Obito Returns

Madara looked at Obito in the coffin. Just as when he had first been resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation, Obito's upper body was bare, with only a pair of black pants on. He was barefoot, and his hair had turned gray-white.

The state of Obito's body preserved by Impure World Reincarnation could be defined as—[Six Paths · Ten-Tails Jinchuriki · Released].

Moreover, both eyes that housed the power of Kamui had been perfectly preserved. At the moment, however, they were dull and gray, devoid of any spirit.

Obito's soul was currently in a state of "dormancy."

Madara's eyes were filled with intense curiosity as he turned to Chen. "How did you find Obito's living tissue?"

"When I decided to use Obito as a pawn, to prevent others from learning whether he was alive or dead through Impure World Reincarnation, I specifically ordered White Zetsu to dispose of the bloodstains on the boulder at Kannabi Bridge that had crushed half his body!"

"And when Obito acted as 'Madara,' he had Kamui protecting him. Combined with his cautious nature, it was hard to imagine he would leave blood behind!"

Just as Madara had surmised, in the decade or so after his death, Obito had had his arms broken by Minato Namikaze, Torune Aburame, and Konan. However, those severed arms had been White Zetsu limbs, containing none of Obito's own blood, and thus could not count as living tissue for Impure World Reincarnation.

Furthermore, Obito had always been extremely careful about protecting materials that could reveal information about him. After all, Hidan of Akatsuki, the Evil God who could inflict curses through [blood], was someone he had personally brought into the organization!

In this vast ninja world, there was no guarantee that no one else possessed a similar ability.

Better safe than sorry.

Chen smiled. "Did you forget, Uncle Madara? At the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War, Obito deliberately let Kakashi Hatake grievously wound him with Chidori in order to destroy the seal you left in his heart!"

"Oh!" Madara revealed an enlightened expression, then recalled more details. "But I remember that blood being spilled across the Ten-Tails' back!"

"That's why I was there at the time," Chen said. "I had activated Haniyasu, though, so no one could detect my presence."

Ah, so you had been there at the time...

Now the whole story made sense.

Madara said with feeling, "You really are good at plotting!"

He folded his arms over his chest. "Obito's soul is asleep right now. Why is that? Don't tell me that brat refused to play along with you?"

Chen smiled. "No, no. Though it took quite some effort, the negotiations with Obito were successfully concluded."

"However, he requested to return to the world after death first, to say hello to Rin before coming over."

"And he also said that when he opened his eyes, he was very much looking forward to seeing the expression on your face, Uncle Madara~."

"Heh. After becoming one of the Six Paths once, he has grown capable, huh~."

Though Madara teased Obito verbally, deep in his heart, he resonated with him profoundly.

Obito, since you agreed to assist Chen, it seemed the regrets in your heart were no less than mine.

You, too, were ashamed to die with sins too grave and nothing accomplished, weren't you?

Before the Rin you loved, you wanted to be a true hero just once, rather than... merely receiving her considerate tolerance and care, didn't you?

"Then shall I wake him now?" Chen formed a hand seal with two fingers and sought Madara's opinion.

"Mm." Madara lowered his arms from his chest, welcoming the man he had once admired, saved, used, harmed, and abandoned... the man who, after crushing all the events of the past, now stood with him once more at the same starting line!

Uchiha Obito awakened from Impure World Reincarnation!

Creak!

"Chen, why did you close the coffin again?"

"This was Obito's little request. When waking him, I had to make sure the coffin was closed!"

Crack, crack, crack! The coffin lid closed, and cracks appeared across it!

Chen drifted gracefully off to one side!

—Boom!

"Hm?" Madara's pupils contracted as he instinctively raised a hand... shielding himself from the storm and debris erupting toward him!

Crash! Dust and debris fell to the ground. Lowering the hand that shielded his face, Madara stared intently at the silhouette emerging through the dust ahead.

"Obito, your way of making an entrance carries rather a lot of personal resentment..."

From the haze came Obito's relaxed voice. "I played Madara for decades~, but I always wore a mask and kept my tail tucked between my legs... Honestly, I've always wanted to experience that kind of arrogance of yours just once~."

Madara brushed the dust from his God Robe. "Now that you have experienced it, how did it feel?"

As Uchiha Obito walked out of the haze, a pair of upright, brilliant Kamui Mangekyo gleamed sharply within his eye sockets!

"Sure enough, what belongs to someone else will always belong to someone else. Whether it's the way one makes an entrance or one's eyes, using one's own feels the most comfortable..."

Hearing the barb in his words, Madara smiled. "Of course. The Rinnegan is not something just anyone can wield. Implanting that one back then must have made you suffer enough, didn't it?"

Obito shot back, "Speaking of which, is that disgusting face still bulging from your chest?"

"You've gotten better with your mouth, Obito. Want to have a little practice?"

"Sure. I'm barefoot, so I'm not afraid of someone wearing shoes."

Crackle! The two faced each other, and fierce sparks seemed to collide above their foreheads!

In life, these two had been true "sworn enemies." Now that they had met after death, there was naturally no avoiding a round of verbal artillery—perhaps even Chakra artillery.

After all, they both had Impure World Reincarnation bodies. Most likely, neither could kill the other.

Ah, wait... Madara had the Rinnegan, and the Human Path would probably restrain Obito. But if Obito used both Kamui eyes properly, Madara would have no opening to exploit.

But you two cannot start fighting here. Then Hikari and I won't have anywhere to sleep tonight...

"Yay!! Uncle Obito, who looks like an old grandpa, is back!!" Muji's childish voice drifted over from behind! Chen was immensely relieved!

Thank heavens!

Hikari and Tsuki, who had gone out for a walk, had returned!

The flashing sparks vanished completely.

Both men tacitly reined in their drawn-sword tension.

Obito turned and said with a genial smile, "Hikari, Tsuki, we meet again!"

"Hm?" Madara thought, This guy Chen even brought Obito home for dinner?

"Waaah, Uncle Obito, you finally came back! I thought you would never come again, waaah!" Tsuki hurried over to Obito.

Obito naturally bent down and lifted Tsuki upright in his arms. He said dotingly, "How could I not come? Uncle Obito had also been looking forward to seeing you again!"

Madara grumbled inwardly, Damn Obito. Even I haven't held Tsuki before!

Hikari stepped forward with a smile and asked, "Did you say your goodbyes to Rin?"

Obito nodded. "Yes. Rin said that when the ninja world was in danger, people like us had a duty to step forward without hesitation. She told me to follow my heart, act boldly, and not carry any mental burdens! As always, she will be watching over me!"

Hikari lowered her head with admiration. "Rin really is an incredible girl. Even though this world hurt her so deeply, she still maintained the purest love for it. Compared to her, I..."

The corner of her eye swept over Chen's chest.

Chen promptly took her hand, signaling with his eyes for her not to continue.

Obito wore a smile, seeming to fully understand the meaning behind the couple's gesture.

Madara grumbled inwardly, It seems Obito knows more about Hikari than I do...

At that moment, Obito looked toward Chen, handed Tsuki to Hikari, then walked over and gripped his shoulders tightly.

In a voice only the two of them could hear, yet one that carried boundless depth, he said:

"Chen, at the moment I was shattered to pieces, I was still Uchiha Obito, who wanted to become Hokage! But because of the blueprint you spent a month drawing for me, I gave up my former ambition once again."

"The fact that Madara can stand before me proves that you have already earned his approval. But if you want my true approval, you must prove through your actions that you are more worthy of trust than Naruto. Do you understand?"

Obito possessed a will so resolute that even the Ten-Tails' splitting could not shake it.

To make Obito stay and lend him a hand, Chen had spent an entire month patiently persuading him before finally making Obito believe that Naruto and Sasuke's current approach could not deal with the future crisis facing the ninja world.

To make Obito remain and stand on his side, Chen had worked on him for an entire month.

Just as Madara had thought, Obito also harbored deep regrets in his heart.

He wanted to atone for his past sins, then return to the other world and become a man truly worthy of standing beside Rin!

Chen gripped Obito's cold wrist tightly, gazing brightly at that weathered face beneath his tousled hair.

"If, at any moment in the future, you find me unworthy of trust, you may leave me! Everything I, Uchiha Chen, have done—past, present, and future—is so that our children and their descendants can live openly and honorably, bathed in the nourishing rain of peace!"

"Good... If you can uphold that conviction without wavering, I will follow you to the heavens and the earth!"

Obito lowered his hand, glanced sidelong at Madara, and said to Chen.

"All the elements needed to launch the plan are in place. Shall we begin immediately?"

"There's no need to rush to that extent. Haste makes waste. Tomorrow, I'll take you somewhere. First, to formally welcome you and cleanse away the dust of your journey. Second, to let you understand the real me through it."

"The real you?"

"Yes. As I said, what I seek are comrades who share my ideals. I claim to understand everything about you and Uncle Madara, but you only have a partial understanding of the real, true me!"

"That place you want to take us will let us truly understand you?"

"Yes, and it is the only way."

He had successfully piqued Obito's curiosity. "What place?"

Chen's gaze leaped toward the southwestern frontier of the ninja world.

"My private territory, and the true rear base of our faction—[Shadow Hidden Ninja Village]!"