"Rin, hold on! We're almost across the border—once we reach the Land of Fire, we'll be safe!"
Kakashi called out, shielding Nohara Rin as they darted through the dense undergrowth near the border between the Land of Grass and the Land of Fire.
His heart pounded—not from exertion, but from dread. Behind them, twenty or thirty Kirigakure Anbu pursued with relentless precision.
Kakashi gritted his teeth. He had taken out a pair of Mist-nin that had lingered behind, giving him just enough time to dispel the genjutsu placed on Rin.
But the truth she revealed after regaining consciousness had chilled him to the bone.
"A tailed beast… the Three-Tails… they sealed it inside me, Kakashi."
The words echoed in his mind as he continued fleeing. Why would Kirigakure do something so reckless? Why use Rin? Why let them escape?
Too many questions. Too few answers.
The Kiri Anbu had re-engaged the chase almost immediately, forcing Kakashi to make a desperate decision: run. Get Rin back to Konoha. Back to the village, where the best sealing techniques and Kushina Uzumaki, the host of the Nine-Tails, could maybe do something.
Few knew of Kushina's identity, but as Minato-sensei's students, they were among the trusted few.
They had fought their way here—Kakashi cut down more than a few of their pursuers—but something was off. These Mist-nin were trying to stop them, yes, but they weren't going for the kill.
Every clash, every jutsu, felt half-hearted—deliberately held back.
"Why?" Kakashi muttered under his breath, slashing at another Kiri-nin. The enemy dodged, kunai in hand, but didn't counterattack. Just retreated again.
Meanwhile, Rin ran silently at his side. She could feel the foreign chakra surging inside her like a growing storm.
Her fists clenched. She understood now.
They didn't want to kill her—they wanted her to survive. To return to Konoha. To release the Three-Tails inside the village.
They were using her as a weapon. A ticking time bomb.
She didn't tell Kakashi. She couldn't. How could she?
"Obito… if it were you, what would you do?"
Rin's heart ached at the memory—the way he'd smiled at her, reckless and honest, so different from stoic Kai Uchiha or cold, distant Kakashi.
Obito, who had given his life to save them. Obito, who had given Kakashi his eye.
Her chest tightened.
That voice inside her—like a whisper from the darkness—kept repeating the same thought: You must not go back to Konoha. Not like this.
Her gaze hardened.
And far away, in the shadowed forest, Uchiha Obito ran as fast as his new body would allow.
The right Sharingan in his remaining eye spun as he weaved through the trees under the direction of the masked man with the spiraled face—Tobi, the vessel for Madara's will.
"Obito, slow down. We'll be in battle soon," said the voice of Tobi.
"What?" Obito snapped. He didn't slow. "I can handle myself. Kakashi's there. Rin's there. I won't let anything happen to them."
Tobi sighed. "Your fighting ability is limited. My body is better equipped. If we encounter resistance, let me take over."
"No." Obito's eyes narrowed. "Madara said that the power of the Sharingan is strongest when both eyes work together. Kakashi has my other eye. This time—we'll protect Rin together."
Tobi didn't argue. For a moment, there was silence… until he broke it again. "Well, with the cells of the First Hokage in you, the potential for a new kind of power is real."
The forest darkened. Hours had passed. The red light of sunset faded as a light drizzle began to fall.
"Rain?" Obito muttered.
"We're close," Tobi's voice said.
Obito suddenly cried out, clutching his left eye socket—the eye he had given away.
Pain surged through him.
Flashes.
Images.
Blood.
"Damn it! What's happening?!"
His steps quickened. His chakra surged. The forest became a blur.
He burst through the last layer of trees—and froze.
There, in the clearing, illuminated by flickers of lightning—
Kakashi's Chidori pierced Rin's chest.
Time stopped.
Obito's lone Sharingan widened in horror. The rain fell harder.
Rin's lips parted. A breath escaped. Blood welled from her mouth.
She smiled faintly.
And fell.
Kakashi's blade trembled in his hand. His face twisted with disbelief and sorrow.
In that instant, the world turned black for Obito.
A scream—no, a roar—erupted from his soul, wordless and primal.
Every memory of Rin exploded in his mind like shards of glass.
"Obito, nice to meet you."
"Obito, you're late again."
"You're getting stronger, huh?"
"Don't push yourself when you're hurt, I've been watching you."
"I'm a little nervous about the mission..."
And above all—
"Kakashi, please protect Rin..."
But Rin was gone.
Gone.
A tear of blood slid from Obito's eye.
And the Mangekyō Sharingan awakened.