Naruto: Paws and Whiskers-Chapter 347

"Damn black cat, he’s too cunning. What should I do next? Rescue Madara? Or lie low and wait for the right moment?"

Black Zetsu wandered aimlessly deep underground. He had traveled to the Land of Water, only to find the hideout completely abandoned. After violently probing a Kirigakure ninja’s mind, he confirmed his worst fears, Madara had been defeated and captured alive by Takeshi.

Yes, Madara was finished.

He might not be dead yet, but falling into Konoha’s brutal interrogation hands was likely a fate worse than death. If Black Zetsu mounted a rescue, there was still a sliver of hope. But the question burned in his mind: was the risk worth it?

If he chose to lie dormant and wait for the next cycle of Indra’s reincarnation, he could execute his grand design without Madara. But this cat defied all conventional logic. They had both suffered a devastating loss by underestimating him.

Takeshi’s schemes were layered over schemes, impossible to predict. Black Zetsu felt it was absolutely necessary to discard his millennium of experience and evaluate this nemesis from a completely blank slate. He had to treat him as an equal to the Sage of Six Paths.

But even the Sage could not unravel the fated entanglement between Indra and Asura. Hagoromo had only left behind a stone tablet, attempting to guide destiny with mere words, words Black Zetsu had easily corrupted.

When it came to pure ruthlessness, the old Sage couldn’t compare to this feline.

Was there really no way to break the deadlock? Whatever the case, he had to at least observe Madara’s exact condition first.

Black Zetsu finalized his decision. If there was a tangible chance to save his pawn, he had to try. Madara remained the best immediate tool to free Kaguya and flip the board. But if a rescue proved impossible... then he would have to rely on his strongest inherent ability.

Survival. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

In terms of raw combat, Black Zetsu was painfully mid-tier. But when it came to sheer endurance, he was entirely unparalleled. He had outlived Hagoromo and Hamura, watching generations crumble to dust, relying solely on his undying nature. As long as he survived, no one could permanently halt his mission.

At worst, they’d see whose lifespan ran out first. He was fully immortal. He could definitely outlast a cat.

No, he needed to set a smaller milestone first: outlast Gamamaru.

That ancient toad was constantly trying to stir up trouble, likely scheming to eliminate Kaguya permanently. The toad simply knew too much. Black Zetsu had previously considered assassinating him, but feared the Sage of Six Paths had left a lethal contingency behind. Now, there was even less need. The black cat possessed far more terrifying knowledge. Gamamaru had already been pushed completely to the sidelines.

Having decided, Black Zetsu rushed fluidly through the earth toward Konoha. He didn’t know Madara’s exact cell location, but finding him was only a matter of time. If he failed, he would settle for capturing Shisui for some intensive indoctrination.

Shisui was a genius. Breaking his mind would be slightly difficult, but Black Zetsu was supremely confident. How troublesome had Indra been back in the ancient era? Yet in the end, even Indra had danced perfectly to his tune. A mere five-year-old brat couldn’t possibly be harder to twist.

So Black Zetsu didn’t take the boy seriously at all. When he sensed Shisui on the road, he merely ordered the White Zetsu to shadow him and prevent his return to Konoha.

--**--**

Before leaving the compound, Takeshi had taken a brief sensory sweep of Hiashi’s unborn child. With the heightened perception of Six Paths Mode, he could tell the baby was developing perfectly.

However, in his previous life, Hinata’s extremely pure bloodline had caused her Byakugan to be coveted by Toneri, who had shamelessly declared a unilateral marriage contract.

Of course, from Toneri’s twisted standpoint, the logic tracked. Once you destroy and recreate the entire planet, you still need someone to propagate the new bloodline. He couldn’t just wait on the Moon forever for the main house to arrive.

Those aliens were absolutely not good news.

"Meow, I wonder when the main house will actually descend. And how old Toneri is right now..." Takeshi mused.

The main house usually visited Earth only once every millennium, so they likely wouldn’t appear anytime soon. As for the clan on the Moon, he assumed they were locked in violent turmoil, or completely wiped out save for Toneri himself. The upcoming decades should be highly peaceful.

The black cat padded silently along the rooftops. Originally, the global war should have raged for another three years. Now, the villages didn’t even dare breathe too loudly.

And the key to this golden age was a cat.

After wandering aimlessly for a bit, Takeshi suddenly spotted a highly suspicious figure lurking outside the public bathhouse. On the surface, it was a perfectly ordinary toad. But hidden deep inside its belly was a distinctly familiar chakra signature.

Takeshi quickened his pace and slipped closer. In the past, Jiraiya struggled to track him, now that Takeshi was actively suppressing his presence, the Sannin didn’t notice a thing.

Jiraiya was crammed inside the amphibian, only his eyes exposed, openly peeping without a shred of shame.

’What a strange technique to unlock,’ Takeshi complained silently. After squatting on the tiles for a moment, he stretched out his paw.

"Ribbit, " The toad let out a panicked croak and tried to flee, but was instantly pinned against the clay.

’Crap! This brat again. ’

Jiraiya shrank back in absolute dismay. He had told no one he was returning from his travels. He’d planned to quietly visit Minato and Kushina, then resume his global wandering.

What followed was an inhuman level of torment. The little toad struggled desperately, but the paw smacked it repeatedly, allowing zero chance for escape. Worse yet, the strikes were infused with heavy Senjutsu Chakra.

"Stop, stop shaking me! I’m gonna hurl!" Jiraiya begged from inside the squished summon.

He had no choice but to tap out. He started to climb out of the toad’s mouth, but just as his white hair emerged, Takeshi gave a casual, violent shove. The toad spun off the slanted roof like a top.

*Splash!*

The hot spring erupted in a massive spray of water, immediately followed by furious shrieks and the sound of heavy blows raining down on Jiraiya’s bobbing head.

"Meow~"

You’re welcome.

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