E1:Black Zetsu

With a sigh, Kenjaku approached with calculated leaps between the damp trees towards the battle that would be defined as the most epic in the Shinobi world.

"They're really in their own league, aren't they?" murmured Kenjaku as he increased his speed with each leap between the trees. "I must hurry if I want to intercept Black Zetsu."

He had been present since the birth of Hagoromo and Hamura, close to Kaguya as her "servant." With all the knowledge of the manga at his disposal, he knew the canon story well and most of the important events.

Kenjaku knew that while he hid in the shadows gathering more information about the world of Naruto — jutsus, fuinjutsu, and always valuable information — Black Zetsu was in this area watching the battle between Madara and Hashirama.

The roars of the combat resonated, and the tremors caused by the jutsus were evident, as the landscape was rewritten by the two gods of this era. Shortly after, he arrived at the place that would be known as the Valley of the End, cloaked in entirely black garments, watching how Madara and Hashirama were so focused on their own fight that they wouldn't even notice him.

Looking around, he saw a black figure, almost hidden among the trees, observing the battle just like him, without having noticed his presence. Why was Zetsu so important to him? Black Zetsu (黒ゼツ, Kuro-Zetsu) was the manifestation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's will, although it pretended to be the will of Madara Uchiha. It was the mastermind behind several important events that shaped Shinobi's history. After helping Obito Uchiha in his meeting with Nagato, Zetsu became one of the most important members of Akatsuki, serving as the right hand of the organization's creator.

Black Zetsu's true form was a black mass that could change shape and had its own mentality. It could take on a human form and "copy" the hair of the person it inhabited. The black mass contained two yellow eyes, which lacked any visible sclera or pupils. Black Zetsu seemed to retain only one eye after being placed inside White Zetsu by Madara, though it would regain the second eye upon Kaguya's resurrection. Black Zetsu's eyes and knowledge could move to any point of the black mass, even if it was divided into multiple parts. It could cover a living creature's body and control it, and its eyes could disappear completely unless it possessed a body with a dojutsu, as it would use it.

Upon arriving in this land, Kenjaku had no clear objective, just to stay alive. However, he didn't know if it was due to the influence of Kenjaku's ritual or simply himself, but he became too interested in the Ootsutsuki topic. It wasn't a fascination, but a curiosity.

As time advanced and he changed bodies, living for so long, his objective began to form a determination in him. What's the point of being powerful without a goal? It would be like one of those generic fanfiction protagonists who only become strong, have a harem, and are the most popular in the series, or are just so disgustingly powerful that they change the plot to something entirely different.

It was impossible for him to do that, obviously, due to the era in which he was born, the techniques he obtained, and besides, he wouldn't kill Naruto in the future. He wasn't a lolicon, nor did he want to risk taking a body with a damn Bijuu inside that could break free and tear him apart.

He also wouldn't take a weak body. He wanted a talented body, and with these thoughts, he felt like Pedomaru, although he wouldn't go as crazy as that man. However, regarding him, in general, he had to join intelligent men, and Orochimaru, pervert or not, was a genius recognized by all.

And why not be a good person.?

Why? It was boring. He simply didn't want to be. He wanted a different path for himself. He wouldn't be good or bad; instead, he would pursue this goal he had set for himself in this world. His objectives might change, but that would be seen if something that interested him appeared.

Coming out of his thoughts, he saw how Madara Uchiha and Hashirama switched to hand-to-hand combat, as both had their chakra reserves depleted. He knew he had to move soon, or it would be impossible to track him.

Minimizing his chakra as much as possible, knowing that Zetsu was a sensor, he prepared to jump. But first, he needed to create an action plan: 'Jump, catch him, and place a chakra restriction seal on him.' With this, he hoped to at least stop Zetsu and talk to him.

With a sigh and taking advantage of the physical capabilities of the body he inhabited, he launched himself towards Black Zetsu. With almost blinding speed, he leaped towards him. He saw how Black Zetsu turned just as he was millimeters away, surprised. His sharp mouth showed surprise, and his corners demonstrated it. When Zetsu was about to disappear underground, Kenjaku placed his hand on Zetsu's chest, effectively applying the Uzumaki chakra restriction seal and, in passing, a small genjutsu that prevented the fighters in the Valley of the End from noticing him.

Completely vulnerable, Kenjaku grabbed Zetsu's neck and then let some chakra flow to create the Sound Barrier jutsu, which he developed from the knowledge extracted from the Uzumaki, more precisely from a dead body expert in seals.

The name of Kenjaku's cursed technique is unknown; however, it is known that his technique allows him to switch bodies by replacing the brain, so he is also able to use the cursed technique, or in this case, jutsus and techniques linked to the body he possesses. He will always use this one's cursed energy, which allows him to be invisible even with Gojo Satoru's Six Eyes.

"Who are you...?" exclaimed Black Zetsu with an annoyed and cold voice. As much as he wanted to think about it, it was not normal for a human to know of his existence. In his eyes, he was invisible to the average human, and this mysterious man with that scar...

"Scar… wait, this aura… the scar on the forehead… I remember. This guy is… Kaguya-sama's servant… how is he alive? No doubt about it, this chakra is the same…" Zetsu's mind was in a blockade. He recalled the sensation of this chakra, knowing from his mother's memories that this man served Kaguya and was one of the few humans, along with a girl, who protected her millennia ago. This man was one of the only humans Kaguya protected after absorbing the fruit of the divine tree, as he was the brother of that girl. However, he had this scar on his forehead that, according to him, he had obtained fighting against "bad men" who tried to do something to his sister. Zetsu always found it odd, the apparent devotion this man had for his mother, even though he tried to convince Kaguya to use her Byakugan powers on him. Kaguya didn't do so, claiming, "It's the only memory I have of her." Another issue troubling his mind was how this man knew about him, and to top it off, how was he so strong?

"How are you alive?" Zetsu murmured, recalling this human who should have been dead for millennia. The human in question only smiled confidently before speaking.

"I know you remember me, Zetsu. And to be honest, I didn't plan to do this with you, but I must tell you that it's in our best interest to unite, since you and I seek the same thing: the resurrection of Kaguya-sama. You and I know that Indra and Ashura, the descendants of Hagoromo, were reincarnated in the Uchiha and Senju clans respectively. We both despise them and Hagoromo equally," Kenjaku explained with cold neutrality.

"How are you alive?" Zetsu asked again, finding what this man had just said absurdly. His alarms were increasingly activated with each word this man said. It was one thing for him to know about Kaguya and Hagoromo, but how did he explain the reincarnation of the descendants of that man?

"Let's say I've used what's been available to me to survive. I've adapted to the environment and used what life has given me," Kenjaku explained calmly, leaving Zetsu with many more doubts. He was aware that he wasn't resolving all of Zetsu's questions, but he wasn't willing to provide more knowledge than necessary to a potential enemy as intelligent as him.

Seeing that this man wasn't planning to reveal more for now, Zetsu gave up on discovering more at that moment. There were more important things to ask right now. "What do you want from me?" Zetsu asked before quickly launching another question. "And how do you know I wish to bring Kaguya-sama back?".

With a smile, Kenjaku crafted a response coherent enough for Zetsu. "I've been monitoring your actions over time, not for long periods since there were moments when I lost track of you due to your elusive nature. However, knowing that you are part of Kaguya-sama, it was obvious you wished to bring her back after her fall. I agree that the world should be taken by her once again, as it was eons ago. Human evil is simply too much, and I'm tired of so many innocent deaths. Now, surely there will be many more deaths in the future, great powers of war and conflicts. However, if we are all united under the command of a divine being like Kaguya-sama, nourishing the world once again with our being, it would be far better than being in wars. Human evil is something that will never disappear. If you understand that, you will know that no matter how much we fight, peace is something ephemeral and false in a world like this. However, if we all unite under a single hand, surely everything will be more peaceful, and only Kaguya-sama will be the best option. I'm only looking out for humanity and opting for what's best for it."

Kenjaku tried to sound like an obsessed madman who only wished to be absorbed by Kaguya. He wasn't sure if his speech would convince Zetsu, and he understood that it was likely Zetsu wouldn't believe him. However, the important thing was that he was in control of the situation. He knew that Zetsu would comply with what he said, as he held the advantage and could seal or do something worse to Zetsu if he didn't cooperate.

Zetsu, though skeptical, realized he was in a disadvantageous position. This man, Kenjaku, had a power and knowledge that couldn't be underestimated. Despite his doubts, he had no choice but to play along, at least for now.

"Are you willing to annihilate the human race to bring her back?" Zetsu asked, his words wavering as he began to doubt this character who seemed mentally unstable and somewhat out of his mind.

"I'm willing to unite the human race again to nourish the world, and the only one who can do that is Kaguya-sama," Kenny replied calmly.

If Zetsu's eyes could reflect anything, it would be confusion, distrust, and surprise. He didn't know such a person could exist; however, he saw an opportunity. If he played his cards right, he could use this man and his obsession to gain an ally and potentially increase his chances of bringing his mother back. However, he knew he had to be cautious. It was clear that he wasn't telling the truth, but if he wanted to discover what it was, he needed to monitor him. For now, he would gather information and become his ally. According to his words, he had been searching for him all this time; if that was true, he must have been alive all this time and had as much, if not more, information about this world as he did.

"I understand," Zetsu said slowly, trying to process the information and formulate a plan. "If you truly wish to bring Kaguya-sama back, then perhaps we can work together. But I'll need to see proof of your devotion and power. I can't risk aligning with someone who might be a threat to my cause."

Kenjaku smiled, knowing he had planted the seeds of doubt and reluctant cooperation in Zetsu. "Of course. I'm willing to demonstrate my loyalty and power. Together, we will be unstoppable."

As Zetsu continued to weigh his options, Kenjaku knew he had taken the first step toward his goal. Zetsu's cooperation would be crucial, and although he knew this dark being was extremely shrewd, he trusted in his ability to maintain control and use him for his own purposes. The resurrection of Kaguya was just the beginning; over time, Kenjaku would prove that his plans went beyond anything Zetsu could imagine.

"Alright, we'll ally for now. But tell me, how do you plan to help me? I already have a plan in motion that I've taken time to implement," Black Zetsu asked, allowing his curiosity to surpass his previous emotions, though he didn't completely abandon them.

"For now, let's just observe," Kenjaku replied, releasing Zetsu and deactivating the genjutsu, the sound barrier, and finally the chakra restriction seal. Once the sound barrier fell, he minimized his chakra again to avoid potential threats. Although Hashirama and Madara were weakened, he didn't want any confrontation with someone at their peak.

From a distance, he watched the worn figures of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha clash. Finally, with a swift maneuver, a clone of Hashirama seized Madara from behind, securing victory for Hashirama.