"Obito."
Minato spoke softly, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
"I never thought that everything back then was done by you, why did you do it?"
"Why?"
Obito glanced at Minato, then turned to look at Takemi.
He replied in a cold voice, "Are you trying to lecture me? But don't you think it's too late, sensei?"
"Sensei..."
Kakashi frowned, wanting to say something.
Obito sneered and shook his head. "You always fail to appear at the most crucial moment, whether it was for me or Rin."
"Obito."
Minato frowned, but the words caught in his throat, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.
"Besides..."
But Obito clearly had no intention of letting Minato off.
He gritted his teeth and continued to speak coldly, "As my sensei, you couldn't recognize me back then. You're nothing special, Minato."
"Do you really deserve to be Hokage like this?!"
"..."
Faced with Obito's questioning, Minato was somewhat speechless. Even though he knew Obito was being somewhat unreasonable, as a teacher and as the Hokage, he couldn't help but ponder some things.
If I had immediately recognized him as Obito then, perhaps I would have successfully stopped him.
In that case, Kushina wouldn't have died, and perhaps Naruto wouldn't have had to become a Jinchuriki.
If I had noticed in time that he was Obito, the entire Ninja World might not have had to face such a catastrophe.
With these thoughts, Minato couldn't help but sigh. However, before he could say anything, Takemi let out a scoff.
"That old trick again, Obito, do you really have nothing else to say?"
"Takemi..."
Minato wanted to say something, but he was stopped by Kakashi, while Takemi took a step forward.
"You were ambushed by Iwagakure because of your own lack of skill, and you still have the nerve to blame others? Are you really a ninja?"
"..."
Obito's expression turned somewhat ugly. He felt that whenever Takemi spoke, it was never good news, but Takemi had no intention of letting him off.
"As for being late, I seem to have asked you this question before, what about you? Didn't you notice? Why weren't you faster?"
"..."
"Always relying on others, are you even a ninja? No wonder you're a dead last. As soon as something happens, you only think about others' reasons."
"Shut up."
"You never reflect on whether it's your own problem. You only think about blaming others. You only think about solving things through fantasy."
"I told you to shut up."
"Who is good to you, who deceives you, you don't understand at all. You truly are always a dead last and a clown."
"I said, shut your mouth!"
Obito completely lost his composure. He roared and charged towards Takemi, but Takemi didn't pay him any mind at all.
The moment he casually blocked his attack, his voice once again rang out melodiously.
"A clown needs to know his place. Is your so-called peace the peace you desire? Is your so-called evolution truly the evolution you yearn for?"
Boom!
A piercing roar erupted once again. Obito was heavily thrown to the ground, panting continuously, but the killing intent in his eyes had become almost tangible.
Kimimaro and Nagato immediately gathered, but Takemi seemed completely unconcerned, and spoke faintly, "You'd best come at me together, but as a friendly reminder, if you don't have any other means, then..."
"I should send you on your way."
The chaotic battle raged under the moonlight, and within the consciousness channel of Obito and the others, the three Ōtsutsuki had strange expressions.
"Truly magnificent. Although these lower beings are very weak in power, their application of Chakra and their combat techniques are exceptionally skilled."
Urashiki couldn't help but exclaim as he watched such a frantic battle.
Momoshiki nodded slightly. "This world is indeed extraordinary. The things passed down from a thousand years of bloody battles are incredible."
However, as he said this, Momoshiki and Urashiki couldn't help but exchange glances. And in both of their minds, a terrifying thought couldn't help but arise.
If that Sage of Six Paths is really Isshiki, then is that monster, Takeshiki, also created by Isshiki?!
After all, Takeshiki's fighting style was very different, and Isshiki had also said that Takeshiki had obtained the combat abilities of this world.
Thinking of this, they both gritted their back teeth in hatred.
All the original bad consequences were indeed caused by this Isshiki, and they were just unlucky individuals who were caught in the crossfire.
Isshiki not only released the demon within Takeshiki, letting Takeshiki see the Path to Godhood, but also allowed Takeshiki to obtain the power to deal with us?
Although there was no definite evidence yet, at this moment, they couldn't hold back. They wanted to complete the decompression quickly and find an opportunity to strangle this damn Isshiki.
This bastard was the root of all evil.
"It's time to act."
As everyone fought separately, Black Zetsu's gaze locked onto Nagato.
'I should have been suspected by Madara, but he still needs me now, so I must do something to lower his guard.'
Black Zetsu knew Madara's suspicious nature well. His moment of emotional turbulence just now had definitely been noted by Madara.
What he could do now was naturally to quickly divert Madara's attention, temporarily making Madara less concerned.
'Or rather, make him temporarily trust me. I absolutely cannot mess up.'
Thinking of this, Black Zetsu's gaze fixed on Nagato, and his body slowly submerged into the ground.
'Then, I can only help Madara revive and immediately summon the Ten-Tails, making him the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki.'
Only in this way could Madara temporarily dispel those suspicions, and at the same time prevent Obito from releasing his mother.
Buzz!
At this moment, his speed increased. Almost instantly, he had arrived beside Nagato, pushing through the tidal wave of Chakra.
That black Chakra, like ink, splashed towards Nagato.
— — —
"Big brother, it seems the situation is developing beyond our expectations."
While the Ninja World was in an uproar, in the dimensional space, Hamura looked at his somewhat withdrawn older brother with an awkward expression.
This was the first time he had seen his good older brother show such an expression. Of course, he knew the reason very well, but he also found the matter both funny and frustrating.
Because...
If one didn't know the truth, it seemed to align perfectly with what those children of the Ninja World were saying.
After all, even Takemi thought so, so it seemed there was no problem with others understanding it that way?
To be honest, even he wondered if that was truly the case. But he wouldn't dare to say that, his older brother's gaze just now was too terrifying.
"Big brother's reputation seems to be ruined."
Hamura was still holding back laughter, but everything happening outside made it hard for him to smile. He felt it was necessary to remind his older brother.
If he continued to withdraw, the elite of the Ninja World might truly all have to rely on Edo Tensei.
"Should we act now? If we don't, the situation might get even worse."
"I know."
Hagoromo was silent for a long time before speaking stiffly.
His head was still buzzing. He never dreamed how the situation had turned out like this.
How did he inexplicably get stripped of his 'humanity,' and even his human nature was gone?
Only the 'divinity' with a series of negative reactions like coldness, cruelty, and bloodlust remained?
And, as expected, he would become—
The Ninja World's biggest mastermind, one who sacrifices family for the greater good, the creator of Ninshū and the Pure Land, the father of Indra and Asura, the cold-blooded Sage of Six Paths.
'Was I really thinking that way, and that's why I did it?!'
Hagoromo himself was in a daze, he wasn't even sure what he was thinking at the time.
"Big brother, since you know, shouldn't we move?"
Seeing Hagoromo reply and then fall silent again, Hamura had a headache.
"If there's a problem, why don't you show yourself and explain it later? This isn't the time to dwell on these things."
"Show myself and explain?"
Hagoromo felt a pang of toothache again at those words. Could it really be explained clearly?
But now didn't seem to be the time to dwell on it.
He rubbed his brow and said, "Perhaps I do need to show myself. After all, I might need to summon some souls for the final battle, but it's not time yet."