Boom! Boom! Boom!!
The rain poured down in sheets, and the deafening sounds of impact were like a continuous, muffled thunder!
Two massive blue Susanoo clashed, their giant blue fists wrapped in a wild torrent of air, relentlessly pounding on each other's bodies and heads. Each collision created a visible shockwave, tearing up the ground and the surrounding trees. The air itself was warped by the ferocious blast. The rain was instantly shattered into a white mist, only to be dispersed by an even more violent force the next moment!
The two colossal halves-of-a-man moved with sweeping motions, every movement filled with a sense of pure power. Their fighting styles were almost identical: the same sidesteps to dodge, the same parries to counter, the same direct, heavy punches. It was as if they were fighting in front of a giant mirror!
However, subtle differences gradually emerged in their brutal battle.
The Susanoo controlled by Mirror Obito was more composed, precise, and efficient. Every dodge was perfectly timed, every block cleverly redirected the force, and every counter-attack went straight for the flaws in his opponent's movements or the weak points in the joints! His fighting was like a precise machine, with the calm maturity of a veteran of a hundred battles. While his movements were broad, he rarely wasted an ounce of energy; every attack was made for maximum effect!
Obito Uchiha's Susanoo, on the other hand, was more brutal and savage, with a subtle hint of impatience. His attacks were powerful and faster, but his transitions had a barely noticeable lag or were overly forceful, indicating he was not yet fully in control of the Susanoo's power. His dodges were too wide, his blocks were mostly head-on clashes, and his counters often carried a vent-like savagery, exposing more openings.
Bang!!
Mirror Obito seized the opportunity when his opponent's heavy punch missed and caused a brief stiffness. His Susanoo's huge left arm, like a battering ram, accurately slammed into the joint of Obito Uchiha's Susanoo's right shoulder!
Crack!
A bone-chilling crunching sound rang out. The chakra covering Obito Uchiha's Susanoo's right shoulder instantly shattered, causing his entire right arm to visibly falter.
"Cough!"
Obito Uchiha grunted, his body swaying slightly inside the Susanoo's chest. A flash of anger appeared in his eyes. He forcefully channeled his ocular power and chakra, and the damaged joint was quickly repaired.
"How weak."
Mirror Obito's voice, full of condescending mockery, reached Obito Uchiha loud and clear through the Susanoo. "Your full Mangekyō is indeed powerful, but unfortunately, you can't control it, just like you can't control your own destiny."
"Shut up!"
Obito Uchiha roared in anger. He commanded his Susanoo to swing its fist wildly. His left arm tore through the air with a shriek, lashing like a whip at the other Susanoo's waist! The power of this strike was brutal, its speed was amazing, but its trajectory was too obvious!
Bang!!
Mirror Obito's Susanoo raised its right arm like a shield, blocking the attack with precision. A dull, deafening roar accompanied the explosive impact, causing his Susanoo to stagger back, the ground beneath its feet cracking! But the blocking arm was as steady as a rock, deflecting most of the force.
"Your anger makes you blind."
Mirror Obito's voice rang out again, with a hint of faint mockery. "Let me guess, back then you must have watched helplessly as Kakashi killed Rin, unable to do a thing."
"And after all the tragedies happened, you blamed everyone else, even the world itself."
"As for me..." His voice suddenly changed. "Although I couldn't stop Kakashi, I wasn't deceived by Madara, and I didn't sink into darkness and fantasy."
"Later, Kakashi and I searched the entire shinobi world, just to find a way to bring Rin back, and we finally found it in the Hidden Sand Village."
"Rin looked so beautiful in her wedding kimono. Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei were there. Everyone in the Hidden Leaf Village congratulated us on our wedding, and Kakashi even secretly shed a tear..."
"Shut up! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"
Mirror Obito's words were like the most malicious knives, viciously gouging at the deepest wound in Obito Uchiha's heart. His eyes were bloodshot and his body trembled violently. He commanded his Susanoo to lunge forward recklessly, its fists raining down like a storm. The attack was more ferocious, yet even more chaotic!
Mirror Obito's Susanoo calmly met the attack, either dodging or blocking, or using the force to his advantage, just like a seasoned hunter in the jungle, expertly maneuvering around the attacks of a wild beast. Every dodge made Obito Uchiha's attack miss, every block caused his opponent's power to hit nothing but air, and every redirect of force made his Susanoo stumble and lose its balance.
"Look at you now." Mirror Obito's voice had become very cold. "Your eyes are blinded by hatred, your mind is clouded by power. You are a real failure!"
"What do you know?!" Obito Uchiha roared in fury, his Susanoo's attacks becoming even more frantic. "You have everything! You didn't lose everything! You're the fake one!"
Boom!!
The two Susanoo grabbed each other's hands, and the twin Mangekyō Sharingan of the two Obito stared into each other's eyes.
"Lost everything?"
Mirror Obito's voice became even colder. "What I have is everything I fought for with my own two hands! Including the position of Hokage, including the comrades who trust me, including Rin! And you..."
Mirror Obito commanded his Susanoo to suddenly pull back and step to the side, avoiding his opponent's heavy but linear punch. He then countered with a vicious blow to the exposed ribs where the attack had missed!
Bang! Crack!
Another shattering sound came from the Susanoo, and Obito Uchiha spat out a mouthful of blood.
"And you!" Mirror Obito said coldly. "Dare you say you didn't have a chance to change everything? But you just created more of Rin's tragedies!"
"You just hid in the shadows like a rat in a sewer, wearing that pathetic mask, and you even gave up the name 'Obito Uchiha'!"
"Rin died, and you lived, but you blamed everything on Kakashi. You're like a walking corpse. You're more pathetic than the dead Rin!"
"You are nothing but a coward who indulges in self-deception!"
The constant mention of "Rin" was the final spark that ignited the keg of dynamite, and those words completely tore off the last shred of Obito Uchiha's dignity!
"Ahhhhhhh!!"
Obito Uchiha went completely insane. The Mangekyō in his eyes spun frantically. He raised both arms simultaneously, and a furious chakra gathered. He no longer cared about defense or energy consumption; he just wanted to tear apart the "himself" who had the perfect life, along with his disgusting "happiness"!!
"Die!!"
The two massive blue arms slammed toward Mirror Obito's Susanoo with a terrifying force! This one attack was the culmination of all his anger, jealousy, and desire for destruction!
Facing this kamikaze-like attack, Mirror Obito's eyes remained calm, his Mangekyō Sharingan also spinning. He commanded his Susanoo to cross its arms, forming a solid defensive barrier in front of it. But as he used his chakra to strengthen his Susanoo, Kakashi, who was desperately gathering chakra in the distance, suddenly shuddered!
Kakashi could clearly feel the chakra he had accumulated being frantically siphoned away like water from an open floodgate. His face instantly turned even paler!
Mirror Obito's very existence was maintained by his chakra. Otherwise, with his more extensive combat experience, Mirror Obito would have defeated the real Obito long ago. There would have been no need to provoke him with words to make him reveal a fatal weakness.
Rumble!!
Obito Uchiha's Susanoo's arms slammed heavily into the crossed arms. The deafening explosion seemed to tear heaven and earth apart. The violent shockwave swept out like a tsunami, and the rain was instantly vaporized into a huge vacuum zone. The ground violently trembled, rose, and cracked.
Mirror Obito's Susanoo was hit with such a terrifying force that it was driven deep into the ground. The arms that had taken the full brunt of the blow also made a strained "crunching" sound. The massive body shook as if it could collapse at any moment!
"Puh!"
Kakashi, who was caught in the shockwave from a distance, was hit as if by a heavy hammer and spat out a mouthful of blood. His progress in refining chakra was also interrupted. He felt his chakra being instantly drained. The power maintaining the Mirror's existence was rapidly fading!
However, after enduring this terrifying blow, a glint of light flashed in Mirror Obito's eyes. He had been waiting for this opportunity!
Just as Obito Uchiha's attack landed and he was at the moment of exhaustion, Mirror Obito's Susanoo raised its right arm. A single finger, its tip wrapped in black light, distorted space itself. It shot out like a poisonous snake.
Susanoo: Kamui Shuriken!
Its target was the unprepared abdomen of Obito Uchiha's Susanoo, which was fully exposed after its all-out attack.
Tssss!!
Obito Uchiha's Susanoo was easily pierced through by the Kamui like a hot knife through butter. The finger went straight for where Obito Uchiha was.
"What?!"
Obito Uchiha's pupils suddenly constricted. A sense of impending death instantly seized him! He subconsciously tried to activate his "Phasing" ability, but the moment space twisted, Mirror Obito also used his Kamui to disrupt it.
"It's over." Mirror Obito's voice held a hint of pity. "Die, nameless monster."
Obito Uchiha could only watch as the deadly black light rapidly grew and pierced toward him...
Puh-chi!
Obito Uchiha's body was pierced by the finger. His abdomen was completely annihilated by the power of Kamui. His upper and lower body were separated, and his Susanoo was knocked backward and collapsed by the impact.
Bang!!
Gravel flew and dust filled the air!
On the other side, knowing how resilient "he" was, Mirror Obito was about to command his Susanoo to finish him off with a punch. But the next moment, his figure and his Susanoo suddenly became blurry and translucent, flickering like a bad signal.
"..."
Mirror Obito glanced at his body, then turned to look at Kakashi in the distance, sighing helplessly. "Kakashi, why is your chakra still so low..."
With that, his Susanoo dissipated, leaving only the figure in the white Hokage robe. After a moment of hesitation, Mirror Obito took a step, but instead of walking toward "himself," his figure flickered and he appeared instantly in front of Kakashi.
Before Kakashi could react, a smile appeared on Mirror Obito's face, and he reached out to pull Kakashi up.
"Listen, Kakashi."
Looking at the dazed Kakashi, Mirror Obito said calmly, "Although I just mocked and cursed that guy to death, but..."
"I'm pretty annoyed with you too!"
Before he finished, he suddenly bent down, clenched his right fist, and without any fancy moves, but with pure rage, he slammed a vicious punch into Kakashi's abdomen!
Bang!
A dull thud of flesh on flesh sounded, causing Kakashi to double over.
"Cough!!"
Kakashi couldn't help but let out a muffled groan. He slowly raised his head with difficulty, rain sliding down his face as his eyes, full of shock and disbelief, were widened.
"That punch..." Mirror Obito said coldly, "is for Rin."
"In every world, you promised me you would protect her, protect her with your life, but you failed. This punch is what you owe me, what you deserve!"
Kakashi's body trembled violently, his right eye filled with pain and guilt. Mirror Obito's words were like the sharpest knives, tearing open the unhealed wound in his heart once more. The pain in his stomach was less than a thousandth of the pain in his heart. He couldn't refute it, couldn't defend himself.
"Hmph!" Mirror Obito said with annoyance. "Look at how pathetic you are. If that Obito is a failure, you're a failure too!"
"Did everyone you're supposed to protect die along with Rin? If you really feel guilty, then live a good life. Atone with the rest of your life, instead of getting stuck in guilt and repeating your mistakes!"
With that, Mirror Obito's figure completely turned into specks of blue light, like fireflies shattered by the rain, and silently vanished into the cold, rainy night. Only those cold words and the searing pain in his abdomen were left, deeply engraved in Kakashi's heart like a brand.
Just then, an extremely faint, almost imperceptible, bizarre fluctuation suddenly spread from a distance!
Buzz!!
Kakashi's head shot up, his remaining right eye constricting. He saw that in the dissipating dust, the space around Obito Uchiha's "corpse," which had been cut in half at the waist, began to twist in a bizarre way!
Like a reflection in water with a pebble thrown in, the "corpse" blurred as if being erased by an eraser, and finally vanished completely before Kakashi's eyes!
A figure slowly emerged. It was Obito Uchiha.
"Cough, cough! Cough!!"
He was on one knee, coughing violently. The Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye was now completely dull, having lost all its luster and turned into a lifeless gray! A scarlet tear of blood slowly slid from that blind eye socket, mixing with the rain and dripping onto the ground.
He had survived once again, or rather, for some reason, Mirror Obito had spared his life. The price he paid was Izanagi, and a Mangekyō Sharingan!
A Mangekyō Sharingan!
He slowly raised his head. The remaining Mangekyō Sharingan in his right eye burned with a monstrous fury and a bone-deep hatred, locking onto Kakashi in the distance!
"Kakashi!!"
Obito's voice was hoarse and cold. He shakily stood up, his body hunched over from the pain, but the killing intent in his eyes was boiling. He ignored the loss of vision from his blind left eye and his physical weakness, taking one staggering but incredibly determined step after another toward Kakashi. Each step in the mud made a "splat" sound, like the footsteps of death.
However, when Obito was only a few steps away from Kakashi,
Swoosh!
A figure suddenly emerged from the mud in front of Obito without warning! It was Zetsu!
"Lord Madara, we must leave immediately."
Black Zetsu's hoarse, gloomy voice carried an undeniable urgency. "I just confirmed it. Those black monsters are not right. They are not products of the Mangekyō Sharingan!"
It had previously thought that Obito Uchiha's transformation was some special ocular jutsu after he awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan. However, when Mirror Obito appeared, it had knocked out Itachi Uchiha and taken him away to prevent Obito Uchiha's identity from being exposed. At the same time, it took a look at the battlefield with Hiruzen Sarutobi, and only then did it realize the true nature of those "Voids."
But at this moment, Obito's eyes were only on Kakashi. The monstrous hatred had completely consumed his reason. He seemed to not have heard Black Zetsu's warning, or rather, he simply didn't care.
Until Black Zetsu coldly called out Obito's real name.
"Obito Uchiha!" it said coldly. "Don't forget what you are supposed to do!"
"Those black ghostly things are creations of Yin-Yang Release. You should know what that means."
What does that mean? The last time I encountered a creation of Yin-Yang Release...
It was that "Shadow"?!
It's him again?!
Obito instantly stopped in his tracks and stood in silence for a long time.
"Ahhhhh!!"
He threw his head back and let out a heart-wrenching roar filled with endless hatred and madness. The sound pierced through the rain and echoed throughout the night! But his figure vanished from the spot, leaving behind only an incredibly cold statement.
"Kakashi! I want you to live in fear. I will come to take your life!"