Kakashi's voice rang out with stubborn determination.
Obito isn't dead, Uchiha Madara saved him long ago.
Only Ryūjin Uchiha knew the truth, but that thought remained locked inside his mind. Under no circumstances could he speak it out loud.
He lifted stone after heavy stone with everyone else, forcing his face into a fixed expression of grief. Ryūjin did not want anyone to notice anything unusual about him.
So Kannabi Bridge actually gave me the Rinnegan, is this place that special?
Despite acting normal, his thoughts stayed fully on the sign‑in system and the cheat he'd just received.
In the Naruto series, the Battle of Kannabi Bridge carried major meaning. It marked both the beginning of Uchiha Obito's fall and the opening of Madara's Eye of the Moon Plan. In the real ninja world, Kannabi Bridge was just another battlefield, not a hidden trigger point for secret history.
Could it be that this place isn't significant because of the fight, but because Madara hides something here?
Suddenly Ryūjin's mind lit up, and everything made sense.
There was a hidden base beneath Kannabi Bridge.
Old Madara had stayed there for who‑knows how long.
Forget thinking about that for now, there is no point in speculating. Right now I'm probably the only person in the entire Shinobi World who naturally has a perfect Rinnegan, right?
Ryūjin inwardly thrilled.
Of course, he wasn't the only Rinnegan user — Uzumaki Nagato had possessed them for years. The difference was Nagato wasn't an Uchiha, so he carried an enormous burden using those eyes despite his massive chakra.
Ryūjin was different. These eyes were essentially his originals. He could use them without strain and switch them on or off at will.
Even now his pupils looked normal, not like Rinnegan rings, until he wanted to activate them. Utter convenience.
Lost in thought while lifting stones, the entire group eventually cleared every block of rubble. But what shocked everyone beneath the collapsed bridge was that there was nothing there, not even Obito's body.
"How can this be? Obito was buried right here!" Kakashi frowned, baffled.
"Kakashi, could you be sure about the spot?" Shisui asked after a moment.
"Impossible, I'm certain this is it!" Kakashi answered flatly.
"Kakashi, someone must have saved him, thank goodness, Obito's alive!" Rin said with hopeful tears.
"Right, someone must have taken him!" Kakashi's eyes lit up and he nodded firmly.
Shisui exhaled inwardly. He wanted to object — if someone had really rescued Obito, why put the stones back on top again? To hide tracks? It made no sense. But he also saw how desperate Kakashi and Rin were for hope, so he stayed quiet.
With no body to be found, Shisui's team did not linger. They began their return to Konoha.
Sh sh sh
In the blink of an eye they disappeared using Body Flicker.
The moment the group left, a black, liquid‑like shadow seeped out from a nearby tree. It was none other than the Ninja World's most obedient son, Black Zetsu.
The Leaf squad's gone, they won't be back,
Madara intends Obito to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, so my initiative begins,
Rock shinobi, this will be fun but for now it has nothing to do with me.
With that said, Black Zetsu melted back into the tree trunk and vanished.
Just after Black Zetsu disappeared, an Iwagakure ninja leapt onto the same tree.
Sh sh sh
Body Flicker Shisui and Kakashi, this is a perfect chance to take out Shisui, report to Lord Han immediately.
During the Kannabi Bridge campaign, Konoha's chief enemy was indeed Iwagakure. Both sides shed heavy blood. Two names blazed across the Shinobi World during this period: the Yellow Flash Minato Namikaze and Body Flicker Shisui.
By comparison, the Sannin had fought in the Second Great Ninja War, not the Third. At this point Jiraiya was traveling abroad searching for the Child of Prophecy, Tsunade had left Konoha with no word, and Orochimaru rarely appeared on the battlefield for his own unknown reasons.
Thus the Third Great Ninja War became almost a stage for Minato and Shisui alone. Iwagakure wanted them dead and seized every chance they could get.
In the forested mountains Shisui led the way with Kakashi and the Konoha Police Force racing toward the village. Suddenly Shisui's expression shifted.
"Shisui, notice anything?" Kakashi asked sharply.
"Enemies incoming, everyone, battle stations!" Shisui ordered.
With wartime precision they gripped weapons and braced themselves for combat.
Sh sh sh
Figures blurred into motion and a band of Rock ninjas appeared on tree branches opposite them.
Their leader wore deep‑red battle hood, crimson armor, and a matching face guard. A striking, towering figure radiating heavy pressure by mere presence.
Steam Ninja? Iwagakure really thinks highly of me,
Shisui muttered with a frown.
Some speculate that Iwagakure's ambush was tipped off by Black Zetsu, but that's wrong. Iwagakure was at war with Konoha and simply wanted to eliminate Konoha's genius Shisui. Black Zetsu had nothing to do with it. Only because Madara happened to be beneath Kannabi Bridge did Zetsu linger nearby and witness the Rock ninja movements.
Others worry that Chibaku Tensei might be spotted by Zetsu, but that's overthinking. Obito had just "died" and Madara's plan hadn't formally begun yet. Why would he monitor the whole Shinobi World? White Zetsu was everywhere in Obito's era, not Madara's.