In just one day.
Konoha, originally the greatest village in the ninja world, underwent earth-shattering fluctuations.
The Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, who possessed Kage-level strength at only 24 years old, sacrificed himself during the Nine-Tails Incident.
Most people in the ninja world simply regarded this event as a result of the Jinchūriki going berserk.
After all, it is the strongest of the nine Tailed Beasts; causing such a result isn't entirely strange.
However, the Fourth Raikage, who viewed Namikaze Minato as his number one rival, began to harbor devious thoughts.
But that is a matter for later.
There was another matter: after Uchiha Madara and Orochimaru, Konoha had added another S-rank Missing-nin—
Uchiha Mingyue!
Only 15 years old, possessing Kage-level strength, creator of a unique Fire Release, and wielder of the Mangekyō Sharingan.
His crime was murdering members of the ANBU.
As for the theft of the Scroll of Seals, it was not made public.
Because that point was truly too sensitive.
This matter also shocked the ninja world.
One had to lament that Konoha was indeed the cradle of geniuses.
A 15-year-old Kage!
If he had stayed in Konoha, the village could have firmly maintained its position as the number one village in the ninja world.
Now, Sarutobi Hiruzen, who is nearly sixty, has returned to the position of Hokage.
The entire Konoha is left with only one Kage-level shinobi.
Current Konoha has had its vitality severely damaged.
Just as Uchiha Fugaku had said.
Although Konoha issued a wanted order for Mingyue, they simply couldn't spare the manpower to pursue him.
The elite higher-ups of the ANBU were mostly dead!
On the night after the Nine-Tails Incident ended.
Villagers saw Sarutobi Hiruzen returning with a baby and the bodies of the Namikaze Minato couple.
This led countless villagers to declare that the infant was the incarnation of the Demon Fox.
Consequently, countless people in Konoha who lost relatives in the Nine-Tails incident, or those who worshipped the Fourth Hokage, directed their resentment onto this newborn baby.
His childhood is destined to be spent in a treacherous environment unimaginable to ordinary people.
...
...
Southern coastal area of the Land of Fire.
A pier leading to the Land of Water.
Suddenly, the surrounding space distorted.
A few seconds later, a man wearing an orange mask with black patterns and a black robe fell out of the distorted space. He knelt on one knee, exhausted, and muttered to himself:
"As expected... of Minato-sensei. It looks like the plan to capture the Tailed Beasts will have to be delayed for a while..."
The reason Obito appeared here was that he intended to return to the Land of Water through this route.
That was his old lair.
Now that the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, was under the control of his genjutsu, that place had been set up by Obito as the birthplace of the "Akatsuki".
But because Obito only had one Mangekyō after all, his ocular power was limited.
Therefore, in order to stabilize the political power in the Hidden Mist Village, he implemented the Blood Mist rule.
He exterminated any Kekkei Genkai ninjas of the Mist who might threaten him.
"Oh my, oh my~ How wretched. And 'Minato-sensei' just now... I really heard something interesting."
A teasing voice suddenly came from above, causing Obito's expression behind the mask to change drastically.
Without looking up, he threw out endless chains toward the direction of the voice above.
However, a giant pitch-black skeletal arm swept out horizontally. Its immense force knocked Obito's chains away instead.
"Susanoo!?"
Obito was forced to retreat, murmuring in disbelief.
Only then did he look up. After seeing the other person's appearance clearly, he said the name in a deep voice:
"Uchiha Mingyue!"
The triangular Mangekyō in the opponent's eyes startled Obito even more.
In the intelligence provided by Zetsu, Uchiha Mingyue did not possess the Mangekyō!
Obito had, of course, investigated this Vice-Captain of the Uchiha Police Force.
Moreover, the two were once classmates in the same class.
According to Zetsu's investigation, Mingyue possessed impressive Jōnin strength.
But the strength displayed in that move just now was definitely not just Jōnin level.
Also, the Scroll of Seals hanging on the other party's lower back...
Obito basically guessed what Mingyue had done while he was controlling the Nine-Tails to attack Konoha.
"You've hidden it really deep all these years... Uchiha Mingyue."
Obito said coldly.
Mingyue dispelled the black Susanoo on his body surface, jumped down from the tree trunk, patted the dust off his pants, and laughed:
"Not at all, not at all. I didn't hide it that deep. It's you who should have died three years ago, my classmate..."
"U-chi-ha O-bi-to!"
Mingyue enunciated the five syllables one by one.
Instantly, Obito's face behind the mask changed abruptly.
He formed hand seals with one hand while simultaneously activating the ability of his right eye's Mangekyō, causing the space in front of him to distort.
"Fire Release: Bomb Blast Dance!!!"
Facing the Fire Release that was extremely fast and enhanced by the massive range of the Kamui space, Mingyue laughed heartily, his entire right arm bursting into flames.
"Ha! Flying into a rage out of humiliation because your true identity was hit? Obito."
The moment his voice fell, Mingyue punched out heavily with his burning fist.
"Fire Fist!!!"
Boom—!!!!
Mingyue's Fire Fist instantly covered Obito's Bomb Blast Dance and pushed it back.
Obito looked startled. What a strong Fire Release!
However, this kind of thing couldn't do anything to him!
The Kamui ability activated; the flames of the Fire Fist passed right through his body, turning the forest behind him into a sea of fire.
But it didn't harm a hair on Obito himself.
Seeing Obito walk out of the sea of fire unscathed, even though the opponent was wearing a mask, Mingyue could imagine the angry expression on his face right now.
"So unstable, Obito. You don't understand the human heart like this, that's why you couldn't get Rin~"
Mingyue said with a grin.
"Shut up!!"
At this moment, Obito couldn't be bothered to use the name "Uchiha Madara" to bluff anymore.
If Mingyue hadn't mentioned the name "Rin", Obito might have tried to use his grand deception technique.
However, the three words "Nohara Rin" were Obito's reverse scale—his absolute trigger.
Once this name was mentioned, it was extremely easy for him to lose his reason.
Not to mention that Obito is only 15 years old right now.
He is right in his "Chūnibyō" phase.
Seeing the triangular sickle Mangekyō reflected in the eye hole on the right side of the mask.
Mingyue's pupils also turned into the shape of a triangular windmill, his whole body emitting the cold aura unique to the Uchiha Clan. "Hehe, want to try? A duel between Mangekyō. Space vs. Time. Which side is more powerful?!"
Just right. He could use Obito to test his Mangekyō's ocular ability.
His Space, and my Time—which one is stronger?