Obito didn't want to listen to Black Zetsu right now. All he wanted was to be alone with Rin.
At this moment, Obito gazed deeply at the gravestone before him. If Black Zetsu weren't there getting in the way, he would have already started pouring out all the grievances in his heart to his beloved Rin.
He just couldn't understand it. All he wanted was to create a world where Rin existed—why was that so difficult?
"Do it your way."
"When the time comes for me to act, I will act."
Obito spoke in a deep voice as he issued his command to Black Zetsu.
As for why he deliberately used such a deep voice, it was simple—he didn't want to lose face in front of Rin's grave.
Black Zetsu, of course, couldn't understand Obito's little thoughts. It only felt that Obito was acting a bit strange, but didn't think much of it, sinking back into the ground.
Today was a major day for Konoha. Black Zetsu believed that Konoha's defenses would definitely not be as tight as before.
As long as it confirmed whether the Great Tenseigan was in Hyūga Neji's hands or Hyūga Hinata's, it would incite Obito to take action!
As for Hinata, she hadn't attended today's Hokage inauguration ceremony. Not only because her strength wasn't sufficient, but also because she was still trying to get used to her new eyes.
Even after the Tenseigan chakra surrounding her faded, her eyes remained a pale blue.
With these pale blue Tenseigan, even without activating the Byakugan, Hinata still possessed an unimaginable level of x-ray vision. The reason she stayed at home was that she was worried about accidentally seeing something she shouldn't.
"Big sister, your eyes are so beautiful…"
Hanabi clung to Hinata's side. At her young age, she didn't have many worries. She didn't understand why their father was gone, nor why they had left the Hyūga main house—but their current life didn't seem bad.
At the very least, her sister Hinata was always by her side, wasn't she?
"Hanabi will have eyes like this someday too."
Hinata gently patted Hanabi's head. Ever since awakening the Tenseigan—even if it was only a pale blue one—she was already capable of recharging the Great Tenseigan.
This didn't just mean that the chakra inside the Great Tenseigan would no longer be easily depleted. It also meant that both Hyūga Neji and Hyūga Hanabi now had a possibility—
A possibility of elevating the Byakugan into the Tenseigan.
Even if they couldn't reach the level of a complete Tenseigan, awakening a deep blue Tenseigan shouldn't be much of a problem.
Hanabi leaned into Hinata's touch, her Byakugan showing a mix of confusion and comfort.
It should have been a warm and peaceful scene.
But a sinister voice suddenly shattered that warmth.
"Ah! Found it!"
"To think you'd leave something like the Tenseigan in the hands of a little girl!"
Black Zetsu's figure emerged from the wall. The moment its gaze fell upon the Great Tenseigan, even after living for over a thousand years, it couldn't help but feel excited.
To others, this was just a Tenseigan.
But to Black Zetsu, this was clearly the hope of rescuing its mother!
"Who are you?!"
Though timid, Hinata still stood up immediately, taking a Gentle Fist stance.
In her simple understanding, this pitch-black thing with flames burning on its body was clearly not something good!
"So you used the Tenseigan to awaken your own Tenseigan?"
"Even if it's only the most basic stage… at your age…"
Black Zetsu ignored Hinata and instead examined her pale blue eyes with interest.
"So that's how it is."
"Hyūga Hiashi must have long realized you had the potential to awaken the Tenseigan… That's why he went all in and did something like that."
"Using the eyes of the entire clan to forcibly mature the Tenseigan… and then using it as a guide to awaken your own!"
At this point, Black Zetsu believed it had seen through the truth.
Or rather, anyone with a functioning brain who saw Hinata and the Tenseigan together could basically guess what had happened.
Even though Neji had chosen to remain silent about the truth, it wouldn't stay hidden for long.
But Neji probably never imagined that the first one to reveal that truth to Hinata wouldn't be the villagers who bullied her—
But Black Zetsu.
"What did you say…?"
Hinata's pale blue Tenseigan shrank, her body tensing instantly.
"I said—your father used his own eyes, and the eyes of your entire clan, to help you awaken the Tenseigan."
Black Zetsu grinned darkly.
Since Hinata had already awakened the Tenseigan, in its eyes, she had to die.
But before killing her, it didn't mind letting her understand the truth.
As for Hinata's feelings?
What did that have to do with Black Zetsu?
"Shut up!"
"You're slandering my father!"
Hinata struck out with Gentle Fist—her Eight Trigrams Palm slashing fiercely toward Black Zetsu.
No one could tell whether she attacked out of anger at the insult to her father—
Or because she feared that what Black Zetsu said was true!
After awakening the Tenseigan, Hinata's chakra had increased tremendously.
In her own mind, this strike would at most repel the ugly thing before her.
But what even Black Zetsu didn't expect was—
Her palm didn't just hit it—it punched straight through both it and the wall behind!
"The amplification from the Tenseigan is this strong?!"
Black Zetsu looked at the clear palm imprint on its chest, stunned.
It had monitored Konoha through White Zetsu for quite some time and knew exactly what level academy students were at.
But the power Hinata had just unleashed in anger was no weaker than that of a typical taijutsu jōnin!
And that was only the opening move of the Eight Trigrams Sixteen Palms!
"So even a newly awakened Tenseigan is comparable to the Uchiha clan's three-tomoe Sharingan… or even the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Black Zetsu realized something alarming—
It might not actually be a match for this seemingly soft and gentle girl!
And what it didn't expect even more was that—
Someone else had already arrived outside Hinata's house.
"Hinata! Hinata!"
"Anko said something might be wrong with you—I came to check on you!"
Downstairs, Naruto stood holding a steaming bowl of ramen.
Earlier that morning, while searching for criminals, Naruto had run into Mitarashi Anko.
Though Anko didn't tell him what had happened to the Hyūga clan, she did mention that Hinata might not be in a good state.
Kind-hearted as ever, Naruto didn't hesitate. He even spent his limited pocket money to buy a bowl of ramen just to come visit her.