Minato, clad in his Hokage haori, emerged from the dim forest behind the Memorial Stone.
Appearing alongside him were the ever-masked Kakashi, as well as an elite contingent of shinobis led by Nara Shikaku and Uchiha Fugaku.
Although intelligence indicated that Obito's Mangekyō ability was a space-time ninjutsu, and that they might not be able to do much against it, Shikaku reasoned that more people would still be useful—if nothing else, it would make it easier to catch Obito during the gaps in his attacks.
Moreover, he glanced at the seething Fugaku beside him.
This man also possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Fugaku might have been unwilling to raise his hand against his own son in the future, but that didn't mean he would show any mercy to the one responsible for the Uchiha clan's annihilation.
Mangekyō against Mangekyō, combined with the Fourth Hokage and the intelligence they already had—by all accounts, the outcome of this battle was already clear.
As for the recently retired Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, he had not come. Instead, he was leading an elite ANBU unit to guard Kushina, while also monitoring Orochimaru to prevent any unexpected moves from him.
"Obito…"
A pained and hesitant voice sounded. Kakashi stared at the man before him—who had suddenly grown much taller than he remembered—with a look of disbelief.
After the Sky Screen's broadcast ended, his sensei had called him aside and shared his suspicions. Kakashi, who had the same foreboding feeling, had gritted his teeth and agreed.
He, too, wanted to know whether the mastermind who would one day try to destroy Konoha was truly Obito—a man who should have been long dead.
Minato and his team had been staking out this spot for days.
After all, if it really was Obito, he would likely be unable to sever his attachment to Rin.
After several days without results, just as Kakashi had begun to feel a quiet sense of relief, Obito finally appeared tonight.
Kakashi no longer had any doubts… Who else in the world would so loathingly cast away the flowers he had left at Rin's grave?
As expected… Obito blamed him for failing to protect Rin.
Just then, Obito, who had been facing away from them, slowly turned around. Under the moonlight, his tiger-striped mask and one crimson eye became visible.
"The famous Yellow Flash can't even recognize people anymore? Your student Obito died long ago. My name… is Uchiha Madara!"
Seeing Obito still trying to deny it, Minato's expression was somewhat strange. He opened his mouth and finally spoke.
"But the Sky Screen has already revealed that you're not Madara, hasn't it?"
"Mr. Simp… let's call you that for now."
"Why… why do you want to attack Konoha? The Obito who died once said he wanted to become Hokage. He said he wanted to protect this village!" Minato's voice carried a suppressed emotion.
"Because this world is wrong."
Obito cut him off, his voice suddenly turning cold.
He raised his hand and pointed toward the brightly lit village of Konoha in the distance. "The very roots of this world are rotten. What you call 'peace' is merely the brief pause between wars. Hatred is passed down through generations, and suffering never ends."
"Look at Konoha behind you. Even just from what the Sky Screen has revealed, the strong bully the weak, clans ostracize clans, and in the future, the Uchiha will be massacred."
"The Will of Fire is nothing but a pretty excuse invented by those in power to justify those they sacrifice. Namikaze Minato, you should know that better than I do!"
Fugaku's expression shifted. He wanted to retort but held back, mindful that this was a conversation between teacher and student.
Minato frowned deeply, utterly perplexed.
"So you want to destroy the world?"
"No. I want to change it."
Obito's voice carried an almost obsessive conviction.
"Kakashi is a failure who can't even protect his own comrades. You, the Hokage, stand by and watch as wars break out again and again. The Third Hokage allows that old fox Shimura Danzō to pull strings in the shadows. Your village is rotten from top to bottom!"
"In this world of the strong preying on the weak, only by establishing a new order can true peace be achieved. So I will create a world without war, without suffering, without loss."
"In that world, Rin won't die, and everyone will be happy."
Kakashi opened his mouth, but no sound came out.
'So, this is really why you hate me… and even sensei…'
"Obito…"
Minato looked at the figure before him, the pain and regret in his eyes deepening. "So you've conspired with the Akatsuki to create this so-called 'new world'? Do you have any idea how many lives will be sacrificed?"
"That's merely a necessary cost."
Obito no longer cared to hide his identity, and his voice held not a trace of hesitation.
"Compared to this world, where children die on the battlefield every day, that cost is insignificant. And in the end, they will all be revived!"
"Obito!"
Kakashi's voice suddenly exploded from the darkness.
He rushed out of the woods and stood beside Minato, his eyes fixed intently on the Sharingan beneath the mask. "What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!"
Obito looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then let out a guttural sound.
"Kakashi."
"You're still the same, a piece of trash who can't protect anything."
Kakashi's body jolted violently.
"Obito, come back."
Minato stepped forward, his kunai hanging at his side.
"None of it has happened yet. You're still Konoha's hero. Let's find a way together!"
"It's too late… Minato-sensei."
Just then, behind Minato, Fugaku's Mangekyō Sharingan spun rapidly and activated in an instant, as he glared at Obito.
But Obito, already on guard, closed his eyes and phased through the attack, even dodging the Genjutsu directly.
The next moment, Obito reappeared from his dimensional space. He raised his hand sharply, and chains shot out like vipers from his sleeve toward Fugaku and the others.
Seizing the opportunity, Minato quickly threw a kunai, trying to catch Obito in the brief moment when he materialized to attack.
But the kunai passed through his body again, causing no damage. Meanwhile, Fugaku and the others also narrowly dodged the chains.
"The Flying Raijin… is indeed fast." Obito's voice dripped with mockery. "But my Kamui exists in a dimension you can never reach."
Minato's gaze suddenly sharpened. Instead of retreating, he closed the distance, a kunai flashing in his hands. But every strike passed through Obito's intangible body.
"Give up, sensei. Your attacks are useless against me."
Obito stood in place, motionless.
But the looming presence of Fugaku and the others prevented Obito from using Kamui to pull Minato into the alternate dimension.
If he tried that, Minato might not fall for it—but Obito himself would certainly be unable to evade the concentrated assault of the Konoha ninjas.
"And what about you?"
Minato's voice was equally calm, almost chilling.
"Can your attacks hit me?"
*****
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