The shinobi world fell silent as the screen flickered.
Everyone stared, breath caught in their throats.
A boy—burning with hope, lungs tearing with every breath—was running through the forest.
Mud splashed beneath his feet, tree branches lashed his arms, and the moonlight turned every leaf into silver.
Uchiha Obito was alive.
And he was running toward the only two people who had ever truly mattered to him.
[Mei Terumī]: "Why… do I feel like Obito and Kakashi are closer than either is to Rin?"
[Ōnoki]: "Water Shadow, that's a strange observation."
[Mei Terumī]: "Every flashback's just them two! Where's Rin?!"
[Boruto]: "Wait, Grandpa Kakashi's into guys?!"
[Inojin]: "If that's how you become Hokage, I might have to… reconsider my path."
[Denki]: "That logic's short-circuited, bro."
The Farewell to Madara
"Leaving already?"
Madara's voice echoed through the cavern, deep and knowing.
Obito paused. "…Yeah. Thanks for saving me, old man. But I'm going back—to my friends."
Madara's half-lidded eyes gleamed under the dim light.
"You thank me too soon, boy. One day, you'll return to me."
Obito smiled faintly. "Not a chance. I'm done with this place."
He turned, pulling a tattered cloak from the rack. Dozens of weapons glittered beside it—legendary Uchiha tools.
He ignored them all.
A simple cloak was enough.
[Itachi]: "That cloak… Wait. Those weapons—those are Uchiha heirlooms!"
[Fugaku]: "Why does that old man have our clan's relics?!"
[Sasuke]: "And why does he feel familiar?"
[Hashirama]: "Heh… that old man looks kind of like…"
[Madara]: "…" (silently sweating)
Madara turned away, his face tightening.
If Hashirama realized that "the old man" was him, his entire Moon's Eye Plan could crumble before it began.
The Run Toward Fate
Obito sprinted through the trees. Every heartbeat echoed in his skull.
He imagined it already—how he'd burst through the enemy lines, shield Kakashi and Rin, and finally tell her how he felt.
He'd save the day. Return to Konoha as a hero.
Marry Rin.
Become Hokage.
A perfect story.
But fate had other plans.
"Where's Sensei?" Obito shouted, leaping across a stream.
"Your teacher's still tied up fighting jōnin," said White Zetsu, keeping pace beside him.
Obito cursed under his breath. "Why now of all times?!"
Zetsu's expression twisted slightly. "You sure you're ready for this? Those are elite Mist-nin, even some ANBU-level."
"I don't care."
Obito's Sharingan glimmered red. "I promised I'd protect them. This time… it's my turn."
[Hashirama]: "Something about this feels… planned."
[Tobirama]: "Indeed. Like a trap set long before the players even arrived."
[Hashirama]: "Did you just call me 'bro' again?"
[Itachi]: "You did promise, remember. If Obito lives, you're his big brother now."
[Sasuke]: "He actually remembered the bet?"
The Moment Everything Died
Branches whipped past. The night grew colder.
Obito's heart hammered faster with every step.
Then—
his vision blurred.
His missing right eye burned with phantom pain.
"Wha… what is this?" he gasped, clutching his face.
The pain intensified—then showed him.
Through that hollow socket, he saw it—
Kakashi, his friend, his rival—
his brother.
Lightning surged in Kakashi's hand.
And Rin—sweet, kind Rin—stood before him, smiling faintly through the tears.
Then—
SHHKK!
The Lightning Cutter pierced straight through her chest.
Blood splattered against the rain.
Rin's body trembled, then fell limp in Kakashi's arms.
"Ka…kashi…"
Her lips moved weakly.
Then silence.
The world froze.
Obito stumbled out of the brush, his entire body trembling.
He wanted to scream—but no sound came out.
Only the rain answered, pelting his face, mixing with the tears he refused to believe were real.
He fell to his knees.
His heart cracked—then shattered.
[Boruto]: "No… no way… Kakashi… killed Rin?"
[Mei Terumī]: "This… this can't be right…"
[Gaara]: "War leaves no one clean."
[Tobirama]: "And so begins the tragedy of Uchiha."
Obito clutched his head, nails digging into his skull.
Memories blurred. The cave. The laughter. The promises.
And then—
everything broke.
The air warped.
His left eye twisted, veins bulging.
A blood-red pattern unfolded like a blooming curse.
Mangekyō Sharingan.
The rain turned crimson.
The earth shook.
And in that instant—Obito Uchiha ceased to be the boy who wanted to be Hokage.
He was something else.
Something terrible.
[Sasuke]: "Mangekyō… from that pain…"
[Itachi]: "And so another eye opens to grief."
[Obito]: "From now on… the world will drown with me."
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