"You're not worthy!"
"You're not worthy!"
"You're not worthy!"
Fugaku's voice echoed like a nightmare in Obito's mind. The disgust in Rin's eyes and her harsh words before she took her own life were like knives, shattering his last defenses.
Uchiha Obito's spirit was broken, leaving him a mere shell of his former self. He never imagined that in trying to save the girl he loved, he would end up pushing her into despair.
But was he really wrong?
Obito leaned against a tree, dazed and lost in thought, uncertain of what to think anymore.
"Idiot! If it weren't for you, we wouldn't be in this mess!" A fellow ninja couldn't hold back and attacked Obito, punching and kicking him while shouting insults: "You're useless! A failure! A fool! You don't deserve to be a ninja! Pathetic!"
But Obito, despite the harsh beating, seemed numb to the pain. He let the punches land, his eyes empty, as if the physical blows meant nothing to him.
"That's enough, Fumito!"
Fugaku frowned and shouted, "Now is not the time to assign blame. Don't forget, we have bigger problems!"
His words sobered the group. The twenty or so ninjas around him wore grim expressions. Yes, they were still in danger. The Cloud Ninjas were hot on their trail, and they could clash with them again at any moment. With so few of them left, facing the enemy head-on would be suicide.
But what should they do now?
Uchiha Fugaku's head throbbed with the weight of responsibility. Returning to the village in defeat wasn't an option. Even if they pinned the entire failure on Obito, as the leader, Fugaku would still face punishment.
Moreover, Danzo had tasked him with holding off Cloud Village's forces for at least ten days. But barely one day had passed since the battle began.
Konoha's defenses were weak, with most of the major clans already at the front lines. They couldn't fend off the Cloud Ninja's attack. Even if they could, if Fugaku returned in defeat, Danzo would likely exact revenge on the Uchiha clan.
But risking everything and sacrificing the last of the Uchiha here? Fugaku hesitated.
"Lord Fugaku, have you forgotten the mission Danzo entrusted to you?"
At that moment, Aburame Ryoma saw through their hidden thoughts. He suppressed his anger, walked out, and said with a stern expression, "Don't say I didn't warn you. If this mission fails and the Cloud Ninjas invade the village, you and the Uchiha clan will be the biggest traitors in Konoha's history!"
Fugaku's face showed his frustration. Unable to argue with Ryoma's words, he could only nod and say, "We need to set up a defensive line here. We can't retreat any further."
This was the Kannabi Bridge.
It was less than 100 kilometers from Konoha Village. If they retreated any further, they'd be right at their doorstep! They had to hold the line here and give Konoha time to prepare a second line of defense.
"Lord Ryoma, I'll stay here with the rest of the team," Fugaku said with a forced smile, looking defeated. "Please go back to the village as soon as possible and report the situation to Danzo. We need reinforcements urgently!"
"Humph, don't remind me," Ryoma replied coldly, his anger still simmering. "I'll inform Lord Danzo myself!"
It was embarrassing to admit that a child's actions nearly wiped out the front-line troops. Mentioning this reason would only invite ridicule.
"Yes, yes, I know," Fugaku said, acknowledging his mistake. "Just please hurry and send reinforcements quickly!"
Just then, a figure rushed in, panicked and breathless, shouting, "Lord Fugaku, the Cloud Ninjas are less than three kilometers away!"
"What?! Where are the hidden guards? Why did we only discover them now, so close to us?!" Fugaku's face twisted in shock as he asked.
Even though he was pulling back, he made sure to leave hidden traps along his path.
This time, learning from past mistakes, he had placed more secret guards: one at three kilometers, one at ten kilometers, and another at fifteen kilometers to guard against surprise attacks by the Cloud Ninjas.
But these precautions were still not enough!
"It was the Raikage, Lord Fugaku," the sentry said weakly, blood trickling from his mouth. "The Raikage led the attack. He was too fast. The patrols and guards we had set up were taken out before they could even react. I... I was the only one who got away."
The Raikage, it's the Raikage again!
Fugaku's forehead throbbed with anger as he clenched his fists. "Is this guy really not afraid of us coming after him?!"
Even though the Kage of a Village has immense power, they don't usually appear on the front lines. After all, no matter how strong one person is, they can't take on an entire army alone.
If they die, it would be a huge blow to their side, and that's not worth the risk.
But the Raikage from Cloud Village was breaking all the rules. He had entered the enemy camp alone, which made them very worried.
"How many are there on their side?!" Fugaku asked urgently.
"Seven or eight people," the Anbu replied, his chest collapsing from severe injuries. "Raikage, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, and Kumogakure's Anbu."
The Uchiha guard died before Fugaku could ask more questions.
"Everyone, take cover!"
Fugaku knew the situation was critical but also saw it as an opportunity. "Quickly set up the trap. We must use this chance to take down the Raikage!"
If they could really behead the Raikage, or at least severely injure him, it would slow down the Cloud Ninja's advance and make up for their previous failures.
But soon, Fugaku realized how naive his hopes were.
They couldn't even see the Raikage's face, but the atmosphere around them was shaking violently. Amidst the scorching, turbulent air, a Tailed Beast Ball appeared—a deep red sphere, densely packed with Yin and Yang chakra—accompanied by a terrifying roar!
From start to finish, the plan was never to engage in a direct fight with this group of defeated soldiers.
The Jinchūriki only needed to aim from several kilometers away and fire the Tailed Beast Ball directly.
Traps? Ambushes? Strategies? In the face of the Tailed Beast Ball, all of it was meaningless!
"Tailed Beast Ball!!!"
Fugaku yelled loudly and dashed to the side.
Chaos erupted instantly. No matter how fast they ran, they couldn't escape the Tailed Beast Ball.
Obito watched the Tailed Beast Ball soar through the air, and his pupils constricted in terror. The threat of death made his entire body shake.
No. I don't want to die.
Just as he struggled to get up and flee, someone nearby grabbed him.
"You bastard, you better die here!"
Someone shouted, pulling Obito down.
Everyone else was running, but Obito was left on the ground, horrified as the monstrous Tailed Beast Ball approached.
No. No.
I don't want to die. Why me?
Thoughts raced through his mind, and his self-reproach felt like needles piercing his heart.
"No, it's not my fault."
In his abyss of guilt and self-blame, Obito suddenly grasped a glimmer of hope.
In moments of utter desperation, people often find a way to justify their actions or past mistakes!
Facing the accusations of his companions, Obito shifted the blame to what he considered justifiable.
"It's not my fault that I'm in the ninja world!"
"I want to save Rin. Is that wrong? No!"
"Who harmed Rin? It was the backward system of the ninja world! It was those arrogant leaders who made the rules!"
"I'm not wrong!"
Uchiha Obito found his 'reason' amid the torrent of angry thoughts.
As the immense pressure of the Tailed Beast Ball loomed closer, he slowly raised his head, his face twisted with hatred. His blood-red eyes glowed as the three tomoe of his Sharingan transformed.
Boom boom——!!!
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