"Obito!"
Kakashi's pupils shrank to their limit—then trembled violently like an earthquake. The Purple Lightning in his hand collapsed and scattered.
He never imagined…
that he would see him again.
And certainly not like this.
The choking smell of smoke forced Kakashi's frozen mind back into reality.
Cold sweat soaked the aging face beneath his mask.
In Kakashi's heart, Obito's story had already been written to its end:
He died to atone.
Even reduced to ashes—he would protect hope.
Yet here he stood.
Alive.
On the wrong side.
Kakashi's voice cracked with disbelief:
"Why, Obito…!?"
"Didn't you reclaim your dream?"
"Didn't you make peace with this world!?"
"Then why—WHY are you helping someone like Uchiha Akira!?"
The moment their eyes met—
Kakashi knew.
Obito was not being controlled.
This was his own will.
Obito answered calmly:
"Kakashi… if I told you that everything I'm doing now…"
"…is to protect that same dream—"
"…and this ninja world…"
"Would you believe me?"
Kakashi fell silent.
Once—
he should have been the one to understand Obito.
To save him.
But he failed.
Naruto had done what he could not.
So now—
should he repeat the same mistake?
Or finally learn?
"CLANK—!!"
The Gedo Statue chains latched onto Kurama's golden form.
The Nine-Tails was being forcefully dragged out.
Kakashi's body jolted.
No matter what—
I can't let Naruto—
He spoke urgently:
"Obito!"
"Whatever you're trying to do—!"
"Does Naruto deserve this!?"
"He's the hero who saved the world—who saved YOU!"
Obito looked at him.
"Akira is the most principled person I've ever seen."
"As his friend… I hope you can understand him too."
"This time—I won't hide behind riddles."
"…Look into my eyes."
— Genjutsu: Sharingan!
"BUZZ—!"
Kakashi's body shook violently.
His eyes lost focus.
He collapsed forward—
into Obito's shoulder.
Obito held him up.
Then glanced at Akira—
a silent request.
Akira gave a slight nod.
"WHOOSH—!"
Kurama was completely ripped free.
The Gedo Statue prepared to devour it—
but Akira intervened.
His right eye flashed.
— Danmetsu Enti!
"CRACK!"
The chains snapped.
Kurama, still in chakra form, dropped onto the ground.
Moments later—
its true body emerged.
"YOU—!!"
The massive fox claw swung down.
Akira glanced at it.
"SHHK!"
Kurama's eyes turned—
into Rinnegan with six tomoe.
Its claw trembled—
and stopped.
Just one glance—
was enough.
Like Sasuke once did—
Akira subdued a tailed beast instantly.
But instead of sealing—
he used:
Time Freeze.
Ice spread across Kurama's body.
Ten seconds later—
amid unwillingness and confusion—
it vanished into frost.
Akira turned to Naruto—
barely clinging to life.
"Give it back…"
"…Give Kurama back…"
Naruto whispered weakly.
Akira's right eye glowed.
— Danmetsu Enti · Umoda Flow
"GURGLE…"
Naruto's body convulsed.
"I rewound the Nine-Tails back into your body."
"I severed causality."
"It's equivalent to creating another complete Kurama."
"But…"
"The one inside you will split again."
"I'll be taking the Yin half."
"ZZZT!"
Akira reinforced causality—
linking himself to Yin Kurama.
Then—
— Toyomiketsuki!
The Yin half was absorbed into his eye.
Counting the frozen one—
Akira now possessed one and a half Nine-Tails.
Naruto was left with only half.
"Naruto."
"At this point—I have no reason to spare you."
"But Obito sees you as his benefactor."
"So I'll repay that debt—for him."
"Stop clinging to your illusions."
"Open your eyes."
"Look at this world."
Akira's fingers—
pierced into Naruto's eye socket.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH—!!!"
A scream echoed across the ruined Konoha.
Akira withdrew his bloodied fingers.
The Gedo Statue disappeared.
"NARUTO!!"
Sasuke roared.
"CRACK—!"
His Eternal Mangekyō turned pale—
he activated Izanagi.
Breaking free from Limbo at the cost of his right eye—
he lunged forward.
Madara watched coldly.
"Using Izanagi without Hashirama's power…"
"…is nothing more than a fleeting surge."
Sasuke attacked.
"Uchiha Akira!!"
"You got what you wanted!"
"Why go this far!?"
Lightning gathered—
— Kirin!
It descended in divine judgment.
"SHHK!"
Akira erased it with a glance.
Then—
— Banshō Ten'in!
Sasuke was pulled in.
"I'm a fair man."
"You don't get special treatment."
"Think one arm looks cool?"
"Trying to be a tragic hero?"
"Why not lose both?"
"SHHK!"
The blade fell.
Sasuke's arm—
was severed.
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH—!!!"
Akira picked up the arm.
— Time Freeze
It vanished into frost.
Now…
I have the material for the next generation's Rinnegan.
Sasuke collapsed—
unconscious.
Around them—
Konoha's forces stood broken.
Like wilted plants after frost.
They couldn't understand.
How—
after the war—
at its peak—
could Konoha fall to one man?
Akira's gaze swept the crowd.
He hadn't forgotten.
There was still one thing—
one critical thing.
His eyes locked onto a figure.
Nara Shikamaru.
"Benevolent Divine Control failing…"
"…that wasn't an accident."
Akira stepped forward.
Cold.
Unyielding.
"Let's see…"
"…what exactly you are."
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