Konoha.
Near the Hokage Building.
Obito smiled faintly beneath his broken mask as he thought about the backup plan he had prepared long ago.
The reason he had not brought the permanent version of Kotoamatsukami with him was simple.
He had already used it on someone else.
Anyone truly close to Shiki would immediately trigger suspicion.
So Obito had chosen someone important enough to cause chaos…
But not close enough for Shiki's protections to react instantly.
Someone with authority.
Someone with enough influence to walk into this crisis without being stopped.
Obito slowly spoke, his deep voice carrying a chilling edge.
"…You protected them well, Shiki."
"But not well enough."
Just as those words left his mouth, the sound of hurried footsteps and bodies moving at high speed reached their ears.
Tsunade turned her head warily.
Several chakra signatures were approaching.
Uchiha chakra.
A moment later...
Figures flashed across the battlefield.
Dozens of Uchiha clan members appeared around the area, their Sharingan glowing beneath the firelight and smoke.
At their front stood Uchiha Fugaku.
His expression was grim, and his scarlet Sharingan spun slowly, fully activated for battle.
"Tsunade-sama."
Fugaku stepped forward calmly, though his voice carried unusual heaviness.
"We have dealt with the intruders in the Uchiha district. Only this place remains. The Uchiha Clan will assist with all its might."
Tsunade visibly relaxed slightly.
After all, Fugaku had rushed here immediately despite the chaos inside his own district. His own son was involved in this disaster.
With White Zetsu spreading throughout the village and Obito standing before them, Uchiha reinforcements should have been welcome.
After a brief moment of thought, Tsunade quickly issued orders.
"Fugaku, have the rest of your clan deal with those white creatures. They won't be much help here."
"As for you, stay and support us. The enemy is a Mangekyō Sharingan user. You understand those eyes better than anyone."
Fugaku nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Obito looked at them silently, not stopping them from preparing a plan against him.
No one noticed the faint amusement hidden in his eye.
Then, at Fugaku's signal, the Uchiha clan members spread out into different positions.
But something felt off.
Fugaku suddenly moved without warning. His Sharingan spun violently as he crossed the distance in an instant.
Yugito reacted first. Her tailed beast instincts were different from normal shinobi.
"Kushina!"
She shoved Kushina aside, but several Uchiha behind Fugaku moved at the same time, throwing kunai and Fire Style techniques toward Tsunade and Yugito.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Flames erupted across the broken area.
Tsunade smashed through the sea of fire with a monstrous punch, scattering the flames apart.
Her expression immediately darkened with disbelief and fury.
"Fugaku!"
Kurenai, Rin, and Shisui, who had only been observing the fight from a distance, were shocked by his sudden betrayal.
Kurenai pulled Rin back while Shisui intercepted two Uchiha attackers.
His face turned pale.
"Clan Head?! What are you doing?!"
Fugaku did not answer. His expression remained cold, while his eyes spun rapidly as the tomoe connected into a Mangekyō Sharingan pattern.
Shisui's pupils shrank violently.
"Mangekyō…?!"
And it did not end there.
Crimson chakra suddenly exploded outward.
A massive skeletal arm burst into existence around Fugaku before rapidly forming into a crimson Susanoo that resembled burning armor wrapped around his body.
Several nearby shinobi instinctively froze.
Even the Uchiha themselves looked horrified.
Clan Head Fugaku…
Had possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan this entire time?
Boom!!
The crimson Susanoo swung its gigantic fist toward Tsunade.
Crack!
Tsunade met it head-on with a punch, shockwaves exploding outward across the ruined ground.
A crack spread across the Susanoo's arm but Tsunade herself was still blasted backward, sliding across the ground violently before stopping herself.
"Lady Tsunade!"
"Tsunade!"
Both Kushina and Yugito cried out, but Tsunade steadied herself quickly and raised a hand.
"I'm fine. That barely did anything. Don't underestimate me, and stay focused."
Then she slowly lifted her head toward Fugaku.
Her expression had become terrifyingly cold.
"What is the meaning of this, Fugaku?"
"Are you truly choosing this path?"
"The consequences will be severe."
At that moment, even Tsunade's mind became chaotic.
She could not understand why Fugaku would suddenly choose to betray them.
Or was this entire thing their plan?
Had Itachi's kidnapping also been part of it?
She thought grimly.
Her gaze moved across the battlefield and landed on Mikoto, who was also staring with her mouth slightly open, shocked by her husband's sudden actions.
Clearly…
Even she had no idea.
For a while, even she could not understand the truth.
But to Tsunade's surprise, instead of attacking her again, Fugaku turned his head and moved.
Her expression changed.
"No… his target is…"
"Kushina, watch out!"
Tsunade's sudden shout made Kushina pause and turn her head quickly, but a flaming fist had already appeared in her vision.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
She still reacted in time and used her ninjutsu to block the attack, but the impact sent her flying back before she landed with her chains supporting her.
"Damn it, Mikoto! What is this bastard husband of yours doing now?"
Kushina was incredibly angry and suspicious.
Mikoto's face turned completely pale.
"I… I don't know…"
Her voice shook violently.
For the first time in years, genuine panic filled her eyes.
No…
No, this wasn't right.
Fugaku would never do this.
He would never attack Kushina.
He would never endanger the village like this.
Unless...
Her pupils suddenly shrank.
A horrible realization began forming in her mind.
"Yugito, support Kushina!" Tsunade yelled from the side.
Yugito moved without replying, but her effort was in vain.
A red flame formation suddenly appeared.
It seemed the Uchiha clan members who had spread out earlier under Fugaku's command had been preparing for this moment—to trap Kushina and stop any support from reaching her.
Kushina staggered back from yet another attack directed at her, but Fugaku's hand had already formed a seal.
A sealing tag hidden in his sleeve flashed.
At the same time, Obito's Kamui activated.
Space twisted behind Kushina.
The timing was perfect.
Obito had never expected Fugaku to permanently defeat anyone.
He only needed him to create one opening.
One moment where everyone's attention split.
And that moment came.
The stolen Mangekyō flashed again.
The weakened remains of the temporary command pushed against Kushina's mind.
Tsunade's voice exploded with rage.
"STOP HIM!!"
Yugito lunged forward instantly.
Blue chakra erupted around her body as the enormous form of the Two-Tails began manifesting behind her.
Kushina clenched her teeth… her body trembling.
"Damn it…!"
The seal on her stomach began to burn.
Inside the seal, Kurama's enormous eyes opened fully.
"…So that's how it is."
The Nine-Tails bared its teeth.
"They're trying to drag me out again."
Tsunade tried to reach her in desperation.
Yugito tried to cut through the Uchiha formation while gathering a Tailed Beast Bomb. But she could not go all out. She knew the damage to the village would be horrendous, so she compressed it into a smaller one.
But everything happened too quickly.
A violent crimson chakra erupted outward.
Tsunade's expression changed.
"Kushina!"
Kushina's eyes shook violently as she struggled with everything she had.
For one instant...
A roar shook all of Konoha.
Crimson chakra exploded into the sky like a pillar of blood-colored fire.
Every shinobi in Konoha raised their head at the apocalyptic scene.
At the edge of the Land of Fire, far away in the sky, Shiki suddenly stopped, carrying something that looked like a child in his hand.
His golden eyes narrowed.
Then his expression became completely cold.
"…Obito."
Back in Konoha Village, Obito stood amid the chaos, his broken mask half-revealing his twisted smile.
The Nine-Tails' chakra surged wildly around Kushina.
Tsunade, Yugito, and even Kurenai, Rin, Shisui, and Mikoto watching nearby were all forced back by the pressure.
Fugaku stood silently in front of the Uchiha clan members, his eyes still spinning.
Mikoto stared at him in horror, unable to believe Fugaku would actually do something like this.
Did he really plan all of this? Was my involvement part of it too? Did he make me ask Kushina for help so Shiki-sama would leave the village...? Fugaku… how could you…
Her eyes welled up with tears as she saw her best friend's current state, all caused by her own actions. Guilt crushed down on her chest.
Obito laughed under his breath.
"Hahaha…"
His voice was low, satisfied, and filled with madness.
"Now then, Shiki…"
"Let's see what you do first."
"Save the village…"
"Save Kushina…"
"Or chase me."
The village watched in horror as the massive Nine-Tails suddenly appeared, its long tails sweeping across the sky and overshadowing Konoha like a nightmare.
A/N:
I have seen some complaints lately, so I will say this clearly.
It has already been a while since I took over this novel myself, especially since the original no longer had any available sources to continue from.
Honestly, I could simply stop right here and be done with it. That would make things much easier for me.
But I am still continuing because of the many readers who have followed and supported me across several of the novels I have posted.
Thank you all for your support. It is the reason I am still carrying this forward.