As Uchiha Madara slowly removed the mask from his face, a mixture of youth and ruin emerged. Half of his face was wrinkled and scarred, while the other half retained the youthful features of the Obito Kakashi had once known.
Kakashi stared in disbelief at the face beneath the mask. Though half of it was damaged, the other side unmistakably mirrored the face of his childhood friend.
"You… You really are Obito," Kakashi said, his voice trembling.
Though he had already confirmed it through the connection of their Sharingan, seeing Obito's face made the truth unbearable. Tears began to stream down Kakashi's usually composed face.
"Why… Why, Obito?" he whispered, anguish overwhelming him. "Why would you attack the village? You weren't like this."
The once-sunny Obito, who had vowed to protect Konoha and its people, now stood before them as a harbinger of chaos and destruction.
Obito remained silent for a moment, his gaze cold and detached. His face carried the weight of years of suffering and bitterness, while the red glow of the Sharingan in his damaged eye burned with intensity.
"You wouldn't understand," Obito said, his voice steady but laden with suppressed pain. "You don't know what I've been through."
Kakashi's mind flashed back to the Third Shinobi World War, the fateful mission that had changed everything. He saw Obito again, crushed beneath the rubble, gifting him his Sharingan in his final moments. But now, here he was, alive, and standing against everything they once fought for.
Obito began to speak, recounting his survival and transformation.
"When that cave collapsed, I thought I would die. The weight of the boulder crushed me, and I could barely breathe. I was ready to die, Kakashi," Obito said, his voice sharp and bitter. "But then… I was saved. By *him*."
"Who?" Kakashi asked, though he already feared the answer.
"Uchiha Madara," Obito said. "He found me, broken and dying, and gave me a reason to live again. He saved my life, reconstructed my body using Hashirama's cells, and… opened my eyes to the truth of this world."
Kakashi's heart sank. "Then why didn't you come back? Why didn't you return to the village? We thought you were dead!"
"Come back? To *what*?" Obito spat. His eyes burned with fury as he pushed Kakashi to the ground. "To a village that sacrifices its own for the sake of missions? To a world where comrades betray and kill each other?"
Kakashi froze. He couldn't respond.
"You promised to protect Rin," Obito said, his voice cracking with rage and grief. "You swore to me! And yet, you killed her with your own hands."
Kakashi looked away, the weight of Obito's words crushing him. He didn't have an excuse; he knew Obito was right. The memory of piercing Rin's chest with his Chidori haunted him every day. He had followed orders, and Rin had made her choice, but it didn't absolve him of the guilt.
The air grew tense as Obito continued. "That day, I saw everything. I escaped from Madara's grasp to find you both, only to witness *you* killing her. I hated you, Kakashi. I hated this village. And I hated this world."
The crowd of shinobi around them listened in stunned silence. The events of the Nine-Tails' attack and Rin's death were being laid bare before them. Many of them had lost loved ones in the chaos caused by Obito's actions, but hearing his side of the story stirred conflicting emotions.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, stepped forward. "So it was you," he said grimly. "You were behind the Nine-Tails' rampage. You attacked Kushina during childbirth, released the Nine-Tails, and used your Sharingan to control it." His tone was filled with anger and disbelief. "You are the reason Minato and Kushina died that night."
Obito smirked coldly. "Yes. And if Minato hadn't been so strong, your precious Konoha would have been reduced to ashes."
Sarutobi's fists clenched. "Minato gave his life to protect this village. You killed your master and his wife. You've betrayed everything you once stood for."
The accusations from Sarutobi seemed to have no effect on Obito. Instead, he laughed bitterly. "You think you're any better? This village is built on lies and blood. Tell me, Sarutobi Hiruzen—who told me where to find Kushina that night? How would I, an outsider, have known about her condition?"
The Third Hokage's face darkened, but he didn't respond.
"And what about the Uchiha clan?" Obito continued, his voice rising. "You pushed Itachi to slaughter his own family. You and Danzo conspired to wipe out an entire clan. And you dare to stand here, pretending to be righteous?"
The crowd murmured uneasily. Obito's words stirred doubts in their hearts.
"You're no better than me," Obito sneered. "You just hide behind the facade of peace and justice."
Sarutobi glared at him. "Your bitterness doesn't excuse your actions. You've hurt innocent people, destroyed lives, and betrayed your comrades."
Obito turned to the crowd, his gaze sweeping over the shinobi. "You all serve a broken system. Konoha isn't the haven you think it is. It's a village built on sacrifice and betrayal. I'll destroy this world and create one where none of this suffering exists."
As his words hung in the air, silence reigned. Even Orochimaru, who had been silently observing, couldn't resist commenting. "Tsk, tsk. Obito, you've surpassed even me in cruelty. I'm almost impressed."
Obito ignored him. His eyes, filled with hatred and conviction, locked onto Kakashi once more. "You, Kakashi. You're the reason I became this way. You failed me. You failed *her*."
Kakashi, still on the ground, whispered, "Obito… I'm sorry."
Obito's face twisted in pain, but he hardened himself. "Sorry won't bring her back. Sorry won't undo what's been done."
At that moment, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, who had been silently observing, finally spoke. "This… This is what our village has become?" His voice was filled with sorrow. "A cycle of pain and hatred. What happened to the dream of peace?"
Obito looked at him. "Peace is a lie. This world only understands suffering."
The room fell silent as the weight of Obito's words settled over everyone. The truth was undeniable—both Konoha and Obito were products of a broken system. But would they find a way to break the cycle, or would they plunge further into darkness?