeing this, Jiraiya struck an exaggerated pose, then casually tossed his white hair: "Lion's Mane Technique!"

Jiraiya immediately used his ninjutsu on Naruto, extending his thick hair and weaving it into the shape of a lion's head, tightly wrapping it around Naruto's body, trying to pull him to his side and teach him a lesson.

However, Naruto, who was bound by Jiraiya's white hair, used the power of the Rasengan in his hand to break free from the restraints formed by Jiraiya's hair and quickly cut off the hair wrapped around his body.

Immediately afterward, he launched a rapid attack on Jiraiya, his face filled with terror, shouting loudly, "Sasuke!" At the same time, Naruto had already condensed another Rasengan in his hand, and this Rasengan was even more dazzling than the previous one.

Jiraiya's eyes widened as he witnessed the large Rasengan that Naruto had conjured in his hand. He immediately recognized that the Rasengan in Naruto's hand was the Giant Rasengan that he had taught Naruto during this training period.

Jiraiya never imagined that one day, Naruto would use the technique he taught him in actual combat for the first time.

Just as Naruto was about to unleash his Giant Rasengan on Jiraiya, he suddenly felt a wave of weakness and collapsed to the ground. This startled Jiraiya, who stopped the hand seals he had just formed.

At that moment, Naruto's Rasengan also lost control, and as he collapsed to the ground, it slammed into the floor, creating a crater more than one meter in diameter in the grass.

At this moment, Boruto appeared, standing behind Naruto, holding a sack he had found from somewhere, as well as the rope Naruto had used to break free of his restraints.

Immediately afterward, under Jiraiya's bewildered gaze, Boruto skillfully slipped Naruto's entire body into the sack, ensuring Naruto's head remained above the ground, and then deftly tied him up with rope into a shape resembling a caterpillar.

Boruto found a big tree and hung Naruto up on it, like a silkworm cocoon, so that Naruto lost his footing and could not exert force effectively.

Boruto saw that everything he had arranged was in place, nodded slightly, clapped his hands in satisfaction, and thought to himself that he could finally get a good night's sleep tonight.

......

In a remote and secluded location, Jue used his "levitation technique" to slowly rise from the ground. He then carefully looked around. In front of him was a hidden and enclosed cave, a place that most people would not be able to find.

After confirming that the surroundings were safe, Zetsu used his Wood Release ninjutsu to create a barrier around the cave, so that he could detect anyone entering the cave the moment they did.

After doing all this, Jue once again used his levitation technique to pass directly through the huge stone slab blocking the cave. Behind this stone slab was a spacious base, so large that it looked as if the entire mountain had been hollowed out.

After Jue's figure appeared in the cave, the leaves surrounding him began to unfurl. He braced himself against the ground and began to tear at both sides. In a short while, his body was gradually torn apart from the black and white boundary in the middle.

Ultimately, Zetsu split into two distinct figures, one black and one white, representing opposing colors: Black Zetsu and White Zetsu.

After a short while, in the distance of the cave, a figure wearing a birch-colored "vortex" mask, a large black robe that concealed his figure in the shadows, and a bodysuit underneath, slowly emerged from the shadow of a large tree. This person was none other than Uchiha Obito.

When Obito saw Zetsu appear alone in this place, he frowned and became wary. Normally, Black Zetsu was responsible for monitoring him and would not leave his side unless there was something wrong.

Previously, when Obito sent Black Zetsu out to investigate the situation of Boruto, a new ninja in Konoha, he noticed that Black Zetsu seemed a little strange after returning, which made him certain that there must be a secret hidden there that he did not know.

Obito's gaze swept around, his expression somewhat solemn. How could he forget this place? This was the place where Madara had saved him when he was on the verge of death during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, and where Hashirama's cells had repaired the damaged right side of his body.

Obito noticed that Black Zetsu, who had been following him, was behaving strangely. Out of caution, he followed Black Zetsu's movements and eventually arrived at this place.

Although he didn't know why Black Zetsu had chosen to come to this place at this moment, he still decided to investigate. So, Obito activated his Sharingan, and the Mangekyou Sharingan pattern flowed in his eyes.

Using the special abilities of his Mangekyou Sharingan, Obito directly entered Kamui Hollowfication state. Then, relying on his familiarity with the place, he chose to avoid the entrance in front and went around to the back of the cave.

Looking at the Wood Release vines unleashed by Black Zetsu, Obito sneered. He was naturally extremely confident in his abilities and, without being detected by Black Zetsu, his body passed directly through the vines and rocks, moving forward until he pinpointed Black Zetsu's exact location.

Hiding his figure behind a rock wall, Obito deactivated his intangibility and tried his best to conceal his presence so as not to be discovered by Black Zetsu inside the cave.

At this moment, in this hidden space, Obito Uchiha noticed two extremely faint voices coming from inside.

Obito Uchiha pressed his body against the stone wall and slowly moved closer to the source of the sound, trying to hear what they were saying.

Black Zetsu complained in a muffled voice, "Boruto is really too unconventional in his actions. He almost let Obito discover the backup plan left by Madara."

Upon hearing Black Zetsu's words, Obito's eyes sharpened instantly. He understood that even after Madara had implanted a talisman in his heart, he still couldn't fully trust him.

Upon hearing the name "Boruto," Obito Uchiha immediately recalled the purpose of sending Black Zetsu out earlier. It was because he had become curious about that kid that he had sent Black Zetsu to gather information about him.

It now seems that, in addition to creating Black Zetsu to monitor himself, Madara Uchiha had made other preparations.

At that moment, a voice came from inside the cave again. White Zetsu asked Black Zetsu with some doubt, "You mean a backup plan? What kind of backup plan is it?"

Black Zetsu let out a few cold laughs, then responded in a gloomy tone: "Hmph... In order to prevent Obito Uchiha from having any disloyal intentions and interfering with his resurrection plan, Madara not only implanted a talisman in his heart, but also altered the Uchiha clan's stone tablet."

In response to Black Zetsu's statement, White Zetsu exclaimed in shock, "What!? You mean Madara altered the Uchiha clan's stone tablet? The mysterious stone tablet that only the Sharingan of the Uchiha clan can decipher?"

Black Zetsu said with a smug laugh, "That's right, it was that stone tablet. Madara, who possesses the Rinnegan, could easily alter it. All of this was within Madara's plan. Madara's resurrection plan needed a powerful executor, and Uchiha Obito was the puppet Madara chose to carry out this perfect plan."

Black Zetsu continued, "Madara tampered with the key information on the stone tablet. To actually complete the Eye of the Moon Plan, revive the Gedo Mazo and become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki, and then achieve Infinite Tsukuyomi, not only do we need to collect all the Tailed Beasts, but we also need a special medium..."

White Zetsu seemed to understand yet be confused. He interrupted Black Zetsu and tentatively asked, "You mean this special medium is... Boruto?"

Black Zetsu said in a sinister tone, "Next, we must do everything we can to cover up Boruto's identity and ensure that it is not known to any outsiders."

White Zetsu asked Black Zetsu, "Then why are we here now?"

Black Zetsu answered White Zetsu's question, "We're here to retrieve an important item that Madara left behind." Black Zetsu didn't elaborate on their key purpose, because some things couldn't be revealed casually.

......

Obito Uchiha was shocked by this. He never expected that Madara Uchiha, that old fox, had hidden himself so well. No wonder he couldn't find any information about Boruto's childhood before, as if this person didn't exist in this world at all. Now, everything makes sense.

Black Zetsu was created by Madara Uchiha on his deathbed, with his own will. Its purpose was to monitor and ensure that Madara's wish to revive him was fulfilled, so that Madara could personally implement the Eye of the Moon Plan and activate the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

As for Black Zetsu's actions and decisions, they were all guided by the highest principle of fulfilling Madara Uchiha's wishes, and every move he made was closely centered around Madara's goals.

As Obito thought of this, his expression turned extremely gloomy, and a ferocious look flashed in his Mangekyou Sharingan.

But! In the Eye of the Moon Plan, the one who activates the Infinite Tsukuyomi must be me! Only I can imagine the most wonderful Rin, and Kakashi and Minato-sensei who can protect everyone! I will absolutely not let Madara Uchiha ruin my plan!

As for Madara Uchiha's plans, his name, Black Zetsu, White Zetsu, and even the entire Akatsuki organization, they were all just tools that Obito could use to achieve his own goals.

Obito was willing to give up everything to create a new world. He viewed his body as a temporary vessel, existing only to create a new world.

After waiting for a while, Obito sensed that Black Zetsu and White Zetsu seemed to be preparing to leave.

Realizing that he might be discovered if he stayed any longer, Obito withdrew his gaze and silently left the place using Kamui Intangibility.

......

A moment later, Black Zetsu did not leave the cave as Obito had imagined. Instead, a sly smile appeared on his lips as he turned his gaze to the spot where Obito had stood.

Since he officially appeared in front of Madara Uchiha and Obito Uchiha, he has been hiding his true sensory abilities. He did this to lower their guard so that he could subtly guide them from the shadows and achieve his goals.

In order to obtain Boruto's body and make it the perfect vessel for reviving his mother, he could not achieve this goal by his own power alone. He had to rely on some external force to achieve his goal, and the external force he chose was Obito Uchiha.

Even if Obito returned to the underground of Konoha Village to examine the stone tablet again, Black Zetsu remained fearless. This plan had been forming in his mind ever since he escaped from Boruto. When reporting to Obito, he had already revised the contents of the stone tablet to ensure the plan's success.

Because of the Uchiha clan's arrogance, they would never believe that anyone could change the contents of the stone tablet. After all, almost no one who could decipher the Uchiha clan's stone tablets exists anymore, let alone tamper with its contents.

Obito, no matter how much you struggle, you ultimately cannot escape the arrangements of fate, just like Madara Uchiha...

......