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When Obito disappeared down the corridor, Kawaki was left alone in the training room, his heart pounding. For the first time since he arrived in this hell, he felt something other than fear and hatred.
He felt hope.
Obito stood in front of a window in his private quarters, staring at the full moon illuminating the night sky. He slowly flexed his fingers, feeling that strange power pulsing beneath his skin.
Three more weeks, he thought. Three weeks and Limbo will be mine.
He closed his eyes, visualizing his entire plan:
First, complete the adaptation of the Rinnegan. Once he mastered Limbo, he would have four invisible, intangible clones capable of fighting in a parallel dimension. Not even Isshiki would be able to see them without the Rinnegan.
Second, secretly train Kawaki. The boy had potential, and if things followed the original future, Jigen would soon try to implant Karma in him. Kawaki needed to be strong enough to resist… or at least survive long enough for him to intervene.
Third—and most important—eliminate Isshiki Ōtsutsuki before he could fully resurrect, if that was even possible.
With Kamui in both eyes, the Rinnegan, Susanoo, and Limbo… a dark smile crossed his face. Would I be stronger than Madara in his prime?
But there was a problem. One that kept him awake at night.
What if I change the future too much? What if Naruto and the others can't stop the threats to come because I altered everything?
He shook his head. He couldn't think about that now. First, survive. First, become stronger.
Then… he would see.
A soft knock on his door pulled him from his thoughts.
"Come in."
The door opened, revealing Amado holding a tablet, his expression serious.
"We have a problem."
Obito tensed.
"What kind of problem?"
"Jigen is asking about you. He wants to know why you've been spending so much time in my lab." Amado closed the door behind him. "I told him I was performing maintenance upgrades on your Hashirama cells, but he didn't look convinced."
Obito cursed under his breath.
"How suspicious is he?"
"Enough that Delta has started keeping an eye on you." Amado removed his glasses and cleaned them. "We need to be more careful. If he discovers the Rinnegan before the process is complete—"
"He won't," Obito interrupted firmly. "I only need three more weeks. I can keep up the act for that long."
"I hope so." Amado stepped closer to the window, gazing at the same moon. "Because if he finds out now, we'll both be dead before you can even activate Kamui."
An uncomfortable silence filled the room.
"There's something else," Amado said after a moment. "The boy—Kawaki… Jigen has decided it's time. He's going to implant Karma in him in two weeks."
Obito's heart skipped a beat.
Too soon. Damn it, this is happening far too soon.
"Are you sure?"
"I overheard the conversation this morning. He's already ordered Boro to prepare the room." Amado looked at him. "If you really care about that boy, you need a plan. Because once he has Karma, Isshiki will be able to use him as a vessel. And when that happens…"
"I know," Obito said sharply. "I know exactly what will happen."
Because he had seen it. He had read every chapter of Boruto, watched every episode. He knew Jigen would implant Karma in Kawaki, turn him into a vessel, and eventually Isshiki would try to resurrect in his body.
But that wasn't going to happen.
"Speed up the process," Obito ordered suddenly. "I don't care about the pain or the risks. I need those Rinnegan fully functional in less than two weeks."
Amado looked at him in alarm.
"That could kill you. The adaptation process can't be accelerated without serious consequences. You could permanently lose the use of your hands, or worse—"
"Then make sure that doesn't happen," Obito interrupted, his Sharingan eyes glowing with determination. "Because if I don't have that power before Jigen marks Kawaki… all of this will have been for nothing."
Amado opened his mouth to protest, but something in Obito's expression made him stop. There was resolve there—absolute certainty that would not accept argument.
"Alright," he finally said with a sigh. "We'll try. But if you feel something going wrong, if your body starts critically rejecting the Rinnegan, you have to tell me immediately. Understood?"
Obito nodded.
"Understood."
When Amado left, Obito returned his gaze to the moon, his thoughts racing.
Two weeks. I only have two weeks to be ready.
He flexed his hands again, feeling the power of the Rinnegan resonating through his veins. It hurt. It burned like liquid fire in his bones.
But it would be worth it.
Because when he finally gained Limbo, when he had his four invisible shadows fighting in another dimension while he himself became intangible with Kamui…
Not even an alien god would be able to stop him.
Or so he believed.
To be continued…
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