After all, over the years, Obito had secretly acted as Madara's hidden hand, manipulating the entire shinobi world from the shadows.
He had even killed his teacher's wife, Kushina, and done many things that betrayed the Will of Fire.
If all of that was suddenly exposed, he might end up like the Nine-Tails and suffer public humiliation.
"It doesn't matter…"
A cold light flashed through Obito's eye beneath the spiral mask.
"No matter what you expose, it won't change anything."
That was right.
Whether or not he suffered social death, he would not be afraid.
Everything he had done was for the dream he carried.
As for the Will of Fire, Obito had already abandoned it.
He was no longer that dead-last boy from the past.
After Rin died, everything had changed.
Thinking of this, Obito's fist clenched.
Back then, he had learned from White Zetsu that Rin and Kakashi were being attacked by Mist shinobi. With help from the spiral Zetsu, he finally escaped to rescue them.
Madara had not stopped him.
But reality changed faster than any plan.
When Obito arrived, he saw Kakashi's Chidori pierce Rin's chest with his own eyes.
In that instant, he and Kakashi's emotions shook violently.
Their Sharingan awakened into Mangekyō Sharingan at the same time.
Then Kakashi collapsed.
Obito, consumed by grief and rage, went on a killing spree. Using Wood Release, he slaughtered every Mist ANBU present.
From that moment on, he began to doubt everything about the shinobi world.
Of course, aside from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Obito, and Black Zetsu, Nagato, Uchiha Itachi, Kakuzu, Hidan, and Biwa Jūzō, who had been revived through Edo Tensei, could only exchange helpless looks.
The situation had already gone far beyond their expectations.
Especially after the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, created screens that broadcast across the entire shinobi world.
All they could do now was take things one step at a time.
They were already dead anyway.
They could only watch the show.
"Forget it. Let's see what Uchiha Ren is trying to do."
"Right. Let's see what the Fifth Hokage is really planning, and what famous scenes he plans to broadcast."
"Fine. Let's watch. We can only take things one step at a time."
"Exactly. Let's see what Uchiha Ren is planning."
Tobirama Senju, Minato Namikaze, Sakumo Hatake, the Raikage, the Tsuchikage, the Kazekage, the Mizukage, and the other revived figures all shook their heads.
But at that moment—
A strange energy fluctuation spread.
The space ahead suddenly rippled.
Under countless gazes, the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku appeared in midair along with Fukasaku and Shima.
Silence.
Complete silence.
Looking at the Great Toad Sage, Fukasaku, and Shima, many people present showed shock.
No one had expected the Great Toad Sage to appear at a moment like this.
After all, even those who had never met him had heard the stories.
Everyone knew about the Great Toad Sage, Fukasaku, and Shima of Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Lands.
They simply had not expected that, when the shinobi world's situation was so complicated, Mount Myōboku—which had never openly chosen a side—would suddenly appear.
And judging from the situation, they did not seem to be here to cause trouble.
"The Great Toad Sage actually came?"
"Ryūchi Cave has already submitted to the Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren. I wonder why the Great Toad Sage is here."
"Even the Great Toad Sage has appeared. Things are getting more and more interesting."
Tobirama, Minato, Sakumo, the Raikage, the Tsuchikage, the Kazekage, the Mizukage, and the other revived figures all revealed amused smiles.
None of them were fools.
Now that even the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku had appeared, there was an eighty or ninety percent chance he had come to cooperate with Madara.
"Hahaha! Great Toad Sage, you're still alive?"
Hashirama did not care about the atmosphere.
He laughed loudly.
"So many years have passed, but you're still as energetic as ever!"
The Great Toad Sage's face immediately darkened.
He looked at Hashirama helplessly.
"I didn't expect you to be revived by Edo Tensei again."
After saying that, the Great Toad Sage turned his gaze toward Madara.
Buzz!
In an instant, their eyes met.
Neither spoke, but invisible sparks seemed to crackle between them.
One side was Uchiha Madara, the legendary shinobi.
The other was the Great Toad Sage of Mount Myōboku, one of the Three Great Sage Lands.
Neither was simple.
The next moment, the air began to crack.
Centered on the Great Toad Sage and Madara, two terrifying invisible pressures collided.
Visible cracks appeared in the air.
Terrifying.
Extremely terrifying.
Although neither the Great Toad Sage nor Madara said anything, many present were astonished.
The confrontation had only begun, yet the pressure alone was enough to make the surrounding shinobi tremble.
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