Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 176: Kabuto Yakushi Comes to Pay His Respects to Shigen

Inside the Akatsuki base, Shigen finally met Kabuto Yakushi.

Although, according to Black Zetsu, this should be their second meeting—one it had orchestrated to reintroduce a talent Shigen had once overlooked.

"Kabuto is also a medical ninja," Black Zetsu said with a mocking tone, introducing Kabuto to Shigen. "In fact, he's quite eager to follow you..."

"No medical ninja in the ninja world would turn down the chance to follow Lord Shigen," Kabuto said, adjusting his glasses and smiling. "Well, perhaps Lady Tsunade, the new Fifth Hokage of Konoha, might be the exception..."

"Don't mention irrelevant people here," Black Zetsu cut in sharply, noticing the displeasure on Shigen's face. "Lord Shigen's will is to save the entire ninja world—not just a few patients!"

"Yes, of course," Kabuto chuckled, as if he didn't quite buy into Shigen's ideals. "But while Lord Shigen seeks to save the world, he hasn't exactly stopped saving the occasional individual either. That's precisely why, when I came into possession of a Rinnegan and Uchiha Madara's corpse, I came straight to offer my allegiance."

"Of course..."

"The real reason..."

"Is still Lord Shigen's power."

Kabuto stood before Shigen and—rather brazenly—waved his hand in front of the man seated in the wheelchair. "If you're going to pick a side, naturally, you pick the strongest."

"Don't be so insolent!" Black Zetsu barked in irritation.

"Just curious," Kabuto said, withdrawing his hand and offering praise. "To defeat all four of Konoha's Hokage despite your blindness... quite the feat."

He then shifted the topic with a sly smile. "Still, with such power, I imagine Lord Shigen has no need for the Rinnegan I have in storage, yes?"

"You—!"

Black Zetsu seethed. This bastard—was he trying to leverage the Rinnegan and Madara's corpse to flaunt superiority?

Was he not afraid of death? Did he not realize Shigen could swat him like a fly?

"In any case..." Kabuto continued, raising his head and playing his trump card. "That Rinnegan doesn't belong to Nagato or Lord Shigen."

"!!!"

Black Zetsu's heart skipped.

He knows!

He knows the Rinnegan's true origin!

"It belongs to Uchiha Madara," Kabuto declared without hesitation. "After I obtained Madara's corpse, I confirmed it. The Uchiha's Sharingan evolves—culminating in the Rinnegan, the eye of the Sage of Six Paths."

"Your research into human experimentation isn't bad," Shigen said, frowning slightly—his tone somewhere between mocking and impressed. "You may keep the eye... but only with the rightful owner's permission. If he demands it back, I can't stop him."

"After all..."

Shigen sighed. "My plan was to use your Rinnegan to perform Rinne Tensei and bring Madara back to life."

"Shigen!" Black Zetsu cried, alarmed.

Even if it wanted Madara revived, it wasn't worth risking Shigen for it! Shigen was far more reliable than Madara—Madara was only a backup! Shigen was the ideal choice!

"It's fine," Shigen waved him off, clearly unconcerned about the sacrifice, quickly changing the topic as he addressed Kabuto. "Since you want to research the Rinnegan, I'll allow you to keep it for now... as long as you fulfill a request in return."

"I've got two Akatsuki members whose loyalty is questionable. I'm worried they'll botch the mission I gave them. I want you to bring Uchiha Sasuke—the last of the Uchiha—from Konoha to me. If you do that, I'll let you witness the birth of a Rinnegan firsthand."

"That would be..."

"...an absolute honor," Kabuto said, bowing slightly with a smile. Despite Shigen's blindness, he still offered a respectful gesture. "Incidentally, I recently received intel from Lord Orochimaru's network. I know exactly who those two untrustworthy members are—they've been colluding with Uchiha Obito all along."

"However..."

Kabuto added, in a somewhat polite tone, "I'll need a suitable sacrifice for the Edo Tensei revival of Uchiha Madara. Someone with chakra at least at jonin-level... a final assurance. After all, I was just Orochimaru's subordinate. And now that Orochimaru and Obito are eyeing Sasuke too..."

"Those traitors..." Black Zetsu growled darkly.

"It's fine," Shigen interrupted, agreeing to Kabuto's terms. He extended his hand and gave a calm command: "White Zetsu, use the Spore Technique."

"Yes," White Zetsu answered, quickly planting the technique on Shigen's finger.

A white mass of chakra gathered and detached from Shigen's hand, forming a robust White Zetsu clone.

But it didn't stop there.

Shigen touched the clone's forehead, pouring in potent yang chakra, forming a diamond-shaped seal.

As he worked, he asked Kabuto, "Until Madara is fully revived, can your Edo Tensei maintain his peak strength?"

"Of course... it can," Kabuto replied, fully satisfied.

After Kabuto left to fulfill his task, Shigen turned to Black Zetsu.

"He's an ambitious one," Shigen remarked. "Just like I once was... believing the Rinnegan could grant insight into the power of the Sage of Six Paths. One day, he'll believe he can change the world with that power..."

"I didn't expect it..." Black Zetsu muttered, clearly displeased with Kabuto's arrogance. "His ambition is too much."

"No need to worry."

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"With great power comes great responsibility."

Shigen turned his wheelchair with a quiet creak, his voice echoing through the cave.

"Someday, once he obtains that power beyond mortals, he'll realize just how many wrong paths one must walk before finding the right one..."

"..."

In the darkness, Black Zetsu could barely see Shigen's silhouette.

But in that moment, it felt as if the ancient Shigen—master of war and strategy—was awakening once more.

"...something feels off," White Zetsu whispered. "Lord Shigen... he's changed. He barely listens to others now. Everything he says feels absolute."

"Of course he's changed..."

"No..."

Black Zetsu shook its head. "This... this is the real Shigen."

"The man who once walked alone in the ancient age."

"Back then, he could fool himself—pretending he belonged in the world of medical ninja, surrounded by followers who shared his ideals."

"But now, as he tries to change the world, he faces a harsh truth: there is no one left who walks with him. He must rely on his own power and wisdom to achieve his goals..."

"Just like..."

"When he once resolved to destroy the Ninja Sect."

"Decisive. Ruthless. Uncompromising."

"And that," Black Zetsu said, its grin widening in the shadows, "is exactly the Shigen we need right now!"

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