Swish, swish, swish...
Five shuriken flew through the air.
Itachi drew a kunai. Clang.
He deflected one and closed in on Sasuke. The other four grazed past him.
A smirk appeared on Sasuke's face as he yanked on a nearly invisible wire attached to the shuriken. The blades spun around, flying back toward their target.
Without even looking back, Itachi flipped gracefully, effortlessly evading the attack.
Sasuke watched with a calm gaze. He formed hand seals, predicting Itachi's path.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A massive orb of fire erupted from Sasuke's mouth.
Itachi's hands moved even faster, countering with the same jutsu. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Boom! The two fireballs collided. Knowing he was no match for his brother in ninjutsu, Sasuke used the blaze as cover to activate his Chidori. The distinct sound of a thousand birds chirping filled the air as blinding white lightning gathered in his left hand.
Sasuke charged forward, his eyes spinning as he tried to read Itachi's reaction. But Itachi merely stood still, completely defying his expectations.
Doubt flooded Sasuke's mind. He recalled the black and white figure he had encountered before, who had shattered his Chidori with a single blow. This momentary hesitation caused his hand to slow, the sharp edge of his attack dulling completely.
Itachi seized the opportunity, swiftly grabbing Sasuke's left wrist and lifting it slightly. The Chidori in Sasuke's palm instantly dissipated.
"Why do you hesitate in battle?" Itachi reprimanded, ducking low and striking Sasuke's chest with the hand holding his kunai.
Sasuke stumbled back, gritting his teeth against the pain. He looked up, only to realize Itachi hadn't even activated his Sharingan. Before his surprise could register, Itachi had already retracted the kunai and sent a powerful kick his way.
Thud!
Sasuke crossed his arms to block the blow, realizing his performance had displeased his brother. A renewed sense of determination surged through him. He grabbed Itachi's leg, pulled forward, and twisted his body, driving his elbow viciously toward Itachi's side.
Itachi blocked the elbow strike with his arm, then nimbly flipped backward. Mid-air, he grabbed the collar of Sasuke's shirt and, with a swift rotation, slammed him into the ground.
Dizzy and disoriented, Sasuke fought to push himself up.
Whoosh!
A signal flare shot up from within the clan compound. Itachi's gaze sharpened. In an instant, two kunai flew from his hand with incredible speed, pinning Sasuke to the ground.
Itachi's eyes narrowed. "Sasuke, you stay here." With a flicker, Itachi's figure vanished from sight.
Sasuke was left bewildered. Where was his brother going? Was there another enemy?
Up ahead, Obito saw the signal flare and his heart sank.
They spotted me!
The Uchiha clan grounds, once his personal playground, were now a fortress he could barely set foot in. Obito had learned his lesson this time. Before the flare could even detonate, he generated a vortex in mid-air and warped directly into the Kamui dimension. The signal flare exploded in the empty sky.
This time, no space-time barrier was activated. But the Uchiha clan was on high alert again, and Itachi was now leading the defense, his methods far different from Fugaku's. Using the surveillance feed, Itachi went alone to the location where Obito had last appeared. Not far away, a crow cawed twice from a branch. Itachi paused in thought for a moment, then used the Body Flicker Technique and disappeared.
…
Obito relaxed in the Kamui dimension, waiting for a full half hour. If not for the risk of exposing Zetsu, he would have sent him out to see if the Uchiha were in chaos again.
"A war of attrition, is it?" Zetsu murmured.
Obito was confident. "Even if the Uchiha are fully prepared, I'd like to see how many resources they have to keep activating that space-time barrier."
"Hehehehe…" Zetsu chuckled to himself.
Obito calculated the time, assuming he had worn down the Uchiha outside. The moment was right. A vortex formed before him once more. The fact that he could open it meant the space-time barrier was either down or had never been erected in the first place.
Obito emerged from the same spot as before. He thought with smug satisfaction, *You didn't expect this, did you? I've returned to the exact same place.* The vortex in the air had yet to close.
"Amaterasu!"
A figure flashed out from behind a nearby tree, his crimson Sharingan morphing into a three-tomoe pinwheel! Blood streamed from his right eye! In an instant, black flames engulfed Obito's entire body.
"Amaterasu!!"
The moment the black flames touched Obito, Itachi poured every last bit of his visual prowess into the attack. The dark fire erupted violently, spreading like wildfire.
Obito screamed in agony, forcing himself through the searing pain to retreat back into the Kamui dimension. With his peripheral vision, he caught a glimpse of Itachi's form.
How… is this… possible!?
…
Itachi coughed several times, his face flushed. He quickly took a pill he carried with him. After a few deep breaths, the discomfort subsided, and the pain in his right eye gradually faded.
Itachi had fought Obito before and knew his opponent only became tangible when entering or leaving the Kamui dimension. That was the only window to attack. Relying on this knowledge, Itachi had pushed his Mangekyo to its limit to unleash Amaterasu. He would make Obito never dare set foot in the Uchiha compound again.
After a moment of recovery, Itachi fired another signal flare into the sky. The crisis was over.
…
Inside the Kamui dimension, Zetsu was growing bored. Ever since Obito had suffered a loss at the Uchiha compound, he had been obsessed with getting revenge. Zetsu himself had been used as a tool time and again, sent to scout the Uchiha territory.
When it came to intelligence gathering, no one could match Zetsu and his Mayfly Technique. But Zetsu's goals were far greater. He knew the Uchiha clan was a dragon's den, yet he still encouraged Obito to go. He wanted Obito to understand the limitations of a single Mangekyo Sharingan. Of course, if Obito managed to wreak havoc and steal a few spare Sharingan, that would be an excellent outcome as well. Either way, Zetsu never lost.
He hadn't expected Obito to reappear screaming just two seconds after leaving. Unholy black flames clung to his body as he let out bloodcurdling cries.
"Ah! Aaargh!"
In less than three seconds, Obito was completely consumed by the black flames.
Zetsu felt his scalp tingle. Weren't those black flames… Amaterasu?
Amid the distortion of space-time, Obito reappeared beside him. He viciously tore off his mask and threw it to the ground. His left Sharingan was destroyed. He had been forced to use Izanagi again.
Itachi was in the village! And his dojutsu was Amaterasu!
Having been burned once by Amaterasu, Obito would never forget the feeling of being immolated alive. He never thought he would suffer the same fate a second time. It was a complete repeat of his past failure. Fugaku must have recalled Itachi to the clan immediately after being injured. He had already suffered from Itachi's genjutsu last time. He hadn't expected this encounter to be even worse, getting hit by Amaterasu before he could even face his opponent.
Why did both Kawasaki and Itachi possess Amaterasu? Could it have been copied via a Transcription Seal? That was Obito's first thought. After all, Kawasaki and Itachi were not related by blood, making the probability of them awakening the same dojutsu infinitesimally small. The question was, who was the original owner of the technique? Kawasaki or Itachi?
A profound sense of unease washed over Obito. The Uchiha had not only figured out his abilities, but their Mangekyo Sharingan were a direct counter to him. Kawasaki's dojutsu could devour space, rendering even his Kamui dimension useless. And whether the Amaterasu came from Kawasaki or Itachi, they could ignite him the moment he materialized. The genjutsu of Itachi and Fugaku also posed a massive threat. For years, he had never felt such a strong sense of crisis.
"You were hit by Amaterasu?" Though phrased as a question, Zetsu's tone was certain.
Obito clenched his fists, the burning pain still echoing in his mind.
"A single Mangekyo Sharingan is too limiting, don't you think?" Zetsu tempted him.
Obito considered the Sharingan he gave to Kakashi as his last attachment to the world. Of course, the tangled history between him and Kakashi was not something that could be easily explained. Even if he turned his back on the entire world, he always held back when it came to Kakashi.
In the original timeline, Obito had been meticulously careful about keeping his identity secret from the very beginning. He didn't reveal himself during the Nine-Tails' attack, and only Itachi knew of his existence during the Uchiha massacre. With his Kamui, Obito had played the entire shinobi world like a fiddle. He even lent his power to Kakashi for a final blaze of glory in the fight against Kaguya. So, in the beginning, whether Kakashi had the left eye or not didn't really matter. Perhaps it was a matter of his own mental hang-ups.
But things were different now. The Uchiha clan hadn't been wiped out, and an anomaly like Kawasaki had appeared. In the Land of Water, his claim of being Madara Uchiha was debunked. Then, during their battle, his true identity as the mastermind behind the Nine-Tails' attack was also exposed. Obito had held onto a sliver of hope, but it seemed his secrets were slowly leaking out.
The Land of Water was far away, but there was no telling if other villages had spies there. It was possible that Mist shinobi would eventually spread that information. Obito even suspected that Kawasaki might have guessed who he really was.
He had to increase his own combat power, or the Eye of the Moon Plan would be impossible to achieve. As for Zetsu, Obito had always been wary of him, knowing he wanted to carry out the plan himself, cutting Madara out of the picture. But now, it seemed his only option was to take back the left eye from Kakashi.
…
In Konoha, by the Memorial Stone.
Kakashi placed a bouquet of flowers in front of Rin's grave. He had already cleaned her headstone until it was spotless. He often stood there talking to himself, sometimes for an entire day.
"Rin, Konoha was attacked a few days ago. They almost captured Naruto, and the Uchiha clan was targeted too."
"If even Konoha can be attacked like this, I fear the future won't be peaceful."
Kakashi was a man of deep emotions, but his life had been a continuous series of losses. He lost his father as a child, and Obito as a boy. He had ended Rin's life with his own hands, and a few years later, lost his master and his master's wife.
Kakashi was a natural prodigy, but this string of tragedies had caused him to shut himself off, becoming withdrawn and listless. Although Guy frequently challenged him to competitions, helping him appear somewhat normal on the surface, a deep sorrow always lingered in Kakashi's heart. It wasn't until his past life, when he had a heart-to-heart with Sakumo Hatake, that he truly found peace.
After his resurrection, he had gradually begun to show the bearing of the Hatake clan's heir, eventually even becoming the Sixth Hokage. In this life, Naruto had brought him some comfort, but his habit of lingering at the Memorial Stone remained. The one-sided conversations had continued for many years.
If he hadn't been the one to leak the information about Kushina Uzumaki's delivery, it was uncertain if Obito could have successfully attacked Konoha. But Kakashi was completely unaware of his role in it; after all, it was an internal Konoha matter. Who could have guessed that someone who was supposed to be dead was pulling the strings from the shadows?
Kakashi not only cleaned Rin's grave but also tended to Obito's and the Fourth Hokage and his wife's. He spent a great deal of time on this every day. To others, it seemed like a waste of his talent. But for Kakashi, it was the only way to find peace of mind. And even while "wasting" his time like this, his skills were still steadily improving, far surpassing his peers in every aspect except for his low chakra reserves, a side effect of the Sharingan. Without motivation, there was no drive to train.
Not far behind him, Obito, wearing his single-hole orange mask, was watching him. To Obito, Konoha's various detection barriers were an open book. He could stroll into the village as if it were his own backyard. Having made his decision, he had come straight to the Memorial Stone. He knew there was a high probability Kakashi would be here.
Lately, Kakashi had been feeling that something was wrong with his Sharingan. It had been particularly agitated on the day of the attack on Konoha. This hadn't happened in years. He was planning to go to the hospital for a check-up, or perhaps ask the Uchiha why his Sharingan was acting this way. Lost in thought, Kakashi failed to notice a hand silently reaching for him.
…
At the Konoha Memorial Stone.
Deep in thought, Kakashi suddenly felt a sense of danger. His Sharingan pulsed, and he jolted to awareness, realizing someone was right behind him. The person's hand was already on his shoulder.
Snap…
Before he could react, a vortex formed in the air. Both Kakashi and Obito were sucked into the Kamui dimension.
The Kamui dimension was a separate world. When Obito pulled people through space-time, the target's body and soul would be affected by the distortion, rendering them momentarily paralyzed. For years, this move had never failed him. Once he touched an opponent, victory was all but assured.
Unfortunately for him, Obito had miscalculated today. The Kamui eye protected its owner during spatial transfer, and Kakashi's left eye granted him the same protection.
After being transported to the alternate dimension, Kakashi was stunned for only a fraction of a second before whipping out a kunai and striking backward. Caught off guard, Obito's arm was slashed.
Kakashi leaped away, assessing his enemy and the strange space around him. Seeing the man's attire and the space-time ninjutsu he used, Kakashi's heart sank. "Who are you? What do you want?"
"Are you his accomplice? Is your target Naruto?" When Kakashi was pulled in, he saw Zetsu standing nearby. Zetsu's appearance was highly distinctive, and Naruto had just described him, so Kakashi recognized him immediately.
Kakashi's blood ran cold. He remembered how many people had died on the night of the Nine-Tails' attack, how even his own sensei had fallen. The culprit had never been found, and it was highly likely that person was a user of space-time ninjutsu. Could this man be the true perpetrator of that tragedy?
Zetsu didn't even have time to use his Mayfly Technique to merge with the ground. "Oh my, it seems you're in a bit of trouble," he said in a mocking tone. He was all too familiar with Obito's abduction tactic and was surprised to see someone who wasn't paralyzed by the spatial transfer.
Obito remained silent.
Kakashi quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find a way to send a message. Why had this masked man captured him? Was he targeting the village? But looking around, he couldn't figure out where he was. This place didn't seem to be part of the normal world; it felt more like a pocket dimension.
Just then, Obito let out a soft chuckle. "Fine. It doesn't matter anymore."
Obito charged straight at Kakashi. Kakashi's eyes narrowed. Seeing that the Yin-Yang faced man wasn't moving, he felt a slight sense of relief and focused all his attention on the masked man before him.
As Obito closed the distance, he swung his hand back, materializing a black receiver. Kakashi cleared his mind of all distractions and rushed to meet him.
Bang!
Kakashi blocked the black receiver with his arm and was immediately hit by a tremendous force. Unable to withstand the power, he was pushed back, blocking blow after blow. Obito attacked with a flurry of punches and kicks, his assault relentless and fierce.
But in Kakashi's eyes, every strike, every move, felt increasingly familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before…
Kakashi's Sharingan spun rapidly, perfectly tracking every one of his opponent's movements. However, the man's strength and speed were clearly on another level. Kakashi could only parry, retreating step by step.
Thwack!
Kakashi's punch missed its mark. Obito spun and kicked him, sending him sprawling to the ground. Obito then leaped into the air, gripping the black receiver and preparing to plunge it down.
Just as the rod was about to pierce Kakashi, ZAP! Kakashi dissolved into a Lightning Clone, disappearing from his spot. The clone's electrical current struck Obito, who let out a muffled grunt.
At that moment, the ground beneath them exploded. The real Kakashi burst out from below, lightning crackling in his hand.
Raikiri!
Obito swung his hand, and a thick wooden stake shot out from his palm. The jolt from the Lightning Clone had made his body slightly stiff. Kakashi twisted aside just in time, the stake that would have pierced his heart only managing to gash his left arm.
"Who are you!? How do you know Wood Style!?"
Just as Kakashi felt the man's fighting style was uncannily familiar, overlapping with a certain image in his memory, his opponent suddenly used Wood Style, leaving him utterly stunned. As far as he knew, after the First Hokage, only Tenzo and that mysterious Yin-Yang Master could use Wood Style. How could this man use it too?
Obito leaped backward, creating distance between them. He didn't answer Kakashi's question. He felt the amusement of the fight fade away. He had only been reliving his old spars with Kakashi. He hadn't expected Kakashi to have made almost no progress after so many years. What had he been doing all this time?
"Kakashi, you disappoint me. Since that's the case, there's no longer any value in letting you keep that eye."
He knows me!? He wants my Sharingan! Kakashi's mind reeled in shock.
Obito quickly formed a set of hand seals. Kakashi's Sharingan spun, immediately identifying the signs for a Fire Style jutsu. Kakashi formed his own seals in response.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
"Earth Style: Mud Wall!"