Chapter 5 — Itachi
Obuya withdrew the barrier.
The moment the dome vanished, the invisible pressure dissipated, and Kirito's body slowly began to recover from the paralysis that had locked every muscle in place.
He struggled to stand, but the moment he tried, his balance completely failed him. With one leg facing forward and the other twisted backward, his body couldn't adjust. The posture was not only grotesque to look at, but also utterly impractical. As he forced himself upright, his weight shifted unevenly, and he stumbled before collapsing sideways onto the ground again.
The few students who had followed him rushed forward in a panic, grabbing his arms and shoulders to help him up.
"You… you're a medical ninja!"
Kirito's voice trembled as he stared at Obuya. The arrogance and contempt from earlier had completely vanished. In their place was unmistakable fear.
Even someone without formal training could tell—any ninja capable of rearranging another person's body so effortlessly possessed a level of skill that bordered on the unimaginable.
Among all shinobi, medical ninjas held a special status. Battles were constant, injuries inevitable, and survival often depended on their intervention. Offending one was no different from gambling with your own life.
From the moment Obuya demonstrated that ability, Kirito understood that continuing to provoke him would be nothing short of suicide.
"Consider this a warning."
Obuya's tone was calm, but there was no warmth in it.
"What happened today is your own doing. If I ever see you bullying others again for no reason, I won't stop at this. I'll cut off your head and attach it to your backside so you'll spend the rest of your life walking upside down."
He paused slightly, his gaze cold.
"Now get out of my sight."
Kirito and his group shuddered instinctively.
"Hurry… help me walk!"
Kirito barked at his companions, his voice unsteady. Even moving had become difficult. Just as Obuya had said, if this condition wasn't fixed, his daily life would be a complete disaster.
The group no longer dared to say another word. Supporting Kirito between them, they retreated in embarrassment, their earlier arrogance completely gone.
"Obuya… are you really a medical ninja?"
Rin's voice was filled with disbelief as she looked at him.
Obuya hesitated inwardly.
At this point, there was no way to deny it. Explaining the truth—that this was the power of a Devil Fruit—was even less plausible. Such things didn't exist in this world. No one would understand, and it would only create more complications.
After a brief pause, he gave a small nod.
"Rin, don't misunderstand. I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. It's just… this ability only awakened today."
"Just awakened? And you can already do something like that?" Rin's eyes widened in shock. "How is that even possible…?"
She suddenly froze, as if something had clicked in her mind.
"I know!"
Her expression brightened with realization.
"You must have a rare Kekkei Genkai, like the Uchiha's Sharingan—but yours is focused on medical abilities!"
Obuya almost smiled at how perfectly she had filled in the gaps.
Kekkei Genkai were not uncommon among shinobi, especially in Konoha. While their strength varied, they were widely recognized, and their exact nature was often mysterious.
Using that explanation to mask his abilities was not only convenient, but entirely believable.
"That's incredible, Obuya! A medical-type Kekkei Genkai… from now on, no one will dare look down on you again."
Rin's face lit up with genuine happiness. She grabbed his arm tightly, her excitement impossible to hide.
Obuya could tell—she wasn't thinking about herself at all. She was truly happy for him.
"Does sensei know about this?" she asked eagerly.
"No. I only awakened it today. I haven't had the chance to tell Lord Minato yet."
"Then you have to tell him as soon as possible! If he finds out, he'll definitely be happy."
At the mention of Namikaze Minato, Obuya's expression softened slightly.
Back when he had first arrived in this world, alone and with nothing, it had been Minato who brought him into the village. Without that act of kindness, he might not have survived at all.
"Obuya, if you don't mind, I can report this to sensei for you."
Obuya had no reason to refuse.
With Rin delivering the news, it would naturally be presented in the best possible light.
Moreover, Minato was already a respected jōnin of Konoha, while Obuya himself was merely someone he had once helped. There was no formal teacher-student relationship between them. Having Rin act as an intermediary made things much simpler.
After agreeing to meet again at the academy the next day, Rin waved goodbye and dashed off through the streets, her movements light and quick like a rabbit.
Obuya watched her disappear into the distance, his thoughts gradually settling.
Once Minato learned of this, it was only a matter of time before the higher-ups in Konoha became aware as well.
Whether that would bring opportunity… or danger… was still uncertain.
"Big brother, your Kekkei Genkai is amazing! Thank you for teaching that bad guy a lesson. I want to be as strong as you someday!"
A childish voice broke through his thoughts.
Obuya lowered his gaze.
Standing in front of him was a small child, no more than four or five years old, holding the hand of a graceful and beautiful young woman. The boy looked up at him with bright, earnest eyes.
On his clothes was the unmistakable emblem of the Uchiha clan.
Obuya reached out and gently patted the boy's head, offering a faint smile without saying anything.
In truth, today's victory had relied heavily on catching Kirito off guard. If Kirito had used proper ninjutsu from the start, things would not have been so simple.
"It's time to go, Itachi."
The young woman gave Obuya a polite smile before leading the child away.
"Itachi…?"
Obuya's expression shifted slightly.
Could that really be Uchiha Itachi—the one who would one day shake the entire ninja world?
For a brief moment, he was stunned.
But just as quickly, he calmed down.
This was a time shortly before the Third Great Ninja War. The new generation was just beginning to rise, with Kakashi already showing his talent. Minato had grown into an elite jōnin, though he had yet to become Hokage.
According to the timeline Obuya remembered, Itachi would indeed be this young—still years away from even entering the academy.
"Uchiha…"
Obuya murmured softly as he watched the child's figure fade into the distance.
Who could have imagined that this very child would one day bring an end to the once-proud Uchiha clan?
From the history he knew, their downfall had not been caused by a single factor, but by the convergence of many forces. The tension between the clan and the village had long been irreconcilable.
The Land of Fire would never tolerate rebellion.
And Itachi's actions—however cruel they seemed—had been carried out in the name of preserving peace, at least from his own perspective.
Obuya understood all of this.
But he had no intention of interfering.
First, he lacked the strength to involve himself in the internal affairs of a great clan like the Uchiha.
Second, simply surviving in this turbulent world was already difficult enough. He had no time or energy to meddle in matters that did not concern him directly.
"Tomorrow is the ninja academy graduation exam… though it doesn't really concern me anymore."
With that thought, Obuya turned and walked back toward his lodging.
It was a place to stay—but not a home. Just a bare, empty room with nothing inside.
He wasn't a native of Konoha, but a refugee brought in during wartime.
Because of Minato, he had been allowed to attend the academy—but only as an auditor. He had no right to take the graduation exam, no right to wear a Konoha forehead protector, and no path to officially becoming a genin.