Chapter 21: That's Right, I am Uchiha Obito!
Bonds are the most complicated relationships in the ninja world.
Right now, Uehara Naraka and the mysterious masked man were unaware that the 'gifts' they planned for each other were actually identical in nature: using human emotions to achieve their own goals.
The mysterious masked man wanted to use Hanare as a spy to form a bond with Uehara Naraka, only to shatter that bond later, causing Uehara to fall into darkness.
Uehara Naraka believed that rather than letting the mysterious masked man secretly track him and plot conspiracies, it was better to bring big trouble upon him.
People, sooner or later, have to face their past.
Moreover, both Uehara Naraka and the mysterious masked man had sufficient self-awareness and immense confidence in their own intelligence; both believed their plans were flawless.
Currently, the number of people in the entire ninja world who knew the mysterious masked man's identity could definitely be counted on one hand.
The mysterious masked man would absolutely never imagine that Uehara could cross borders using the Mayfly Technique and quickly reach the Land of Fire; secondly, as long as Uehara didn't reveal his true face, the mysterious masked man wouldn't be able to find out it was him.
Kakashi Hatake stepped forward, looked at the mysterious masked man under the tree, and asked, "Who are you? What is your purpose for infiltrating the Land of Fire?"
"This is my homeland."
The masked man, embodied by Uehara Naraka, spread his palms and said softly, "Lord ANBU of Konoha, can I not return to my own home?"
Uehara felt his acting was quite perfect, vividly portraying the feelings of a wanderer returning home after many years away.
Unfortunately, his only audience were two people who didn't know the truth. Konoha's ANBU ninjas didn't buy this act at all. Yūgao Uzuki pointed her ninja sword at him and said gravely, "Hey, take off your mask first!"
"I'm afraid that's not quite fair."
Uehara Naraka touched the patterned mask on his face, looked up at the white-haired ninja, and said softly, "If it's a reunion of old friends, we should both remove our masks, don't you think, Kakashi Hatake?"
*Clang!*
The white-haired ninja fiercely drew his ninja sword, arched his back, adopting a combat stance, yet spoke somewhat casually, "Hmm, knowing I serve in ANBU and being able to recognize me... it seems you really are someone familiar!"
Kakashi Hatake's mind raced!
The masked man before him was hiding his identity, meaning it couldn't see the light of day. He was most likely a Konoha rogue ninja or one of Danzō's Root ninjas.
However, not long ago, after the destruction of Konoha's Uchiha clan, Shimura Danzō was inexplicably placed under confinement by the Third Hokage, and the entire Root organization was completely disbanded.
Then, it could only be a Konoha rogue ninja.
Coincidentally, Kakashi did know a suitable candidate.
The man who destroyed his own clan and became an S-rank rogue ninja of Konoha was Kakashi's former ANBU teammate, Uchiha Itachi.
But in Kakashi's perception, Uchiha Itachi had always had excellent upbringing and was always very polite, whether facing enemies or village comrades.
The mysterious masked man before him was so theatrical; Uchiha Itachi probably wouldn't do such a thing. But the Uchiha clan were all lunatics; who knew what he might have become?
Besides Uchiha Itachi, he really couldn't think of anyone else.
Kakashi Hatake tightened his grip on his ninja sword, his crimson Sharingan fixed on the masked man. After taking a deep breath, he asked gravely, "Are you Uchiha Itachi?"
"..."
After a moment of silence seemed to hang in the air, the masked man extended a finger and shook his head, "You guessed wrong... Kakashi!"
Hearing his words, Kakashi Hatake fell silent for a moment, then suddenly charged forward gripping his ninja sword, saying coldly, "Since you're still playing mysterious games, let me help you take off that mask now!"
"..."
The mysterious masked man seemed startled, hastily dodging Kakashi's attack, then leaping onto a tree. His voice gradually turned sinister, "As expected of you, Kakashi... still so merciless when killing teammates!"
Kakashi Hatake's figure instantly froze!
At this moment, he once again remembered Rin, whom he dreamt of every night—the girl who died under his Lightning Cutter, face contorted in pain, drenched in blood.
Yūgao Uzuki glanced at the frozen Kakashi and defended him loudly, "Bastard! What nonsense are you spouting? Senpai is not that kind of person..."
"Hmph... Is he really not?"
The mysterious masked man looked down at the two below, slowly removing the mask from his face, revealing a face half intact and half covered in scars.
This was the true face of Uchiha Obito.
The Inherent Glamour used by Uehara Naraka could imitate and disguise as anyone, so naturally, it could also imitate the appearance of Uchiha Obito.
Uehara Naraka held the mask in his hand, a mocking smile playing on his lips, "Kakashi, still recognize me?"
"..."
Veins bulged on Kakashi Hatake's hand as he gripped his ninja sword tightly, as if wanting to crush the blade into fragments!
He couldn't believe his eyes.
Even though so many years had passed and Uchiha Obito's appearance had changed, Kakashi could still recognize his outline. But how could the person he buried with his own hands years ago possibly come back to life?
Kakashi Hatake took off the mask on his face, his eyes wide with disbelief, "You're... Obito?"
"Hahahahahahaha..."
The Uehara Naraka brand Uchiha Obito burst out laughing, shouting loudly, "I didn't expect Sharingan Kakashi to still remember this dead last! How rare!"
"Obito..."
Kakashi Hatake's voice was somewhat hoarse. He simply didn't know how to face his old friend's mockery; many words were stuck in his throat, unable to come out.
Yūgao Uzuki stood beside Kakashi, her expression grave, "Senpai, is he the hero Obito who died in battle? Has he... defected now?"
Yūgao Uzuki's words instantly pulled the two back to reality.
Nearly ten years had passed. Since Uchiha Obito was still alive, why hadn't he returned to Konoha? Was it because of Rin's death in battle?
"Obito, why didn't you return to the village back then... If Sensei and the others knew you were still alive..." Kakashi Hatake's words trailed off again. Their teacher, Minato Namikaze, had died eight years ago in the Nine-Tails attack.
"Sensei Minato and Mistress Kushina... I killed them!"
The Uehara Naraka disguised as Uchiha Obito lowered his head, looking at Kakashi Hatake's frozen face, and said with a smile, "Unexpected, isn't it? I was the one who broke the Nine-Tails' seal, I controlled it with my Sharingan... You sensed it too, didn't you? The gift I gave you for becoming a Jonin that day hides an amazing power, right?"
"..."
Kakashi Hatake's mind was in chaos.
Because the words coming from Obito's mouth were too shocking, his usually calm thinking became utterly disordered. It even felt like the words Obito was saying now were auditory hallucinations.
"Alright, Kakashi, cherish that Sharingan eye. It possesses power beyond your imagination. I still need to avenge Rin. Farewell!"
Uehara Naraka waved, leaped up, and bounded away into the distance with a few hops. Before Kakashi and Yūgao Uzuki could react, his figure had already vanished.
Uehara Naraka hid in the dense forest, used the Mayfly Technique to merge into a large tree, glanced at Kakashi frantically searching for Obito's trail, and silently sank beneath the ground.
Today, he did a good deed.
(End of Chapter)
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