---
Sakiya's relentless sneak attacks had completely broken the morale of Iwa Shinobu's backline.
Even Obsidian, their leader, was helpless against this infuriating girl.
Meanwhile, the frontline Iwa Shinobu were exhausted, and their defeat was only a matter of time.
Finally, gritting his teeth, Obsidian made the call.
"Retreat!"
"All units, fall back!"
At those words, relief washed over the Iwa forces. They had been waiting for this order.
Kakashi and the others also caught wind of the retreat.
They began to slow their attacks, though not everyone was willing to stop—
Especially Gaara and Sasuke.
Even as Iwa Shinobi withdrew, they held their ground, defending as they moved.
Eventually, they gathered on the far side of the city wall, Obsidian standing at the front.
Before leaving, he turned to look at Sakiya, his expression grave.
(Konoha's genius girl… She's someone we must keep an eye on.)
Obsidian knew this retreat meant the end of his command.
In fact, it might even land him in prison once he returned.
But even so—
He refused to let his comrades die for a battle they couldn't win.
Their ambush had failed. And against warriors like Hatake Kakashi and Chiyo, their chances had already been slim.
If the ambush had succeeded, victory was possible.
But with it falling apart, the risks had skyrocketed.
Obsidian would rather face punishment than watch his men be slaughtered.
---
As the last of Iwa's forces disappeared, a figure emerged from the void.
Sakiya, holding her club, pretended to wipe off nonexistent sweat before letting out a satisfied sigh.
Then—she vanished.
Watching from the shadows, Obito took one last glance at the battlefield.
Then, he turned to leave.
"We're done here. Let's go, Zetsu."
Zetsu nodded, but then smirked.
"Are you afraid of facing Kakashi, Obito?"
Obito didn't answer.
Even though he had leaked this intel and orchestrated Iwa's ambush…
If Kakashi had died here, he wouldn't have cared.
He would have taken the Nine-Tails and One-Tail without hesitation.
But—if Kakashi was still alive…
Obito didn't want to see him.
He knew the truth.
Rin's death wasn't the real reason he had changed.
Yet—
It was Kakashi who had killed her.
His emotions were complicated.
And yet, they weren't.
Because the moment Rin had died…
Kakashi had already died in Obito's heart.
And to him—this world had become nothing more than a lie.
Obito had made up his mind.
He would carry out the Moon Eye Plan—creating a world where Rin still existed.
To Sakiya, this was pure self-deception.
She was convinced that Madara had used some form of subtle genjutsu or psychological manipulation to guide him down this path.
Combine that with the Uchiha clan's intense emotions, and it wasn't surprising that Obito had changed so drastically.
---
Meanwhile, Sakiya had already sensed the two mysterious figures lurking nearby.
Both of them radiated enormous chakra.
It didn't take long for her to connect the dots.
Considering Iwa's ambush and how well-informed they had been, it was obvious—these two were behind it.
And with such precise intelligence and eerie presence, the only ones that fit this profile were some major players from the original timeline.
As for the dark, sinister entity beside them—there was no need to guess.
Black Zetsu.
Sakiya absentmindedly tapped her chin with a small hand.
"Huh…? These guys are moving way faster than expected."
At this point, Konoha's development had completely diverged from the original events.
In fact, it was nothing like the original story at all.
Even this current situation—it never happened in the original timeline.
Sakiya thought about it for a moment but then shrugged.
"Well, whatever. I don't care about their grand schemes. My Death Eyes are the strongest. Anyone who dares to challenge me… I'll make them understand the true meaning of life."
---
By now, Iwa Shinobu had retreated far beyond visible range.
Finally, everyone could breathe a sigh of relief.
After such an intense battle, most of them were covered in cuts and bruises.
Of course, they were just minor injuries.
Though exhausted, they looked at one another—then suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Naruto, your eyes are so swollen, you look ridiculous!"
"Oh, shut up, Kiba! Your face is covered in dirt—you're in no position to talk!"
Laughter filled the air, echoing across the battlefield.
For a long moment, they just laughed.
But then… they stopped.
A quiet realization settled in.
"We survived…" someone murmured.
"Yeah… I'm exhausted."
Shikamaru let out a sigh and collapsed onto the ground.
One by one, the others followed suit.
Ino, staring at the sky, spoke softly.
"I think… I finally understand the cruelty of war."
Naruto grinned—though this time, there was a different weight to his smile.
"Yeah… But at least we're still standing."
"Hmph! Idiot Naruto."
Even as Sasuke scoffed, he didn't notice the faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Despite having just fought a fierce battle, Sakiya looked completely spotless as she strolled by the group.
"Did you all see that? The brilliance of my Death Eyes! The invisible boundary that only I could perceive!"
Hands on her hips, head tilted slightly upward, she wore a triumphant expression.
"It was thanks to my eyes that you all dodged those stray attacks."
Her boastful words immediately dampened the mood.
While she wasn't exactly wrong, no one felt like celebrating.
Compared to Sakiya—who looked as pristine as ever—they were covered in dirt and bruises, practically looking like beggars.
Seeing their silence, Sakiya's smugness only grew.
But before she could continue, a soft voice called out.
"Sakiya? Come here for a second."
She turned to see Ino smiling.
Something about that smile felt off.
Sakiya's instincts flared.
"Uh… I'd rather not?"
Ino's smile only widened.
"Then… I'll just come to you~"
Sakiya's eyes widened in panic.
"No, wait—!"
But it was too late.
Ino sprang into action—and in an instant, she closed the gap.
"Don't run, Sakiya!"
"Nooooo—!"
And just like that, the two took off, sprinting around Konoha Shinobi in a wild chase.
The once-tense atmosphere immediately turned lively.
Watching the scene unfold, Kakashi and the other senior shinobi chuckled as they observed the younger ones with amusement.
---
Meanwhile, over on Sunagakure's side, the mood was far more somber.
Unlike Konoha, they had suffered casualties.
Not many, but still enough to cast a shadow over their victory.
After a brief rest, both sides resumed negotiations and finalized an official agreement.
In the end, the alliance was successfully established, just as it had been in the original timeline.
However, Chiyo wasn't done yet.
She spent ages haggling over the compensation for Sunagakure's losses.
Unfortunately for her, Kakashi simply shrugged and responded:
"I don't have the authority to decide that."
Chiyo sighed, clearly frustrated.
But in truth, the terms of the treaty had already softened the war reparations considerably.
Even so, she kept pushing, trying to negotiate for a little more.
Kakashi, however, remained unmoved.
After all, he was just a messenger.
Most likely, Tsunade had anticipated this—which is exactly why she sent Kakashi instead of coming herself.
In the end, despite a few bumps along the way, the mission was a complete success.
_____
Support me on patreon
patreon.com/Silver757