(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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Upon seeing the face revealed after the mask was broken, Kakashi instantly recognized it, even after more than ten years.
Although he had some doubts about the identity of the masked man, until the last moment, Kakashi still didn't want his inner guess to come true.
Now that his identity was discovered, Obito stopped pretending and asked with a snort.
"Kakashi, is my eye working well for you?"
Even though there was only Sasuke by his side, as long as he had the Ten-Tails under his control, Obito was not afraid of facing the entire ninja coalition.
At this moment, the Ten Tails had evolved to the second stage.
The nine eyes on its face had merged into one, and legs had grown under its body, allowing it to stand upright.
It looked terrifying.
Tsunade was taken aback by Obito's identity.
She had heard the name before—Obito, the disciple of Namikaze Minato, and one of the heroes of the Konoha Village.
But the man who should have been remembered as a hero now stood here, alive, as the mastermind behind all of this chaos.
"Hehe, it's Konoha again..." Terumi Mei remarked with a smirk after figuring out the masked man's identity.
"At this point, we can't call it the Ninja World War; we should call it Konoha's internal chaos."
Hearing this, Tsunade's face darkened in embarrassment, but she could only take the insult in silence.
"Obito, why are you doing these things? And how could you do that to Kushina-sama…?" Kakashi's voice trembled with disbelief, struggling to understand how his friend could have become this way.
"The moment you killed Rin with your own hands, Kakashi, Obito was already dead to this world," Obito interrupted, his voice cold and unwavering.
"The purpose of my existence now is to use the Infinite Tsukuyomi to create a world where Rin exists!"
Obito didn't give Kakashi a chance to speak further.
With a single hand, he directed the Ten-Tails, whose massive chakra began to condense within its mouth.
The ninja army instantly became tense, recognizing the impending danger.
This scene had happened before; if it hadn't been for Naruto's intervention in the [Sage Mode], forcing the Tailed Beast Bomb off track, most of them wouldn't be standing here right now.
"Naruto, this chakra is even more terrifying. Even we can't stop it!" Kurama's voice echoed in Naruto's mind, filled with concern.
"For the people behind us, Kurama, we can't back down!" Naruto responded firmly; his eyes filled with determination.
His figure once again transformed into the massive energy form of a demon fox, ready to defend those behind him.
Suddenly, in the middle of Obito's chakra manipulation, his chest was pierced by a hand full of lightning.
As Obito struggled to control the Ten-Tails, he didn't account for the vulnerability of his position.
Sasuke, who had appeared to be his ally, launched a sudden sneak attack!
"You!" Obito turned his head, disbelief and confusion evident in his eyes.
Blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.
He had convinced himself that he had successfully manipulated Sasuke's hatred for Konoha, and during the previous battle, Sasuke had even defended him multiple times from Naruto's attacks.
How could he betray him now?
Sasuke shook his head, his expression one of mockery and disdain.
"So, the Uchiha fell because of fools like you and Itachi? Pathetic."
This shocking betrayal left the entire ninja alliance momentarily speechless, and the Ten-Tails ceased its chakra buildup.
The impending catastrophe was narrowly avoided.
Naruto, initially confused by the situation, quickly realized what had happened and grinned.
"Sasuke! I knew you wouldn't be my enemy!"
"Shut up!" Sasuke snapped coldly.
"This masked man is the enemy who destroyed my Uchiha clan, and Konoha is no better!"
He had been waiting for the right moment to strike, and now that moment had come.
However, as Sasuke prepared to leave the top of the Ten-Tails, he felt an unusual emptiness.
It turned out that Obito had activated [Kamui], phasing into a different dimension.
Though he managed to escape, the injury to his chest was critical.
"Did he escape? No matter, his heart has been pierced. He won't survive much longer," Sasuke muttered, his eyes narrowing as he prepared to move on.
But before he could take another step, a uniquely shaped kunai landed at his feet.
Swish!
A golden flash swept by, and two figures appeared before Sasuke—Orochimaru and the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
"Orochimaru!"
"Dad?!"
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.
Orochimaru's appearance had undergone a drastic transformation.
His long black hair had turned completely white, and his usual outfit had been replaced by a Haori adorned with the Tomoe symbol.
His once cold and eerie demeanor had shifted to something more ethereal and serene.
Sasuke's eyes darted between the two figures, and realization suddenly struck.
Naruto had called out "Dad" earlier, but he had been addressing Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage.
The realization left Sasuke even more stunned.
Naruto, just as shocked, stammered, "Dad… I-I didn't expect to see you like this…"
Minato scratched his head with a sheepish smile.
"Sorry about that, Naruto."
Meanwhile, Orochimaru spoke up, his expression gleaming with satisfaction.
"Sasuke-kun, thanks to your surprise attack, you've saved me a lot of trouble dealing with the masked man—no, Uchiha Obito."
Grinning, Orochimaru extended his hand, and a small white snake slithered out from his sleeve, biting Sasuke on the neck.
Sasuke didn't even have time to blink before it was over.
"Don't resist. This is a gift—Hashirama's cells. With them, you'll be able to stand on par with Naruto."
Sasuke initially wanted to object but when he heard that, he remained silent.
The thought of falling behind Naruto weighed too heavily on his mind, and he ultimately stopped resisting the snake's influence.
Satisfied with Sasuke's compliance, Orochimaru nodded, then turned his attention to the bewildered ninja alliance.
"To prevent you from interfering while I absorb the Ten-Tails, I believe it's time to show you my collection."
With a sinister grin, Orochimaru clasped his hands together.
Summoning Technique!
Five coffins emerged from the ground.
As the wooden caskets creaked open, Tsunade's eyes widened in horror, unable to believe what was unfolding before her.