Naruto Uzumaki, in a race against time, was training relentlessly with the forbidden techniques of Kirigakure to counter the ever-growing strength of Obito Uchiha. Meanwhile, chaos erupted in the Akatsuki hideout!
"Ugh—ahhh!!"
The scream pierced the silence as White Zetsu, left to guard the hideout, was impaled by the blade of Susano'o.
It glared at the dark purple figure of the boy standing before it and demanded,
"Sasuke!! Why?! Why are you doing this?!"
Sasuke, his voice cold and unyielding, replied,
"This is the conclusion I've come to after careful thought. Staying with you all serves no purpose anymore."
White Zetsu roared,
"Then just leave!!! Why kill me?!"
Sasuke's tone remained icy,
"Because you'd report this to that fake Madara, wouldn't you? I can't let him ruin my plans. Besides, I need your death to sever all ties with you lot completely."
Whoosh!
The black flames of Amaterasu ignited from the blade, engulfing White Zetsu's body.
"You ungrateful wolf! We treated you well—ahhhhhhh!!!"
Amidst its agonized screams, White Zetsu was reduced to ashes.
Swoosh!
The blade was sheathed, and Susano'o dissipated.
Sasuke stood amidst the now-empty hideout, placing his right hand on his left shoulder as memories of Obito's care flashed through his mind.
"Don't move. Your left arm is severely injured—broken bones, severed blood vessels, and nerves. I've only managed to stabilize it by attaching White Zetsu cells to the wound. Just stay still for now."
"One thing about me: I never lie or hide the truth from you."
"It seems your thirst for vengeance has subsided. Now, you have two paths ahead: follow Itachi's will and protect Konoha, or adhere to the Akatsuki's ideals and sever the chain of hatred, ensuring Itachi's tragedy isn't repeated."
"Are you Madara?"
"No."
"I see. Leave me alone to think."
"Very well. I won't coerce you with force anymore."
Another memory surfaced—Madara's thunderous reprimand.
"A bottleneck? Wrong!! You're just a failure, plain and simple!!!"
"You've relied on your left arm for so long that your right arm has become useless. Sometimes, destruction is necessary for rebirth."
Crack!
Sasuke wrenched off his left arm—the one that Madara had broken and Obito had reattached—and tossed it to the ground.
"Whoever you are, and whatever your reasons for impersonating Madara, consider this my repayment. From now on, we go our separate ways!"
His cloak billowing in the wind, Sasuke strode out of the Akatsuki hideout without looking back. Standing amidst the stillness of the wilderness, he took a deep breath and shouted,
"Kabuto Yakushi!! I know you've planted spies here. Show yourself!!!"
But aside from his own echo, there was no response.
Clenching his right fist, Sasuke shouted again,
"You think I can't see through your schemes? You turned Danzo into a monster and used that black figure to leak information, guiding me to take revenge on him! All to provoke me into willingly coming to you!"
"I spent three years under Orochimaru—I know your ways too well! Now, as you wished, I'm here!!! Stop pretending and come out!!!"
Rustle, rustle.
A soft sound came from the shadows of the trees.
"Is that you, Sasuke?"
A gentle male voice echoed as a white-haired boy with an ethereal aura stepped forward. However, the cracks in his skin and his dull gray eyes revealed the truth—he had been resurrected through Edo Tensei.
"Who are you?" Sasuke asked.
"My name is Kimimaro," the boy replied.
"Kimimaro?" Sasuke was momentarily taken aback. "You're the one Jūgo always talks about. Weren't you already dead?"
"Yes," Kimimaro said calmly. "I died long ago. But I was resurrected with Edo Tensei. Because I could sense Orochimaru-sama's chakra within the caster, I didn't resist."
Sasuke pressed on,
"Never mind that. Where is Kabuto?"
"I'll lead you to him," Kimimaro said, glancing toward a corner. "But are you sure it's okay? It seems we're being watched."
Swoosh!
Behind a rocky outcrop, Sai, who had joined Konoha's ANBU after leaving Root following Danzo's death, tensed up. He had been sent to gather intelligence on the Akatsuki.
Swish!
The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan activated, and Sasuke's lips curled into a resolute smile.
"Ah, I've already severed ties with the Akatsuki. Next, I'll kill one of their own to officially cut ties with my past and break away from Konoha. Only then can I continue forward as a proud and solitary Uchiha!"
Later that night, news of Sai's death reached Konoha.
However, before his demise, Sai managed to send back intelligence through his Super Beast Imitating Drawing. The report included the Akatsuki hideout's location and Sasuke's intention to meet Kabuto.
"Absolutely unforgivable! I'm going to find Sasuke and deal with him myself!!" Sakura Haruno declared, her voice filled with fury.
"Calm down, Sakura," Shikamaru advised. "You're no match for Sasuke right now!"
Placing a hand on her forehead, Sakura retorted,
"I'm confident. I've mastered a technique strong enough to kill Sasuke!"
Ignoring their protests, Sakura set off to confront Sasuke.
As she ran, determination shone in her eyes.
Naruto, I don't want to rely on you anymore! I'll settle things with Sasuke myself!
"Sakura, wait!"
Turning back, she was surprised to see her comrades.
"You guys…"
Led by Shikamaru and Neji, the Konoha 11 had followed her. It was no surprise to Sakura.
At dawn, in Kirigakure, Obito, who had waited all night, muttered in disappointment,
"It seems I misjudged him again."
With his twin blades, Hiramekarei, strapped to his back, Tobi asked casually,
"So, what now~?"
Obito's gaze darkened.
"There's no turning back. We'll paint this mist red with blood, then head to Amegakure."
Meanwhile, in the forests outside Kirigakure, Naruto formed a hand sign.
"Sage Art: Phantom Moon Hidden Mist!"
Whoosh!
A dense fog rose, reducing visibility to almost zero across a twenty-kilometer radius, enveloping the entire Kirigakure.
Tobi murmured,
"Mist, huh? I've never seen fog this thick before. It's unbelievable~!"
Underneath his mask, Obito smirked.
"He's here. Let's settle this, Naruto Uzumaki, in this land that embodies the decay of shinobi."
"Kamui: Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Whoosh!!
The Tailed Beast Bomb, unleashed from Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan, streaked through the misty sky, hurtling toward Naruto's position in the forest.
This was Obito's declaration of war.
But this time, Naruto didn't evade with Flying Thunder God.
"I'll face you head-on, no matter when or where!"
Naruto swiftly formed hand seals.
"Space-Time Barrier Technique!"
Boom!
The barrier activated just as the Tailed Beast Bomb collided, swallowing the attack into a spatial rift.
Swoosh!
Naruto extended his hands, a Flying Thunder God Kunai spinning between his fingers.
"Flying Thunder God: Redirect!"
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion echoed tens of kilometers away.
"You're using this mist to block my vision and counter my ocular jutsu? Fine. Let's see whose strategy prevails!"
Whoosh!
Obito appeared at the center of the mist. However, instead of dispersing, the vortex of his Kamui intensified, attempting to absorb the dense fog.
"If I dared to return, it's because I'm fully prepared!"
"Secret Technique: Dustless Maze!"
Swoosh!
Naruto vanished into the void, his form and chakra completely undetectable.
"Obito, your dual Kamui and my Sage Mode, single Rinnegan, and the secret techniques I've learned from the Three Great Shinobi Villages—let's decide here and now who's stronger!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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