"I will sever the chains of fate in this world myself."
Kamui Dimension.
Countless cubic stone blocks floated in midair.
Kakashi Hatake and Uchiha Obito stood across from each other like duelists on a battlefield, facing off in the desolate space.
"Why?"
"Shut up, you worthless failure."
"…I'm sorry. I couldn't protect Rin. But—"
"Hmph. I know. I saw it."
"It really was you, then?"
"If I hadn't stepped in, you would've died."
"Then why didn't you come back?"
"This world is a lie, and you, Kakashi, are just another fake. Once I complete my plan, everything can begin anew."
Their voices echoed between the cubes, rapid-fire, like they were racing against time for air.
"The Eye of the Moon Plan?"
"You know about that too?!"
Obito's pupils shrank. This time, he seriously began to suspect Black Zetsu had leaked something. He couldn't help but want to talk a bit more with this "useless Kakashi."
But Kakashi's next words struck deep.
"Dreams are the real illusion."
That sentence pierced Obito like a blade to the heart.
His Mangekyō Sharingan spun furiously. His voice rose in anger. "Don't give me that crap! Come, Kakashi! If you want to stop me, then try it!"
He no longer wanted to talk. If the Eye of the Moon Plan was a lie, then everything he'd done what did it all mean?
He couldn't accept that.
"Obito."
Kakashi stared at the face that was both familiar and unfamiliar. At last, he spoke with unwavering resolve.
"Then the only thing left for me to do now... is to kill you."
Obito sneered. "Then I'll do the same."
Before the words had fully left his mouth, the battle began.
Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!
A massive inferno erupted from Obito's mouth, a blazing fireball streaking straight for Kakashi.
Kakashi swiftly formed hand signs.
Earth Style: Earth-Style Wall!
Boom!
A wall carved with the shape of a dog's head shot up from the ground, blocking the oncoming flames. The explosion of fire and earth shook the empty space.
Before the smoke could clear, dozens of kunai flew at Obito from the haze.
Obito let chains slide from his sleeves, swatting the kunai aside with ease. He scoffed, "Kakashi, I've long since surpassed you."
Kakashi burst from the smoke, blue lightning crackling from his hand and reflecting off the cubes.
At high speed, he pierced through Obito's chest effortlessly.
Poof. A shadow clone.
The real Obito leapt down from a cube above, his chains wrapping around Kakashi's limbs mid-air.
He yanked hard. The chains contracted, turning to blades meant to shred Kakashi on the spot.
But Kakashi suddenly exploded into lightning another substitution.
The real Kakashi burst from the ground and delivered an uppercut to Obito's chin, followed by a flying kick.
Obito staggered, gritting his teeth, but before he could retaliate, Kakashi's palm lit with lightning for the real finishing blow.
Lightning Blade!
This Lightning Blade, inheriting the spirit of the young Obito who had once dreamed of becoming Hokage, pierced straight through the dark Obito's chest.
But that was Obito's plan all along.
His body, enhanced with Wood Release, made his heart less of a weakness and more of a restraint. He used it to trap Kakashi, allowing the Lightning Blade to sever the curse mark left on him by Madara Uchiha.
Two birds with one stone. A stroke of Uchiha Obito's twisted genius.
"Kakashi, that one was the real you, wasn't it?"
Coughing blood, Obito suddenly laughed.
Kakashi was yanked from the sorrow of thinking he'd killed his old friend.
Something was wrong. The battle wasn't over.
A sudden shift.
Even with his heart pierced, Obito's arm didn't weaken. His chains moved like living snakes, wrapping tightly around Kakashi's limbs. More poured from his sleeves, binding Kakashi completely.
"I'll be taking that gift back for now."
Obito surged forward, reaching for Kakashi's Mangekyō Sharingan.
Stupid Kakashi. I'll give it back if I feel like it later.
Just like the Hokage said... I'm no longer Obito's equal.
Helpless, Kakashi focused his Sharingan.
Kamui.
A swirling vortex of space expanded and consumed both of them.
In the next moment, they plummeted from midair back into the real world.
Wind stirred the flowers at the foot of the Memorial Stone, as if someone unseen had been watching all along.
Obito glanced around. They were completely surrounded by Konoha ANBU.
"Damn it. An ambush." He cursed under his breath and tried to phase into intangibility and escape.
But the space around the Memorial Stone had already been sealed off by the Leaf's sealing corps.
This was bad. A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.
Leading the ANBU squad was Yamato, and from another direction came a familiar bowl-cut silhouette.
Obito spat to the side and shifted his stance.
"So you wanted to settle things, Kakashi, but you brought backup?"
What the hell was Kakashi thinking?
He had planned to play it cool, but after holding back for a few seconds, Obito couldn't help but explode in rage.
"Tch! Damn you, Kakashi! You really are a bastard now! Just a fake!"
Kakashi, who had fallen to the ground moments earlier, calmly brushed the dust from his uniform and stood up.
"You're surrounded, Obito. Surrender."
In the distance, Yamato called out, "Kakashi-senpai, is this the so-called 'Hero of the Leaf' you always talked about?"
Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, feeling a little awkward. "He was. Now I guess he's more like a criminal."
Might Guy walked over and joined Kakashi, squinting at Obito and scratching his chin.
"Kakashi, isn't that the dead last from our school days?"
"Shut up! You were the dead last!"
Obito snapped. His rage boiled over as he prepared to go down fighting.
But this place was a trap. A one-eyed Obito was no match for the three powerhouses of Konoha.
A sense of hopelessness began to take root in his heart.
Was the Eye of the Moon Plan... coming to an end?
"Obito, run!"
Dozens of White Zetsu burst from underground like undead, launching suicide attacks on the Leaf's sealing squad.
Chaos erupted.
From beneath the ground, Black Zetsu's head emerged, shouting anxiously at Obito.
"Let the White Zetsu handle this! This was Konoha's trap all along! Kakashi is the real villain here!"
With undying loyalty, Black Zetsu slithered up Obito's body like a venomous shadow, fusing to him once more.
"Don't give up! Run, Obito!"
"You still carry the dream of world peace!"
"Move! Yes, that way the barrier's weakest there!"
"Nice! Obito, you're the best!"
At this point, Black Zetsu was the only one still on Obito's side, a loyal follower to the end.
…
Before Kakashi challenged Obito to that final duel at the Memorial Stone, the Third Hokage had summoned him to the Hokage's office.
Even though he trusted their bond, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but worry.
He looked Kakashi in the eye and said gravely, "Obito's not the boy you knew anymore. He's strong. You want backup?"
Kakashi was silent for a while before shaking his head. He still had some confidence in his own strength.
Besides, Obito's intangibility didn't work against him.
Ending this cycle of cause and consequence... that was something he had to do himself.
Hiruzen sighed and got straight to the point.
"Kakashi, you can't beat him right now. He doesn't just have the Mangekyō Sharingan. He has Wood Release. And there's a chance Black Zetsu might be strengthening him again."
Has Obito really grown that powerful? Kakashi thought to himself.
"Alright. I'll assign Guy and Yamato to back you up. Try to take him down this time."
"Whether you kill him or capture him, I'll leave that decision to you."
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