Outside the Konoha Cemetery, the assembled Leaf ninja stared at the violet barrier blocking their path. Their combined jutsu bombardment slammed against it—useless.
"The white-robed one earlier… that was Uchiha Sasuke! This is his barrier!"
"This strength… is it the Four-Crimson Flame Formation?"
"Everyone, clear the way!"
The crowd parted as the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, strode forward, the Strength of a Hundred Seal blazing on her forehead. She leapt—a monstrous fist empowered by superhuman strength hammered into the barrier wall.
BOOM—!!
The entire barrier trembled.
"RRRAAAGH—!!"
Tsunade roared, pushing for more power. But violet flames erupted from the barrier's surface. An unbearable, searing heat. A pained grimace twisted her features. She yanked her fist back, retreating. Her entire arm was a mass of severe burns.
"Lady Hokage!!!" the ninja cried.
"I'm fine!"
The regeneration of the Strength of a Hundred Seal activated. The wounds on Tsunade's arm began knitting shut at a visible speed.
"OOOOOOOOHHHH—!!"
A bestial roar echoed from the rear of the Leaf forces. Seeing Might Guy, the crowd scrambled to get out of his way.
—Seventh Gate of Shock: OPEN!!
BOOM—!!!
A torrent of azure chakra erupted. Transformed into a blue beast, Might Guy crossed his arms, then thrust them forward.
—DAYTIME TIGER!!
WHOOOOOOM—!!
A white, air-compressed tiger of pure force roared across the ground, crashing into the barrier wall with an earth-shattering impact. The white shockwave churned against the violet flames… and was gradually consumed.
Might Guy's expression turned deadly serious. "This barrier's strength… it's no Four-Crimson Flame Formation. It's probably second only to the Four Red Yang Formation. Did Uchiha Sasuke really erect this? Just how strong has he become? Damn it… Kakashi's in danger!!"
Unable to breach it, Tsunade barked orders. "All units! Surround this barrier! The moment it drops, subdue Uchiha Sasuke and Orochimaru immediately!!!"
"YES!!"
The ninja scattered, taking positions, sealing the area.
Inside the barrier, Sasuke's gaze left the now-still wall and settled on Obito.
Obito, aware of the danger posed by the Susano'o arrows, didn't recklessly use his space-time ninjutsu. But his mind raced, seeking an escape.
His eye flicked towards Kakashi. His hand shot toward the Kusanagi Sword at his waist.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He saw the intent.
—Amaterasu.
Whoosh…
Black flames erupted, encircling Kakashi in a ring of perpetual fire.
Obito could phase through the flames to reach Kakashi. But he knew Sasuke's eyes. He hesitated. "Get close, and he'll use Kagutsuchi to manipulate the black flames and attack me the moment I materialize."
Kakashi's visible eye widened. "Amaterasu… just like Itachi's. Sasuke… is he protecting me?"
Obito grabbed a smoke bomb from his pouch and hurled it to the ground. In the cover of the thick smoke, he retreated at full speed. Simultaneously… the swirling vortex began to form around his right eye again. A desperate, forced attempt to warp away.
BOOM—!!!
An arrow, following him like a ghost, pierced the smoke screen, aimed straight for his face.
"He predicted my move… through the smoke?!"
Swish!
No choice. Obito cancelled the warp, switching to his intangible state. The massive arrow passed through him, obliterating the memorial stone behind.
"Don't think… I don't have a temper."
Swish.
Obito phased straight down into the ground. He emerged inside the rib-cage of Sasuke's Susano'o, behind Sasuke himself. His hand, now solid, shot forward to touch the Uchiha's back.
"Want to save Nagato? Let me send you to him!!"
Crackle…!
Lightning flickered to life around Sasuke's palm. As Obito's hand came within reach, Sasuke drove a chop backward.
"Heh… attacking the instant I materialize? Did you think I wouldn't anticipate that?"
Swish.
Sasuke's lightning-wreathed hand passed harmlessly through Obito's body. A feint.
In the next instant, Obito stopped his motion, spun back, and lunged again. His hand, truly solid this time, aimed for Sasuke's exposed back as the Uchiha recovered from his strike. This was the real grab.
"Thinking you understand my ability? The ability changes with the user. Illusion and reality—that is the essence of Kamui!"
A faint, cold smile touched Sasuke's lips. You're still naive, Obito… with feints of this level.
CRACK—!!!
The lightning around Sasuke's hand didn't vanish. It reversed, extending backward like a spear of pure chakra. It pierced clean through Sasuke's own chest—and impaled Obito's shoulder from behind.
Agony made Obito's eyes bulge. "A mutual destruction attack…!?"
Sasuke turned. The wound in his chest sizzled, white smoke rising as it rapidly healed.
Obito stumbled back, clutching his shoulder.
Sasuke faced him. "Uchiha Obito. I'll give you one last chance. Release Nagato…"
Kakashi stared, his voice a choked whisper. "Obito… is it really you?"
Squelch. White, gooey substance dripped from Obito's right sleeve. His right arm sloughed off, falling to the ground.
Obito just laughed, hand pressed to his bleeding shoulder. A low chuckle that built into a maniacal roar.
"Hmph. Hah. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Fine. Uchiha Sasuke. I acknowledge your skill. However…"
The hand on his shoulder lifted. It went to his mask. Slowly, he pulled it away.
Revealing his face.
Kakashi's world stopped. That face… older, scarred, but undeniably… "You… you're alive? Why?! If you're alive, why didn't you return to the village?! And you joined the Akatsuki?!"
Obito's voice was ice. "Shut up, Kakashi. Think about what you've done."
"Me…?" Kakashi froze.
"Correct. Rin's death. I was there. You couldn't protect anything. You're nothing but a worthless failure."
Obito leaned in, his voice dripping with venom. "Let me tell you something else. I orchestrated the Nine-Tails attack. I killed Minato-sensei. I killed Kushina. And how did I know Kushina was in labor? Hah… I have you to thank for that. For talking to a dead man's grave, pouring your heart out."
The psychological onslaught was absolute. Kakashi's breath hitched. His lungs seized. Overwhelmed. His brain screamed for oxygen. The old wound behind his left eye flared with phantom pain. His vision swam, darkened. He collapsed, consciousness fleeing.
"Enough."
Sasuke brought his hands together before his chest.
—Yasaka Magatama!
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM…!
A monstrous construct, formed from eight coiling black-flame dragons, rose behind him. The Amaterasu flames began spreading rapidly, filling the confines of the Uchiha Flame Formation.
Obito knew. This Sasuke understood his right eye's ability intimately. He had attacks that could break his five-minute intangibility limit.
There was only one way out now.
"Uchiha Sasuke… consider this battle your victory. But the future… I won't surrender it."
Zzzzt…!
Brilliant light erupted from his left eye—the eye he'd kept as a final, desperate measure, long before reclaiming the other from Kakashi.
—Izanagi!
As the black flames surged to consume him, the space-time vortex swirled. He forced himself into the Kamui dimension.
—"Until we meet again. Next time… I'll make you understand true despair!"
Sasuke let out a slow breath. "Couldn't hold him after all…"
Orochimaru slithered closer. "Then we'll use another method."
"You already have one in mind."
"Indeed. A roundabout one. A last resort. But if it goes smoothly… we should be able to retrieve Nagato from that dimension. And your father, Fugaku's, eyes as well."
Sasuke was silent, thoughtful. The black flames died. The flaming dragon construct sank away.
In the only area spared by the Amaterasu, Kakashi lay unconscious.
And outside the barrier… waited the entirety of Konoha, who now saw Sasuke as a rogue ninja.
So be it. What's coming… will come.
"More importantly… I need to deal with Naruto being taken by Black Zetsu. For that… Konoha's involvement might be unavoidable."
With a final, deep breath, his mind made up, Sasuke lowered his hands.
Whoosh…
The Uchiha Flame Formation began to descend.
Outside, amongst the tense, waiting ranks, Sakura Haruno—who had rushed to the scene—held her breath.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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