Chapter 324: Rare Reunions in Life, Chidori Pierces My Heart
Above the Mizukage's office, Kakashi had already reached the rooftop, gripping his short sword tightly, his gaze filled with fury as he stared at Obito.
Meanwhile, Haneda created three Wood Clones, positioning them at the four corners of the rooftop to jointly cast the Four Red Yang Formation, isolating the ANBU and other ninja outside the barrier.
Haneda had no intention of fighting Obito himself, so he created a quiet battlefield for Obito and Kakashi to settle things.
Following the Mizukage's orders, the ANBU abandoned any attempt to rescue the Mizukage and continued their battle against Mei Terumi and her forces outside.
Inside the Four Red Yang Formation…
Kakashi and Obito locked eyes, and it seemed as though invisible lightning crackled between them.
"Uchiha Madara!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth, his left eye spinning rapidly as his Mangekyo Sharingan activated.
Obito didn't waste words; he had nothing left to say to Kakashi.
Activating his intangibility, Obito charged straight toward Kakashi.
Kakashi, knowing Obito's abilities, threw a kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God seal, and the two rushed toward each other.
Hmph.
Obito let out a cold chuckle. Kakashi's tactics were an exact copy of their teacher, Minato.
The kunai passed through Obito's intangible forehead and appeared behind him.
Just as Obito's hand was about to touch Kakashi, he did not deactivate his intangibility.
Expecting an attack, Kakashi used Flying Thunder God to teleport behind Obito, his Chidori crackling as it came within inches of Obito's heart.
In that moment, however, Obito stopped in his tracks, letting Kakashi's Chidori pierce through his left chest.
Turning his head slightly, Obito sneered with mocking disdain:
"Does this bring back memories of the blood you can never wash from your hands?"
Kakashi froze for a moment, and the image of Rin dying under his Chidori flashed before his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Nothing much, just a reminder. Never forget the past."
Obito deactivated his intangibility, and blood splattered from his chest, spraying onto Kakashi's face.
The familiar warmth of the blood stunned Kakashi, and in that split second of hesitation, Obito delivered a fierce roundhouse kick, sending Kakashi flying several meters.
"Useless fool," Obito spat coldly.
"You couldn't even protect yourself, let alone those you were supposed to protect."
"Even after learning the Flying Thunder God, you're as incompetent as your teacher."
Obito's voice was filled with scorn as he pulled the silver short sword from his chest, blood dripping down its blade.
Looking at the gaping hole in his chest, Obito suddenly spread his arms and began to laugh maniacally.
"Ha…hahaha! What's the point of power if it can't protect those you care about?"
Kakashi rose unsteadily to his feet, his gaze locked on Obito's Mangekyo Sharingan beneath the tiger-striped mask, and then on the hole in Obito's chest.
A wave of overwhelming sorrow washed over him, inexplicable and all-consuming.
At that moment, the Four Red Yang Formation dissipated, and a hand rested gently on Kakashi's shoulder.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kakashi saw Haneda standing beside him.
"How about changing locations? There are too many people here. A big fight would cost too many lives," Haneda suggested calmly.
Haneda's Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan locked onto Obito's Mangekyo.
After half a minute of silent confrontation, Obito nodded slightly.
"I'll grant you this courtesy. But I have one thing left to do first."
"Alright, I'll wait," Haneda replied.
Under the stunned gazes of those watching, the Fourth Mizukage suddenly lunged onto Obito's silver short sword.
The blue Chidori on the blade crackled as it pierced the Mizukage's heart.
The sight of this left Kakashi half-kneeling on the ground, clutching his chest in anguish.
The chakra of the Three-Tails and the Mizukage faded rapidly.
The Fourth Mizukage had willingly died by Obito's hand!
The sheer weight of the scene brought Kakashi to his knees, clutching at the ground.
Obito let out a few cold chuckles, pulling the short sword from the Mizukage's body. With a flick of his wrist, the blade landed upright in front of Kakashi.
The silver blade reflected the Mizukage's lifeless body lying on the ground.
"You didn't need to do that," Haneda said softly, unable to hide the pity in his voice.
Obito merely replied indifferently, "The usual spot," before vanishing from the Mizukage's office.
Haneda knew exactly what Obito meant. Glancing at Kakashi, he hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and used Flying Thunder God to leave.
The two reappeared on a cliffside—a place where Haneda and Obito had once confronted each other in the Hidden Mist.
But now, as they stood there alone, silence hung between them.
Several minutes passed before Obito finally spoke.
"My Kamui has been under frequent attack recently—kunai, missiles, shuriken… even inexplicable jutsu."
"You understand what I mean."
Haneda found the situation amusing, but the gravity of the moment stopped him from laughing. He responded earnestly:
"I'll tell Kakashi to use your eye less."
"And… when are you coming back?"
Obito rejected the idea without hesitation.
"Stop your foolish thoughts. Do you really think there's any turning back for me now?"
"Just like Kakashi, that useless fool who sees me as an enemy, eager to rip me apart."
"Ninja are like that—how do you think the villages will treat me?"
Obito sneered, his tone dripping with mockery.
"Or do you think your grand ideals can truly erase their greed and stupidity?"
"As long as there's conflict, there will be war. As long as there's difference, there will be conflict."
"Between nations, cultures, and even people…"
"These are your beliefs. I have my own solution."
"I will create a new world, one that fulfills everyone's desires for a better life!"
"Infinite Tsukuyomi?" Haneda murmured.
Obito didn't deny it.
To him, the Infinite Tsukuyomi was the path the Sage of Six Paths had left for the Uchiha to achieve eternal peace.
The stone tablet in the Uchiha compound had made that clear, and Haneda, as a significant figure among the Uchiha, had undoubtedly read it.
"I will carry your ideals forward and create a truly beautiful and happy world!" Obito declared.
"In that world, all our dreams will come true."
"In that world, Rin will become a great medical ninja, and you and Kakashi will live your lives in harmony."
"And I will become Hokage, just as I was meant to be."
Obito's gaze bored into Haneda's as he asked earnestly:
"Don't you want to reunite with those you've lost?"
"Your teachers, your elders, your friends, your family… all of them can be reborn in that world!"
"My goal is not just for myself—it's for this hellish world and everyone suffering within it!"
"Do you want to stop me? Do you want to stop those striving to escape their pain?"
Obito's voice was resolute, filled with conviction.
Ironically, his words echoed the philosophies Haneda had written in My Struggle.
Haneda remained silent for a long time, staring into Obito's eyes. Finally, he said:
"You're longing for love, Obito."
The words struck Obito's heart, but he didn't deny it. Instead, he admitted:
"Exactly. And because I long for it, I'm determined to fight for it!"
"I will prove to the world that I am right!"
"And you won't stop me!"
With that, Obito vanished.
Killing the Three-Tails Jinchuriki had been more than just a jab at Kakashi. It was also a message to Haneda—a reminder that all his efforts to change the world would ultimately fail in the face of human greed.
As long as conflict existed, war was inevitable.
But the Infinite Tsukuyomi, Obito believed, could solve everything.
…