A laboratory filled with intricate, precision instruments.
Obito sat casually on the experiment table, one leg crossed over the other, staring at Orochimaru while shaking his head and sighing.
"Orochimaru, I only asked you to cultivate a suitable body for me, yet you took a full twenty years to do it. You've really let me down."
Orochimaru let out a wry chuckle, his expression somewhat helpless as he explained,
"Obito-sama, your cellular activity is too powerful. The replication process... well, to put it simply, it's incredibly difficult."
Obito, never one for scientific jargon, only caught the gist of it.
Basically, he was too strong. So strong, in fact, that he had transcended normal human limitations.
Which meant that creating a body on par with his own was exponentially more difficult.
"Hmm… That actually makes some sense," Obito muttered.
Now that he thought about it, the Ōtsutsuki clan had technology far beyond Earth's. There was no way they hadn't mastered cloning.
So why hadn't they just cloned their own bodies for reincarnation purposes?
Perhaps… it was because their power exceeded the limits of cloning itself.
With that realization, a faint purple light flickered in Obito's eyes.
He reached out and absorbed the newly cultivated body—an exact replica of himself—into his Kamui dimension.
Moments later, his other self from within the dimension relayed feedback.
"This body has excellent compatibility. After nurturing it with chakra for a hundred years, it should become a perfect vessel."
"Phew… As long as it works. This means I've secured another life," Obito murmured, finally allowing himself to relax.
He turned to Orochimaru, a rare smile on his face. "Well done. You've worked hard, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru bowed slightly with a humble smile. "It is my duty to assist you, Obito-sama."
He seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if debating whether to say something more.
Kabuto, noticing this, stepped forward with a smirk. "Sensei, the Ten-Tails chakra you provided last time has been fully used up."
"We would appreciate it if you could supply us with more for further research."
Obito was in a good mood. He gave a small nod and casually pulled out a scroll from his robes, tossing it toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru caught it carefully and tucked it away with great care.
"By the way, Obito-sama…" Orochimaru's tone darkened slightly. "Our dear Daimyō has been making some questionable moves lately. Do you want us to… handle it?"
Since Konoha's technological revolution, the village had accumulated immense wealth through high-tech industries.
With money, manpower, and technology on their side, Orochimaru and Kabuto's organization had infiltrated the highest levels of the Land of Fire's government.
To put it plainly, if they wished, they could replace the Daimyō in an instant.
Orochimaru had expected Obito to show interest in this matter.
To his surprise, Obito simply waved a hand dismissively.
"No need to report trivial matters like this to me. You two can decide for yourselves."
Then, with a frown, he grumbled, "What I care about more is when our village's internet speed is going to improve! My online gaming experience has been absolute hell lately!"
Orochimaru: "…"
...
Kirigakure.
Inside Shisui and Mei's home.
The warmth of the morning sunlight filtered through the curtains.
Shisui slowly opened his eyes, stretching with a yawn as he prepared to get up.
Only to realize… Mei's long legs were wrapped around him, holding him in place.
He chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.
With a swift Body Replacement Technique, he freed himself and tiptoed toward the kitchen, preparing breakfast for his wife and daughter.
Soon, the ever-diligent Shisui had the table set with a delicious spread.
He called out, "Mei, Asuka, breakfast is ready!"
At his voice, two beautiful figures emerged from the bedroom—one big, one small.
Both of them rubbed their eyes sleepily, yawning in perfect synchronization. The resemblance between mother and daughter was uncanny.
As soon as they sat down, they started devouring their food with zero restraint.
"Mmm! Husband (Dad), your cooking is the best!" they praised between bites.
After breakfast, while Shisui was washing the dishes, Mei slipped into the kitchen and hugged him from behind.
"Darling, we'll be heading back to Konoha soon. Are you happy?" she murmured, pressing herself against him, her voice teasing in his ear.
She had already entrusted the position of Mizukage—and Kirigakure itself—to Chōjūrō.
Now, she was ready to return to Konoha with Shisui and their daughter, to care for his aging parents together.
Shisui leaned into her touch, his face full of warmth. "Of course I'm happy. Thank you, Mei."
Mei kissed him softly. "No, I should be thanking you… for staying in Kirigakure with me all these years. For always being by my side."
Just outside the door, Asuka groaned loudly. "Father, Mother! It's way too early for this much PDA (public display of affection)!"
In response, Mei and Shisui exchanged a mischievous glance—then kissed right in front of her.
"Aaaah! You two are the worst!" Asuka shrieked, storming back into her room and slamming the door shut.
...
Returning to Konoha added a new layer of joy to Obito's life.
Family, friendship, love.
Power, status, strength.
He had everything he once longed for.
And under his influence, the entire shinobi world had changed.
Peace flourished. Happiness became the norm.
It was a beautiful life.
So beautiful…
Even though he had not personally experienced every moment, Obito still felt immense joy.
Simply recalling those memories made his lips curl into a small smile.
Yet, the happier he felt… the more conflicted he became.
Before him, the figure who had slashed open the dimensional barrier spoke in a calm voice.
"So… have you made your choice? Will you leave… or will you stay?"
"I…"
Obito stood at a crossroads.
He could abandon everything and ascend to the higher realms alone.
Or he could remain in this world—for the sake of his loved ones.
Just as hesitation crept in, a voice echoed from deep within his heart.
"You've carried too much responsibility—for me, for Rin-chan, for everyone, for this world."
"I know you've long grown weary of being its guardian… Now that everything has settled, it's time to live for yourself."
Obito trembled. That voice… was his own.
"I will remain in this world as Uchiha Obito, protecting it and everyone within it."
"But you… You are not just Obito. You are more than that. Go and chase the life you truly desire… as Raphael."
Raphael…
After thousands of years, the name felt almost unfamiliar.
Yet, deep down, he still remembered.
That was his name.
"To live as Raphael…"
Obito lifted his head, eyes burning with resolve.
"My choice is—!!!"
....
The end
(T/N: That's it—the fanfic has come to an end! I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I did translating it. Thanks for sticking with me through the whole journey. If you spot any mistakes, feel free to drop a comment under this or the first chapter so that future readers can have an even better experience.
I had an awesome time working on this one, even though it took ages (reading these takes days, but translating takes way longer!). I did my best to clean up the Chinese elements, and your feedback means a lot. I'll be removing the Patreon reminder about the advanced chapters soon—I know it can be a bit annoying.
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