At the White Zetsu base, Obito arrived with Sasuke and Karin.
As soon as they landed, the unmistakable sound of slithering filled the air.
"You're back."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his smirk reflecting the dim glow of the underground lair. His gaze flickered toward Obito before settling on Sasuke.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "Kabuto, why are you here?"
Kabuto chuckled. "Oh? And you, Sasuke, can be here but I can't?"
Sasuke scoffed. "Seems you've grown stronger since leaving Orochimaru."
Hearing Sasuke's remark, Kabuto felt a surge of satisfaction. He had always seen himself as Orochimaru's true heir, and his jealousy toward Sasuke had only festered over time.
Back when Sasuke was under Orochimaru's wing, he had been showered with every possible resource, nurtured into the powerhouse he had become. Meanwhile, Kabuto had been little more than a glorified servant, forced to claw his way up through sheer will and stolen knowledge. His transformation was his own doing—an evolution beyond what Orochimaru had achieved.
Karin, standing behind Sasuke, felt a pulse of chakra radiating from Kabuto. Alarmed, she leaned toward Sasuke. "Sasuke, his chakra feels almost completely natural now… only a small trace of his own remains."
Sasuke nodded slightly.
Then, staring at Kabuto, he frowned. "It seems you really have changed over the years."
The light reflecting off Kabuto's glasses gave his expression an eerie glow. "That's right. I'm no longer just a snake. I've surpassed Orochimaru—I've become a true dragon."
Sasuke studied him carefully, wondering if Kabuto had actually trained in Ryūchi Cave. If he had mastered the same Sage Mode that Naruto did, then he had indeed surpassed Orochimaru, who had never been able to complete his own transformation.
Obito cut in. "Enough reminiscing. Let's get to why I brought you here."
Sasuke turned toward him, eyes narrowing. "Before that, you should explain your identity. Since you're not Madara, and given your history with Kakashi, shouldn't I know who you really are?"
Kabuto licked his lips, his smirk widening. "Yes, yes, this is no longer an open secret. As partners, shouldn't we be honest with each other?"
Obito was silent for a moment before turning his back to them. He removed his mask, then reached up and pressed Kakashi's Sharingan back into its rightful place.
With Hashirama's cells coursing through his body, the eye fused instantly. Obito sighed, shaking his head. "Much better."
Turning back around, he met their gazes. "Let me introduce myself properly. I am Uchiha Obito—the one chosen by Madara to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan."
Sasuke's brow furrowed. The name sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't place it. Rather than wasting time trying to recall, he went straight to the point.
"Where were you on the night of the Uchiha massacre?"
Obito met his gaze evenly. "Helping your brother clean up."
Sasuke's expression darkened. "I thought my brother acted alone."
Obito chuckled. "My foolish kinsman… do you really think he could wipe out the entire clan, including the Konoha Police Force, all by himself?"
Sasuke's fingers twitched toward his sword.
"Then why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you save the clan?!"
Obito's tone turned cold. "Do you think I need to answer that? Do you think it was ever an option? Do you really believe that when I made my deal with your brother, he hadn't already considered the possibility of saving the clan?"
Sasuke fell silent, lowering his hand from his sword. His hatred for Konoha only deepened.
Kabuto, meanwhile, was analyzing Obito carefully. He glanced at the restored Sharingan and smirked. "So… you finally got your other eye back?"
Obito exhaled. "I loaned it out for a long time. Maybe he felt guilty… so he returned it."
Kabuto's grin widened. "Let me guess—Hatake Kakashi?"
Obito didn't deny it. "You've already figured out my identity. Do you really need me to spell it out?"
Kabuto savored the moment. He relished the idea of knocking Obito down a peg. This man had hidden behind the identity of Uchiha Madara for so long, playing games in the shadows. But now, the truth was out. And when Kabuto had resurrected the real Madara, Obito must have been utterly humiliated.
Sasuke spoke again. "Hatake Kakashi… what was your relationship with him?"
Before Obito could answer, Kabuto did it for him. "He and Kakashi were teammates, students of the Fourth Hokage, just like you and Naruto. But during the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, Obito supposedly died. That was when Kakashi received the Sharingan—Obito's gift to him."
Sasuke observed Obito carefully. The man was silent, avoiding his gaze, as if unwilling to dwell on the past.
No wonder he always wore a mask. No wonder he clung to the name Uchiha Madara.
Deep down, he was ashamed of the person he used to be.
Sasuke smirked. "Good. If we understand each other, we can cooperate better."
Obito ignored the remark and got back to business. "We're about to start the Fourth Great Ninja War. Let's assess our current forces: the seven captured Tailed Beasts, the White Zetsu army, our resurrected shinobi, and the three of us. That's what we have."
Kabuto arched an eyebrow. "Isn't that enough?"
Obito sighed. "It was. But a certain troublesome individual has thrown a wrench in my plans."
Sasuke sneered. "Naruto."
Obito nodded. "Yes. He took Nagato's Rinnegan. That complicates things."
Sasuke's Sharingan flared. "Then let me kill him."
Obito shook his head. "It's not that simple. With the Rinnegan, he's far more dangerous than before. And worse… he's mastered space-time ninjutsu. That makes him nearly impossible to corner."
Kabuto stroked his chin. "Why not revive Madara and let him deal with Naruto?"
Obito studied him for a moment. "That's exactly why I called you here. But that's not the only plan I have."
Sasuke frowned. "What plan?"
Obito turned to him. "The key to this plan is you."
The air in the room grew heavier. Kabuto grinned, intrigued. Sasuke simply stared, waiting for Obito to continue.
The war was about to begin.
---
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