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BOOOOMM—!
Under the force of the Wood Release attack, Kitagawa Gen's shadow clone burst instantly into a cloud of smoke.
At the same moment, Uchiha Obito's mask shattered into countless fragments.
Had he not dodged in time, his head would likely have been crushed on the spot.
"Damn brat!"
Obito gritted his teeth as he stared at Kitagawa Gen. Though he bore the identity of Tobi, he was far from foolish in this moment.
He had already grasped what had just happened.
"That brat used an Earth-Style Wall to block my vision, followed by a Lightning Clone to put pressure on me, forcing me to use Kamui to transfer the kunai... and he disguised his clone as the kunai?"
The tactic itself wasn't particularly complex. In fact, it merely hinged on exploiting a gap in information. But the real issue was—
"How did that brat know my secrets? Could it be that his analysis was faster than even Namikaze Minato's?"
Obito's expression was full of disbelief, but he had no time to dwell on it.
WHOOSH—!
With a flurry of sharp sounds, several ANBU operatives swiftly took positions, sealing off every escape route. Standing tall on rooftops, their blades gleamed coldly in the light as their eyes locked onto Obito.
And it wasn't just them. Obito's gaze swept the area and fell upon Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others who had also arrived on the scene. Among the crowd, he spotted the person he least wanted to see.
"Kakashi."
Kakashi, though still pale and weary, quickly joined Gai in moving into position.
Yet their expressions were strange and uncertain. They had both witnessed Kitagawa Gen pierce cleanly through this man's body with their own eyes.
But the truly bizarre thing was, this man seemed completely unharmed. Only his mask had been destroyed.
"That face…"
As Guy and Kakashi got a clear look at the man's features, Kakashi's mind went completely blank. A deep and inexplicable sense of familiarity surged through him.
It wasn't just him. Even Guy, standing beside him, wore a face full of confusion. He leaned toward Kakashi and whispered softly.
"Kakashi, doesn't this guy look kind of familiar to you...?"
"Who are you, and why have you come to Konoha?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward. He did not find the man familiar, but his eyes were fixed sharply on the wooden spike in Obito's hand and that crimson Sharingan eye.
"Wood Release? And the Sharingan?"
A heavy unease stirred in his heart. The same feeling clearly crept into Danzo, who stood beside him, his eyes filled with shock.
That night... hadn't they cleaned up every loose end?
Why was there still a hidden threat?
Could it be... had Uchiha Itachi deceived them?
"Hmph."
Obito gave a cold snort and staggered to his feet. In the blink of an eye, his figure began to warp and twist.
His gaze swept past the crowd, finally resting once again on Kitagawa Gen, who had moved to stand protectively in front of Sasuke and Naruto.
He knew very well that everything he had planned today could no longer continue. There was no way he would let himself be surrounded by Konoha's forces.
Especially not when that brat seemed to have uncovered some of his secrets.
"Who I am doesn't matter. After all, we will meet again."
"Attack!"
The surrounding ninja had yet to grasp what was going on, but Danzo had already lost his patience. With a sharp yell, he gave the order.
The moment his voice fell, several kunai flew through the air and reached Obito almost instantaneously.
CLANG—!!!
CLANG—!!!
CLANG—!!!
The kunai passed straight through Obito's body and embedded themselves into the ground behind him, as if he were a phantom without substance. In the next instant, he vanished from sight.
"He's gone?"
Jiraiya furrowed his brows and hurried over to Naruto to check his condition. After a quick examination, he let out a sigh of relief.
"The seal is intact. Some of his chakra has been drained, but nothing serious. Seems like that guy had quite the temper."
"Gen, what exactly happened here?"
Guy, supporting Kakashi, came to stand before Kitagawa Gen. His question immediately drew the attention of Hiruzen and the others.
"Guy-sensei, I'm not really sure of the details myself."
Gen quickly put on an innocent expression, though a flicker of regret passed through his heart.
Damn it, he ran off too fast!
Couldn't he have left a hand behind before fleeing?
But after glancing at Kakashi, who stood there dazed and bewildered, he couldn't help nodding to himself.
What's done is done. Time to finish the mission.
"Naruto and I were on our way home when we ran into Sasuke. That was when I sensed someone following us. I took a peek and confirmed from his outfit that he wasn't from Konoha, so…"
It wasn't that he couldn't explain how he had sensed the enemy, but the truth of the man's identity had been revealed by the system, so this was the best excuse he could offer.
"So you struck first?"
Jiraiya looked at the burning remains nearby, then nodded in approval.
"You also alerted us right after?"
"Yes."
Kitagawa Gen nodded without hesitation. After a brief pause, he added,
"And that man, judging by what I saw, is likely part of the same organization as Jūzō Biwa and Uchiha Itachi. I spoke to Sasuke about it earlier, and he didn't deny it. That man also possesses the Sharingan."
"That's certainly possible."
Hiruzen gave a nod as well, though the confirmation only deepened the weight pressing on his mind.
Even so, a question continued to linger in his heart. He stepped forward toward Kitagawa Gen, a faint smile tugging at his aged features—one that could not conceal the gravity in his eyes.
"Gen, you fought that man directly and even exchanged blows with him. What is your impression of him?"
That mysterious man had vanished into thin air. The sight had made Hiruzen's eyelids twitch uncontrollably. And those sharpened wooden spikes clutched in his hand—just the thought of them sent a chill through his chest.
Yet what made it even more unsettling was that this boy, this little brat Gen, had seemingly forced that figure to retreat. That alone was reason enough for Hiruzen to seek answers.
"Hokage-sama."
Gen replied with due deference, pausing a moment to collect his thoughts before speaking further.
"That man seems to possess a highly unusual space-time technique. He can transfer objects and even himself across space. No matter how you try to strike him, it is nearly impossible to land a hit.
I only noticed this because I attacked first, catching him off guard. Both Sasuke and Naruto saw him walk through fire completely unharmed."
As he spoke, Gen turned his head and glanced at the two boys nearby.
Sasuke looked stunned, as though he had yet to process what had just transpired. Naruto, meanwhile, was being examined by Jiraiya, who seemed to be reinforcing the seal, his fingers glowing faintly.
Eventually, Sasuke collected himself and gave a slow nod, though his expression remained conflicted. His gaze, however, kept drifting back to Gen.
This guy…
Was he really this strong?
"Space-time ninjutsu?"
Hiruzen's scalp tingled. He was all too familiar with the devastating power of such techniques. Minato Namikaze had been a master of the Flying Thunder God.
"By the way, Hokage-sama."
Just as he was about to continue questioning Gen about how he had managed to gain the upper hand, the boy spoke again, his tone steady.
"That man is a bit strange. The moment he made a move, Naruto had a fierce reaction. He transformed into his current state almost instantly. There might be more to this than meets the eye. After all, Naruto..."
"A fierce reaction?"
Hiruzen's expression shifted, a twitch forming at his temple. Jiraiya had casually remarked that "the guy had quite the temper," but now, a much darker thought began to creep into his mind.
Could it be…
"Also, while I was waiting for reinforcements, he said something. He said, 'Konoha people are always fashionably late,' and the resentment in his voice was unmistakable."
Gen, seeing no one respond, decided to continue on.
"Furthermore, he seems to have some kind of connection to Kakashi-sensei."
"Kakashi?"
That one word made everyone turn their eyes toward the man in question, who still stood dazed and unresponsive. Gen's voice cut through the silence once more.
"Yes. The entire time, he kept calling Kakashi-sensei a failure, almost like there was some deep grudge between them.
And his Sharingan… it was in his right eye. Kakashi-sensei's is in his left. Could there be some connection there?"
"!!!"
A jolt ran through the group as if struck by lightning. The implication of Gen's words sent their nerves into disarray. Kakashi's already vacant eyes became even more hollow, an abyss of memories on the verge of breaking loose.
"Wait a minute… you don't think that guy is…"
Guy's voice murmured softly beside him, trailing off before the final word could be spoken.
He fell silent immediately after. After all, that person had been honored as a hero of Konoha, believed to have died in battle.
For a long moment, no one said a word. A solemn quiet blanketed the rooftop.
Even Gen couldn't help but glance at Kakashi, a pang of guilt flickering in his heart.
He murmured in silence, Sorry.
But almost at once, a jolt passed through him. His eyelids twitched slightly and he instinctively lowered his head.
[Side Quest Complete: The Dead Last Shouldn't Get Cocky]
[Calculating rewards]
[Special Quest Complete: Help Kakashi Reunite with His Friend Uchiha Obito]
[Calculating rewards]
Seeing the string of notifications, he couldn't help but purse his lips in silence.
"Some wounds… hurt less when faced sooner rather than later."
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[Chapter End's]
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