Meanwhile, on the other side.
"It hurts, it hurts..."
Gloom, sadness, and despair swirled within Kakashi's heart. He pressed his right hand over his chest, unable to comprehend where this sudden surge of emotion had come from. Why did he feel such an overwhelming urge to cry?
"Huff... huff..."
Kakashi leaned against a tree trunk with one hand, gasping for air. The rough bark bit into his palm, leaving deep indentations.
"It is Obito's eye."
Kakashi realized that the eye was undergoing some kind of transformation. A peculiar chakra was being continuously generated from it, slowly radiating throughout his entire body. His abilities across the board were growing stronger.
This left Kakashi deeply perplexed; why was the Sharingan behaving this way? However, as he was not an Uchiha, he knew very little about the Sharingan and planned to ask Kiyoshi about it later.
"Rin, I am coming."
Kakashi resolutely dragged his injured legs forward. That inexplicable monster from before had headed toward Rin; he had no idea what might happen and had to get there immediately.
***
As Kakashi pushed forward, Obito's heart throbbed with a pain that never left him for a second.
Those living in this world either grovel to survive or die heroically. In the end, it is all meaningless. I will eventually meet Rin again. I will meet her in the world of the [Infinite Tsukuyomi].
The [Hashirama Cells] were rapidly infecting the remaining half of Obito's body. The face on his chest was being etched with increasing vividness, protruding outward as if it were a real human face.
Yet, Obito remained oblivious. Or rather, he no longer had any will to care about such external matters. All of his energy was being pulled by the thought of Rin.
Obito's heart had been shattered into countless fragments, leaving only a hollow void. His heart had become an empty hole; now, he could not even feel the pain. This void had been carved out by this hellish world. It had also been carved out by... the fake Rin and Kiyoshi.
Hiss... hiss...
The pinwheel pattern in Obito's right eye spun, stirring up faint ripples in space. His figure slowly began to vanish from the spot. From beginning to end, he never approached Rin Nohara or Kiyoshi to say a single word. Silence was the theme of the ninja world tonight.
"Ho, so it is still [Kamui]."
Even without turning around, Kiyoshi could clearly perceive every movement in his surroundings. Five kilometers away, Might Duy, Might Guy, and the others were entangled with the Three-Tails. Three kilometers away, Mist Anbu were searching.
Two kilometers underground, White Zetsu were constantly tunneling toward him. Two hundred meters away, Ameyuri Ringo was peeping. And one hundred meters away was the figure of Obito vanishing into a spatial distortion.
Everything in the vicinity formed a web, and the chakra fluctuations of each individual were like fireflies caught in the silk, shining brilliantly. None of this could escape Kiyoshi's perception.
Kiyoshi could feel that his [Sage Mode] had undergone a unique change under the influence of his Traits. As it was widely known, [Sage Mode] was a temporary state. Once the [Senjutsu Chakra]—created by merging natural energy with internal chakra—was exhausted, one would exit the form.
Unless one gathered natural energy to refine more [Senjutsu Chakra], the user would retain nothing. Only failure in training [Senjutsu] left permanent side effects.
However, every time Kiyoshi entered [Sage Mode], it was as if he could intercept and retain a portion within his body. His sensory range was expanding at a minute but constant rate. Though the speed was slow, it never ceased for a moment.
"What is it?"
Rin Nohara wiped the corner of her mouth and stood up. She smoothed out the ninja tactical suit she had just put back on. As she finished cleaning up the battlefield, she felt a sudden chill.
"It is nothing," Kiyoshi said, shaking his head.
The Sharingan is the eye that reflects the heart, granting the wielder different abilities based on the mapping of their soul. Obito's descent into darkness was different from the original story, but the result was identical.
He had fallen into despair regarding the world and wished to escape the reality before him. Thus, he awakened [Kamui], the power to escape all things. The ability of [Intangibility] was precisely being unselectable—remaining unaffected by harm.
However, while Obito sought escape, his heart burned with rage. This aspect was influenced by Madara Uchiha. The world of the [Infinite Tsukuyomi] perfectly suited Obito's fantasies.
He wished to destroy the fake world and create one where Rin existed. Therefore, the other ability of [Kamui] was to [Tear Space] and enter the [Kamui Space]—a world as tranquil as a paradise. No one could enter except the possessor of [Kamui].
Seeing Kiyoshi lost in thought, Rin Nohara rubbed her cheeks. She looked at the small puddle on the ground, her face flushing crimson. Heavens, her Water Style ninjutsu was simply too poor. She could no longer tell if it was the falling rain or the technique she had released.
"Rin, I will take you back first, then I will return for the others."
"Okay," Rin replied.
Kiyoshi's sudden words made Rin's heart flutter in panic. She hurriedly suppressed certain memories deep within her mind.
"You... you must return safely."
Rin held her hands in front of her slightly protruding abdomen in a prayer-like gesture.
"If it is possible to return alive, I will definitely return alive."
With that, Kiyoshi placed his hand on Rin's shoulder and instantly transported them back to the Hidden Leaf Village camp. Afterward, he tirelessly used [Flying Thunder God] to retrieve the others.
***
Mountains' Graveyard.
"In order to sever the causal bonds of this world, I have come back."
Obito looked at the aged silhouette of Madara Uchiha.
"Hmph, you were not discovered by others, were you?" Madara snorted. He looked at Obito, whose return he had already anticipated. He already knew what had happened.
The development of events had exceeded Madara's original plan. While the other White Zetsu had not yet reached that area, the Tobi clone covering Obito had transmitted the intelligence. On the ground, there were traces of the rhythmic physical movements of two people.
Although Obito had not witnessed the act itself, he had seen Rin Nohara cleaning up the battlefield for Kiyoshi afterward. This scene had instantly stunned Obito, triggering the darkness within his heart.
Even Madara Uchiha, who had never established an intimate relationship with a woman, was experiencing the power of this kind of "love" for the first time.
That fellow Kiyoshi truly played outside the rules. However... this was also the result he desired. Obito appeared to have awakened an extraordinary ocular technique.
"The only ones who saw the process were me and Obito; no one else knows Obito has returned here," White Zetsu added, supplementing the information from Tobi. "But Obito alone did not kill Kakashi after seeing him, likely because Kakashi does not know Obito's true identity."
"Still lingering on former comrades?" Madara Uchiha looked at Obito.
According to the intelligence, that girl Rin Nohara was supposed to admire Kakashi. Yet, for some reason, she had grown closer to Kiyoshi, leading to the current situation. Logically, Kakashi should be a love rival to Obito just like Kiyoshi. It seemed these two still shared a [Bond].
"No... I just feel that it is trivial."
Obito's expression was flatter than ever before. Only a sufficient dose of pain and loss grants a person new insights. From the moment he grasped the essence of the world, he no longer wished to engage in such boring trifles; he was no longer the laughing boy of the past. Expressions were meaningless.
"In this fake world, it does not matter if fake fellows live or die. From now on, in the real world I am going to create, there will be a real Kakashi... and Rin Nohara. Tell me how to create this world, Madara."
Obito stared at Madara Uchiha, the crimson Mangekyo patterns slowly spinning. Madara had mentioned the [Infinite Tsukuyomi] before, and Obito knew he held the method.
"...Come here. You no longer need to repay the favor."
Madara Uchiha said indifferently. The time to settle the debt was now.
"From today on, you are the Savior!"
***
Ten minutes later, Kiyoshi had brought back Might Duy, Might Guy, Shiranui Genma, and Ebisu. Only the rampaging Three-Tails remained, roaring frantically at the sky. Having achieved his goal, Madara Uchiha no longer cared for the Tailed Beast.
Before leaving, Kiyoshi entered [Sage Mode] again and severed one of the Three-Tails' tails. He sealed it into a scroll and departed. He also gained a new Trait.
[Trait: Fierce Battle with the Three-Tails (Blue)]
[Requirement: Engage in battle with the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and survive without being killed instantly.]
[Progress: (Completed)]
[Effect: Increases physical cell vitality; skin toughness and [Water] Style resistance increased by 20% from baseline.]
[Note: Can be advanced later.]
At this moment, the Three-Tails was in a frenzy. The Mist Anbu and the Seven Ninja Swordsmen were occupied with subduing it. For the Land of Water, the Tailed Beast was of paramount importance. With the vessel gone, the plan was a failure; they had to recover the beast.
"Damn it, where has that woman Ameyuri Ringo run off to?" Juzo Biwa gnashed his teeth.
The severed arm in his hand had nearly been disintegrated by a [Water Style: Iron Shot] from the Three-Tails. Just when they needed that crazy woman, she was nowhere to be found. If she were here using the [Twinsword: Kiba] to draw down natural lightning to strike the beast, the battle would likely be going much better.
"Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique!"
Mei Terumi spat out a massive volume of highly corrosive acid, dissolving the chakra water orbs emitted by the Three-Tails.
"Well done," Juzo Biwa remarked.
While the Hidden Leaf had emerging prodigies like Kiyoshi Uchiha, the Hidden Mist was not lacking. Mei Terumi, a genius favored by the heavens, possessed a rare dual Bloodline. Her future achievements were bound to be limitless. How old was she now? Yet she could already participate in such a high-level battle.
"Yes," Mei Terumi replied indifferently.
The praise did not cause a single ripple in her heart. Right now, the distance between her and that man was simply too great. She... was too weak!