"Kakashi, are you hurt?"
There was a deep red stain on Kakashi's mask.
It was obviously not a normal color—anyone could tell it was caused by him coughing up blood.
"Yeah, just a small injury."
Kakashi stood up, nodded at Asuma, and then reached for his ninja tool pouch at his waist. He took something out, and with a swift flick of his head and a coordinated movement of his hands towards his face, he changed into a clean mask before anyone could see clearly.
It was like the face-changing trick from Sichuan opera, leaving Asuma and the others stunned.
"Kakashi, have you been practicing some kind of mask-changing technique? You're so skilled at it."
"Uh, it's not that big of a deal. I used to practice it at home when I had nothing else to do. Over time, I got good at it. If you want to learn, I can teach you."
"No, thanks. I don't think I can master that."
Asuma waved his hands dismissively.
Whoever wanted to learn this weird skill could go ahead; he didn't need to wear a mask, so it wouldn't be of any use to him.
"By the way, where's Obito?"
"He should be coming out soon."
"???"
Before Asuma could ask any more questions, Obito emerged from the Kamui dimension.
He looked in much better shape than Kakashi.
His clothes weren't wrinkled, his mask wasn't broken, and even his hairstyle was still intact.
"Kakashi, I—"
"Obito? Is that really you?"
Obito, who had just reappeared in the real world, was about to attack Kakashi again without a second thought.
He had been ready to spend the whole day sparring with Kakashi, but Kakashi had slipped away after just a few minutes. He wasn't satisfied yet, so there was no way he was going to let Kakashi off the hook.
However, when he heard a voice from the side, Obito immediately froze.
He turned his head mechanically, and saw a weak-looking Rin Nohara being supported by Kurenai Yuhi.
"Rin."
With just one glance, Obito was captivated. His previous aggressive demeanor vanished, replaced by the gentle, innocent look of a lovestruck young man.
"Wait, Rin. Are you really alive again?"
It was only now that Obito noticed something different about Rin's appearance compared to before.
Her clothes had changed, and her face no longer had the cracked, decayed look of an Edo Tensei body. On top of that, her weakened state, needing support to stand, was another sign.
All these details indicated that Nohara Rin was truly resurrected, not some fake revival like Edo Tensei.
"Obito, if there's something you want to discuss, we can talk it out. Please don't fight with Kakashi."
Rin's face was filled with concern.
Earlier, Kurenai had already given her a brief explanation, letting her know that Obito had now betrayed Konoha and become the secret leader of a dangerous organization.
Senju Tobirama was even more direct. He told Rin the real reason she was brought back to life was to convince Obito to return to Konoha, so they could get accurate information about the Akatsuki organization.
As a Konoha ninja and a friend of Obito's, Rin had no intention of refusing.
She also wished for Obito to return to Konoha. That way, the three of them could be together again.
"No, Rin. That idiot Kakashi killed you. I can't just let him off so easily."
Obito's words were firm and resolute, making Jiraiya and the others roll their eyes.
If Obito truly wanted to kill Kakashi, he wouldn't have waited until now.
Years ago, he was able to slip into Konoha undetected, causing the Nine-Tails' rampage and leading to the deaths of many people.
In that case, taking out Kakashi along the way wouldn't have been difficult.
Since he hadn't made a move against Kakashi all these years, it was clear he couldn't bring himself to do it.
The Fifth Hokage, Jiraiya, and the others knew this, and Kakashi
himself realized it the moment he saw Obito.
Only Obito continued to stubbornly act tough, pretending to be ready to kill Kakashi.
"Obito, back then, Kakashi had no choice, and it was my decision to ask him to kill me. Please don't blame him," Rin said sincerely. It was true; she had indeed asked Kakashi to end her life.
She didn't want the enemy's plan to succeed, nor did she want the tailed beast to rampage through Konoha.
For the sake of the village, she had no choice but to die.
"Rin..."
Obito's body began to tremble.
After all these years, he had learned that there was more to Rin's death than it seemed.
At that time, he was severely injured and was recovering under Uchiha Madara's care.
After a period of healing, his condition had improved significantly, and he was eager to return to the village, where Rin was always on his mind.
It was then that a White Zetsu approached him, mentioning that Rin was being pursued by Kirigakure ninjas.
With a single thought, he rushed to save her, only to witness Kakashi using Chidori to pierce through Rin's heart.
Rin's death triggered the awakening of his Mangekyō Sharingan.
Everything felt far too coincidental.
Even the usually irrational Obito realized something was off once he had calmed down.
But, unfortunately, it was already too late.
Rin was gone, and he himself had been marked with a seal by Uchiha Madara.
To defy Madara, he first had to find a way to deal with the seal on his heart.
His plan was to wait until all the tailed beasts were gathered, then find an opportunity to shatter his heart, and in the process, become the Jinchuriki of the Ten-Tails, which would compensate for the loss of his heart.
As long as he became the Ten-Tails' Jinchuriki, he could survive, and he could turn the tables on Madara, creating a new world according to his own vision.
Until the Ten-Tails appeared, he was unable to resist Madara.
As for seeking help from Konoha, Obito had never considered it.
He knew what he had done. It would be a miracle if Konoha didn't hunt him down and beat him up. Expecting them to save him was out of the question.
Instinctively, he touched his left chest, feeling the heartbeat, and murmured while looking at Rin, "Rin, I won't make you wait too long. Soon, very soon, I'll be able to see you openly, not like this, hiding behind a mask."
After speaking, Obito channeled all his chakra and used the most powerful Wood Release technique he could muster.
"Wood Release: Wood Emergence Jutsu."
In an instant, more than a dozen thick, thorn-covered trees rapidly sprouted between him and the Konoha shinobi.
These trees spiraled upwards, and being caught within them would lead to dire consequences.
"Retreat!"
Obito's sudden attack caught Jiraiya and the others off guard.
Everyone scrambled to dodge and retreat.
By the time they had completely withdrawn from the range of the Wood Release, Obito had already used Kamui to leave the area.
"Tch, he actually got away."
Asuma was clearly displeased.
Back in their academy days, Obito was always at the bottom of the class.
Although Asuma wasn't all that great back then either, he could still easily beat Obito.
Now, after so many years, this guy had managed to escape under the watchful eyes of the Third Hokage, the Fifth Hokage, and even the Second Hokage.
His growth rate was truly frightening.
It could only be said, he really was an Uchiha, after all.
"If he got away, he got away. I doubt he can resist coming back to see Rin," said Tobirama, turning to look at the weakened Nohara Rin. He continued, "Rin, when Obito comes to see you, try your best to persuade him. If there's something he's struggling to say, have him speak up. We'll find a way to help."
"Yes, Lord Second Hokage, I'll do my best."
*********
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