Truly defeating the masked man was no easy task.
After all, Kakashi Hatake's own chakra reserves were not particularly abundant.
This limitation was a key factor restraining Kakashi's ability to maintain his form and strength during the battle.
When Kakashi first faced the masked man, if the enemy had fully unleashed the power of the Rinnegan, Kakashi would have had to expend even more chakra to counter him.
And the greater the chakra consumption, the less Kakashi would have left for the prolonged fight that was sure to follow.
Especially considering this time he also used the Shadow Clone Technique to produce a clone just to execute a Rasengan.
That alone was an enormous drain on Kakashi's chakra.
Just look at how drained he appeared after everything.
His chakra was nearly depleted.
If the masked man had unleashed the full power of the Rinnegan from the start, Kakashi probably wouldn't have lasted this long.
But the masked man seemed to have underestimated his opponent, choosing not to use his greatest strength right away.
That was why Kakashi and Might Guy were able to break through the masked man's Kamui technique.
Aside from that, there was another critical reason they managed to counter the Kamui.
During the battle, Kakashi made a sudden discovery.
His Sharingan was actually closely connected to the masked man's Sharingan.
The masked man's Sharingan allowed him to transfer himself or others into the Kamui dimension.
Kakashi's Sharingan seemed to possess a similar ability.
This revelation inspired a new strategy.
They designed the battle carefully:
First, Kakashi would engage the masked man to lower his guard toward him.
Then Might Guy would appear, and the two of them would work together but fail to harm the masked man.
All of this was to make the masked man careless and open himself up to their next move.
Just as Kakashi's hidden clone, concealed in the shadows, rushed toward the masked man with a Rasengan,
The masked man did not absorb the Rasengan into his Kamui dimension.
Instead, the Kakashi in front used his Sharingan to transfer the Rasengan away.
When the masked man rematerialized to attack, he immediately unleashed the Rasengan.
This was why the Rasengan, which should have disappeared long ago, suddenly reappeared and struck the masked man's back with immense force.
These subtle details combined to inflict serious damage on the masked man.
Might Guy hurried over to support the nearly exhausted and weakened Kakashi.
In front of them, the masked man was badly injured.
He stood up slowly.
Most of his mask had fallen off.
Blood dripped from his mouth.
By all logic, this should have been their moment to finish him off.
Might Guy was about to do just that.
But Kakashi stopped him.
He stared at the masked man with disbelief etched on his face.
He recognized who this man really was and understood why he always felt so familiar with him.
His Mangekyō Sharingan, which was intricately linked to the masked man's Mangekyō Sharingan, provided the key.
Because Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan originally belonged to the masked man—
Or rather, to his former teammate, Uchiha Obito.
Yes, the masked man standing before them was Kakashi's old partner, Uchiha Obito.
Although many years had passed and Obito's appearance had changed drastically,
Kakashi recognized him instantly.
But what troubled Kakashi was understanding why Obito had become this way.
In Kakashi's memory, Obito had been simple and kind-hearted.
His dream was to become Hokage.
Not to destroy an entire village for some twisted fantasy.
So many lives lost...
What had happened to Obito over the years?
Seeing Obito like this, Kakashi felt a deep sorrow.
However, Obito, now exposed, showed no emotional reaction.
He remained calm, but when he realized Kakashi had recognized him, a trace of sarcasm flickered across his face.
He had envisioned this moment for years.
And now it had finally come.
"Obito, what happened to you? Why have you become like this?"
Kakashi looked at him with confusion and pain.
Obito sneered, "Why have I become like this?"
"Well then, I have to ask you this," he said.
"I handed Rin to you.
You promised me you'd protect Rin.
So where is Rin now?"
Kakashi's expression shifted drastically.
The scene before him suddenly blurred, as if caught in a painful haze.
A girl—cute and beautiful—appeared in his mind's eye, her face twisted in pain.
A trace of blood stained the corner of her mouth, her features strained, yet she tried to smile through the agony.
Kakashi Hatake stood before her, gripping his Lightning Blade—Raikiri—piercing her heart.
This scene haunted him, replaying endlessly in his dreams, wrenching him awake in the dead of night.
And now, once again, it unfolded before him.
Yes, he had failed to keep his original promise; he did not protect Rin.
The masked man's accusation rang true.
"Kakashi!"
Might Guy shoved Kakashi firmly from the side, breaking his trance.
He had seen the recognition dawn in Kakashi's eyes—that the mysterious figure before them was his former comrade.
Since then, Obito Uchiha's entire mindset had shattered and twisted.
In truth, Might Guy's own heart ached similarly.
He, Kakashi, and Obito had all graduated from the same Ninja Academy.
He held deep memories of Obito.
Obito was once a genuine, kind-hearted person—a true good man, who dreamed of becoming Hokage.
Yet now, that same man had become the prime architect behind the Fourth Great Ninja War, unleashing untold suffering on the world.
This transformation was beyond comprehension.
Even Might Guy's spirit faltered, much less Kakashi's—who had once shared an unbreakable bond with Obito and endured countless unforgettable moments with him.
Kakashi's current despair was understandable.
But understandable or not, now was not the time for despondency.
They still had families to protect, a village to defend.
There was much work left undone.
No time for sorrow.
So Kakashi, now appointed Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf Village, forced himself to rally.
"It's not your fault, Kakashi!"
Might Guy's intense gaze bore into Kakashi's, striving to pull him from the fog.
And it worked.
At Might Guy's words, Kakashi's expression hardened, resolve returning.
He lifted his head and met Obito's gaze steadily.
"Obito, maybe you don't understand what really happened back then."
"The Hidden Mist Village planted the Three-Tails—Isobu—inside Rin, so that she would return to Konoha and release the beast."
"An unimaginable chaos erupted in Konoha."
"Rin died protecting the village. She chose to throw herself into my Raikiri."
Kakashi searched Obito's face, hoping he could grasp the burden he had carried.
But Obito only sneered.
"Do you think I don't know all that?"
His words struck both Kakashi and Might Guy hard.
They had hoped Obito was deceived, unaware of the truth, which might explain his madness.
But now it seemed Obito had known all along.
So why had he chosen this path?
Their minds reeled in confusion.
Just as they prepared to question him, Obito laughed bitterly.
"You think only you were there? I was there too—I saw everything."
"I watched as Rin was in danger, and you stood by—and yet you failed to protect her!"
"Kakashi, you promised me you'd protect Rin, but you broke that promise!"
What?
Obito had witnessed Rin's death firsthand?
Was that true?
Kakashi and Might Guy exchanged stunned looks, disbelief clear in their eyes.
They both knew how deeply Obito had cared for Rin.
To see the one you loved die, and to feel betrayed by your closest friend's failure to protect her—
No wonder Obito's heart twisted, his temperament darkened into what it was now.
"Now, I lead the Akatsuki to capture the tailed beasts," Obito declared, voice fierce.
"All to create a world with Rin!"
Obito fixed Kakashi with a wild stare.
"If you still harbor any guilt for Rin, then don't stop me."
"Help me."
"Let's build a world together—with Rin."
Obito's almost maniacal words left Kakashi, Might Guy, and all present with bowed heads.
They were shaken beyond measure.
None had expected Obito's transformation was born from such pain.
None had foreseen that his goal was such a twisted fantasy.
After a moment, Kakashi slowly raised his head.
He gazed at the once gentle, now irrevocably dark Obito before him.
His voice trembled with guilt.
"I'm sorry, Obito."
"It was indeed my failure that I could not keep my promise to protect Rin."
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