"Raiga-sama!"
The other Mist ninja panicked, but Kiyohara didn't give them time to react.
He turned, his black eyes sweeping across the field.
Six Mist ninja—each person's position, each movement, each hand seal—reflected in his pupils.
Even without activating the Sharingan, his heightened mental energy had already boosted his perception.
Then he moved.
Kiyohara's speed was so fast it left afterimages.
The closest Mist ninja either had their throats pierced by iron sand, or had their necks opened by a single slash.
Five seconds.
All six Mist ninja were down.
Kiyohara flicked the blood off his blade and looked toward the gap in the mountain wall.
Rubble burst outward as Kurosuki Raiga stepped out.
A deep, bone-revealing wound ran along his left cheek, blood dripping from his chin.
But his eyes burned with manic battle lust.
His missing arm had already fused back together under the intense heat from the electromagnetic round; he didn't even need to stop the bleeding—the wound had essentially been cauterized and glued shut.
And his chakra reserves were still decent.
"Good… very good!"
He laughed wildly, raising Kiba high.
"Now we're talking! Come on—give me a fight worth enjoying!"
Thunderclouds gathered again, and this time the lightning was several times larger than before.
The entire valley was illuminated like daylight.
Kiyohara thought: Raiga should be the weakest of the Seven Swordsmen, right?
In canon, Raiga took in Ranmaru—the kid with the Red Eyes bloodline—and was eventually defeated by young Naruto, Neji, Tenten, and Lee working together.
Of course, he also gave up some resistance near the end.
But in actual combat he could trade blows with Lee even without Kiba or Lightning Release.
"Heh, come on, brat…!"
Raiga looked at Kiyohara—now dressed like a jōnin—and thought there was no way this could be "Konoha genin nonsense" again.
Could there really be another Might Duy?
He swung his arm; arcs flowed along the strange twin-bladed sword.
The lightning on the blade turned pale-white, like liquid water in motion.
"Enough hiding behind tricks. Time for my real power."
Kiyohara tightened his grip on the hilt, feeling the cold bite of metal.
Most of his recent fights had been curb-stomps—good for loot, less useful for growth. Only the battle with Ao had really been dangerous.
If you pretend to be weak too often, you start acting like it.
When it's time to lie low, lie low. But when you have the advantage—finish it.
Kiyohara glanced at Kakashi and Nohara Rin.
Madara wouldn't mind if he died too, as long as it got Obito to awaken.
So this was the moment he had to go all-out.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Strike!"
Kiba crackled, releasing a white arc of electricity.
The snapping lightning surged toward Kiyohara.
"Leaf… Body Flicker!"
Kiyohara vanished.
The next instant, he was right in front of Raiga.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
He exhaled a violent gust.
The wind tore away some of the lightning clinging to Raiga, and Kiyohara's blade swung in—forcing Raiga to raise Kiba in his left hand to block.
BOOM!
Raiga narrowed his eyes—and saw that Kiyohara had also layered wind flow along his ninjatō.
From a distance, it looked like he was holding a sword made of wind.
They traded blows in a blur, flashing through the forest.
Against a Lightning Release specialist like Raiga, Kiyohara leaned heavily on Wind Release.
Wind beats lightning.
The Book of the Fighter had stated: when two techniques of the same nature collide, the outcome depends on chakra output—equal output cancels, greater output overpowers.
And if the outputs are equal, the nature advantage wins.
"This brat…"
Raiga felt pressure almost immediately.
A few times he caught Kiyohara and landed a hit—but instead of slicing flesh, it felt like he'd struck solid steel.
The recoil even split his palm open at the grip.
Raiga didn't stop.
Neither did Kiyohara.
They maintained high-speed combat through the trees, gouging trenches in the ground and toppling trunks.
"Damn it… I just need to hold on a little longer…"
Raiga was waiting for reinforcements.
This time, he wasn't the only Seven Swordsman in the area.
If he had time, this brat would be forced to "curl up" no matter what he was.
Watching Kiyohara and Raiga clash, Kakashi and Rin hurriedly retreated to the side.
Strangely, the Mist ninja and ANBU didn't rush to finish Kakashi and Rin right away.
Kakashi didn't understand why they weren't pressing their advantage—but he took the chance to recover chakra.
"Kiyohara…"
Kakashi turned and saw Rin's face.
Her delicate profile—purple face paint, refined features—was fixed on Kiyohara, completely focused.
She looked genuinely worried for him.
Kakashi thought: Rin and Kiyohara really are close.
He remembered Rin had once had a bit of a crush on him, but Kakashi had always known they weren't right for each other.
And Obito's "promise" felt like a curse.
He'd sworn no matter what, he'd protect Rin.
The kind of person who could truly make Rin happy…
Kakashi's gaze drifted to Kiyohara—still holding his own against Raiga while flashing through the forest.
Only someone who cared about comrades the way Kiyohara did could give Rin that kind of happiness.
Kakashi also remembered: when Rin was in danger at Uzushio's ruins, Kiyohara awakened Magnet Release at the critical moment.
That was love. That was… "bond."
"Kakashi?"
Rin glanced back and noticed Kakashi's expression looked strange.
"It's nothing," Kakashi shook his head.
"Who do you think is stronger—Kiyohara or Raiga?" he asked.
The Seven Swordsmen's reputation was huge, so Kakashi knew a bit about Raiga.
Rin hesitated, then answered firmly:
"Probably… Kiyohara."
"Oh?" Kakashi was surprised.
Rin trusted Kiyohara that much?
"Every time I'm in danger, it's Kiyohara who saves me."
Almost unconsciously, Rin touched the bracelet Kiyohara had given her.
By the look of it, he'd woven it himself—she'd cherished it ever since.
Because Kiyohara had been the first—and the only—person to remember her birthday that day.
"I see." Kakashi didn't say anything more.
They kept alert to the Mist around them while watching Kiyohara's fight, their stamina slowly recovering.
But Rin suddenly frowned—her stomach hurt.
A brutal, violent chakra surged inside her, even tugging at her awareness.
She shook her head hard.
"Fangs of Lightning!"
CRACK!
Raiga swung. A crescent arc of lightning raced along the ground toward Kiyohara.
It was so fast that in the blink of an eye it formed a circular ring of electricity—like a cage.
"Run, you slippery brat! Keep running!"
Raiga had realized Kiyohara was fast—so he tried to seal off every escape route and see how Kiyohara would "Body Flicker" out.
Kiyohara heard him and curled his lips into a smile.
Run?
Who?
"Why?" Kiyohara blurted.
Raiga was down an arm, and Kiba was a twin blade—he'd effectively lost half his power already.
Kiyohara had been cautious earlier mostly to probe for hidden tricks—explosive tags, backup plans.
Now it was clear: Raiga had none.
But that had given Raiga the wrong idea—he thought Kiyohara was just a "fragile ninja" with speed and gimmicks.
In reality, Kiyohara had Steel Release and Earth Spear-level defense—far tougher than normal ninja.
In the next second—
The ground burst under Kiyohara's feet—repulsion.
Riding that shockwave plus the instantaneous speed boost from Leaf Body Flicker, he appeared right in front of Raiga.
One slash.
With Earth Spear strength and magnetically-amplified force, the swing even threw off a blade-wind shockwave—almost like a crude sword aura.
Raiga raised Kiba in a panic to block.
BOOM!
Raiga spat blood.
The moment he blocked, his blade couldn't hold; it got driven back into his own chest under Kiyohara's force.
The flat of the blade slammed into his ribs and launched him away.
He rolled across the ground, coughing blood.
Before he could breathe, Kiyohara's shadow fell over him again.
A cold blade tore through the air, striking again.
Sparks lit the dark forest.
Every time Raiga blocked, it felt less like he was fighting a person and more like he was trying to stop a speeding dump truck.
His condition kept worsening—he was clearly slipping into a losing position.
If time kept passing like this, defeat was guaranteed.
…
Ten kilometers away, Obito raced through the treetops.
His two-tomoe Sharingan spun wildly, slowing the world in his vision.
"How are Kakashi and Rin now?"
"From the info coming in… it looks really bad. They're surrounded by skilled Mist ninja—Mist jōnin and Anbu among them."
Obito immediately demanded:
"Where's Minato-sensei?"
"…Who?"
White Zetsu blinked.
"I'm asking where the Yellow Flash is!"
"…Uh, he seems to be on another mission."
"Damn it!"
Obito clenched his teeth.
Fastest in the world, my ass—never arrives when it matters.
Last time, fine. But now again?
"Kakashi—you promised me! No matter what, you'd protect Rin!"
Obito accelerated under the White Zetsu's guidance, barreling toward Rin, Kakashi, and Kiyohara.
He prayed.
He prayed with every shred of devotion he had.
That Rin would be safe.
That Kakashi could protect her.
That he… wouldn't be too late.
In the distance, lightning was bursting into the sky.
So close now he could hear the thunder of Lightning Release.
Driven by his desperate hunger for power, the warm, tight White Zetsu "shell" wrapped deeper—its face reformed over Obito's.
Obito felt completely enclosed, accepted.
Power surged again.
He stepped onto the grass, shaking the blades.
Dew on a leaf reflected a figure in a black cloak—a pale, spiral-faced freak, with a single eyehole showing a red gleam.
Rin—I'm here!
Obito screamed it inside his heart.
…
Meanwhile, Raiga was almost a walking bloodbag.
But he couldn't let up.
If he let up even slightly, Kiyohara's blade would kill him without hesitation.
"Damn it… why is he this strong?"
Raiga couldn't understand it.
A few months ago, it was like Kiyohara had been a completely different person.
Watching Kiyohara genuinely press Raiga back, Rin's eyes flashed with new light.
With Kiyohara here, maybe they really could get out.
And with Kiyohara's speed, he could even carry her back quickly—get the sealing team to figure out what was happening.
"He's so pitiful."
Uchiha-Kiyohara's spirit floated behind Kiyohara, watching Raiga struggle to stand with his blade as a cane.
Kiyohara stared down at Raiga, expression flat.
He wasn't worried Raiga could self-destruct—at this point, Kiyohara could finish him in two moves.
The reason he'd probed was because Raiga had Lightning Burial: Banquet of Lightning—a rare "drag you down with me" self-detonation technique, like Deidara's C0, burning all chakra for damage.
Kiyohara flicked his blade, preparing to end him.
Kiba was a nice weapon—
But every full Seven Swordsman blade had a summoning formula. The seven swords could be summoned back.
Unless you sealed them immediately and restricted the formula, all you could really keep were fragments—like Kiyohara had done before.
"You think you've won, brat?"
Raiga sneered.
"You think my side has no allies—like they're just watching?"
Kiyohara scanned the surroundings.
If it was ordinary Mist ninja and ANBU coming to back Raiga up, Kiyohara would have sensed them immediately.
But there was no movement.
So who was Raiga talking about?
Kiyohara's brow furrowed.
Then—something moved under his feet.
Hiss!
A half-transparent thread punched out of the soil and shot at Kiyohara.
Repulsion exploded underfoot, forcing the thread back down as Kiyohara jumped away.
"He dodged."
Not far away, a white-haired man watched him.
His hair hung to his shoulders, covering his ears. His teeth were sharp. A fluffy bandage scarf wrapped his neck.
He slowly reeled in the steel wire Kiyohara had forced down.
Kiyohara stared at the man.
That androgynous face, those sharp teeth—Kiyohara's mind clicked immediately.
A Hōzuki clan ninja…
Then Kiyohara turned—and saw Mist ninja trying to move on Rin again.
The ones who'd been "watching the show" finally moved.
Kakashi drew a kunai, blocking an incoming strike.
Kiyohara flashed behind Rin.
"Be careful, Rin."
He scooped her up in a princess carry and leapt away.
"Kiyohara…"
Kakashi finally exhaled—Kiyohara had saved Rin.
He finished the Mist Anbu in front of him in a few moves, then raised his guard, eyes tracking the growing number of enemies.
Kiyohara set Rin down and frowned at the crowd closing in.
"Water Release: Water Bullets!"
Water-wrapped projectiles shot toward them.
The melee exploded again.
While Kiyohara and Kakashi fought, Rin did what she could.
That violent chakra in her abdomen was growing more savage, flooding her meridians.
To Rin's shock, she found she could actually draw on a portion of it.
So she began using Water Release.
With Water, Fire, and Yang chakra natures, she could use Water Release naturally.
"Why is my Water Release stronger than before?"
When she fueled it with that violent chakra, the power was vastly beyond her usual level.
She didn't understand why.
She looked at Kiyohara's back and bit her lip.
For Kiyohara—for everyone—she couldn't give up!
"Water Release: Water Bullet!"
Rin used a C-rank technique.
Boosted by that violent chakra, the water shot instantly interrupted a Mist ninja's motion.
Then Rin chained another Water Release.
A blade-like stream flew—
Splurt!
It cut the Mist ninja's neck, blood spilling out.
A medic… using Water Release this strong?
Or… was it the tailed beast's chakra?
The man couldn't even process it before losing too much blood and collapsing.
"Nice work, Rin," Kakashi said.
Rin nodded firmly.
"I won't be your burden anymore. I won't be Kiyohara's burden. I won't be yours."
As they continued fighting, a black-cloaked figure arrived silently at the edge of the battlefield.
"Oh… it's starting."
Through White Zetsu's eyes, Madara watched everything.
He'd planned for this moment for so long.
Don't disappoint me, Obito.
Obito stepped onto the field, his Sharingan catching every detail.
He burst through the last line of brush—and his breathing stopped.
Under the dim moonlight, Rin, Kakashi, and Kiyohara were being besieged by multiple Mist ninja.
Kiyohara was facing a white-haired, sharp-toothed Mist ninja; blades and wires crossed with a shriek.
Everyone's alive!
Obito's heart pounded. A hot rush slammed into his skull.
Instinctively he wanted to shout their names, rush in, fight shoulder-to-shoulder.
Months of agony, training, and the new power surging inside his body—wasn't it all for this?
Those damn Mist—how dare they lay hands on Rin.
Obito's rage boiled.
Protecting the woman you love—that's every man's duty!
But when he opened his mouth, what came out was a rough, low, hoarse voice—so unfamiliar it shocked even him.
"G-guys… I'm back!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Obito froze.
In the past few months, his body had mutated under Hashirama cells—not just taller, but even his vocal cords had shifted.
He… was going through puberty voice change.
That was normal.
Usually it happened somewhere around 11–14, sometimes earlier or later.
Obito snapped back: it was just biology.
Then a Mist ninja flanked in!
"Watch out!"
Obito lunged without thinking.
His speed was monstrous; the White Zetsu body boost let him crater the mud as he launched, almost a blurred white streak.
But in Rin's eyes, what she saw was a huge, pale-skinned, spiral-faced monster—no features, only grooves—charging at Kiyohara's back at terrifying speed!
"Not a chance!"
Rin shouted and kicked sideways. Her long leg in red thigh-high socks carved an arc through the air, slamming into the pale figure's waist.
Obito's entire attention was locked on Rin—he even caught a familiar faint scent of herbs.
He thought Rin was covering his flank.
He was about to say something—
Then the kick landed.
"Ugh—!"
The force launched him sideways into a small tree; he rolled into the bushes.
Obito lay in mud and leaves, Zetsu-body eyes wide, the two tomoe in his Sharingan trembling.
In the moonlight, Rin had pulled back, kunai raised, her beautiful face full of cold caution.
Kakashi had already turned, his one visible eye sweeping the spot Obito fell, kunai glinting.
No joy. No relief.
Just the icy gaze you'd give an unknown enemy.
"Don't you dare hurt Kiyohara!"
Rin's voice was crisp and hard.
"What are you? Some Mist-made monster?"
Kakashi didn't speak, but his body language and chakra build-up said he was ready to kill.
Only Kiyohara, after forcing back the Hōzuki's wire attack, glanced over—eyes carrying a hint of surprise.
Obito's changes were huge.
Seeing no one recognize him—this wasn't how Obito imagined it.
No.
Why?
Obito screamed inside.
It's me!
It's Obito!
His side ached from the kick, but something in his chest shattered even worse.
Months apart—his voice changed, his body changed, even the way he "existed" changed.
But he never imagined he'd have to prove himself to Rin and Kakashi.
He was Uchiha Obito.