"Strange, isn't it?"
Tobi's voice came from behind Naruto. Surprisingly, he had also used Space-Time Ninjutsu to arrive on the rooftop.
"It seems that old man Danzo didn't tell you anything after all. Otherwise, you wouldn't be so surprised."
"Who exactly are you?"
"Me? I'm just a lowly pawn."
Tobi said casually, pointing toward Konoha in the distance, engulfed in battle. "Behold the village you sacrificed everything to protect. This is the 'peace' you've always believed in!"
Naruto looked at the chaos before him, his eyes filled with sorrow and fury. He never imagined that the peace he had trusted so deeply was founded upon such bloodshed.
"I will create a world without war, without pain, without hatred! Under my rule, this world will finally achieve true peace!"
Tobi declared loudly, his voice brimming with conviction and fervor.
"No, you're wrong! What you want is control—you want to dominate the world and force it to move according to your will!"
Naruto snarled in anger.
"And isn't that exactly what Danzo thinks too? The only reason he wanted to become Hokage was to fulfill his own ambitions. His so-called 'peace' is nothing but a lie he uses to deceive himself and others!"
"That's still not right!"
"You followed him. You respected him. You…"
"That doesn't mean I agree with his ideals!"
Naruto interrupted Tobi sharply. "Your peace, his peace, Master Jiraiya's peace—they're all wrong! I won't follow anyone. I'll walk my own path!"
"You're merely a puppet—a tool controlled by others."
Tobi said coldly. "Your birth, your growth, your dream—it was all arranged for you. You've never truly had your own will. You're nothing more than a pathetic pawn!"
"You're lying!"
Naruto roared in anger. "You insane bastard!"
"Am I really insane?"
Tobi stared at Naruto. "You were destined to be a Jinchuriki. Your childhood was spent under Danzo's surveillance. Even your dream was imposed on you. You've never lived for yourself—never had your own will. You're nothing more than a pathetic pawn!"
Naruto's gaze sharpened, his blue eyes blazing with fury.
"You don't understand anything! Let me say this again—shut your damn mouth!"
"How many people have placed their hopes on you?"
Tobi continued, pointing once more toward the battlefield in Konoha. "The Hokage sent you alone to handle a two-front crisis. Your teammates depend on your leadership and inspiration. Your village is counting on you to rebuild it. Even now, you were chosen to stop me."
"Tell me, Naruto. How much of what you've done was truly your choice—and how much was dictated by duty?"
"I chose to take on this responsibility!"
"But the problem is, you never really had a choice," Tobi said calmly. "You were destined to become a ninja. A jinchuriki who isn't a ninja can never be accepted. Most jinchuriki have some kind of connection with a Kage, which ensures their loyalty to the village. You, from the very beginning, never had a choice. Your entire life was decided the moment you were born."
Does he actually think words like that can shake my resolve?
"Danzo gave me the right to choose. Although I was still young and immature back then, I still chose to become a ninja. Just like how I'm choosing to defeat you now!"
Naruto shouted as he brought his hands together, unleashing his ultimate technique.
[Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!]
A massive chakra shuriken materialized in Naruto's hands before soaring straight at Tobi.
"Still refusing to face reality? Still trying to run away?" Tobi spoke as he allowed the chakra shuriken to pass straight through his body. "I suggest you give up resisting already. You're no match for me. If you keep being stubborn, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Though harsh, Tobi's words rang true. Even Kurenai Yuhi's genjutsu—the fastest ninjutsu he had ever encountered—couldn't land a hit on Tobi, let alone defeat him.
But Naruto couldn't just sit there passively waiting. He had to find a way to beat Tobi.
This guy not only possesses the Sharingan but also uses Wood Release. Who knows what other abilities he might have?
Sharingan, Sage Mode, Wind Release, Lightning Release, Rasengan, Rasenshuriken, and even the sealed strength within the Amaterasu arm—all these years, he'd been diligently training to strengthen his power. But he had completely overlooked one thing—the Millennium Blade.
He looked at the Millennium Blade in his hand. This sword was a memento from his father—it was also his most powerful weapon. Yet he rarely used it because he feared he wouldn't be able to control its immense power.
However, now he had no other options.
"Don't fight him head-on, Naruto!" The Nine-Tails' voice reverberated within Naruto's mind. "He might not be Madara Uchiha, but he wields power just as formidable. He even managed to control me and force me to attack Konoha. He's extremely dangerous!"
"I know," Naruto said, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes, and began gathering sage chakra. He knew this battle would be extremely difficult.
"He's the one who killed your parents, and the architect of our fate. To defeat him, to protect everything you hold dear—give it your all, Naruto!"
"'We'? What exactly are you implying now?" Naruto muttered discontentedly. Since their last battle against Sasuke, Kurama had been holding a grudge against him. Nothing he said or did could change Kurama's opinion of him.
"Our relationship has always been unequal from the very beginning. You've never seen me as your equal, let alone a teammate—you've always treated me like a tool!"
"I know I was wrong before—I'm truly sorry—but everything I did was for your own good. I hope you can become stronger… Only then can you protect yourself and the people you care about!"
The Nine-Tails' tone softened slightly. "I know nothing I say now will make you believe me, but please trust me this time—I really want to help you. I want to fight alongside you and defeat him together… to avenge your parents!"
"You don't even have to tell me that—I'll do it anyway!" Naruto said, opening his eyes. His eyes had turned golden. [Sage Mode—activated!]
******
High above Konoha village, Konan looked down at the battling figures of Naruto and Tobi, her expression filled with keen interest.
She had been sent by Nagato on a mission to infiltrate the Land of Fire and gather intelligence. Originally, she should have returned to Amegakure hours ago to report back, yet she chose to stay behind—she wanted to witness the outcome of this battle firsthand.
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