Obito stepped out from the dense forest, his pace slow and deliberate.
Killer Bee instinctively tightened his grip on Samehada, his senses on high alert. That hand that emerged from the space-time distortion earlier—it was his.
Shiranui Genma narrowed his eyes upon noticing the masked figure. "So, the Akatsuki finally decides to show up… That mask. He must be their leader."
The truth about the masked man's claim of being Madara Uchiha was something the Five Kage had kept under wraps. The name carried too much weight—revealing it would be a blow to morale. To the rank-and-file shinobi, he was simply the enigmatic leader of Akatsuki and the one responsible for initiating the Fourth Great Ninja War.
"Go inform the Hokage immediately. The Akatsuki leader has arrived!" Genma ordered. A nearby shinobi nodded and vanished to relay the message.
Obito's lone Sharingan locked onto Naruto. His Mangekyō narrowed slightly as he spoke, "Naruto, you're starting to confuse me. You betrayed Konoha, even expressed a willingness to work with me. Yet, when I razed the village to the ground, you stood in my way. Why?"
Naruto shoved his hands into his pockets. "What if I told you my goal is to save the world? Would you believe me?"
Obito chuckled darkly. "My goal is the same. The Infinite Tsukuyomi will deliver salvation, freeing everyone from this cursed world."
Naruto shook his head. "That's just your twisted perspective, Obito."
Killer Bee's eyes widened slightly. Naruto knew this masked man?
Obito stiffened when he heard Naruto casually call him by name in front of others. That sense of mystique he cultivated—it was gone.
"Don't call me by my name, brat!" Obito snapped, voice laced with irritation. "You have no right to speak to me as an equal!"
Naruto snorted. "Oh, please. If we're really talking about seniority, the entire ninja world should be calling me 'Ancestor.'"
The reincarnation of Asura, the direct heir of the Sage of Six Paths' legacy—Naruto had the lineage to back it up. No one in the shinobi world had the right to challenge that.
Obito ignored his words and stated coldly, "I suggest you stay out of my way. I will destroy Konoha."
Naruto sighed. "And what exactly do you gain from that? Is this all some pathetic attempt to break my spirit? Without the Rinnegan, you're not as much of a threat as you think you are."
Naruto's tone darkened. "And let's be real. Sasuke? He's just a pawn to you, isn't he? If this were really about helping him seek revenge, you wouldn't need to go this far."
Obito clapped his hands slowly, mockingly. "Sharp as ever, Naruto. You're correct. I attacked Konoha to confirm something. Now I have my answer."
Naruto narrowed his eyes, trying to decipher the meaning behind his words.
Obito's lone crimson eye gleamed with excitement. "Powerful shinobi like you are always a problem. Just like Hashirama, you have that same irritating chakra. But even strength has weaknesses, and I've just confirmed yours."
He continued, "Sasuke's revenge is my revenge. I was never Indra's reincarnation, but Sasuke is. He carries the fate of the Uchiha. As his senior, I am merely guiding him toward his destiny."
Then, without another word, the vortex of Kamui swirled to life, pulling Obito into another dimension.
Naruto's brows furrowed. Something was off.
Obito's parting words lingered in his mind. 'Strength has weaknesses…' What did he mean?
Just as he was piecing it together, Susanoo's eerie glow filled the battlefield. Sasuke had arrived.
Trailing behind him was a Shadow Clone Naruto, now dispelling upon reaching the real one.
Sasuke's lips curled into a smirk. "Knew you'd be here."
Naruto immediately understood—Obito had lured Sasuke here. He said he'd send someone to "play" with him.
But why had Obito retreated so suddenly?
'What did he mean by finding a weakness?' Naruto pondered. 'And why does he keep comparing me to Hashirama?'
His thoughts were interrupted by Sasuke's irritated voice. "Oi, Naruto! I'm talking to you! Don't ignore me!"
Naruto wasn't paying attention. His senses locked onto something strange. A flicker of chakra—small, but unmistakable.
His eyes widened. That was Obito's chakra signature.
But… how?
Wasn't he back at Akatsuki's base?
Meanwhile, in Konoha's Hokage office, Tsunade sat cross-legged, her eyes closed as she channeled chakra to the entire village, providing healing support to the wounded.
Jiraiya stood beside her, arms crossed, keeping a vigilant eye on the surroundings.
Then, without warning—a distortion in space.
A hand emerged.
Jiraiya reacted instantly, forming a Rasengan and lunging forward. The spiraling sphere tore through the phantom limb, passing through it harmlessly.
Tsunade's brows furrowed. She felt the disturbance. But she couldn't move—not when so many lives depended on her jutsu.
She exhaled sharply. "Jiraiya, it's up to you."
Jiraiya's eyes locked onto the swirling vortex. "Damn it… It's him."
Obito's voice was almost amused. "Ah, Jiraiya the Gallant. How nostalgic."
Jiraiya knew exactly what Obito was after. He wasn't here to fight—he was here to take something.
Tsunade.
He lunged again, aiming a powerful kick to disrupt the space-time distortion. But Obito's hand flicked—and his grip latched onto Jiraiya's sleeve.
Obito grinned. "You're coming with me."
At that exact moment, Naruto's clones arrived at the Hokage Tower, sensing the sudden shift in energy.
In the chaos of war, Konoha's forces were being pushed to their limits. White Zetsu's army continued its relentless assault. The battlefield was a sea of carnage, with explosions and jutsu lighting up the sky.
Thousands of Shadow Clones had been deployed to hold the line. If not for Naruto's reinforcement, Konoha would have already been overrun.
And now, their true enemy had revealed himself.
Naruto clenched his fists.
Obito had played them all. This wasn't just a battlefield skirmish. He had distracted Naruto with Sasuke, deceived Konoha's defenses, and teleported straight to the heart of their command structure.
And in that moment, as he processed the implications, Naruto finally understood.
Obito wasn't after the village.
He was after its leadership.
"Damn it…!" Naruto cursed, vanishing in a golden flash.
The war was only just beginning.
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