Naruto: One Eye Tenseigan

The forest was bathed in the golden hues of a setting sun, the long shadows casting an air of stillness over the Land of Waves. Tomaru crouched silently in the canopy, his Tenseigan glowing faintly as he tracked Zetsu's every movement. Hours had passed, and Zetsu's behavior had remained consistent: deliberate, methodical, and entirely focused on gathering information.

Zetsu was a unique entity within the Akatsuki, composed of two distinct forms: Black Zetsu and White Zetsu. Each served vastly different purposes and had their own set of characteristics and habits. Black Zetsu, a manifestation of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki's will, was created to enact her grand designs. His cunning and intelligence made him a master of infiltration, capable of slipping undetected into even the most secure locations. He was a patient observer, meticulously gathering critical information to further the Akatsuki's objectives and Kaguya's ultimate resurrection.

White Zetsu, on the other hand, was a product of manipulations through the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Unlike his black counterpart, White Zetsu lacked offensive capabilities but excelled in stealth and reconnaissance. His ability to merge seamlessly with his surroundings allowed him to remain undetected for extended periods, making him ideal for long-term surveillance.

True to their roles, Zetsu's actions in the Land of Waves reflected their efficiency. Black Zetsu had spent only a few hours gathering essential information—assessing Naruto's location, the strength of his allies, and the overall situation at the bridge construction site. Once confident he had the information he needed, Black Zetsu began to withdraw. Before leaving, however, he summoned another White Zetsu to take his place. The white half melded seamlessly into the surrounding flora, its presence nearly indistinguishable from the natural environment. This clone would continue to monitor Naruto and his team without raising suspicion.

Tomaru's sharp gaze locked onto the hollow of a nearby tree, where a faint flicker of chakra revealed the hidden White Zetsu clone. His Tenseigan, glowing softly, stripped away the illusion of an ordinary tree and exposed the clone's poorly masked presence.

To anyone else, the tree appeared mundane, its roots twisting naturally into the soil. But through Tomaru's heightened perception, the subtle chakra ripples betrayed the White Zetsu's camouflage. It was an imperfect veil, one that could fool most, but not someone with Tomaru's vision.

As Black Zetsu's chakra signature faded into the distance, Tomaru allowed himself a moment of relief. The more insidious half of Zetsu had already gathered its intelligence and departed. What remained was merely a sentry, tasked with monitoring Naruto and his allies. This lone clone posed no immediate threat, presenting Tomaru with an opportunity to act decisively.

Tomaru's lips curved into a small smirk. Unlike Black Zetsu, whose cunning made him a significant threat within the Akatsuki, White Zetsu was far less formidable, defined more by simplicity and stealth than true danger.

Unlike Black Zetsu, whose abilities remained enigmatic even at the end of Naruto's story, White Zetsu posed little threat. Without any advanced offensive or escape techniques, the clone was far easier to deal with.

Tomaru's mind worked quickly. If Black Zetsu had remained, caution would have been paramount. The black half's ability to manipulate events and slip through the cracks of the shinobi world was unparalleled. However, with White Zetsu left behind, Tomaru saw an opportunity to act decisively without fear of immediate repercussions.

Drawing a slow breath, Tomaru activated a chakra suppression technique, masking his presence even further. His own chakra signature dimmed to nothing, blending him into the ambient hum of the forest.

Tomaru descended from the canopy with practiced precision, his movements blending seamlessly into the forest's muted rhythms. Each step was deliberate, the silence of the trees around him amplifying his stealth.

The White Zetsu remained oblivious, its focus entirely on the distant activity at the bridge construction site. Within moments, Tomaru closed the distance. Standing mere feet away from the hidden clone, he extended his hand. A faint, cyan glow radiated as the Puppet-Cursing Sphere activated, sending a tendril of chakra directly toward the White Zetsu. The glowing tendril pierced through the air and sank seamlessly into the clone's body, linking its nervous system to Tomaru's will with precision and control. The White Zetsu twitched briefly, its chakra signature fluctuating before stabilizing under Tomaru's control.

Tomaru stepped back, his eyes narrowing as he assessed his handiwork. The Puppet-Cursing Sphere allowed him to manipulate the White Zetsu with precision, turning it into an unwitting extension of his senses and actions. Through this link, he could now access the Zetsu's knowledge and ensure its surveillance served his interests rather than the Akatsuki's.

"Now, let's see what secrets you're hiding," Tomaru muttered, his tone low but edged with determination.

Tomaru stood over the subdued White Zetsu, its features devoid of emotion, lifeless like a puppet awaiting its master's command. The soft glow of Tomaru's Tenseigan reflected in its vacant eyes, while his own gaze remained sharp with quiet intensity.

He knelt down, his fingers illuminated by a faint aura of chakra as he fine-tuned the Puppet-Cursing Sphere's connection. Wisps of chakra snaked from his hands, intertwining with the Zetsu's nervous system like roots burrowing into the earth. It was a delicate process requiring utmost precision, as the technique served not only as a means of control but also as a link to the fragmented consciousness of the target.

The White Zetsu remained motionless, oblivious to its subjugation. While useful as a scout, its simplicity made it easy prey for someone like Tomaru. His mind worked methodically, analyzing the potential of the technique he wielded. The Puppet-Cursing Sphere was a masterpiece of chakra manipulation—a synthesis of Sunagakure's puppetry and the telepathic ninjutsu of the Yamanaka clan.

Through this technique, Tomaru could control every aspect of the Zetsu's movements, turning it into an extension of his will. Each action, each word, could be dictated without hesitation, as though its strings had been cut and reattached to a new master. But control was only the beginning. By delving deeper into the Zetsu's neural pathways, he could access fragments of its stored memories—remnants of commands, observations, and moments recorded in its artificial mind. These scraps of information, though chaotic, were invaluable for piecing together the broader intentions of the Akatsuki.

As he worked, Tomaru noted another advantage of the Puppet-Cursing Sphere: it severed the Zetsu's connection to external influences. The tendrils of chakra acted as a barrier, cutting the creature off from any commands it might have received from Black Zetsu or the wider Akatsuki network. Here, in the quiet stretch of forest, the White Zetsu was his alone to command.

Yet even a technique this powerful had its limitations. Sustaining the Puppet-Cursing Sphere required a significant amount of chakra, a strain that could become burdensome during prolonged operations or when dealing with a more resistant target. While the Zetsu's simplicity made it an ideal subject, Tomaru knew that a more capable shinobi might detect and resist his control. Furthermore, the information he could extract was limited to what the Zetsu had experienced. Real-time thoughts or deeply hidden secrets remained inaccessible, forcing him to assemble incomplete fragments like a puzzle with missing pieces. There was also the issue of distance. The further he moved from his target, the greater the strain on his chakra, reducing the technique's effectiveness over long ranges.

Tomaru's eyes narrowed as he deepened the connection. The first objective was clear: extract any information the White Zetsu possessed about the Akatsuki's objectives. A ripple of chakra surged through the tendrils, activating the neural pathways within the clone. Flashes of imagery surfaced in Tomaru's mind like fragmented dreams—a cavern bathed in crimson light, figures cloaked in black robes adorned with red clouds, and whispers of a name that made his jaw tighten: Naruto Uzumaki.

The memory flickered and warped, its clarity distorted by the Zetsu's fragmented state. Words emerged from the haze, disjointed yet unmistakable:

"…Jinchūriki…monitor…Land of Waves…"

Tomaru exhaled slowly, his frustration tempered by resolve. White Zetsu was no strategist—it carried only what it needed: direct orders and observations. Even so, these scraps confirmed the Akatsuki's intent—Naruto was being monitored, his movements tracked beyond the safety of Konoha.

A sudden ripple of resistance pushed back against the connection. Tomaru's brow furrowed as he focused harder. The resistance wasn't intentional—it was the chaotic nature of the Zetsu's artificial mind, a byproduct of its creation. Undeterred, he pressed on, gathering what fragments he could. Each piece contributed to a larger picture of the Akatsuki's movements and methods.

Satisfied with his progress, Tomaru maintained control of the White Zetsu and shifted his attention to the forest around him. His Tenseigan's glow intensified as he scanned the area for traces of chakra. Two more White Zetsu clones came into view, stationed at strategic vantage points near a bridge. Their positions were far enough to avoid detection but close enough to relay information to the Akatsuki.

A plan took shape in Tomaru's mind—calculated and precise. If he could seize control of these additional clones, he could transform the Akatsuki's surveillance network into his own. With the first Zetsu now fully under his control, Tomaru melted into the shadows, his movements as silent as the forest around him. The hunt was far from over.