"Where is this place?"
Black Zetsu couldn't quite figure out the location.
"When is this?"
He was struggling to grasp the timeline.
"Am I really in the ninja world... a thousand years later?"
A hint of
self-doubt
crept into Black Zetsu's mind as he stood hidden in the shadows, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.
It's supposed to be a
joyous occasion
when you encounter a long-lost friend.
But meeting
someone who should be long dead,
at a time when they
absolutely shouldn't exist,
causes more
confusion than happiness.
This was the exact situation Black Zetsu found himself in.
He stared at the man walking alongside Tobirama on the streets of Konoha, a man who
shouldn't be alive.
His mind
spiraled into confusion.
Emiya Shigen.
A name that shouldn't exist in this timeline.
"How..."
"How is he here?"
Black Zetsu felt his
worldview shatter.
He knew he hadn't made any mistakes.
He had lived through
over a thousand years
of careful planning, spreading war and manipulating key figures in ninja history, all while
never losing track of time.
There was
no way
he could have miscalculated by
a thousand years.
Then...
Was he hallucinating?
"Am I going insane from living too long?"
Zetsu questioned himself, feeling as if he was
losing grip on reality.
But no matter how much he questioned it...
The man standing there
was undeniably Emiya Shigen.
The same Emiya Shigen who had lived over a thousand years ago.
"Impossible..."
"That man... died long ago."
Emiya Shigen, a man whose name was
revered in ancient times.
A
legendary medical ninja
whose innovations laid the foundation for the entire medical ninja system.
He was
kind-hearted,
brilliant,
and
naively idealistic.
And yet, there he was—
Alive.
Walking beside
Senju Tobirama
in this modern ninja world.
"Am I seeing things?"
"Is this... some spirit from the past?"
No.
Zetsu wasn't seeing things.
It wasn't a spirit.
It was
really Emiya Shigen.
And he looked very much
alive.
"Damn it..."
Zetsu was
utterly confused
by the sight before him.
For Black Zetsu, the
death of Emiya Shigen
had been one of his
greatest regrets.
Back in ancient times, Zetsu had almost succeeded in using Emiya as
a pawn
to fulfill
Kaguya's revival plan.
But Emiya had betrayed him.
Back then,
Emiya Shigen had allied with Ashura.
He believed in
peace through mutual understanding
and hoped to heal the world with his
medical ninjutsu.
Zetsu, however, saw him as
a naive fool.
"Why..."
"Why is this man still alive?"
Zetsu remained hidden, staring at
Emiya's every move
from the shadows, still unable to comprehend the situation.
In the distance, Emiya Shigen was
completely unaware
of Black Zetsu's presence.
He continued walking alongside Tobirama, discussing
Senju Hashirama's recovery.
"Let's shift the patient's focus for now," Emiya suggested gently.
His voice was
calm and composed,
as if he wasn't the slightest bit aware of the
two figures lurking in the shadows
—Uchiha Madara and Black Zetsu.
"As his family member, you should try to give him something new to focus on," Emiya continued.
"Killing his friend... has taken a heavy toll on him."
Black Zetsu observed how
Emiya Shigen
effortlessly
guided
Tobirama in addressing Hashirama's
emotional state.
"Still... the fact that he's here..."
"I need to know what's going on."
As Zetsu continued to watch, he noticed that
Tobirama didn't seem to detect anything unusual.
Despite being known for his
sharp perception and mastery of sensory techniques,
Tobirama seemed
completely oblivious
to both Madara and Black Zetsu's presence.
It made sense—
Tobirama was currently
restraining his chakra use
due to the
curse mark
that Emiya had placed on him earlier.
"Let me think..."
Tobirama muttered to himself, deep in thought.
"How can I get my brother to stop obsessing over Madara?"
Tobirama quickly came up with an idea.
"I'll have him spend time with the children in the village.
That's what my brother truly cares about—
The future of this village."
"That's a good idea."
Emiya Shigen nodded approvingly.
"I'll continue searching for a way to
extend his lifespan
in the meantime."
"Thank you," Tobirama replied, visibly relieved.
Still,
Tobirama couldn't fully relax.
He always prepared for
the worst-case scenario.
After a moment, he spoke again:
"I didn't ask earlier in the hospital... because it wasn't appropriate."
"But now I must know..."
Tobirama crossed his arms, his expression grave.
"If you can't find a way to save him..."
"How much time does my brother have left?"
The
night air
around them grew
eerily still.
Even
Madara, hidden in the shadows,
held his breath.
For Madara,
Hashirama's life mattered.
Madara wanted to show Hashirama that
he had found the true path to peace.
For Tobirama,
Hashirama's survival was essential
for the stability of both
Konoha and the entire ninja world.
Without Hashirama, the fragile peace they had built could
collapse overnight.
After a long pause, Emiya Shigen finally gave his answer:
"Ten years."
"If I can't find any solutions, and if he doesn't exert himself further,
He'll have
no more than ten years
left."
"Ten years..."
Tobirama's expression darkened.
For someone as
young and powerful
as Hashirama, ten years was
far too short.
Tobirama quickly calculated the implications—
In just ten years, Konoha could
fall apart.
"The other clans in Konoha haven't fully committed to the village yet," he thought.
They were still
proud of their own clans and names.
If Hashirama were to die...
There was no guarantee that these clans would
remain loyal to Konoha.
Tobirama's mind
hardened with resolve.
He had to
find a way
to
ensure Konoha's survival
before his brother passed away.
"I understand."
With that, Tobirama quickened his pace, heading toward the
Hokage Building
as he discussed Emiya's accommodations.
Meanwhile, Madara
watched them from afar.
"Ten years..."
Madara's eyes narrowed before he
melted back into the shadows,
heading toward the
Konoha Hospital.
But Black Zetsu
didn't follow Madara.
Instead, he remained where he was—
Staring
intently
in the direction where Tobirama and Emiya Shigen had disappeared.
His heart pounding.
"This can't be..."
"That man..."
"Why does he look exactly like Emiya Shigen?"
"
A man who's been dead for over a thousand years!
"