[Tobirama Senju: "Big Brother, I told you to read more books. Look at you—young and hanging out with Uchiha delinquents!"]
[Hashirama Senju: "…"]
[Uchiha Itachi: "Ancestor Madara's strength should be beyond Kage level, right?"]
"Kakashi… how did you end up like this? Stop going along with someone like Uchiha Madara!"
Kakashi stared at Obito in despair.
Obito's expression twitched with annoyance. "I've got nothing left to say to you. Shut up, you silver-haired loudmouth who only talks!"
He lunged.
Steel rang as Kakashi just barely met him.
They traded blows and… reasons—Kakashi pleading, Obito rejecting, both of them circling the same old wound.
"If you come back, Obito… if you come back, I'll accept whatever punishment you want," Kakashi said, voice hoarse.
The viewers watching the sky-screen fell into a long, awkward silence. Just when everyone thought Obito wouldn't buy it—
He pulled his punches.
[Kurotsuchi: "Something's off. These two are way too close."]
[Mei Terumi: "Why is Kakashi acting like a delicate wife begging her husband to come home?"]
[Sakura Haruno: "The wild part is—Obito did go soft."]
[Ino Yamanaka: "Is this… the Power of Konoha Bonds™?"]
[Uchiha Madara: "Obito… is that really your level?"]
Even Madara couldn't keep watching in peace. He had taught Obito for years, after all.
Where was the forbidden jutsu? The Wood Release? Why were they slapping kunai in close quarters like academy kids?
Madara could feel his blood pressure climbing. He still had to be resurrected, you know.
[Obito: "Trash Kakashi, I'll never forgive you. Say what you want—I won't—"]
[Kakashi: "Obito, please… it's all my fault. Come back, and I'll do whatever you—"]
[Obito: "Hmph! In that footage, you're already a corpse beneath my blade."]
[Rin Nohara: "You two…"]
Rin went quiet. She'd thought they were close. She hadn't realized it was this close.
You two aren't… you know… right?
[Ōnoki: "Konoha's open-door policy has gone… very far."]
[Fourth Raikage A: "Impressive. Our village couldn't pull that off."]
[Fourth Kazekage Rasa: "Konoha truly achieves what other villages can't."]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Lord Kazekage?"]
[Orochimaru: "Ahem…"]
In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen stared at "Rasa," an odd look on his face. Why did the man across from him feel suspiciously like Orochimaru?
"A slip of the tongue," Orochimaru coughed, then quietly DM'd Rasa: Say one more dumb thing and I'll kill Gaara.
On the battlefield, Kakashi swayed, spent.
Obito's blade cut a cold line through the air—about to descend—when Naruto arrived in a blast of wind.
A shadow clone snatched the oncoming Fūma Shuriken out of the air.
"I'm not trash… and I won't become trash," Naruto said, eyes steady. "I'm going to stop you. I won't let anyone kill my comrades."
Kakashi's gaze steadied too. Across the villages, spectators leaned forward.
[Sarada Uchiha: "As expected of the Seventh Hokage!"]
[Denki: "Lord Seventh is amazing!!"]
[Neji Hyūga: "Seems even a caged bird can break its bars…"]
[Boruto Uzumaki: "Uncle Neji, what do you mean?"]
[Neji: "…It's nothing."]
[Hizashi Hyūga: "Neji, I sacrificed myself to protect the village. I wasn't a caged bird."]
[Hiashi Hyūga: "Your father was a great shinobi, Neji."]
Naruto pressed Obito hard, wary of Kamui.
One pull into that dimension and you didn't come out in one piece. He had to fight while guarding the half-collapsed Kakashi.
[Hashirama: "Kakashi, you're very low on fuel."]
[Tobirama: "Enough, Big Brother. You think everyone's a walking Hashirama battery?"]
[Kakashi: "I… can't argue with that."]
The Nine-Tails rumbled. "Naruto, let me handle this."
Naruto nodded and ceded control.
Kurama glanced at Kakashi. "Kakashi. Hand."
Exhausted and a little touched—my student worries for me—Kakashi reached out.
Kurama grabbed him… and yeeted him straight at Obito.
Everyone on the ground—and in the sky-chat—froze.
To prevent Kakashi from going splat, Obito instinctively warped him into Kamui.
Silence rolled across the feed.
[Ōnoki: "You… threw your teacher?"]
[Kurotsuchi: "And Obito caught him—with Kamui!"]
[Naruto: "That was Kurama! Not me! Also… why?"]
[Kurama: "Trust me. He won't kill Kakashi."]
[Boruto: "Wait, if Mr. Kakashi is in Kamui world, can't he just Raikiri Obito from inside?"]
[Sarada: "Right! If Sixth Hokage stabs—what happens to Uncle Obito?"]
[Madara: "Obito, are you performing for me?"]
Madara finally snapped.
If Kakashi falls from the sky, just don't catch him—then crush Naruto. Simple.
But no. You warp the man into your most vulnerable space. What if he stabs you?
[Izuna Uchiha: "Elder Brother… those two seem… not quite right."]
"Useless Obito!!" Madara's temple throbbed.
[Obito: "Heh."]
[Madara: "Don't you 'heh' me. You are acting!"]
[Kaguya Ōtsutsuki: "Bubbles."]
Naruto gritted his teeth. "Kurama, look what you did—now Kakashi-sensei's a hostage!"
Relax, Kurama snorted. No more dead weight to babysit. Now go.
Control flowed back to Naruto. He lunged—arm stretching, chakra flaring—
Obito ghosted, body turning untouchable.
Viewers buzzed. Next beat was obvious, right? Kakashi Raikiri from Kamui, end of story.
Instead, in the Kamui space, Kakashi punched Obito in the stomach.
Once. Twice. Thrice. Big, angry, cafeteria-tray punches.
Obito folded, wheezing, peering at Kakashi through the dimensional rift like: …really?
The chat detonated into question marks.
[Itachi: "Kakashi, where is your Raikiri?"]
[Kakashi: "…No chakra."]
[Itachi: "Then your kunai?"]
[Kakashi: "…"]
[Madara: "I see it now. The two of you are doing this to mess with me."]
[Black Zetsu: "Lord Madara, calm down! Think of your health!"]
Madara's chest warmed. Loyal Black Zetsu…
He glanced back at the battlefield feed with renewed serenity. Once he revived, Infinite Tsukuyomi would—
[Toneri Ōtsutsuki: "Hold on… is that the Ten-Tails reviving in the distance?"]
[Adult Boruto: "!!!"]
The feed shuddered. In the far darkness, something opened its eyes.
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