Obito's thoughts slowly returned to the present.
The memory of Konan's warmth and her words still lingered in his chest, but now it was Mei sitting in front of him, her emerald eyes locked onto his, waiting for his response.
For a moment, he simply stared, the weight of both women's confessions pressing down on him.
Love, he had once thought it impossible. Now it surrounded him on all sides, confusing, frustrating, yet undeniable.
He exhaled quietly, his expression settling back into calm. "You really don't make things easy for me, Mei," he said at last, his voice low.
Mei tilted her head, her lips curving into the faintest smile, though her fingers twisted nervously in her lap.
Obito smiled faintly, then lifted his right hand, his finger tapping lightly against the mask that still covered half his face.
"Aren't you all wondering who I am?" he asked quietly, his tone carrying both amusement and weight.
"Why? Don't you want to see the face beneath this mask?"
Terumi Mei froze for a heartbeat. Her emerald eyes flickered upward, instinctively drawn to the mask.
Curiosity burned in them before she quickly snapped her gaze down again, her hands tightening against her lap.
"No," she said after a pause, her voice a little rushed, a little unsteady. "My lord will always be my lord. Even if you never reveal who you really are… it doesn't matter to me."
Obito raised a brow. "Oh? Really?" His voice dipped into a teasing lilt. "Then why did you just look up so curiously?"
"I…" Mei's words tangled on her tongue, and for once, she was left speechless.
Obito's eyes softened with a quiet smile. "Alright. Just take it as if I forced you. Look up."
Hearing this, Mei drew in a deep breath, steadying her nerves. Then, slowly, she raised her head.
When Obito raised his right hand again and placed it on the mask, Terumi Mei's eyes widened slightly. Her gaze locked on his movements, breath caught in her throat.
Then, slowly, she saw him let go of the mask and pull it free.
His slightly messy black hair fell around his face, strands framing sharp features...high cheekbones, a straight nose, long lashes.
His eyes glowed with the crimson light of the Sharingan, a dangerous gleam that only heightened the composure and striking handsomeness of his face.
But none of that mattered. What mattered was the truth revealed beneath the mask.
Mei's eyes went wide, shock flooding through her.
Too young!
That face...this man, looked about her age. There was no mistaking it. Which meant everything he'd claimed before about being Madara Uchiha was absolute nonsense.
"Surprised?" Obito asked with a faint smile as he tossed the mask casually aside.
Although Obito was smiling on the outside, inside he was completely speechless with himself.
Because in that instant, he suddenly felt like those famous YouTubers from his previous life doing a "face reveal."
The way Mei stared, wide-eyed and breathless, was almost identical to those exaggerated thumbnails he remembered, the kind that said "REAL FACE REVEAL!!" with red arrows pointing to a blurred photo.
Obito never would've thought people in this world would actually be curious about his face reveal of all things.
Hmmm… should I charge them for it? he thought darkly, almost laughing at the absurdity. 100 ryō per peek. Premium tier gets Sharingan glow included.
"Yes~."
Terumi Mei took a deep breath, forced herself to calm down, and nodded.
Obito smiled faintly, then noticed her slight hesitation. He leaned forward, his tone calm but inviting.
"What's the matter? Say it. I'll allow you to speak freely today. Even if you go too far, I'll forgive you."
Mei's heart skipped. Hearing that, she grew bolder. Slowly, she raised her hand, her palm brushing against his cheek. For a long moment she simply stroked his face, then finally whispered:
"Can you tell me your real name?"
Her voice carried warmth, the question sincere.
"Of course," Obito replied without hesitation. This much no longer needed to be hidden.
After this, she was his partner as well. Some things should not remain veiled forever.
Of course, he could not tell her everything.
So, he would modify what needed to be.
Obito's eyes turned blood-red in an instant, the Sharingan spinning as he locked his gaze onto hers. Mei stiffened as she was drawn inward, pulled into his illusion space.
One by one, scenes unfolded before her eyes.
A small boy, living with his grandmother.
Meeting a girl named Nohara Rin.
Kakashi.
School days. Graduation.
Minato's team. Helping his grandmother every day.
Scene after scene flowed like water, vivid enough to feel real.
Then came the Kannabi Bridge. The rockfall. His crushed body. His meeting with Madara.
Then his recovery.
The moment he saw Rin's death at the hands of Kakashi, and the Mangekyō awakening in despair.
Returning to Madara's side, learning forbidden truths.
After Madara's death, Obito rewove the tale.
He showed her not a man bound by Madara's will, but one who had grown tired of the endless wars of this world.
Rin's death, the endless bloodshed...it had driven him to seek peace, but on his own terms.
He scoffed at Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi, dismissing it as nothing more than a hollow dream. Instead, he had chosen to carve his own path, to create a world of peace by his own design.
As soon as Madara passed, he claimed, he had destroyed Black Zetsu, nothing more than the "will" Madara had left behind and abandoned the plan of becoming Madara's successor.
From that point forward, he had pursued only his own vision.
Some details Obito modified, while others he left intact.
But what he shared with Mei was a life she could see and feel...his life.
When the illusion finally faded and Mei returned to reality, she sat frozen in place.
Her eyes were unfocused, her breathing unsteady. The sheer weight of everything she had seen left her stunned, as though the ground beneath her feet had shifted.
For Terumi Mei, the amount of information revealed was overwhelming...so much that it made her feel a little afraid.
The real Madara Uchiha had lived for so long that alone had shaken Mei to her core.
But even more shocking was Obito's plan: to set himself up as the enemy of the entire shinobi world.
After a while, she finally steadied herself.
Lifting her gaze, she reached up to stroke his face. "So… Uchiha Obito is your real name."
"And you were actually a teenager, just like me… even a pupil of the Fourth Hokage." Her voice softened.
"Surprised?" Obito asked, looking down at her with calm eyes.
"Well, yes. Surprised." Mei's lips curved faintly as she smiled, though her gaze drifted back to his scarlet eyes.
Thinking of the price he had paid for them, the heart-rending scene of loss she had just witnessed in the illusion, she couldn't stop herself from tracing the corners of his eyes with her fingers. Her expression carried a rare softness, a flicker of distress.
He had once been just a sunny, kind-hearted boy. Now… he had become this.
And as for that girl, Nohara Rin… Mei couldn't explain why, but she didn't like her. Not at all.
If Konan had known her thoughts, she would've likely given her a silent thumbs up.
"Okay, don't think about it. Go to sleep." Obito gently took the hand resting on his face and lowered it, whispering.
"Mmm…" Mei hummed softly, then nestled against him. Before long, she drifted off, a happy smile lingering on her lips.
Obito, however, remained awake.
Closing his eyes, he checked the flow of energy inside his body.
Well…
The natural energy had nearly doubled, and it moved far more smoothly than before.
With enough chakra, he realized, he could probably maintain Sage Mode for several days without interruption.
His spiritual and physical strength had also sharpened, his chakra reserves deepened.
Glancing at Mei, he found her body had changed as well...her chakra and natural energy had both grown stronger.
Obito allowed himself a faint smile. That's a good result.
But just as he was about to drift off, an uncomfortable thought struck him.
Wait…
He had done this whole "mask off, tragic backstory reveal" with Konan. Then again with Mei.
Did that mean he'd have to do it again with Yugao? With Pakura? With Kushina and the others, too?
A headache spiked instantly. His skin prickled with goosebumps, and he felt a wave of shame crawl up his neck.
Once or twice is fine… but if I have to keep giving everyone the same face reveal and trauma slideshow, that's just...too weird.
Obito buried his face in his hand and let out a long sigh.
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