[The power of resurrection and reincarnation is far too dangerous—it must be completely sealed!]
Uchiha Obito observed Link and the child version of Senju Tobirama in the distance, his expression resolute.
If that brat keeps going, Konoha will grow stronger than ever. All Obito's efforts—releasing the Nine-Tails, exterminating the Uchiha—had been for the sole purpose of weakening Konoha, paving the way for the future Eye of the Moon Plan.
Now the First Hokage had been summoned, and the Second Hokage resurrected. If their teacher were to be brought back as well…
[This is a trap, but it's also a once-in-a-lifetime chance. If I let Link walk away victorious, there will never be another opportunity.]
Exhaling a breath of turbid air, Obito's expression twisted beneath the white mask. This hollow, despair-filled, false reality—this world where heroes stand at gravestones making pitiful excuses—
It had to be corrected!
[My heart and my deeds are as clear as a mirror—]
He activated Kamui without hesitation. As space distorted, his body appeared behind Link.
"?!" x2
Sasuke and Utakata, who were closest, reacted immediately. One began summoning pieces of Susanoo to protect him, the other blew out bubbles in an effort to block the mysterious figure who had appeared out of nowhere.
Though those two usually didn't see eye to eye, at this moment their coordination was spot on.
[Obito, huh?]
Link sensed the sudden disturbance and turned around. Even though he shared Crazy Diamond's field of vision, he deliberately pretended to act blindly, refraining from using his Stand to attack right away. That phasing ability was a real pain: he could passively ignore any attack. One had to wait until the opponent attacked—or tried to grab someone—and was forced to become tangible.
Susanoo's palm enclosed Link, and the bubbles passed through Obito's body, drifting into the distance.
[That damned space-time ninjutsu again!]
Sasuke stared as the back of the masked man's head vanished into the palm of Susanoo, his heart full of powerless rage.
[He's phasing through. I have to guess when he'll solidify. I just used Crazy Diamond's ability; I'll gamble that he won't turn solid right away.]
Thoughts whirled in Link's mind as light flared in his hand—a sign of the Five Elements Seal. Closing his eyes, he reached toward Obito's outstretched hand.
He guessed correctly.
Their palms and arms passed each other, like overlapping illusions.
[He shut his eyes…that brat,]
Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan and the freshly implanted three-tomoe Sharingan spun slightly, but he couldn't cast a visual genjutsu without eye contact.
[But that's actually good. If he can't see, no matter what hidden jutsu or trick he's got, once I grab him, it's over.]
The moment his shoulder brushed against Link's, Obito decided to bet everything. As long as he avoided that Five Elements Seal, it wouldn't matter if he took a physical hit or something else. Half his body was made of White Zetsu tissue; losing an arm or two wouldn't matter.
But if he could lay hands on Link and warp him to Kamui's dimension, that would solve the biggest problem once and for all. Izanagi was his trump card against any unknown threat.
[Got you.]
Link stood there quietly, a faint smile on his face. In the ninja world, where both sides are constantly tricking one another, having intel first is a surefire advantage.
Smack!
[What—?!]
They were so close that Obito, hearing the rush of air, had no time to dodge. He felt something slam hard into his chest. Pain shot through him, followed by the sound of countless fists pounding the air. After that unexpected first blow, he could at least react to the subsequent strikes.
By Josuke Higashikata's estimation, Crazy Diamond's speed was around three hundred kilometers per hour—one of the fastest in JoJo, second only to Star Platinum. Yet in the Naruto world, that level of speed only barely touched the threshold of top-tier combat.
[It's an invisible summoned creature. Different summons have different abilities. I see. Its speed isn't that high, though,]
Obito thought as he dodged the invisible onslaught.
[Ora ora ora ora ora!]
Crazy Diamond unleashed a relentless flurry of punches. Even with assistance from several shadow clones, it couldn't land another hit. Once it lost its element of secrecy, pure speed alone fell short against high-level shinobi.
In the blink of an eye, Sasuke deactivated Susanoo and charged alongside Utakata, positioning themselves in front of Link—who appeared unscathed.
Crack.
Obito, who hadn't re-entered his phasing state, abruptly dropped to his knees. His mask fell off, revealing a face twisted in agony as his body warped and reshaped in patches.
That was the delayed effect of Crazy Diamond's "restorative" power—Link's deliberate trump card.
Yet a split second later, Obito's form vanished into thin air like a bubble popping.
[Izanagi]
Link thought with an inward sigh. Another revolting technique…
Kamui and Izanagi—Uchiha Obito, could you be any more overpowered?
Both he and his enemy felt the same mixture of annoyance and resignation.
[Glad I didn't jump in. It's another special jutsu… Or maybe a special invisible summon,] Black Zetsu mused in silence. Having discarded its White Zetsu half, its stealth and sensing abilities were now top-class in the ninja world. It had seen everything crystal-clear during that scuffle within Susanoo.
[Guess I'll keep lurking alongside Senju Tobirama for now and see if a better chance arises.]
It abandoned the idea of attacking directly. Who knew what powers that invisible summon possessed, or whether it would trail Link day and night?
Black Zetsu had no Izanagi. Caution was wiser. Sticking near Tobirama could reveal how exactly that kid had come back.
Tap.
Jiraiya arrived belatedly, just as Senju Hashirama showed up, surveying the scene. "I've captured Madara," he said. "Tobirama, come finish the sealing."
Tobirama left with his brother's Wood Clone.
Link calmed himself. Ninja, by and large, were cunning. He himself was notorious for being difficult to handle—anyone aiming to take him out would be fully prepared.
No matter how strong a Stand's ability might be, it's not so simple when dealing with devious shinobi who hold countless escape cards.
Jiraiya went to Tsunade—still unconscious—and helped her up, checking to see that she was in decent shape. He couldn't help recalling the childlike Tobirama from just now, and Hashirama's calling him "Tobirama."
He'd already heard the old man talk about resurrection, but seeing it in person was another matter entirely.
The air turned heavy. Having just been ambushed, Link was busy thinking about his next steps; it wasn't exactly the moment for Konan to approach and speak with him alone. Sasuke and Utakata were both preoccupied with security concerns.
Hatake Kakashi's expression was the strangest of all. Ever since seeing that unmasked face, he'd been lost in deep, troubled thought.
Before long, Hashirama returned, carrying something oblong, bandage-wrapped, and covered in sealing scripts. On the other hand, he clutched a scowling Tobirama.
"Time to head back to the village," he said.
~~~
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