Chapter 613: Sage Mode, Return!
"You're Uchiha Obito, Kakashi-Sensei's former teammate, right? Great! I finally found you!"
"Um, let me explain first. I've been afflicted with a curse that causes my... thing to remain permanently in this space... So what you just saw was mine. Please, whatever you do, don't try to cut it with a sword again."
After coming to his senses, the first thing Naruto did was explain his situation to Obito as clearly as possible.
After all, this was Obito's space, and he could enter it whenever he wanted. If Naruto didn't make things clear now, what about next time?
"There's such an evil curse? Could that bastard Kakashi have done this to you? That's going too far!"
Obito looked righteously indignant as he stood up for Naruto.
Although his starting conditions in this life were perfect, that was precisely why he couldn't waste this opportunity.
He had to maintain his character in this life. He was a naturally kind member of the Uchiha clan, a genuinely good person who had already turned over a new leaf.
"Uh... yeah."
Naruto thought about it. Indeed, Kakashi giving him the curse was the most reasonable explanation.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why "Stick" had become permanently intangible.
"Naruto, what did Kakashi tell you about me? There may be some misunderstanding. Actually, I've already..."
Obito wanted to explain his current situation first.
From his perspective, Konoha had no idea that after being rescued by Madara, he had already been re-educated into a positive-energy ninja.
In the eyes of the Konoha villagers, the Uchiha Obito who had died back then had simply gotten what he deserved.
It was like the Konoha villagers waking up one day to discover that Naruto, the Naruto who hadn't yet saved Konoha, had died while carrying out a mission after throwing feces everywhere. They would only be happy about it.
"Don't worry about it, Big Bro Obito. Actually, I was following you and Granny Tsunade the whole time earlier. I heard most of your story, so I understand you."
Naruto smiled and patted his chest.
"..."
Obito was speechless at his counterpart in this world.
He had actually failed to notice that someone was following him, and that someone had been following him while he was talking about something so important.
Could this be the legendary "washing away your sins makes you three times weaker"?
"Speaking of Granny Tsunade, where is she? I still have something to give her."
Naruto scratched his head and pulled the Daimyō's secret decree from inside his clothes.
"What's this?"
"The Daimyō gave this to me. He said I should give it to Granny Tsunade and have her become Hokage, overthrowing my mom Kushina's rule."
"The Daimyō said that as long as I gave this to Granny Tsunade, she would tell me what to do next."
Maybe Obito's praise had genuinely made Naruto feel good. Maybe Naruto and Obito really were similar enough to make Naruto feel close to him.
—Meaning that Obito had held him when he was just born, and Naruto might have mistaken his scent, instinctively treating Obito as his mother.
Naruto directly revealed the very thing the Daimyō had ordered him to keep secret and never tell anyone.
Obito took the decree and looked at it, immediately stunned.
He had originally been thinking that although he had many advantages in this world, he would still need to make some moves.
He never expected something like this to simply land in his lap.
Obito suddenly wondered if he had entered the wrong room.
Was this really Engraved Tsukuyomi, or was it Infinite Tsukuyomi?
"Never has there been such a wonderful start. Cheer for me! Applaud me!"
Before being imprisoned as punishment, Obito had already learned the entire truth about the outside world.
For example, not only was he Madara's pawn, but Madara himself was also Black Zetsu's pawn.
Madara was even more pitiful than him.
At least as Madara's pawn, Obito knew that he was a pawn and had even been planning to resist.
Only Madara was completely innocent and naive. Even after being told the truth, he still couldn't believe it.
And the reason Black Zetsu had turned against Madara ultimately came down to the strategist who had appeared within the Akatsuki—Shiromo.
Shiromo had suddenly awakened Black Zetsu to the truth, making him realize that he didn't need to become an enemy of the entire world to rescue his mother, Kaguya.
Forget about not needing to oppose the world.
He could even have the entire world help him.
Obito felt that in this Engraved Tsukuyomi world, he was just like Black Zetsu in the real world.
He didn't need to oppose the world at all.
He could even make the world help him achieve his goal.
After Obito entered this world, there were no missions on the interface, but he felt that he already knew what his mission was.
Become the Ten-Tails' Jinchūriki and activate Infinite Tsukuyomi.
That was the ending of the real shinobi world, so it would inevitably be the ending of the Engraved Tsukuyomi world as well.
"Naruto, our top priority right now is gathering the Tailed Beasts. So opposing your mother, Kushina, is inevitable. There's no need to worry about the Daimyō."
"I know. Then we'll create a furry shinobi world and prevent the resurrection of the Sage of Six Paths' mother."
Naruto nodded.
"?"
Obito was left speechless.
But after thinking about it, Naruto was a native of this Engraved Tsukuyomi world, a fictional existence. It wasn't strange for him to say something outrageous.
What confused him was that according to the setting, shouldn't the Uchiha clan be the furries?
Why had Naruto become one too?
"Let's start with my dad. We'll extract the Nine-Tails from my dad's body and give him another life. Otherwise, I'm afraid Mom will beat him to death one day."
Naruto made the suggestion with genuine concern for Minato.
"Sure. Of course. Naruto, you really are filial."
Obito readily agreed to Naruto's request.
In his memories, his counterpart in this world felt guilty toward Minato.
To extend Minato's lifespan, he had helped Minato successfully become sterile.
But Minato didn't know that, so he had resented the masked man all these years.
Unfortunately, the kind masked man was gone.
The one who had arrived now was him—the real Uchiha Obito.
He simply didn't care about such things.
After discussing things with Naruto, the two of them came up with a plan.
Naruto would trick Minato into going to the cinema by telling him he wanted to watch a movie with him. Once Minato arrived at the entrance, Kakashi would cooperate and absorb him.
It would also conveniently give Kushina and Shiromo some private time together at home.
It was killing several birds with one stone.
After coming up with this plan, Naruto couldn't help admiring his own wisdom.
Obito felt that the plan was practically perfect. He could only sincerely marvel once again at how filial Naruto really was.
And so, the two complete idiots finished drawing up their plan.
Obito activated Kamui and prepared to send Naruto out.
"Wait."
Naruto suddenly raised his hand to stop Obito. His expression was exactly like Thor's after traveling through time and discovering that he could still get Mjölnir.
Naruto directly began entering Sage Mode right in front of Obito inside the Kamui dimension.
That's right.
He really had been cursed, causing "Stick" to remain permanently intangible.
But as long as he was inside the Kamui dimension, it was as though the curse didn't exist!
He could still enter his beloved Sage Mode!
After Naruto entered Sage Mode, the utterly numb Obito transferred him outside.
Naruto then sprinted toward Konoha.
He had to make it home before dinner.
"Naruto!"
Just as Naruto returned to the village and was heading home, something unexpected happened again.
A voice so familiar that it could not have been more familiar, yet with an incomparably strange tone, angrily called out Naruto's name.
Then Naruto was sent flying, crashing into the Konoha gates so hard that he was practically stuck there.
"Uncle Ichiraku?"
When Naruto finally saw who had knocked him away, he was completely stunned.
(End of this chapter)