The air crackled. The Lightning Blade tore straight through Obito's intangible form.
He didn't flinch. Slowly, deliberately, he drew a scythe from his sleeve—the one attached to the Uchiha fan.
"Die!"
Just as Kakashi's attack was about to land, Obito pulled his hand away from the Adamantine Sealing Chains and spun, swinging the scythe. Kakashi, who had circled around to his rear, barely dodged.
"Kakashi!!!" Rin screamed, thrown far into the distance.
Obito felt the rush of a killer blow buffing his power, but it didn't go as planned.
Seeing his Lightning Blade pass through nothing, Kakashi suddenly twisted his left eye. The three tomoe Sharingan morphed instantly into the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"Kamui!"
Whoosh!
The Lightning Blade was sucked into a spatial distortion, vanishing. Kakashi's body and Obito's were completely severed.
Obito's scythe, mid-swing, grazed the hem of Kakashi's cloak.
Crack!
Lightning exploded across Obito's mask from behind. He jerked backward violently, the scythe yanked out of his grip by his own momentum.
Thump!
Obito hit the ground hard, rolling like a limp ragdoll.
Rin rushed past him without a second glance, running to Kakashi, hands glowing with medical ninjutsu.
"Kakashi! Are you hurt? I can heal you!"
He shoved her aside, eyes locked on Obito. "Get away! I'm fine. You're just getting in the way."
Crack. Crackle.
In the distance, Obito pushed himself up. His mask was shattered, revealing a face half-perfect, half-scarred and twisted.
He watched Rin fuss over Kakashi while treating him like garbage. A sharp pain stabbed through his chest, and his hand tightened on the scythe until his knuckles turned white.
This reality was a lie. Kakashi and Rin were just shadows. He had to finish the Eye of the Moon Plan, needed to create a world where the real Rin and Kakashi existed.
"You... you're really Obito?" Rin finally saw his face. Despite the scars, the familiar features made her freeze.
Kakashi's last doubt vanished. Rage hardened his expression.
"Obito. What's your excuse now? Don't tell me you've got a split personality like Naruto."
Obito ripped the mask fragments from his face. "I have nothing to say to you."
Kakashi gripped his kunai, dropping into a fighting stance. "Obito, everything with Rin was a misunderstanding. Menma already revived her! Turn back! If you stop now, Menma might spare you. If you wait until he makes his move, it's over!"
Rin clenched her fists, her voice raw. "Obito, stop! You're no match for Lord Menma! Things aren't what you think! Kakashi never wanted to hurt me. I was manipulated by Hidden Mist. I was the Three-Tails' unstable jinchūriki! To protect the village, I threw myself on the Lightning Blade and died! So stop this! You shouldn't have become like this. I've been watching. I saw everything!"
"And you said you wanted to be Hokage. You wanted to—"
"Enough! Konoha is gone!" Obito shouted, cutting her off.
He clutched his heart, trembling. His face twisted in emotional agony. Finally, he looked up, a desperate, painful smile on his lips.
"I know. I know everything. But I'm trapped in this world of despair. I can't turn back..."
"Can't turn back?" Kakashi started to ask, but Obito released his heart.
His expression went cold, and he pointed his scythe. "Imposters. You've had enough time. Look behind you."
"Behind us?!" Kakashi's eyes widened. "No—!"
Without hesitation, he grabbed Rin and tried to bolt.
Too late. The Adamantine Chains seal behind them shattered. Thick tree roots and vines erupted from the ground, swallowing them whole.
"Hahaha... I told you. My goal is to unleash the Thousand Hand Pillar..."
Obito's wild laugh was cut short as the relentless Wood Release roots crushed him.
Except... Kakashi and Rin stood untouched within the mass of wood.
"Are you two alright?"
Hashirama Senju's gentle voice reached them. They turned to see the First Hokage walking toward them, his face heavy with dejection and resentment.
Kakashi stared in shock. "First Hokage... you didn't..."
"Attack you?" Hashirama finished for him. He managed a faint smile. "You're both descendants of the village. The future's hope. Why would I attack you? If I attack anyone, it'll be the enemy trying to destroy that hope."
Whoosh!
Obito hacked his way out of the Wood Release roots, frowning at Hashirama.
"First Hokage. Are you aware Konoha is being destroyed by Menma right now? Countless shinobi and civilians are dying. Even your granddaughter, Tsunade, is trapped inside, dying!"
Hashirama turned to Obito, his gaze steady. "I know."
Obito's frown deepened. "Then why aren't you intervening? Why not save Konoha from the Four-Star Village?"
"I can sense everything happening outside, even sealed as I am. I'll handle Konoha when the time comes." Hashirama clasped his hands in front of his chest.
"But first, I must eliminate your dangerous element."
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
---
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