Starting as a Ninja in the Naruto World

Emiya Shigen…

Will you regret your naive foolishness?

In this world, there were few people Black Zetsu ever truly conversed with.

The person he talked to the most?

Emiya Shigen.

And now…

Black Zetsu wanted to mock him.

The thought had been lingering in his mind for a thousand years.

Back then, Zetsu saw Emiya Shigen as a perfect pawn.

But just when their plans were nearing fruition, Shigen had betrayed him.

Right before victory.

The bitterness of that abandonment still lingered.

Two years ago, Black Zetsu had once more visited the Senju clan's secret chamber.

There, he had stood before the crystal coffin containing Shigen's half-preserved corpse.

In the quiet chamber,

Zetsu had sneered at his old pawn.

Mocking his faith, his dreams, and his foolishness.

But now…

Shigen was alive.

Truly revived.

Black Zetsu finally had the opportunity to mock him in person.

And beyond that…

There was another opportunity before him:

To reactivate his greatest pawn.

If there was any pawn that could help Black Zetsu achieve the resurrection of Kaguya, it was undoubtedly Emiya Shigen.

But Zetsu knew he couldn't rush into it.

This wasn't a moment to act out of impulse.

Because now…

He had another pawn.

Uchiha Madara.

Madara was new, untested.

But Madara was promising.

He was following Zetsu's carefully laid-out plans.

Step by step.

Even if Madara's path was still in its early stages,

Zetsu had a clear, calculated blueprint for how to use him.

And as for Shigen…

He was the opposite.

Shigen was a proven pawn.

A man who required no instruction.

No prodding.

He had once dismantled the entire Ninja Order without Zetsu even lifting a finger.

But there was a problem.

Black Zetsu didn't know what state Shigen was in now.

This era no longer had Hagoromo's body for him to experiment on.

The only remnants of the Sage's chakra were the reincarnations of Ashura and Indra.

But…

Zetsu wasn't too worried.

Because Shigen's true strength wasn't his power.

It was his mind.

Shigen was a genius in human experimentation.

Back then, Black Zetsu had witnessed miracles when Shigen used Hagoromo's corpse to unlock unimaginable secrets in medical science.

Zetsu was certain…

With the right materials, Shigen could solve the mystery of the Rinnegan.

But…

There was one major issue.

Would Shigen still trust him?

Would Shigen trust a creature who had lived for a thousand years, lurking in the shadows?

Maybe…

If Zetsu crafted the right story.

"Perhaps I should tell him…

I am the will of the God Tree."

After all, that wasn't far from the truth.

Should he tell Shigen the truth?

That Kaguya existed?

That she needed resurrection?

Actually…

That wouldn't be too much of a shock.

Because Shigen already knew about Kaguya.

Back in the ancient days, Kaguya's existence wasn't a secret.

People knew her as the Goddess of Fertility and Agriculture.

A priestess who worshiped and served the God Tree.

When Black Zetsu had manipulated Shigen,

He told him that chakra wasn't a gift for mortals to wield freely.

That chakra was divine and should be restricted to those chosen by the Goddess.

And who was the rightful owner of chakra?

Kaguya.

The Goddess of the Rabbit Moon.

The only one worthy to wield such power.

Wait.

Did Zetsu really say all that?

Black Zetsu felt a sudden chill.

Had he already revealed too much back then?

He thought back to those conversations.

Yes.

He had explicitly told Shigen that his ultimate goal was to resurrect Kaguya.

Because Shigen believed in the divinity of the God Tree.

And he trusted in the legend of Kaguya.

Dammit!

Had he talked too much back then?

For a being that lived for a thousand years,

Black Zetsu realized something embarrassing.

Back then…

He had been young and naive.

He had trusted Shigen too much.

He had revealed too many secrets.

The only thing Zetsu had kept to himself was the method of Kaguya's resurrection.

He never told Shigen that the revival ritual required a human vessel.

Thankfully,

That crucial detail had remained a secret.

But…

Because he hadn't shared the full process,

Shigen's near-successful plan ultimately failed.

Still, the damage was done.

Zetsu sighed internally.

If Shigen leaked those ancient secrets,

especially about Kaguya,

It could ruin everything.

Even Madara wouldn't be a viable pawn anymore.

Unless…

Zetsu went into hiding.

But how long could he stay hidden?

No.

There was only one option left.

He had to choose Emiya Shigen.

Shigen was too valuable to abandon.

Even after a thousand years, Zetsu couldn't forget how Shigen had nearly brought his plan to fruition.

Back then,

When Zetsu was lost, hopeless,

Shigen had burst into his life like a comet.

He had illuminated Zetsu's dark, endless existence.

"Wait…"

"Maybe I'm overthinking things."

"First…"

"I need to confirm something."

Zetsu's body melted into the earth.

He headed straight for Senju Tobirama's hidden vault.

Moments later…

Black Zetsu stood in the vault.

The floor was littered with shattered crystal.

The coffin that had once held Shigen's body was empty.

The fragments were fresh.

Untouched by dust.

The corpse… gone.

Zetsu narrowed his eyes.

"So… it's true."

Emiya Shigen had been revived.

And he already knew Tobirama was responsible.

Tobirama had resurrected Shigen to heal Hashirama.

Zetsu thought back to the battle between Madara and Hashirama.

He remembered how Hashirama had fallen into a coma.

Of course.

Only two people could save him:

Hagoromo. Or… Emiya Shigen.

Black Zetsu shuddered.

"No… something's not right."

"Shigen… is helping Tobirama save Hashirama?"

And then…

A terrifying thought struck Zetsu.

"Hashirama… carries Ashura's chakra."

"He ended the Warring States Period."

"He brought peace to the ninja world."

"No…"

"That fool Shigen…"

"He STILL believes in Ashura's nonsense?"

The idea terrified Zetsu.

If Shigen still believed in Ashura's dream of peace,

He could reveal the truth of the ancient world.

Zetsu had to act fast.

"I must find him."

"I must know what he's thinking."

If Shigen hadn't leaked the secrets yet,

Zetsu would convince him to return to their original plan.

As for killing Shigen to silence him…

That thought quickly vanished.

Zetsu knew, deep down,

He didn't want to kill Shigen.

After all…

Shigen had been his brightest hope.

Even now, after a thousand years,

Emiya Shigen remained his best chance.

In the end…

There was only one path left for Black Zetsu.

He had to bring Shigen back to his side.