Six months.
In the dim, lightless underground cavern, Obito Uchiha sat atop a massive finger of the Gedo Statue, motionless as a statue himself. Time had lost all meaning here; only the silent rotation of the Sharingan behind his mask tracked each passing moment of his stillness.
He had not set foot on Konoha's soil for half a year. It was not out of fear, nor was it due to a change in the plan. It was because of a single voice—a voice that had pierced through all the noise of time and space, crashing directly into the depths of his soul.
"Obito..."
Minato Namikaze. In the instant he was about to depart via Kamui, that man had called out that name. There was no killing intent, no anger, not even a demand for answers.
What was in that voice? Shock? Grief? And... a hint of familiarity that I don't dare think too deeply about?
It was that voice that had shaken the mental defenses he had built out of hatred and despair. Over the past six months, he had replayed that moment countless times. He told himself over and over that it was merely Minato's strategy—a tactic to shake his resolve. How could that teacher, who belonged to this filthy world and had allowed Rin to die, still harbor feelings from the past?
But that hesitation had truly taken root in his heart. He began to subconsciously avoid Konoha and any place that might hold a connection to his past.
Black Zetsu was unaware of the turmoil in his heart, only noticing the stagnation in his actions. It was growing impatient.
"It is about time."
A mass of pitch-black fluid seeped from the rock wall, coalescing into the form of Black Zetsu. Its voice was raspy, echoing through the hollow cave with a clear sense of urgency. "The Nine-Tails Jinchuriki's due date is approaching. This is our best opportunity."
Obito did not respond.
Black Zetsu's patience was wearing thin. It could feel the unshakeable aura of deathly stillness surrounding Obito, which was not a good sign. This pawn it had personally molded seemed to have developed a deviation it could not control.
"What are you hesitating for?" Black Zetsu's tone shifted, becoming sharply scrutinizing. "You have sat here for six months ever since you returned from Konoha. What has stopped your footsteps? Kakashi's repentance? Or... those feelings you claimed to have long since discarded?"
It had guessed a portion of the truth. The only things that could cause Obito to stall were the very things he claimed to have cast aside.
"Shut up," Obito finally spoke, his voice hoarse and dry. "My business is none of your concern."
"I am merely reminding you," Black Zetsu's form rippled slightly. "Your ideal—that world where Rin exists—requires you to create it. Any unnecessary emotion is an obstacle. Whether it is Minato Namikaze or Kakashi Hatake, they are protectors of the old world. They are enemies you must destroy."
Enemies.
That word hammered heavily against Obito's heart. He slowly looked up. Within the hole of his mask, the three-tomoe Sharingan spun violently. He forced himself to stop thinking about Minato's voice, pushing a different image to the forefront of his mind.
A torrential downpour, thunder and lightning. The hand piercing through Rin's chest belonged to Kakashi. And... his own powerless self, who hadn't managed to reach anyone in time.
Cold hatred washed over his body once again, completely drowning the sliver of hesitation and doubt that had struggled to sprout. He was wrong. He should not have any expectations. This world was fundamentally broken; Rin's death was the ultimate proof. As the Hokage, Minato protected this broken world. Therefore, he was the enemy.
The air in the cave suddenly turned frigid. Obito stood up, the deathly silence replaced by a destructive will.
"You're right." He turned, the Mangekyo pattern in the eye-hole spinning rapidly as if to devour everything. "I am not Obito. That naive fool died long ago at Kannabi Bridge."
Black Zetsu's body relaxed. It could feel it—the familiar, hate-filled tool had returned.
"The plan continues." Obito's voice was devoid of emotion, leaving only cold execution. "Now, go and confirm the final date and location."
His figure began to distort as Kamui activated. Before being completely swallowed by the spatial vortex, he left one final sentence, as if speaking to Black Zetsu, or perhaps to reinforce his own conviction.
"Then, I will personally reclaim the Nine-Tails. I will make Konoha feel the pain of Rin's death... amidst the fires of despair."
A figure suddenly appeared in the woods. His bright hair color identified him—Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi leaped from the forest, carrying the morning's chill and the lingering scent of blood.
The mission was over. He walked toward the village expressionless, his gait mechanical and precisely devoid of warmth. He had hardly rested for the past six months. S-rank missions, A-rank missions, assassinations, escorts, infiltrations... mission scrolls came one after another, always bearing the familiar signature of the Fourth Hokage.
He had become a repeatedly used weapon, cast into the most dangerous dark corners outside Konoha, completing every mission with high efficiency before quietly returning. He rarely saw Minato-sensei anymore. Ever since that day at the Memorial Stone six months ago, his teacher had never reached out to him again. He was merely a tool for executing missions, a codename on the Anbu roster with ever-refreshing achievements.
Walking through the increasingly busy streets, the surrounding peace felt alien to him. He felt a sense of loss. In the end, have I disappointed my teacher?
Because he failed to protect Rin, he was no longer trusted. He could only use these endless missions to prove his value and atone for a sin that could never be repaid. Lady Kushina's delivery date was drawing closer. He had overheard this news from the idle chatter of other Anbu teammates. As a student who had once been held in high regard by his teacher, he didn't even know where his master's wife was staying, let alone be allowed to guard her.
Kakashi paused for a moment before the Memorial Stone but ultimately did not walk toward it. He was afraid of seeing those two names, afraid that his already numbed heart would be torn open once more.
Just as he prepared to turn and return to the Anbu headquarters, a figure appeared before him with a flicker. It was an Anbu comrade.
"Hound," the newcomer handed over a scroll. "An S-rank top-secret mission, issued directly by the Hokage himself."
Kakashi took the scroll; it felt heavy in his hand. The seal bore Minato-sensei's unique wax stamp. His heart skipped a beat uncontrollably. He unfurled the scroll.
— Proceed to the designated location within the barrier at the southern outskirts of the village. From this moment on, you are tasked with the highest level of security until the order is rescinded.
There was no explanation of the specific mission details, but Kakashi understood instantly. This was the location for Lady Kushina's delivery.
Teacher... still trusts me.
The weight of loss and self-doubt that had been suppressed for six months was filled with warmth in that moment. He was not a discarded tool. His teacher was simply testing and tempering him in a different way.
Now, the ultimate test had arrived. Kakashi tucked the scroll away, the last bit of haze vanishing from his eyes. He nodded to his comrade and vanished in a flicker.
This time, he would absolutely not fail.
In a room of unknown location, Kushina Uzumaki lay on the bed, her face covered in the sweat of agony, but her hand tightly gripped the hand of the man beside her.
Minato Namikaze knelt by the bedside. His blonde hair looked a bit disheveled under the lamplight, and his face was filled with worry as he softly comforted his wife.
This was the actual delivery room.