The feed went quiet under the weight of so many fallen.
For a heartbeat, even the camera seemed to ask: Why keep fighting?
Obito felt Naruto's resolve wobble and leaned in, voice sugar over poison.
"Good. That's it. Come to my side, Naruto."
He took a step—
and Hinata's palm snapped across his cheek.
Gasps rippled through the chat.
Obito's brow beaded; Naruto had what he didn't—someone to pull him back at the cliff's edge.
His own white moon had long since set.
"Neji just said your life isn't yours alone—do you understand what that means?" Hinata's voice trembled, but her eyes were clear.
"'I won't let my comrades die' isn't a lie. Neji believed it—he proved it."
Her gaze stayed on Neji's body, then returned to Naruto.
"It isn't just you. All of us carry that vow. Each life ties to the next—that is why we're comrades. If we throw away this creed, everything Neji did… is wasted."
Music bled sorrow into steel.
Naruto listened—really listened—feeling the warmth of Hinata's hand anchor him.
His eyes steadied.
From the Ten-Tails' crown, Obito and Naruto locked eyes—two boys separated by a single hand that hadn't been there, once upon a time.
Madara's glance slid sidelong at Obito.
Obito spread his hand. The Ten-Tails' maw glowed—another Tailed Beast Bomb priming.
Killer B dropped in from on high, went full transformation, and shoved a TBB straight into the Ten-Tails' throat.
The horizon detonated.
Naruto lifted his head.
"Hinata… thank you. And—thank you, Neji."
Kurama Mode roared to life—but this time, Naruto did more than cloak himself.
He poured chakra outward, threading it into Hinata—
then into everyone.
In an instant, red-gold flame raced across the night—
tails unfurling like banners on every ally.
[Rock Lee: "I—I have a cloak!!"]
[Might Guy: "Youth ignites!!"]
[Itachi: "An astonishing transmission."]
Naruto wound a Rasenshuriken and sprinted skyward.
The Ten-Tails, huge and harried, found itself dogpiled by a thousand burning silhouettes.
Obito dropped from the crown to engage.
Then the giant shuddered.
A cyclone tore the plain; lightning webbed the clouds. The air itself sharpened, end-of-the-world bright.
[Hamura Ōtsutsuki: "Brother… you remember this."]
[Hagoromo: "No mistaking it. This was the technique that erased a land."]
[Ōnoki: "It's going to level everything!"]
[Orochimaru: "Magnificent."]
[Kabuto: "Lord Orochimaru…"]
In Boruto's era, jaws dropped.
[Boruto: "Dad's time was a horror movie…"]
[(Young) Naruto: "I'm quick on the uptake, okay?!"]
[Sarada: "Lord Seventh's strength… also owes a lot to Lady Hinata, doesn't it?"]
[Iwabe: "Right—Obito almost had him, then the Hokage's wife pac— correction, encouraged him."]
[Denki: "Lady Hinata is so gentle…"]
[Shikadai: "Boruto… low-key jealous of your mom."]
[Inojin: "Yeah, you said she was scary."]
[Boruto: "She is scary! …sometimes."]
The Ten-Tails rampaged, ripping the world's seams.
Obito's eyes went flat. This was still inside his plan—force the beast berserk.
He warped Kakashi into Kamui.
Inside, Kakashi saw him—and surged forward, Raikiri screaming—
then halted inches from Obito's chest.
He couldn't do it.
"Hah. As expected—hesitating, trash Kakashi. Guilty, are we?" Obito's voice was surface calm with jagged edges.
"You couldn't keep our promise. You didn't protect Rin."
He stared, still not satisfied. "What now? Going to redeem me?"
"I… Obito…" Kakashi's voice shook. His best friend stood an arm's length away—and outside, the Ten-Tails was tearing apart the sky.
[Kurotsuchi: "He's acting like a… housewife."]
[Darui: "You said that out loud?"]
[Itachi: "Focus. The Ten-Tails won't wait."]
Kakashi held the Raikiri, frozen.
"Stop, Obito," he whispered. "You wanted to be Hokage once. Naruto says the same words you said."
The parallels lined up like shogi pieces—same dream, same wounds, different hands reaching.
Only difference: Obito's love was already gone.
Naruto had Hinata to steady him; behind Obito there was only a long, cold corridor.
[Obito: "I spit on that dream. If Sensei Minato had just—"]
[Itachi: "You were wrapped like a rice dumpling. How was he supposed to recognize you?"]
[Shisui: "He's right. Full mask, full cloak—ID check failed."]
[Ōnoki: "Quips later. Madara is still out there."]
[System: "Positions, everyone—next up is Obito's high-power segment!"]
Kakashi's arm trembled. The Raikiri hissed a single note.
Obito lifted his chin, and for a flicker there was a boy in goggles again.
It died as quickly as it came.
"Rin was already dead," he said, eyes like shut windows. "I'm not like you. I've been a fugitive since that day—there's no way back."
Outside—
the Ten-Tails screamed, and the storm broke.
To be continued…
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