Kamui!
"I'm… sor… ry…"
Within the swirling vortex of the space-time ninjutsu, Obito's figure was being dragged into the other dimension, his voice broken and intermittent.
In that moment, only Minato understood what he was trying to say. That once-young man, always late because he stopped to help others, seemed to have returned, if only for a moment.
But all of it was an illusion, born from Shisui's powerful genjutsu: Kotoamatsukami.
Was it because of the implanted seed named "Surrender" that he suddenly came to his senses and apologized?
"Lord Hokage! My chakra connection is being cut off!"
Shisui's voice rang out, and Minato's face immediately changed: "Kakashi, now!"
As the vortex contracted, Kakashi leapt forward: Kamui!
A second space-time vortex enveloped both Shisui and Kakashi, pulling them into the alternate dimension from within the cave.
Minato and Fugaku exchanged glances, then simultaneously spread their senses, staying alert for any spatial disturbances around them.
In the other dimension, a trickle of blood flowed from Shisui's left eye. Beside him, Kakashi had collapsed onto the ground.
"Our chakra link was severed. Eat a military rations pill and recover, leave the rest to me."
Shisui's gaze locked onto the masked man across from them. His mind was forming a hypothesis about the enemy's identity.
The enemy's abilities had already been thoroughly analyzed by the Fourth Hokage—and it was indeed true that Kakashi's left Mangekyō could counter them.
Yet Minato had never told them who this enemy actually was. His abilities were clear, but his identity was shrouded in mystery, despite his ocular powers being eerily similar to Kakashi's Mangekyō.
Kakashi might not understand, but Shisui, as a true Uchiha, did.
The Sharingan is known as the "Eye That Reflects the Heart."
The Mangekyō Sharingan is its evolution—its abilities, though varied, are rooted in the user's will and emotional experiences.
Kakashi is not an Uchiha and has no Uchiha blood. He could never evolve the Sharingan from three tomoe to Mangekyō on his own. Which meant only one thing: Kakashi's eye had evolved because the other one had.
Two similar space-time powers—one for offense, one for defense.
Each clue linked together. The masked man's identity became unmistakable:
Uchiha Obito. Student of the Fourth Hokage, Kakashi's best friend, a hero of the Third Great Ninja War.
"Hah… hah…"
Obito panted heavily. Despite having Hashirama's cells, he wasn't fatigued from chakra depletion or exhaustion; he was afraid.
Shisui of the Body Flicker. This Uchiha, barely his age, wielded a power that defied reason.
Obito's single Mangekyō narrowed, fixed deliberately on Shisui's lower body, avoiding eye contact.
"Uchiha… the Mangekyō Sharingan's a genjutsu that rewrites the heart without the target ever realizing."
His eyes lifted slightly but never met Shisui's directly. "Even so, there are limits. The dimension shift severed your chakra, breaking that nearly invincible illusion."
"Shisui of the Body Flicker, hailed during the Third War for his instantaneous movements and genjutsu. So, you must've tasted the pain too, haven't you? This world is full of sin and war. My fellow clansman… do you intend to betray me as well?"
The words had barely left his mouth when Obito appeared beside Kakashi, hand reaching for his left eye.
But the next instant.
Boom!
A green chakra skeleton wrapped in protective armor blocked the attack. Blood-red pupils spun rapidly, forming a whirling cross.
The skeletal arm, wrapped in green chakra, lashed out at the masked Obito.
BOOM!!
The boulders floating within the Kamui dimension shattered into pieces.
Dodging swiftly, Obito's eyes grew serious: "Susanoo... to think he's already reached this level!"
Blood streamed again from Shisui's eyes. The cost of using the Mangekyō's power was pushing him to the limit.
The green skeletal structure dispersed. The cross-shaped tomoe in his eyes reverted to three tomoe. Shisui slowly unsheathed his standard ninja blade.
If it hadn't been so urgent, he wouldn't have activated Susanoo.
Given everything they knew, the enemy's Mangekyō ability was already neutralized.
Minato and Fugaku guarded the real world. Shisui and Kakashi held the line in the alternate space. They could strike at any moment.
And in the real world, with Minato's Flying Thunder God marks scattered everywhere, Obito would be helpless if transported back; he'd be instantly taken out by the Yellow Flash.
All Shisui needed to do was treat the cave's real-world size as a boundary and win within it.
Clang!
Obito pulled out an iron chain: "You can't protect him. Uchiha brat, let me show you the power I inherited from Hashirama!"
"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!"
In an instant, trees burst forth from the rocky terrain, their branches wildly surging toward Shisui.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Using the flames to burn the trees, Shisui hoisted Kakashi and dodged. After several quick body flickers, they landed atop another stone block.
Swish!
Chains tipped with sharp darts flew at them, followed by another wave of tree branches.
"How long can you run? Hashirama's power means I can go on all day!"
Shisui kept dodging while Kakashi, still on his back, finally opened his right eye."Without Uchiha blood, reverting the Mangekyō back to three tomoe is nearly impossible. Put me down, this fight's up to you now."
Shisui didn't even look back as he flickered away: "Are you sure? We'll need you once we get out of here."
Kakashi nodded: "Holding back and defending isn't a problem. He's scared I'll warp him out with Kamui. Sure, closing it is hard, but firing it off? That's easy."
Moments later, Shisui set Kakashi down, pointed to his own eyes, then turned back toward Obito and charged.
Amidst the endless trees and blazing fire, Shisui pushed his body flicker to the limit. Yet every time he got close, he had no chance to cast genjutsu.
His right eye's Kotoamatsukami, had been interrupted. The left one had already been used. Now, his only way to win was with a perfectly timed genjutsu paired with body flicker.
Clang!
His blade collided with Obito's iron chain, sparks flying. Tree branches surged from behind once more.
But just then, Kakashi, off in the distance, lifted his forehead protector.
"Kamui!!"
In an instant, Obito had to abandon pressing Shisui and dodge desperately.
He knew all too well what would happen if he got warped out. With Kamui out of commission, he might still have a chance against Shisui and Kakashi in this space.
But in the real world, littered with Flying Thunder God seals, it would be over in a flash.
Clang!
The red cross in Shisui's eyes reappeared, his Mangekyō genjutsu locking onto the now-exposed Obito.
Body Flicker!