The aftershocks of the spatial distortion slowly subsided.
Obito appeared in a dense forest far from the village, his boots crunching against a thick layer of fallen leaves. The night wind was exceptionally cold, making his black cloak snap and whistle. A faint scent of blood lingered in the air, a metallic tang he had carried with him from the valley.
He stood motionless.
Beneath the mask, his Mangekyo Sharingan spun slowly, the crimson iris reflecting the final image of Kakashi collapsing to his knees. The sight of that face, etched with pure despair, sparked a flicker of grim satisfaction in his heart.
But it wasn't enough. That level of pain was nowhere near sufficient.
A mass of pitch-black substance seeped out from the shadow at his feet, silently coalescing into a physical form. Black Zetsu's upper body rose from the ground, his obsidian face devoid of any expression.
"Why bother with such a pointless detour?"
His voice was raspy and grating, like sandpaper on stone. Obito did not turn around.
"We knew from the start that the location was a decoy," Black Zetsu continued. "Without the chakra of the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, she wouldn't be able to suppress the beast during childbirth. That kind of massive chakra signature is impossible to hide completely."
His tone carried a hint of genuine confusion. "You went out of your way to see Kakashi Hatake, and then you let him go. You didn't even take the opportunity to reclaim your eye."
Black Zetsu's gaze seemed to pierce through the mask, attempting to dissect Obito's thoughts. "That eye is vital to the plan. You wasted a perfect opportunity."
Obito turned slowly. The single eye-hole of his mask lined up with Black Zetsu, and the sheer depth of the darkness within made the surrounding air feel heavy and suffocating.
"Are you questioning me?"
His voice was soft, yet it carried an undeniable weight of authority. Black Zetsu's form flickered slightly.
"I simply do not understand. Your actions are compromising the efficiency of the plan."
"Efficiency?"
Obito let out a low, mocking scoff. "That eye is far more useful in his possession than it is in mine."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"I want him to use that eye to watch everything he swore to protect turn to ash." Obito's voice was laced with a bone-chilling coldness. "I want him to remember for the rest of his life that every tragedy he sees through that lens stems from his own incompetence and betrayal."
Killing Kakashi would be too easy. He wanted Kakashi to live—to exist in a state of regret and despair far more agonizing than death.
Black Zetsu fell silent for a moment, unable to grasp such complex human emotions.
"That still doesn't explain your conduct," he insisted, sticking to his cold logic. "You could have broken him mentally and then taken the eye. Your appearance has already alerted them. Minato Namikaze will certainly have tightened security by now."
"Shut up."
Obito's tone turned ice-cold. A powerful surge of chakra erupted from him, the pressure blowing the surrounding leaves away in a violent gust. "My business is none of your concern."
He took a step forward, looming over the half-submerged Black Zetsu. "Remember your place. You are merely Madara's will, a tool to execute the plan. Do not question my decisions again."
Black Zetsu felt the unmasked killing intent radiating from the man. His spiral-patterned face remained unchanged as he stared back at Obito for several seconds. Finally, his body began to liquify, sinking back into the shadows of the earth.
"...I understand."
the raspy voice echoed from beneath the ground before vanishing entirely.
Silence returned to the forest. Obito stood still, his chest rising and falling slightly. He loathed Black Zetsu's analytical tone; it served as a constant reminder that he, too, was a pawn.
No, he wasn't anyone's pawn. He was Uchiha Madara now—the ghost that would lead this world to its end.
He looked up through the interlacing canopy at the brightly lit village in the distance. Konoha. The place where he was born, where he grew up, and where everything he loved was buried.
Sensei... you must know I'm here by now.
Did you think hiding Kushina would stop me? Did you think using Kakashi and the others as bait would stall me?
How naive. You don't understand that I'm not just after the Nine-Tails. I want total destruction. I want you to taste what it feels like to lose everything.
If you won't come out, I'll force your hand.
Obito's silhouette began to warp and distort, swirling into a central point until he vanished completely.
...
In Konoha, atop the Hokage Rock.
Space twisted without warning, and Obito stepped out of the void. The night wind tugged at his cloak as he looked down upon the glowing village. The streets were bustling, a picture of peace and tranquility. The sounds of children laughing and vendors hawking their wares drifted up to him.
It was an eyesore.
It was for the sake of this sham of a peace that Rin had died. It was for the sake of this village that his teacher and Kakashi had betrayed him.
"Then let it all end."
He crouched down, pressing his palm against the stone carving of his former master.
"Kamui!"
The space around him distorted violently, creating a powerful suction force. The physical mass of the Hokage Rock was forcibly torn away by an invisible power, swallowed instantly into the specialized dimension.
CRASH!
A deafening roar shattered the village's peace. A massive, irregular crater appeared where part of the monument had been, sending clouds of dust billowing into the air.
Pedestrians on the streets froze, staring in bewilderment at the sudden destruction.
"Enemy attack! We're under attack!"
Finally, a quick-witted shinobi screamed the alarm. The shrill sirens wailed throughout Konoha. Squads from the Police Force scrambled from all directions, trying to maintain order amidst the chaos.
More ninja looked up, searching for the source. They saw him. A lone figure in a black cloak standing atop the ruins of the Hokage Rock, wearing an orange, tiger-patterned mask.
"Who is that guy?"
"He's on the Hokage Rock!"
"Attack him!"
A group of shinobi reached the base, and dozens of shuriken and kunai whistled through the air toward Obito. Obito didn't move. Every single weapon passed straight through his body as if he were a ghost, clattering uselessly against the stone behind him.
The ninja below stood frozen in shock.
"What happened? The attacks didn't work!"
"Is it a genjutsu?"
Obito ignored the commotion from the small fry. He was waiting. He was waiting for a flash of gold. He crouched again, targeting another stone face.
Panic began to spread through the crowds. People screamed, fleeing in every direction, and the once-orderly streets descended into madness.
"Quick! Evacuate the civilians!"
"Barrier Corps! Seal the airspace!"
Several Jonin leaped into the air, attempting to close the distance.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
The flames caught the wind, swelling several times in size until they became a massive inferno roaring toward Obito. Obito remained stationary. The giant fireball passed through him, slamming into the empty space behind and triggering a massive explosion.
"It's no use... our attacks are completely ineffective!"
The Jonin in the lead looked on with utter disbelief. Obito tilted his head, seemingly bored. His gaze swept over the chaos below, searching for one specific person.
"That's enough."
A voice suddenly rang out behind him. It was cold, steady, and carried an absolute authority.
Obito froze. He turned slowly.
A golden silhouette had appeared behind him. The man wore the Fourth Hokage's white cloak, which billowed fiercely in the night wind. He had blond hair, cerulean eyes, and a sharp, handsome face.
Minato Namikaze.