"Rin!!!"
The moment he saw the scene before him, Obito Uchiha screamed.
How…?
How was this possible?
How could Rin suddenly step in front of that blade?
Seeing Rin Nohara's weakening figure, Obito's mind was dragged back to that day from years ago.
It had been a sunny day then, too.
And he had watched his best friend's hand pierce through Rin's chest.
That single moment had broken everything.
That single moment had made him into what he was now.
He wanted to create a world with Rin.
That was all.
And yet fate had mocked him.
Rin had been brought back to life, only to stand beside his greatest enemy.
She had even given herself to him.
Everything Obito had done had been for Rin.
But Rin had never truly looked at him.
Her eyes had always been filled with Namikaze Kirito's shadow.
And now…
The moment Obito lost control and thrust his sword forward, she had blocked it with her own life.
"No… Don't… Rin!"
Obito screamed and rushed forward.
The Sword of Nunoboko in his hand began to crack and crumble as his heart collapsed along with it.
But even if the Sword of Nunoboko shattered, it could not undo the wound it had already left behind.
There was no spray of blood from Rin's chest.
The blood itself seemed to be swallowed by some unknown force, while the wound continued spreading outward.
This was the Sword of Nunoboko.
A divine blade shaped by the wielder's will.
Its power was far beyond ordinary ninjutsu.
How could Rin's mortal body possibly withstand something like that?
Boom!
The moment Obito rushed forward, an invisible repulsive force slammed into him and sent him flying back.
But he did not stop.
He charged again.
And again.
Each time, the repulsion struck him away.
Each time, he forced himself back up.
At some point, he had even forgotten about his own strength.
He only knew how to keep rushing forward, as if the pain of being thrown back again and again could somehow numb the feeling of his heart breaking apart.
Rin Nohara lay quietly in Namikaze Kirito's arms, her eyes fixed on him with a tenderness that did not fade even as her body disappeared.
"Lord Kirito…"
Her voice trembled softly.
"I'm sorry… I acted on my own and blocked that attack for you."
Looking at Rin in that state, Namikaze Kirito's eyes grew complicated.
In truth, with his reaction speed, he could have pushed Rin away.
But he had not.
He had allowed her to take the blow.
His purpose had been simple.
He wanted Obito to feel it.
The helplessness of watching someone precious die right in front of him.
Taking Rin from Obito had also been part of his revenge.
And yet now that this moment had actually come, seeing Rin like this left an uncomfortable feeling in his chest.
Why?
Had he really fallen for this girl?
"…Sorry."
Thousands of thoughts reached his throat, yet in the end, only that single word came out.
Before he could say anything more, Rin raised her pale hand and gently placed it over his lips.
"You don't have to apologize."
Her voice was weak, but her eyes were calm.
"Actually… I don't really understand it either. When that sword pierced me just now, a lot of things suddenly came back to me."
Namikaze Kirito's pupils narrowed slightly.
So that was it.
As expected of the Sword of Nunoboko.
A sword connected to the heart.
The moment it pierced Rin, it had restored the memories buried inside her.
In other words…
The Rin Nohara before him now was the same Rin Obito Uchiha had once known.
Obito, who had been throwing himself against the repulsive force again and again, also heard her words.
A trace of desperate joy appeared on his already broken face.
"Rin… You remember?"
His voice shook.
"It's me! I'm Obito!"
But even after recovering her memories, Rin did not turn toward him.
Her eyes remained on Namikaze Kirito.
Full of love.
Kirito lowered his gaze.
"…Say what you want to say."
For once, he did not know what else to say.
A rare trace of guilt stirred inside him.
Rin shook her head lightly.
"Lord Kirito… no…"
She smiled faintly.
"Let me call you Kirito."
Her voice became softer.
"Before, I was obsessed with you. That was why I went to Lord Orochimaru. I wanted to know more about your past. I wanted to know what kind of person you really were."
Her fingers gently touched his cheek.
"And after I learned everything you went through… I only fell for you more."
"You suffered too much."
Kirito remained silent.
Rin's eyes trembled gently.
"You hate Obito. I understand that. Even if I was dragged into that hatred… I can't say you were wrong."
"You saved the ninja world."
"You gave this world true peace."
Her breathing grew weaker.
"When my memories returned, I thought I should hate you."
"But I couldn't."
Scenes from the recent past passed through Rin's mind.
Even though her memories had been altered before, her heart and personality had still been her own.
She had followed Kirito every day.
She had walked beside him, eaten with him, laughed with him…
She had even shared things with him that made her too embarrassed to think about now.
Those memories had all become real inside her heart.
At some point, without even realizing it, she had truly fallen for him.
It had nothing to do with false memories anymore.
She had fallen in love with Namikaze Kirito.
So even now, after regaining everything, the way Rin looked at him did not change.
Her eyes were still filled with love.
"I really do love you, Kirito…"
Her lower body had already vanished.
Only the upper half of her body remained, yet she still struggled to speak.
"One day… in the future…"
"Will you… remember me too?"
Kirito looked at her.
Then he nodded.
"…I will."
Seeing his serious eyes, Rin finally smiled.
A peaceful smile.
Then her eyes slowly closed.
And her body vanished completely from his arms.
Namikaze Kirito had not expected Rin to love him this deeply.
Even after regaining her memories.
Even after knowing everything.
When this is over…
I'll bring you back.
And then…
We'll truly be together.
But Obito Uchiha could no longer hear any of that.
He stood frozen in place.
Then his knees hit the ground.
He had watched Rin die in front of him again.
This time, she had not merely died.
She had been erased.
Obito felt as if his heart had been crushed past its limit.
So this…
This was what it felt like.
"Rin…"
His voice was hollow.
"Rin…"
"I killed Rin?"
His eyes widened.
"Did I… kill Rin?"
Then his expression twisted.
"No… No!"
His voice became hoarse.
"It was you, Namikaze Kirito!"
"You killed Rin!"
"You could have pushed her away!"
Facing Obito's broken scream, Namikaze Kirito said nothing.
He only stood there, looking at him coldly.
Obito suddenly laughed.
A cracked, broken laugh.
"Hahaha…"
"Rin is dead…"
"This time… I killed her myself…"
"What right do I even have to say I cared about her?"
His shoulders trembled.
"Even at the end… even after she remembered everything…"
"She still chose Namikaze Kirito."
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"I really am…"
"A complete loser."
"I was wrong…"
His chakra began to twist violently around him.
"I was wrong from the very beginning!"
A terrifying pressure suddenly erupted from Obito's body, spreading across the battlefield and making everyone present feel a chill in their hearts.
Even Madara Uchiha felt it.
His brows narrowed slightly.
Then, with a Body Flicker, he appeared beside Obito.
"Obito."
Madara's voice was cold and sharp.
"What are you doing?"
He looked toward Kirito, then back at Obito.
"Rin was killed because of his scheme."
"If you still have any will left…"
"Then stand up and take revenge."
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