Kakashi's sudden movement drew everyone's attention, and the masked man was forced to keep hiding in the shadows.
He ghosted to Tendō (Deva Path) Pain's side and said with a teasing lilt, "Pain, looks like your invasion isn't going so smoothly."
Tendō Pain's voice was curt. "Tobi—no, Madara Uchiha. Since you're here, why aren't you taking action? Do you enjoy watching us get pushed back? Or… do you not want to complete the plan?"
"The plan will be completed, of course!"
The masked man sounded completely in control. "I've been recruiting muscle everywhere. Didn't find much, so I rushed over. I'd just arrived when Kakashi noticed me."
Anyone could tell that was a lie. He hadn't recruited anyone.
Oh right, he was wearing a mask—no wonder he lied so smoothly.
At that moment Kakashi returned to Natsuki's side. His gaze on the masked man held a tangle of feelings that couldn't be hidden. "Obito… is that you?"
The masked man's body trembled. He quickly convinced himself Natsuki must have told Kakashi. But he couldn't admit it. "Madara's" mask was still too useful to drop. He had to keep up the act.
"Hatake Kakashi, you've got the wrong person," he snapped back, stiff as iron. "I am Madara Uchiha."
"Heh. A clown who hides his head and shows his tail."
Sasuke cut in before Kakashi could answer, voice like a knife. "The real Madara wouldn't wear a mask. If you've got the guts—take it off."
Shff! Every gaze locked on the masked man. For a heartbeat he was dragged back to his academy days—surrounded, stared at, unbearably embarrassed.
Back then, there was always a girl smiling gently at him.
Now, that girl was gone.
Yes… now that his identity was being cornered, only removing the mask could "prove" he was Madara. But he wasn't. Whether he took it off or not, no one would believe him.
So, slowly, he lifted the mask away—revealing a scarred face.
Kakashi stared, motionless. A thousand words clogged his throat; finally he forced out just one line: "Obito… you really are alive."
Obito gave a thin laugh. "Yeah. I'm alive. But she's dead."
One sentence. Kakashi froze like stone. In an instant he was dragged back to that memory: the gentle, kind girl—and his lightning blade piercing her heart.
Yes. She died. She really died.
"Obito… I'm sorry." Kakashi's guilt was plain.
"Sorry is useless, Kakashi."
Obito's tone twisted, then went wild. "I will bring her back! I'll create a brand-new world! So don't stand in my way—or I'll kill you too!"
"Obito…"
Grief lined Kakashi's face; his eyes lowered.
He knew what he had to do. He stepped toward Obito and said, steady and clear, "Obito, I failed to protect Rin back then. That's my fault. But the road you're on is wrong. You've been deceived. Wake up!"
"Shut up!" Obito roared. "No one will stop me! No one!"
On the front lines, several shinobi traded glances—shock and realization spreading like a wave.
So the "fake Madara" had been stringing them along all this time. Talking about "peace for the world," and it turned out… it was all for a single woman. They'd been fooled for a long while, hadn't they?
This man's vision was only so high; the obsession only so narrow. For a woman… was it worth this?
Luckily, they'd never truly trusted him. So—whatever.
Shino, Yamato, Asuma, and Genma's squad arrived to watch the show, their faces full of question marks.
"Obito's… not dead?"
"Kakashi's Sharingan (Copy Wheel Eye) was supposed to be Obito's dying gift, but he isn't dead?"
"And he's the spiral-mask guy, the fake Madara, the one who caused the Nine-Tails Rampage—he's the culprit behind the Fourth's death!"
"But the Fourth and his wife were Obito's sensei and sensei's wife… the Fourth treated him well while alive. He's gone that mad?"
At the mention of the Fourth couple's deaths, Genma's team could barely contain their fury.
This guy had gone off the rails—he'd even gotten his own teacher and teacher's wife killed. Even if it was revenge for Rin, what did that have to do with the Fourth couple?
What next—kill Kakashi too?!
Sasuke fell silent, eyes flicking to Kakashi. He remembered the bell test. Kakashi had once spoken, just a little, about "a comrade." He wondered if Kakashi's heart was shattering now.
"Um, can I say something?"
Natsuki raised a hand at the worst possible moment. "Obito, don't tell me you don't know that the Rinnegan (Samsara Eye) can revive the dead. Why didn't you make Pain use the Rinnegan to bring Rin Nohara back? Did you really not know—or did you just not want to revive her, and now you're using this to justify your crimes?"
Obito exploded. "You… you shut up! Even if she were revived, she'd only suffer the world's pain again! Why would I let that happen?!"
He didn't know anything, and yet he dared to flap his mouth!
Truth was, Obito had always known Rin loved Kakashi. If Rin returned to this world, she would still only love Kakashi, marry Kakashi, and have children with Kakashi. There would be no place for him.
"I see," Natsuki said, suddenly enlightened. "So you do know what the Rinnegan can do."
Looks like he wanted Rin back—but he wanted Rin to love him. Seeing Rin run right into Kakashi's arms at first sight? That would tear him apart.
Pathetic. Such a humble love.
Natsuki went on, calm as still water. "But Rin loves Kakashi. If she didn't love Kakashi—would she still be Rin?"
Obito's defenses crumbled in an instant. "Shut up! You… you damn… loudmouth!"
Everyone else kept watching—first Kakashi's helpless face, then Obito's total meltdown—then, inevitably, all eyes slid to Natsuki, and the crowd's mouths twitched.
This guy… is fearless. He aims straight for the heart and twists.
Couldn't he just be a normal bystander for once?
Even Kakashi almost couldn't hold it together. He hadn't expected Natsuki to needle Obito like this and make an already awkward scene worse. But he also knew Obito wouldn't be talked down by words alone.
He stepped forward, voice firm. "Obito, I didn't protect Rin—that's my sin. But you're walking the wrong path. If you try to kill, I will stop you."
"Then I'll kill you, Kakashi!"
(End of Chapter)
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