Naruto: Wooing Tsunade from Day One!
Chapter 537: Edo Tensei

Chapter 537 - 537: Edo Tensei

The Land of Lightning, deep within a hidden underground cave.

The cave was shrouded in darkness, with only a few flickering torches casting faint, unsteady light against the stone walls, heightening the eerie atmosphere.

"We can't delay any longer."

"Today is the day."

A voice suddenly shattered the silence, filled with unwavering determination.

Following the sound, a lone figure stood motionless at the center of the cave, muttering under his breath. His eyes were empty and lifeless, and his ninja attire was stained with dust and blood. His entire face was consumed by an eerie blackness, making his original features completely unrecognizable.

Not far from him, a lifeless White Zetsu lay on the ground.

It was as if its soul had been drained, leaving behind an empty shell. Time seemed to have stopped for it, as it lay motionless, awaiting whatever fate had in store.

As the figure formed a series of hand seals with slightly unsteady movements, an oppressive force surged through the confined space.

The sheer intensity of the chakra made the air feel suffocating, as though an unseen weight was pressing down on everything within the cave.

"Impure World Reincarnation."

With the final seal complete, four words slipped from his lips.

His voice was quiet, yet it carried a power that seemed to pierce through the soul, echoing ominously in the stillness.

In an instant, the previously motionless White Zetsu let out an agonized, inhuman scream.

The sound was like a wail from the depths of hell, reverberating violently through the cave, sharp and grating to the ears.

At the same time, a sinister array spread out beneath White Zetsu's body.

Strange, pulsating light flickered within the formation, weaving together in an ominous glow that radiated an unsettling, otherworldly aura.

White Zetsu's body began to writhe, twisting unnaturally as it was forcibly reshaped.

An invisible, malevolent force seemed to be molding it at will. Its limbs contorted into grotesque positions, shifting and rearranging as its body was reconstructed.

Within mere moments, a tall and imposing figure emerged from the chaos.

He wore an ochre-red suit of armor, its surface marred with the marks of time. Yet, despite the wear, his presence radiated an undeniable authority and dominance.

"Lord Madara."

The kneeling figure spoke with deep reverence, his voice trembling with excitement that was far from feigned.

If it wasn't Black Zetsu, who else could it be?

"...Where am I?"

Madara slowly opened his eyes, his gaze clouded with confusion.

He turned his head slightly, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.

His expression remained unreadable, but a flicker of thought passed through his gaze as he tried to make sense of his situation.

Faint cracks lined his face, and his long black hair draped loosely over his shoulders.

Yet, despite his recognizable features, his eyes lacked the brilliance they once held—empty, hollow, devoid of life.

Slowly, he lifted his hands and examined them.

The hands that should have been weathered by time were instead youthful and full of vitality, as though time itself had reversed for him.

He had returned to the shinobi world—reborn in a body far younger than it had any right to be.

"Land of Lightning."

"I apologize for waking you in this manner."

Black Zetsu knelt on one knee, his head lowered even further than before. His tone carried a hint of helplessness, as if this decision had been made out of necessity.

"Impure World Reincarnation?"

Madara frowned slightly, his mind clouded with doubt.

He couldn't recall ever teaching this forbidden technique to Black Zetsu.

"Yes."

Black Zetsu responded curtly, offering no further explanation.

In his view, as long as the result was in Madara's favor, there was no need to dwell on the process.

"I never thought Tobirama Senju's jutsu would one day be of use to me."

Madara didn't press the matter further. He shook his head lightly, a faint, self-mocking smile tugging at his lips.

Fate truly was unpredictable.

At the moment of his death, he had thought his ambitions would die with him.

Yet here he was, brought back once more, an unexpected gift from Black Zetsu.

"Hmph. Once I reclaim my Rinnegan, let's see who dares to stand in the way of my Eye of the Moon Plan."

A sharp glint flashed through Madara's eyes, his unwavering determination igniting like a raging fire.

He had once been old and weakened, relying on the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path just to survive. Against Kawakaze, he had been at a disadvantage.

But now, he felt capable of crushing Kawakaze beneath his heel.

"What is the current state of the Ninja World?"

After a brief moment, Madara calmed himself and turned to Black Zetsu for an update on the outside world.

"Konoha has unified the Ninja World."

Black Zetsu answered truthfully, though a trace of disdain flickered in his eyes.

"They have created a shallow illusion of peace."

"It is nothing more than a surface-level calm. Sooner or later, war will break out again."

"Only you, Lord Madara, have the power to truly change the fate of this world."

Black Zetsu lifted his gaze slightly, his expression filled with reverence as he spoke.

He deliberately glorified Madara while brushing over the current state of the world with only a few words.

"The Ninja World is unified?"

Madara's expression stiffened for a moment before he let out a cold chuckle.

"I underestimated Kawakaze Hatake."

"But he is still too naive. He fails to grasp the true darkness of human nature."

"As long as people exist, true peace will never be possible."

He didn't even need to ask who was behind this so-called unification.

Did Hashirama's granddaughter truly have the resolve to accomplish this?

His gaze hardened with an almost fanatical certainty.

His beliefs had been deeply ingrained for far too long—nothing would shake them now.

"That's right, Lord Madara."

"Only your Eye of the Moon Plan can bring true peace to the Ninja World."

"At this moment, Nagato is in the Land of Lightning."

"If you wish, you can reclaim the Rinnegan that rightfully belongs to you at any time."

Black Zetsu's voice dripped with flattery as he spoke, his tone eager and expectant.

Inwardly, he was pleased. Bringing Madara back in the Land of Lightning had been part of his plan all along.

"You have done well."

Madara nodded slightly, acknowledging Black Zetsu's efforts.

Then, he furrowed his brows and flexed his fingers, testing the responsiveness of his body.

"This vessel still feels unfamiliar."

"When I am truly resurrected, I will personally reshape this wretched world."

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, his Sharingan spun into existence.

The crimson glow pulsed, shifting in the next instant into the intricate pattern of the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Then, almost seamlessly, his eyes transformed again—deep, otherworldly circles appearing as his Rinnegan emerged once more.

A resurrected Madara, capable of freely switching between the Mangekyō and the Rinnegan, was already terrifying beyond measure.

Meanwhile, Nagato remained completely unaware of the storm that was about to descend upon him.