Chapter 163 - Obito is Still Alive
Konohagakure
Hospital Emergency Room
After a full day and night of emergency treatment, Uchiha Obito finally pulled through.
Unfortunately, although his life was saved, Obito's body was left with permanent damage.
The muscular physique he had built through years of rigorous training had been utterly drained by Uchiha Makoto's Wood Release—leaving him gaunt and skeletal, like a starving ghost that had just crawled out of hell.
His wrinkled, shriveled face bore no trace of the once-proud young man he used to be.
And because his fluids—blood included—had been nearly entirely drained before he was rescued, and the long delay before receiving treatment cost him the optimal window for emergency care...
Although Obito had miraculously survived, he would likely live out the rest of his life in this broken state.
What's more, while he had been brought back from the brink, he remained in a deep coma. Whether he would ever awaken was still uncertain.
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Nightfall
Uchiha Fugaku stood solemnly at Obito's bedside. Despite his outward composure, his eyes betrayed a tinge of panic.
Obito's condition when he was first rushed to the hospital had been absolutely dire.
Even the on-duty medical staff admitted they weren't confident they could save him.
That alone had sent Fugaku into a cold sweat. He had waited years—years—for someone like Obito to emerge: a clan member who had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Not long ago, he had even vouched for Obito personally, staking the Uchiha clan's honor on it.
If Obito had died in that ER… it wouldn't just be the loss of a Mangekyō Sharingan.
It would've left the question of who killed the ANBU operative forever unanswered.
The clan had only just begun to rise—he couldn't afford to let Orochimaru, that venomous snake, fixate on them now.
So Fugaku rushed to Tsunade's residence in the middle of the night, desperate to convince her to operate on Obito.
Tsunade was, after all, the most skilled medical ninja in the shinobi world—unquestionably number one.
If she couldn't save Obito, no one could. If she failed, Fugaku would have no choice but to accept fate.
However, Tsunade suffered from hemophobia—a deep-seated fear of blood—and was unable to perform the surgery herself.
This condition was a well-kept secret. Outside of a select few like Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru, no one else knew.
Naturally, Fugaku had no idea either.
So when he heard the news, it felt like the sky was crashing down.
He even regretted stepping up earlier—taking on responsibility for Obito's rescue in the name of the Uchiha clan.
Now, because of one dying shinobi, he had dragged the entire clan into danger.
Fortunately, Tsunade recommended her disciple Shizune instead.
She explained that Shizune had mastered all her medical techniques and could perform the operation just as well. Tsunade also promised to assist from behind a screen.
Left with no choice, Fugaku reluctantly agreed—treating the situation like one final gamble.
Thankfully, the result was a good one: the surgery was a success.
Even so, seeing Obito still comatose on the bed kept Fugaku's heart tightly clenched with unease.
He now stood at Obito's bedside, staring at the boy with furrowed brows, praying he would wake up soon.
Now that Obito had survived, this wasn't just about a dead ANBU anymore—this was about a living pair of Mangekyō Sharingan. A young elite from the new Uchiha generation.
If Obito weren't unconscious, Fugaku might've been smiling already.
At that moment, Shizune entered the room with a medical chart. Fugaku immediately stepped forward, asking anxiously:
"Shizune-san, how is Obito? When will he wake up?"
Shizune was now a full Jōnin. She hadn't killed a single enemy nor completed a single mission. But her masterful medical ninjutsu alone had placed her alongside Hatake Kakashi as one of the only two elite Jōnin of Konoha's new generation.
Shizune glanced at the chart, pushed her glasses up with her index finger, and replied calmly:
"Clan Leader Fugaku, I completely understand how you're feeling right now. Rest assured, the patient is no longer in critical condition. As for when he'll regain consciousness, that depends entirely on him. We've done all we can. It's possible he could wake up at any time."
She paused slightly here. Watching Fugaku's brows begin to relax, she sighed and continued:
"Of course… it's also possible it could take ten years… or even that he never wakes up at all."
Hearing her say Obito might wake up soon had just barely eased Fugaku's tension.
Then came the rest—ten years, a lifetime—and he nearly fainted on the spot.
You understand my ass! A lifetime? You want me to bury you alongside him?!
Fugaku clenched his fists so tightly that he didn't even feel the pain of his nails digging into his palms. Blood dripped silently from his fingers.
Inhale—exhale—inhale—exhale—inhale—
Teetering on the edge of fury, Fugaku fought to calm himself with deep breaths.
As much as he wanted to show Shizune the wrath of "The Tiger of the Konoha Police Force," he held himself back.
After all, behind Shizune stood Tsunade.
It wasn't worth offending her over something like this.
Fugaku was no longer the hot-headed youth he once was—he now carried the weight of an entire clan on his shoulders.
Suppressing his anger, he asked again:
"Shizune-san, is there no other way to help Obito wake up?"
Shizune gently bit her finger in thought, then seemed to recall something.
She said, "Actually, there is something. Tsunade-sensei once said—"
"In cases like this, the patient's mind often remains conscious. Having his family and friends speak to him regularly—about daily life, or things he used to enjoy—Those familiar voices and memories can stimulate his brain and help him recover. Who knows—maybe a miracle will happen."
Upon hearing that, Fugaku grew even more conflicted.
To his knowledge, Obito was an orphan. His parents died young. He had lived with his grandmother, but she had passed away a few years back as well.
As for friends, the first people who came to Fugaku's mind were the Hatake brothers.
After all, Obito was only a Chūnin. The only reason Fugaku had ever taken notice of him was because he was the student of Namikaze Minato, teammate of Hatake Kakashi, and had a close relationship with Kazane.
As for Obito's other friends—Fugaku, as a clan head, didn't have the time or inclination to keep track of a Chūnin's social circle.
The medical advice sounded helpful…
But Fugaku hadn't forgotten—the investigation into the ANBU's death was under Namikaze Minato's jurisdiction.
Would Minato really cooperate?
That was anyone's guess.
And Kazane was currently not in the village. Looks like his best bet was to start with Kakashi.