Uhe stoic face beh Obito's mask, Yagura was genuinely pleased.

  Even though his allies fell silent after witnessing Susanoo, he couldn't hide his smile.

  "The white giant... it's on our side!" a veteran Kiri ninja shouted.

  The Kiri ninjas were also delighted. So, it turned out this behemoth was an ally. Their cheers echoed through the battlefield.

  "Hold positions! Maintain the perimeter!" a squad captain barked, anizing the forces.

  Oher hand, the Kaguya's expressiowisted in anger and frustration. The arrival of another monster-css fighter had crushed what little hope they had left.

  Masashi paid no attention to the myriad of expressions around him.

  He stepped boldly into the battle zoween Yagura and Obito, each step of the Susanoo sending tremors through the ground.

  Gesturing at the distant Kiri ninja army, he made a shooing motion, like chasing away chis.

  "Don't get in my way."

  The Kiri ninjas showcased an exempry willio ply, retreating even further than they already had. After all, no one wao be actally squished by the t chakra struct.

  The Kiri ninjas had already pulled back siderably when Yagura unleashed his full tailed beast form. And now, with the arrival of yet aniant figure, they didn't need Masashi's orders to decide to retreat further.

  However, as they retreated, they maintained a tight encirclement around the Kaguya 's territory. They ensured no one from the had any ce of escape.

  It was necessary. No one had ever looked favorably upon the women of the Kaguya .

  After all, the 's famous motto was: "Eat more! Or you'll have nth!"

  The women of this were indistinguishable uhey spoke; otherwise, no one would guess their gender.

  Itle zone, Masashi, trolling his Susanoo, approached Obito.

  "It's time to e back with me."

  "Are you joking?" Obito sneered, cursing inwardly. That bastard Bck Zetsu. If he hadn't threatened me, I'd expose all his schemes right now.

  What was Bck Zetsu's deal with trusting Masashi so much? Did he really believe this guy was a devoted fan of Madara?

  Even if he was, so what? He was Obito!

  "This world is nothing but lies aion. The ninja system, the vilges, they're all part of an endless cycle of hatred. Don't you uand that only through my pn true peace be achieved?"

  "I never joke," Masashi said seriously. "And don't start spouting philosophy at me. Since when have you been so self-righteous? her of us are that kind of person."

  "This has nothing to do with self-righteousness," Obito replied. "The ninja system is rotten to the core."

  "Then why were you shouting about being Hokage ba the day?" Masashi retorted, reminding him. "And didn't you say the White Fang was a hero? Those were your words."

  "Yes, I said it." Obito's voice grew colder, chakra swirling dangerously around him. "He was a hero. Which is why Konoha is broken, and so is this entire ninja world."

  "Broken? Then why not bee the Mizukage?"

  "I don't give a damn about being Kage! Who would want that job? If you don't uand me, fet it!"

  "Obito, you've ged. You're so crude now..." Masashi sighed. "But if you'd been a bit more reckless back then, you and Rin could've had kids in school by now."

  At Rin's name, a bloody glint appeared in Obito's lone eye. The air around him grew thick with killing i. "You, who still serve Konoha like a pawn, have nht to mention her name."

  Masashi's gaze turned equally dangerous. The Susanoo's chakra fred in respoo his anger.

  "It's been a while since we sparred. How about a match?" The Susanoo's fingers flexed.

  "Fine by me." Obito removed his mask, activating Kamui to store it away. The scarred side of his face twisted in a sneer. "Someone as clumsy as you won't even scratch me."

  Yagura, Obito's face, suddenly had a thought.

  He'd heard rumors that the Uchiha was full of handsome men.

  For someone who was quite fident in his own looks, disfigurement must've been a big blow.

  It seemed Konoha's mediinjutsu wasn't all that advanced.

  "Obito," Yagura suddenly spoke.

  Both Masashi and Obito turo look at him.

  "Our vilge excels in etic surgery," Yagura said. "We restore your face. sider joining Kiri, and I'll five everything you've done."

  "..."

  What kind of wild imagination did this guy have?

  "Mizukage-sama," Masashi interrupted Yagura's train of thought, "Obito is a member of the Uchiha . Uhe Uchiha severs ties with Konoha, he 't join another ninja vilge."

  "I'm not joining any vilge," Obito said, casting a sful g Yagura.

  Receiving such a look, Yagura realized he might've overthought things.

  Not that he felt awkward. If he feared embarrassment, he wouldn't have beizukage.

  "Masashi, don't overthink it. I was just trying to mess with his mi."

  "Well, that's just brilliant," Masashi replied sarcastically. Then, ging the subject, he asked, "Mizukage-sama, are you pnning to wipe out the Kaguya tirely?"

  "Yes. Their ideology is irredeemable—it's io their entire ."

  "In that case, how about lettiake their children? The enviro in Konoha might help them grow up normal."

  Yagura gave him a suspicious look. "Children? I hought you had... suterests. Should Konoha be worried?"

  Masashi stared at him ftly. Is this really the Mizukage?

  "Fine, but only if you are willing to leave some Uchiha bloodline in Kiri. I could groom the child to be Mizukage."

  Masashi rolled his eyes and summoned Susanoo's massive swain.

  "I'll handle my sman myself."

  "Very well." Yagura's figure shrank, reverting to his normal form, and he headed back toward the Kiri ninja forces.

  "Obito, you won't return with me, nor will you flee. Are you so fident you stand against Susanoo?"

  "Let's find out. Susanoo isn't invincible, and I want to see how long your chakra sts." Obito's Sharingan spun zily.

  "Alright." Masashi nodded, lifting the sword to strike.

  For some reason, his Susanoo was white. Even when using Sage Art enhas, it remaihe same color.

  Could it be because the first bloodline limit he replicated and mastered was Ice Release? That didn't seem reted.

  While p this, Susanoo's massive bde cut through the air with surprising speed.

  Holy, fighting with Susanoo retty dull.

  It was like Hashirama using his Wood Golem or True Several Thousand Hands—just brute strength aitive attacks.

  The first strike caused the Kaguya 's structures to tremble, revealing how poorly maintaiheir buildings were. The ground cracked uhe force, spider-web patterns spreading outward from the impact point.

  Obito walked out of the smoke leisurely, his posture arrogant. The debris passed harmlessly through his form.

  "That's it?" he scoffed.

  "Patiehere's more," Masashi replied.

  Susanoo's other hand materialized another chakra sword, and two more hands sprouted from its back, each wielding a bde.

  With four swords in py, the strikes became fiercer. Each bde moved in a different pattern, creating a web of attacks that would force even the most skilled shinobi to exhaust their chakra dodging.

  Meanwhile, in Kamui's dimension, Shisui held Obito's mask, watg fragments of Obito's body flicker in and out of existence.

  He was intrigued but also a bit troubled.

  The fshes were so brief he couldn't decide where to strike.

  Maybe a kick would work? If he hit from the side, what would happen?

  Just as he had this thought, a piece of Obito's body flickered into view.

  Ag on impulse, Shisui delivered a swift and powerful kick.

  The moment the fragment vanished, his expression shifted.

  That texture... No way.

  The more he thought about it, the more sure he felt.

  Suddenly, Shisui felt an overwhelming urge to wash his foot...

  ---

  The Kaguya 's territory y in ruins.

  Although Susanoo didn't directly attack the pound, the shockwaves from its assaults caused widespread destru, colpsing many buildings.

  After a relentless bout of fighting, Masashi suddenly noticed Obito curled up on the ground in a strange position.

  He was using his Mangekyō Sharingan's abilities, but the more he used them, the more tightly he curled up. The distortions in space around him were being increasingly erratic.

  Masashi paused, a little taken aback. What's going on? Some actic?

  Bck Zetsu had only just started ying the groundwork; he couldn't afford to let Obito ruin his momentum.

  Details mattered when it came to maniputing people.

  Hurting Obito wasn't a big deal.

  In Bck Zetsu's eyes, Obito's persona was that of someone burdened by his 's fate yet yearning for world peaeone who could be used without disrupting the grand pn.

  That was why Bck Zetsu tolerated Masashi's limited assaults on Obito, chalking them up as self-inflicted.

  But if Masashi went too far and something truly "iing" happened, Bck Zetsu would iably get suspicious.

  Masashi didn't care much about Obito's as, but he had nothing but respect for Bck Zetsu and Madara. Simply stopping Obito wouldn't deter those two. Their pns run deeper than any single pawn.

  Even without Obito, there was still Nagato of the Uzumaki.

  And if her of them worked out, there were surely backup pns.

  Keeping both Obito and Nagato alive, however, allowed Masashi to maintain some degree of trol over the situation.

  So, while he walked a fine line, he never pushed it too far—unless he could master Yin-Yang Release. At that point, nothing else would matter.

  Susanoo took a siep forward, and with the resulting quake, a few more of the Kaguya 's buildings crumbled.

  The quality of their stru was really abysmal. Positio the fringes of the vilge, their situation mirrored that of the Uchiha after the ails' atta the inal timeline.

  But at least the Uchiha 's downfall had been orchestrated secretly, in colboration with spies in the Hokage's office.

  The Kaguya, oher hand, had been openly annihited by Kiri's regur army, in both the inal timeline and this one.

  For a ninja , this was the most tragid imaginable.

  In the ninja vilge era, a 's reputation mattered above all else. As long as their name wasn't tarnished, even a lone survivor had a ce to rebuild.

  But oheir reputation was lost, no matter how many members remaihe would iably crumble.

  In the inal timelihe Uchiha had nearly been wiped out, but their name was never disgraced. From beginning to end, they hadn't been beled as traitors.

  Thus, the Uchiha retained a p Konoha's ninja system—until Sasuke's opeion. Only then was the Uchiha name erased from the system.

  And since he was the st Uchiha left, his defe effectively brahe entire as traitors.

  Sasuke's gamble to either succeed or perish made sense in its own way.

  But Itachi's as? Clearly, something was wrong with his head.

  And to think he expected Sasuke to return to Konoha as a hero? What did he take the ninja vilge for, a tea house? e and go as you please?

  If not for Naruto steadfastly voug for him with his status as Konoha's stro ally and future Hokage, Sasuke wouldn't have stood a ce of returning.

  Fugaku's parenting handbook must've been something he picked up at a street stall.

  As Susanoo dissipated like a mirage, Masashi nded on the ground.

  At this distance, he could trol any move Obito might make using Kamui.

  On the ground, Obito finally raised his head.

  His face twitched untrolbly, and tears welled up in his eye.

  Masashi's expression grew increasingly peculiar as he took in Obito's posture. Something's really wrong here.

  Obito was hunched over, his hands csped tightly between his legs, his thighs ched together. Even his Mangekyō Sharingan seemed to spin irregurly.

  He gred at Masashi with gritted teeth, his voice forced out through ched jaws.

  "You... are... so... despicable!"

  Masashi paused. Wait... what did I do?

  All I did was summon Susanoo and take a few swings. Sure, I might've held back a bit, but how's that despicable?

  Wait a sed...

  Shisui! What exactly did you hit on Obito!?

  Finally realizing the source of Obito's agony, Masashi took a few steps back, a cold chill running through him.

  I only had tea with Shisui once! How did he e up with such a devastating teique?

  "Grrrr... Aaaagh!" Obito let out a strange sound, pulling one hand away to pound the ground with all his might.

  Masashi stepped back further, wary of anything spttering onto him.

  He patted the scroll pouch at his waist. Inside were pns he'd stayed up all night preparing for Obito.

  But Shisui's otherworldly kick had pletely upended his pns.

  If he tried anything now, Obito might actually die here today.

  In a fsh, several tingens crossed his mind, but he dismissed them all.

  He turned away.

  And there, sneaking back, was Yagura, watg him and Obito with a peculiar look in his eyes.

  "It wasn't me," Masashi crified quickly.

  If this got out, his niame would turn into something along the lines of "Konoha's Groin Smasher."

  Never uimate the speed of intelligence-sharing among the Five Kage.

  "I uand," Yagura said, nodding thoughtfully. "After all, battles to the death get... intense. I've been there myself."

  Masashi didn't bother responding and walked toward Obito.

  "Just stay still. I'll take you back for treatment."

  "Leave! Get lost!" Obito roared.

  Moments ter, Shisui was flung out headfirst.

  He managed a midair flip and eadily on his feet.

  When he saw Obito's current state, Shisui's face flushed with embarrassment.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he said sincerely. "But don't worry. Konoha's medical team is full of skilled ninjas. They'll definitely be able to fix this."

  Obito, now standing at a distance, looked furious as he gred at Masashi and Shisui. His Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly.

  "Mark my words! I... I'll be back!"

  Clearly, he hadn't accepted Shisui's apology.

  Not only did he reject it, but he was already pnning his revenge. As for how he would carry it out, that was anyone's guess.

  Masashi hoped Obito would uand the cept of atability and direct his reve Shisui.

  Mangekyō against Mangekyō. That seemed fair.

  After delivering his threat, Obito disappeared into the void of Kamui. This time, he didn't return.

  "Aen't you going to stop him?" Yagura asked.

  Masashi g Yagura's on, which bore bloodstains and... something else.

  "There's no stopping the space-time ability of the Mangekyō Sharingan," he said, a passable excuse. Then he asked, "Did you finish what you came here for, Mizukage-sama?"

  "Yes." Yagura smiled faintly. "Luckily, I stayed vigint. The Kaguya had imprisoned a prodigy, you see."

  Fair enough. So Yagura had gotten there first.

  That didn't matter as long as Orochimaru didn't get his hands on them.

  "Then you'd better keep a close eye on them, Mizukage-sama," Masashi advised. "I spotted Orochimaru on my way here."

  "Orochimaru?" Yagura's expression turned serious. "Another dangerous individual."

  No one ignored a ninja of Orochimaru's caliber—an "old-school Kage-level" threat.

  The term Kage-level varied slightly depending on the vilge's perspective.

  For instance, in Konoha, such a ninja might be called "Hokage-level." In other vilges, the terminology ged accly.

  But the deeper meaning was the same: each vilge believed their Kage was the stro, and even among Kage, there were hierarchies. Respect had to be shown accly.

  "Masashi, Shisui, I'll take my leave now. Let's talk after the battle." With that, Yagura hurried off.

  This battle had cost Kiri dearly, wiping out most of their s with bloodline limit. Whatever promising talents remained, he would do everything to protect them.