Only then did Uchiha Obito breathe a sigh of relief. He had endured so much, but the pain that followed immediately made him cover his eyes with his hands, letting out agonizing groans.
The pain was excruciating—so much so that it was unimaginable for someone to gouge out their own eyes while still alive.
Blood streamed through his fingers, mixed with fragments of translucent crystals.
"Wait for me, Rin," he muttered, taking deep breaths to slightly ease the pain. He focused his remaining right eye, which now displayed three tomoe, and spoke with determination, "I'll save you, no matter what it takes. I won't let anything happen to you."
Sometimes, a heart driven by love can accomplish incredible things.
"Damn puppet! Jigsaw, I'll remember you. Once I get Rin out of here, I'll make sure Brother Sogetsu avenges me!" Obito was seething with rage.
He covered his missing eye sockets and groped through the darkness, using the wall for support as he carefully exited the room.
But the ordeal brought about one small victory—he had awakened his Sharingan.
Fueled by anger and hatred, Obito cautiously made his way through the pitch-black hallway, relying on the wall to guide him as he navigated the shadows.
After about ten meters, he paused and listened carefully.
"Is that a sound?" Obito held his breath and pressed his ear to the wall, picking up a faint whimper from somewhere nearby.
Though the sound was indistinct, he was certain it came from a woman.
A woman's voice?
Obito's expression changed slightly, thinking it might be Rin. His heart raced, and he sprinted through the darkness toward the source of the noise: "Hang on, Rin! I'm coming to save you!"
After turning a corner, he reached a heavy iron door at the end of the corridor.
The small window on the door was open, allowing a glimpse inside. Obito pressed his face to the window, peering through with his one remaining eye to assess the scene.
He saw his first love, Nohara Rin, bound to an iron chair. It was a setup similar to his own ordeal, but what caught his attention was the terrifying contraption on Rin's head—a large, beast-like iron jaw clamped around the lower half of her face.
"Rin!"
Obito's voice cracked with emotion as he saw the state Rin was in. He shouted desperately, "I'm here, Rin! Are you okay?"
He tried to pull open the iron door, but it was locked from the inside. It wouldn't budge.
Rin's eyes were filled with tears, her whole body trembling. She was scared—terrified, even.
Seeing her like this made Obito's heart ache. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "Just hold on, Rin! I'll get you out of there!"
He took a few steps back and formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Nothing.
The fireball he expected to explode from his hands was reduced to a wisp of smoke. It was as if the heat had been swallowed by some invisible force.
"Why can't I use ninjutsu?" Obito was shocked. It seemed like his chakra had been sealed off. As a ninja, not being able to use chakra was like losing a limb.
"Even if I can't use ninjutsu, I'll still save you!" He was determined to find another way. Thankfully, the puppet holding Rin captive hadn't taken his ninja tools.
Obito pulled out a kunai, aimed at the lock, and struck it hard.
Clang!
Sparks flew, but the lock didn't give way.
The intense counterattack force nearly made the kunai slip from Obito's hand.
Obito gripped his bleeding palm, realizing that the strike had barely left a mark on the iron door. If he intended to use force to break through, it wouldn't be easy.
At that moment, a familiar and eerie voice echoed from within the room.
Was it who he thought it was? Obito quickly pressed his face to the window, peering inside.
"Hello, Nohara Rin."
A familiar voice came from within the room again.
Out of the shadows, a figure on a rusted bicycle rolled forward. It was Jigsaw, his expressionless mask turning stiffly as he looked at Obito through the window, his bloodshot eyes locking onto him. His voice, low and rough, filled the air: "I want to play a game with you."
Rin whimpered, her tears flowing freely from the terror she felt.
"Get out! Jigsaw!" Obito shouted, his grip tightening on the iron bars. His head was pressed against the metal, his eyes blazing with rage.
"If you want someone to fight, come at me! I won't let you harm Rin!"
But his threats seemed to fall on deaf ears.
Jigsaw remained unfazed, continuing in a calm voice, "The device on Rin's face is called a jaw-splitter. If it's not removed within the time limit, it will tear her head apart."
Rin's eyes widened in shock. She thrashed about, trying to rid herself of the horrifying contraption, but it was firmly in place.
Jigsaw's stiff neck twisted in a half-circle as he looked at the struggling Rin and said coldly, "It's unfortunate, Rin, but the choice of whether you live or die isn't in your hands. It's up to Uchiha Obito outside the door. His decision will determine your fate."
"What kind of game? Tell me!"
Obito had a general understanding after going through this ordeal. As long as he played by this man's rules, Rin would be fine.
Despite the fact that he was the one who had to take part in this game, he felt a strange sense of relief. At least this way, he was confident that Rin wouldn't be harmed.
"No matter what the game is, just tell me what I need to do!" he declared, glaring through the heavy iron door and window at Jigsaw. "I swear, nothing will happen to Rin!"
Jigsaw's voice was calm, raspy, and low, yet tinged with a hint of amusement. "You've proven yourself by sacrificing an eye to save someone else. But I really want to know, would you be willing to go even further for her? Would you sacrifice your other eye for her?"
"The other eye?"
Upon hearing Jigsaw's demand, Obito was completely taken aback. Even Rin, who was sitting on the chair, widened her eyes in shock, looking at him through the window with a mix of fear and confusion.
"If you never valued your gifts, then it's time to give them back," Jigsaw's chilling voice echoed through the room.
"You have one minute to gouge out your own eye and place it on the scale in the next room. Only then can you unlock the device. Once you pour enough blood into the container, the acid chamber holding the key will open."
"Take the key that's been submerged in acid and return to this room to unlock the trap on her head," he explained.
"Uchiha Obito, how much are you willing to sacrifice for the one you care about?"
"Now it's time to prove yourself."
"And remember," Jigsaw warned, "move quickly. The key won't last in the acid for long!"
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