Night had fallen.
Although Konoha Village's defenses were solid, they were all outward-facing. Kakashi, as one of the village's elite shinobi, even if he walked out, no one would stop him.
Rengoku followed closely behind Kakashi and easily left Konoha.
What he didn't expect was that although Kakashi was being remotely controlled by Hiruko, Kakashi didn't actually go far.
In fact, as soon as he stepped out of the forest boundary of Konoha, he slowly stopped.
From the forest ahead walked out a figure, Obito, wearing a mask.
Rengoku did not get too close to Kakashi, and Obito didn't notice him.
Seeing him appear, Rengoku was sure. Hiruko and Obito were working together.
'Obito came for Kakashi's eye. Is it for himself, or to bring back for Hiruko?'
Rengoku turned these thoughts over, watching Obito approach Kakashi.
He prepared to strike when Obito materialized.
But just as Obito stepped in front of Kakashi, in that instant when Kakashi's dull eyes looked at him, they suddenly erupted with an astonishing light.
A flash of cold light swept across Obito's neck.
Kakashi instantly leapt back several times in succession, retreating from Obito's attack range.
Obito paused, reaching up to touch his own neck.
Though he had been in a phasing state just now, that bone-piercing chill still seemed to sting him.
Or maybe, it was the fact that Kakashi had struck without hesitation, that was what pricked at him.
'This Hiruko is useless. He actually let Kakashi wake up.'
———
Far away in Mount Shumisen, Hiruko, who was controlling Kakashi, suddenly felt his hand shake, the charm breaking.
He looked stunned, "How did Kakashi break free of the Puppet Curse on his own?"
Hiruko turned his gaze toward Konoha, worried whether the Sharingan could still be retrieved.
———
Kakashi, who had leapt away, was drenched in cold sweat. He had no idea when he had fallen under the Puppet Curse.
Fortunately, in his father's notes he had learned mental focus techniques. Just now, when he looked at the masked man, he had snapped awake.
Obito let out a cold laugh, "So what if you've woken up? Do you think you can escape?"
But Kakashi's reaction was completely beyond his expectations.
"It's you, isn't it, Obito," Kakashi's hand hung at his side, his gaze calm and unwavering as he stared at Obito.
Kakashi had rehearsed countless times what it would be like to meet Obito again. He thought he would be agitated, but he wasn't.
Obito hadn't expected Kakashi seemed already certain of his identity.
For a moment, he froze, unsure whether he should admit he was Obito.
Kakashi seemed to know what he was thinking, and said firmly, "Whether you admit it or not doesn't matter. I know it's you."
On the black market, his cover as Uchiha Madara had already been ripped apart by the Akatsuki.
Now, in this situation, Obito slowly removed his mask.
Kakashi's eyes only lingered briefly on the wrinkled half of Obito's face.
No real expression showed.
Seeing Kakashi like this, Obito spoke in a low voice, "Why aren't you surprised?"
Kakashi looked at him steadily, "Why should I be surprised? Rengoku already told me who you are."
"You and I are enemies now. What, you still want to reminisce?", Kakashi's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced Obito's heart like a sharp blade.
A sudden fire of anger rose within Obito. He lunged at Kakashi, a black rod appearing in his hand, which he swung at Kakashi.
Kakashi retreated a step, his short blade clashing with Obito's weapon, producing a crisp metallic clang.
Obito hadn't phased, but directly engaged Kakashi in taijutsu.
His face twisted, eyes burning with fury.
Kakashi, however, stayed calm, blocking every attack precisely.
Rengoku had been ready to strike, but when he sensed Kakashi's breathing slowing while his blade grew sharper and faster, he stopped, watching the fight with interest.
'It seems Kakashi is transforming.'
With his short blade, Kakashi fought flawlessly. While Obito didn't phase, he was being pushed back.
He stared at Kakashi in disbelief.
Kakashi showed him no mercy, no guilt, nothing.
Only focus.
Their weapons clashed again and again, Kakashi's eyes shining ever brighter.
With a ringing clang, Obito's black rod flew high into the air.
In the next stroke, Kakashi's blade was already cutting toward Obito's neck.
Obito instinctively phased.
Kakashi's blade passed through Obito's head.
Missing, Kakashi twisted his body, flipping to the side to land away from Obito.
His expression was icy as he looked at him, "Obito, you used the Nine-Tails to start the Nine-Tails' Rampage, killed our teacher and teacher's wife. Today I'll drag you before Rin to repent!"
Obito's eyes blazed with disbelief and fury, "How do you still have the face to say Rin's name!"
"How can you feel no guilt at all!"
A flash of pain crossed Kakashi's eyes, but his expression stayed steady, "Why should I feel guilt? Do you think I wanted to kill Rin?"
"You don't know, at that time—"
"Shut up!"
Obito's eyes glowed red, savage, like a beast ready to tear apart its prey.
"If you think I did all this for you and Rin, then you're completely wrong."
"I already know everything."
"Rin ran into your Raikiri on her own. She chose death herself."
"At that time Rin had been captured by Kirigakure and forced to become the Three-Tails' Jinchuriki."
"You successfully saved her and brought her out, but that was actually part of Kirigakure's battle plan."
"Their goal was only to feign pursuit, to drive you two back toward Konoha."
"Once Rin returned to Konoha, Kirigakure would trigger the Three-Tails inside her to go berserk."
"Their aim was to attack Konoha."
"Rin knew their goal, so she used the Raikiri you unleashed at the enemy—"
"And killed herself."
"She chose to die by the hand of the one she loved most. All of this was to protect Konoha."
"No matter what you say, to me—"
"The Rin who died shouldn't have died. That Rin was a fake."
"Only the Rin who lives is the real Rin."
But Kakashi was not shaken. Instead, he shouted in fury, "Since you know Rin killed herself, then why did you start the Nine-Tails' Rampage?"
"Why did you kill our teacher and teacher's wife!?"
"HAHAHAHAHA…", Obito laughed madly, "Because the true culprit behind all these tragedies is the shinobi system, the village, and the shinobi themselves!"
"What truly drove me to despair was this world itself."
"This false world!"
"Once, all I had left here was grief, so I abandoned everything, Uchiha, the Fourth Hokage, Kushina…"
"I will change this world!"
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