Bang!
A massive burst of white smoke exploded on the battlefield—unique to Summoning Jutsu.
In the center of the smoke stood the Eight-Tails, Gyūki. Its eyes bore the pattern of the Sharingan.
From the moment it was summoned, it had already fallen under the control of Obito's ocular powers.
(Obito, formerly Yamato Arata, had transmigrated into the body of Uchiha Obito and inherited his powers—and burdens.)
"What the hell is that monster!?" the Takigakure ninja shouted in panic.
"The bull-headed octopus... with eight tails... Could it be... the Eight-Tails!?" gasped Shibaki Xiong, one of the more knowledgeable elders of the village.
The moment he recognized the tailed beast, his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.
He knew—even if he tried to rally the others, their hearts were already trembling. There was no hope. No defense. Nothing left.
Regret consumed him.
If only he had listened to Uchiha Obito...
If only Takigakure had allied with him from the start, their village wouldn't be staring death in the face right now. With a powerhouse like this on their side, not only would they have secured the Eight-Tails, they could've stood shoulder to shoulder with the Five Great Nations.
They wouldn't have to cower under constant threat, wouldn't have had to beg for scraps in the shadow of others.
But now? Too late.
He hadn't just thrown away a chance to rise—he had delivered his people to ruin.
"I'm sorry," Shibaki Xiong said, voice breaking. "It was my foolish decision that doomed everyone."
But none of the Takigakure shinobi blamed him.
"Village Chief, don't take it all on yourself. You'll always be our hero. We'll always be proud to follow you. No matter what world we find ourselves in, we'll stand behind you."
"You... You all..." Tears streamed down Shibaki's weathered face.
Yes. This was the shinobi world—built on bonds.
The bond between comrades. Between ninja and village. Even between enemy villages.
Even justice and evil had their own bonds—differences in belief, in values. That's what birthed conflict.
And in a world like this, only those with real power could protect the things they cared about.
Obito stood silently, watching the scene unfold. His heart, hardened by war and loss, softened slightly.
Then—Boom!
A massive Tailed Beast Bomb formed in the mouth of the Eight-Tails and launched into the sky.
It soared past the stunned villagers—obliterating the land behind them, but sparing their lives.
Obito turned to Shibaki Xiong.
"Take your people and go."
"You… you're letting us go?" Shibaki trembled.
Yes. He was letting them go. But that was all.
He wouldn't keep them—because they'd never truly submit after losing loved ones, families, friends.
And Obito wasn't interested in controlling people who couldn't be useful to him.
"I'm not afraid of your revenge," Obito said coldly. "I just don't waste tools that don't work."
"Go. Before I change my mind. Keep your names hidden. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Otherwise…"
"I understand." Shibaki Xiong bowed deeply. "I've already made one stupid mistake. I won't make another."
And he kept his word. From that day on, Shibaki led the remaining Takigakure survivors into seclusion, living quietly in the mountains—never seeking revenge, never mentioning the past.
The last look they gave their home—a burning ruin they had known for generations—was filled with pain and longing. They gathered the bodies of their fallen and vanished into the wilderness.
Bang!
The Eight-Tails disappeared, returned to Obito's personal dimension.
Takigakure was no more.
Wiped from the shinobi world—just a blank patch of earth now. But something new would rise from that soil. A new village. A new order.
A moment later, Tobi (still calling himself A Fei) and Uzuki Xiyang stepped down from the mountain, approaching Obito.
Xiyang gazed at him, a strange look in her eyes.
He really wasn't heartless after all.
"A Fei," Obito asked suddenly. "Compared to the Madara you knew... how strong do you think I am now?"
"You want the truth?"
"Of course."
"Well…" A Fei scratched his head beneath the mask. "If it were Madara, he probably could've wrapped this up in half the time."
Obito nodded slightly. He'd come to the same conclusion.
"But," A Fei continued, "when it comes to using Wood Release, you've definitely surpassed Madara. After all, even he never got the full power of the First Hokage."
Obito didn't look pleased.
Comparing himself to Madara in Wood Release was like comparing Senju Hashirama in Sharingan techniques—pointless. Each had reached the pinnacle of their own strengths. Madara was ambitious enough to dabble in Wood Release, but he never mastered it.
Only when someone surpassed both Madara in ocular prowess and Hashirama in Wood Release could Obito feel satisfied.
That was his goal now. To stand beside—or above—the two legends who had shaped this world.
Rrrumble…
White Zetsu clones burst from the ground, chattering as they dragged their belongings with them.
"Hey, where's the village?"
"I heard we're not allowed to put down flooring in the new place…"
"The Gedo Statue's gone! That was our old crib. Where'd you take it?"
The noise was endless.
"Shut up," Obito snapped. "You lot can build a ninja village in ten minutes if you stop whining."
Shhhk!
Obito took out a scroll from his personal dimension and unfurled it.
It contained blueprints and designs for buildings—an entire village layout.
His Sharingan spun rapidly as he read the scroll. Within seconds, he'd memorized everything.
Eyes closing, he exhaled.
Then reopened them.
Seal formed. Hands to the earth.
Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence—Village Formation!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Wooden buildings exploded from the ground—rows and rows of them, perfectly aligned, fully structured. A complete ninja village stood where there had been only rubble.
"Unreal…" Xiyang whispered, covering her mouth, eyes wide with awe.
"This is just the prototype," Obito said calmly. "I'll expand it more when I get back."
"You're leaving? To the Land of Iron?" she asked.
"Yeah. I'll go alone. You all stay here and get settled."
He turned to the White Zetsu.
"Also, go track down the Daimyō of the Land of Taki. File the paperwork. Do it properly."
One country, one village.
That had been the First Hokage's dream. It had brought peace, order—even if only temporarily.
The country funded and governed. The ninja village protected with strength and action.
"You really think the Daimyō of Taki will accept this new village?" one Zetsu asked.
Obito smiled faintly. "Does he have a choice? Takigakure is gone. His country has no defense. Either he chooses us, or his entire land becomes prey for the great nations. It's survival instinct."
Xiyang stepped forward. "Yu... after you reach the Land of Iron, be careful. All five Kage are gathering there—five of the strongest shinobi alive."
"I know," Obito said, smiling as he turned away. "But soon, there will be a sixth…"
Next stop: the Five Kage Summit.