Chapter 271 - Ch 78 - The Broken Hero

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With the dawn breaking over Kirigakure, Mei Terumi and her rebels were busy dealing with the aftermath of the coup. The echoes of battle had faded, but the real war was far from over.

Meanwhile, Naruto had no intention of resting. His mission wasn't complete.

Using his mastery over shadows, he teleported deep into the hidden underground passages of Kirigakure—places only a handful of people even knew existed.

The cold, damp corridors echoed faint whispers of the past, remnants of the dark days when the village was known as the Bloody Mist.

But Naruto wasn't here for ghosts. He was hunting something—or rather, someone.

Far from the Village, a lone figure walked calmly on the surface of the ocean, his reflection rippling beneath him.

The dark clouds overhead mirrored the storm brewing within his heart.

Obito Uchiha.

Wearing his signature orange mask with a swirling pattern around his right eye, he moved with silent confidence, his black cloak billowing with the sea breeze. The mask concealed his scarred face, but nothing could hide the darkness festering in his soul.

He glanced back at Kirigakure one last time, his mission complete—or so he thought.

Just as he was about to disappear into the void using Kamui, an eerie chill crept up his spine.

A presence… something dark… something powerful.

Without warning, a shadow materialized before him. From within the darkness stepped a figure, cloaked in black, his face hidden behind a mask.

Naruto.

Obito tensed immediately, his instincts screaming danger.

"Oh my," Naruto's voice oozed with mock amusement, golden eyes glinting with mischief. He took a slow, deliberate step forward, his smirk widening. "If it isn't Tobi… or should I say, the infamous Obito Uchiha." 

The name slithered through the air like a whispered curse. 

Obito's lone visible eye widened beneath the mask, a flicker of something raw flashing through the crimson Sharingan. His body stiffened, his breath hitching for the briefest moment—an eternity in the mind of a man who had long discarded hesitation. 

How does he know my name? 

Then, like a dam shattering, a wave of killing intent exploded from him, dark and suffocating, pressing against the very fabric of reality. The shadows seemed to writhe in response, bending to his will as his chakra crackled, sinister and untamed. 

No words. No hesitation. 

With a blur of motion, Obito lunged, his form a phantom of wrath, his hand wreathed in seething black chains that screamed with unbridled malice.

But Naruto didn't even flinch and shot a kunai.

With a flash, he vanished, reappearing behind Obito using the Flying Thunder God Technique, catching the kunai in his hand. A swift kick sent Obito skidding across the water's surface, but he quickly regained his footing, his Sharingan blazing with fury.

Obito's lone Sharingan glared at Naruto, burning with suspicion and rage. His voice slithered through the tense air, low and venomous.

"Who are you?" He hissed, his chakra simmering like a storm barely contained. "What's your goal? And how do you know the Fourth Hokage's technique?"

Naruto tilted his head slightly, an infuriating grin spreading across his face. His eyes gleamed—not with innocence, but with something darker, something ancient.

"Oh, the Fourth Hokage…" Naruto's voice was silk wrapped around thorns, dripping with mockery. He chuckled darkly, the sound echoing unnervingly in the emptiness around them. "You sure know that technique well, don't you? After all… Minato Namikaze was your teacher."

Obito's breath hitched. The name carved itself into the air like a dagger.

"And let's not forget," Naruto continued, his grin widening, "He's the one who beat you senseless last time. You remember that night, don't you? The night you thought you were untouchable—only to be outclassed, outsmarted, and utterly humiliated."

Obito's fists clenched so tightly his gloves creaked. Memories flashed—Minato's piercing eyes, the sharp sting of defeat, the overwhelming speed he couldn't match.

But Obito forced a smirk onto his face, dripping with forced arrogance.

"So what?" He sneered, his voice brittle beneath the bravado. "I still killed him in the end."

Naruto burst into laughter—not a laugh of humor, but something hollow, something sharp. It echoed unnervingly across the ocean, carried by the cold wind.

"Killed him?" Naruto wheezed, wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye, as if Obito's words were the punchline to a joke only he understood. "Oh, that's adorable. You really believe that, don't you? That you had anything to do with Minato's death? Hah!"

Obito's smirk faltered. Confusion flickered, quickly smothered by irritation. His chakra flared, violent, and raw.

Naruto took a step closer, his expression shifting. The mockery faded, replaced by a chilling calm. His voice dropped to a whisper—a razor's edge.

"Minato wasn't killed by you." His words were sharp, cutting through the tension like a kunai through silk. "He wasn't even killed by the Nine-Tails. No… the truth is far more deliciously tragic."

Obito's eye narrowed, trying to read between the lines, but Naruto kept going, his grin returning—twisted, wicked.

"The true reason lies within the shadows of the Hidden Leaf. Conspiracies woven by the Third Hokage and his pathetic little council. They feared Minato's strength. They feared his ideals. His vision for the future didn't fit their narrative." Naruto's eyes gleamed with dark satisfaction. "You? You were just a puppet. A fragile, broken tool. A footnote in history, dancing to strings you couldn't even see."

Obito's eye twitched, rage boiling over. His chakra burst forth, crackling like wildfire, warping the very air around them.

But Naruto wasn't done.

"Oh, and by the way," He added casually, like an afterthought, "I was the one who truly took Minato's life."

Obito froze.

Naruto's grin sharpened, fangs hidden behind a veil of charm.

"I was there in the shadows when it happened. I watched the light fade from his eyes. And guess what? I saved Kushina Uzumaki too—right from under your nose." He leaned in slightly, voice soft but venomous. "As for you?"

The temperature seemed to drop with his next words.

"I could kill you right now if I wanted to. Snap your neck. Crush your heart. But…" Naruto's smile softened into something crueler. "Where's the fun in that?"

Obito was stunned. He didn't understand.

Why?

Naruto leaned in slightly, his mask reflecting Obito's furious eye. "Because I have expectations for you, Obito Uchiha. For now, our paths align perfectly. So I'll let you play your little games..."

Without giving Obito a chance to respond, Naruto vanished again, this time engaging in a quick, brutal skirmish.

Their clash was a blur of speed and power—Flying Thunder God versus Kamui.

Naruto's movements were precise and controlled.

He wasn't fighting to kill.

He had another goal.

During the heated exchange, Naruto managed to land a subtle tap on Obito's shoulder—barely noticeable amidst the chaos.

But that single touch was enough.

Flying Thunder God Mark: Placed.

Naruto flipped back, creating distance between them. He stared at Obito for a moment, then turned away, his cloak billowing dramatically.

As he disappeared into the shadows, his voice lingered in the salty air.

"I'll always be watching you, Obito."

Obito stood there, trembling—not from fear, but from frustration and confusion.

Who was that man?

And why did his words feel heavier than any wound?

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