Deep in the forest, flames surged skyward.
The Hidden Mist Anbu who had appeared were all instantly sent to the Pure Land(AfterWorld).
Yes—
That was the way of an adult: you make your money when it's time to make money, and you kill when it's time to kill.
Kakashi: "…"
Rin: "…"
The two of them stood frozen, staring at the sea of fire before them.
They had seen Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame before.
But never anything like this—a raging inferno vast enough to consume everything.
And that aura from just now… even though Uchiha Kai had deliberately held back for their sake, the pressure had nearly driven them to their knees.
Too strong!
Even thinking back on it now made their skin crawl.
Rin, at least, managed to hold herself together.
But Kakashi—when he looked at Kai again, his eyes carried something close to despair.
Yes.
Even when Minato praised Kai before, even when he had seen Kai fight with his own eyes, he hadn't truly felt despair.
He still thought he could catch up one day.
But now…
Kakashi wanted to give up.
This kind of overwhelming power… wasn't this basically Hokage level?
No wonder Kai dared to clash with the village elders. With strength like this—it was terrifying.
What he couldn't wrap his head around was—how?
They were the same age.
Back in the academy, Kai had been a good-for-nothing.
How had he suddenly become this strong?
Just then, Minato appeared in a flash of golden light, arriving beside them.
"Kai-kun, thank you!"
"But you… your power is a bit much, isn't it?"
"That aura just now—even I almost couldn't withstand it."
"Now I can actually believe you wiped out three thousand Hidden Stone elites in one battle."
Minato's expression was solemn.
Indeed—when Kai went all out, that overwhelming presence was suffocating.
Worse still, it could directly knock out lower-ranked ninja.
Think about it: if Kai unleashed that aura on the battlefield, how many shinobi could possibly withstand it?
Those who fainted mid-battle—what difference was there between that and death?
Realizing this, Minato finally understood how Kai had managed to annihilate so many Stone-Ninja in one fight.
First, suppress them with sheer aura.
Then sweep the battlefield with that ocean of flames.
Unless one was an elite Jounin, there was no surviving it.
Kakashi and Rin were dumbstruck.
One man—slaughtering three thousand Hidden Stone elites?
It sounded like a joke.
But after what they had just witnessed… maybe it wasn't so impossible.
Kakashi fell into silent despair.
Chasing after this kind of cheat-like power? Forget it.
Might as well lie down and accept it.
At that moment, Kai suddenly spoke:
"Obito!
Since you're here, why keep hiding?
Come out."
Minato blinked in surprise.
Then, sensing carefully, he broke into a smile.
But Kakashi and Rin were struck dumb.
Obito?
Wasn't he dead?
Their doubts were answered when Obito stepped out from the trees with a bright, innocent smile.
He blinked across the distance and joined them.
"Kakashi, Rin, sensei!"
"And… cough, cough… Kai-kun!"
"Thank you for saving Rin. I'm so glad."
Obito smiled wide, though half his face was ruined, and he wore a gray cloak.
His grin looked pure, almost childlike.
But—
Everyone could feel it. Something about him had changed.
That aura.
Once warm and kind, now it carries a sinister chill.
"Obito, you awakened your Mangekyo, didn't you?" Kai asked.
Obito froze for a moment. Then he rubbed the back of his head and nodded.
"Looks like I can't hide it from you. Yeah—I awakened it. When Rin almost died."
Kai nodded calmly.
Of course he wasn't surprised.
In fact, he had arrived long ago.
But he deliberately held back from acting.
After all, chances for Obito to awaken the Mangekyo were rare.
If they missed this one, it would be a waste.
So he waited.
And just as he expected—
when Kakashi almost struck down Rin, that icy, sinister power erupted.
Only after Obito's awakening did Kai step in to save her.
If Rin had really died, Obito's mind would have completely collapsed, turning him into the same man as in the original timeline.
"Obito, Mangekyo, huh?"
"Obito, congratulations!"
"Obito…"
Minato and the others hurried to offer their congratulations.
Obito scratched his head awkwardly.
He felt embarrassed—especially when facing Kakashi.
Because, just moments ago, he had truly wanted to kill him.
But then Kai interrupted:
"Alright, enough.
Catching up can wait. Right now, we need to deal with Rin's situation."
He turned toward her.
"Rin, stop thinking about dying all the time.
You probably haven't even realized it yourself, but you're already under a genjutsu."
"Look into my eyes."
Without another word, Kai opened his Mangekyo Sharingan, his gaze locking onto Rin.
She blinked in confusion.
Actually, not just her—everyone froze.
Only Minato's eyes narrowed in realization.
He knew the truth.
"Rin, trust Kai-kun!" Minato said gravely.
Rin nodded without hesitation.
She trusted Minato completely.
And Kai had just saved her—how could she not trust him too?
She looked into Kai's eyes.
"Genjutsu—Release!" Kai intoned.
His Mangekyo spun.
On Rin's side, both she and the Three-Tails inside her began to thrash and scream.
In their eyes appeared a foreign Mangekyo pattern.
It was obvious.
That was Uchiha Madara's!
No one here was stupid.
Seeing that foreign eye pattern, remembering Rin's strange behavior earlier—they instantly understood everything.
Kai poured more power into his eyes.
Madara was formidable.
His Mangekyo had even evolved into the Rinnegan.
But here and now, without being present in person, he could not contend with Kai.
Two minutes later—
The foreign Mangekyo symbols in Rin's and the Three-Tails' eyes shattered and faded away.
Only then did Kai let out a smile.
"It's done.
Rin's genjutsu is broken. Now two problems remain.
First—Madara placed a Transcription Seal on her. I'll find a way to deal with that.
Second—the Three-Tails."
He turned to Minato.
"That part I'll leave to you, Brother Minato.
After all, the Uzumaki clan's sealing arts are the strongest counter to tailed beasts.
Start with the Adamantine Sealing Chains and lock the Three-Tails down."
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