The Key to Breaking the Stalemate

Chapter 4: The Key to Breaking the Deadlock

"This Sharingan of mine... I'm giving it to you. Now that I think about it, I never properly congratulated you on becoming a jonin, Kakashi. So consider this eye a gift for your promotion."

When Obito, half his body crushed beneath a massive boulder, spoke those words with a smile, Kakashi and Rin, standing helplessly nearby, both jolted.

Kakashi's pain-filled eyes instantly went blank, while Rin's tears, after a brief pause, once again streamed down her cheeks.

Because they both knew exactly what it meant for Obito to say something like that of his own accord, yet all they could do was watch helplessly as the dying Obito made his final arrangements. This pain was like someone driving a knife into their hearts, slicing them to pieces!

"No matter what the villagers say, you're the best jonin. This is... my last token of sincerity. Take it. And also, Kakashi... I'm entrusting Rin to you."

As Obito, a smile lingering on his lips, handed over his perfectly preserved left eye to Kakashi and entrusted Rin to his care, he felt the ground tremble violently, and his consciousness sank completely into darkness.

"With this eye, you'll definitely be able to escape with Rin, won't you? Don't let me down... Kakashi."

"A message came from the clone. Lord Madara brought back another brat on the verge of death. Want to go take a look?"

Little White, appearing out of nowhere, suddenly emerged from the ground, staring at Shimiya Aoba with two dead fish eyes.

Shimiya Aoba's eyes lit up at the news, and he immediately jumped off the bed. "Let's go. Where is he?"

"Lord Madara is treating him in the Medical Room."

The Medical Room, huh...

Shimiya Aoba clicked his tongue. For some reason, of all the places in the base, he hated that gloomy, eerie spot the most.

Besides, if he went now, he'd only get in the way and might even arouse that old bastard's suspicions. So he decided to hold back a little longer. He'd already endured half a year; what was a little more waiting?

As for whether the brat they'd rescued was really that poor kid Obito, he'd find out soon enough.

So he left the room, trotted along on his short legs, and wound his way to another location.

This was one of the many spare spaces Madara had left behind when he built the base. Since it hadn't been put to use yet, Aoba had claimed it as a tomb chamber.

The room was dim and empty. In the center, two tombstones stood side by side on the ground—ones he had erected for the parents of this life after settling down.

Though the original Shimiya Aoba had already been killed, since "he" had been reborn, inheriting this name, this body, and everything that came with it, he felt he owed a debt of gratitude that needed repaying.

Right now, he was still too weak—unable to avenge this body's parents or do much else. So he simply did what he could, as a way of fulfilling his filial duty.

Beyond that, there was a more pragmatic reason he didn't like to mention.

It was all for show—for that old bastard to see!

Was a man of deep loyalty and emotion easier to exploit, or was an ungrateful, cold-hearted ingrate more trustworthy?

Since he couldn't yet demonstrate any obvious value, he'd have to create some himself.

And doing something that perfectly fit his current "persona"? Why not?

It eased his conscience a little while achieving his goals—a single stone killing multiple birds.

The only question was whether that old fossil Madara would actually fall for it.

After respectfully paying his respects to his deceased parents, Shimiya Aoba stood up again. He believed nothing he did could escape the eyes of White Zetsu and Madara, so he'd let time prove whether all his efforts were worth it.

Taking a deep breath, he turned and walked out.

"Am I... dead?"

On the stone bed, Obito, wrapped up like a mummy, suddenly opened his eyes, but the dim surroundings made it hard for him to adjust.

"Where is... this?"

"This is the crack between the underworld and the living world, O child of the Uchiha Clan."

The moment Madara opened his mouth, Shimiya Aoba, eavesdropping outside, knew for sure—this bastard was definitely a veteran (censored) otaku!

To spout such cringey, shameless, prophet-like nonsense without a hint of embarrassment—no wonder he could fool so many people.

Plus, that wrinkled poker face made it impossible to tell whether he was telling the truth or lying, instantly boosting his aura. No wonder he wasn't afraid of Naruto's ultimate talk-no-jutsu later on—turns out he was the founding master of that art.

"Your eyes..." After a brief adjustment, Obito finally saw clearly, and then he noticed the familiar tomoe in the old man's eyes before him!

"Could you be... a member of the Uchiha Clan too?"

"Heh, who knows."

See? See?

There he goes again!

When it comes to the art of acting cool, I, Madara, am the strongest in the ninja world!

Anyway, I, Shimiya Aoba, admit defeat!

The cryptic, riddle-filled, cringey conversation inside continued, and Shimiya Aoba yawned as he listened. Fate, karma, a peaceful world, someone saved because of you... it all made him drowsy.

Standing outside, he could already imagine Obito's bewildered face, completely lost.

But it was predictable enough—Madara's persona as the Uchiha hermit sage was a success. After all, if he couldn't even fool a hot-blooded young man like Obito, what kind of final boss would he be?

Still, being single-minded had its advantages. Even though Madara pulled out that old trick of using a favor to demand repayment, making Obito owe him for saving his life, Obito kept insisting he had to go back to Konoha, to find Kakashi and Rin.

Yet Madara's brilliance lay in the fact that he didn't seem to be in a rush, or perhaps he still had some trick up his sleeve to force Obito into submission.

Then from inside came Obito's loud shouting: "I have no idea what you've been rambling about this whole time, but I'm not staying here. I'm leaving!"

"If you want to leave, you may do so anytime—provided you can move."

Having said that, Madara said no more and simply turned to walk away.

Just then, as if something had struck him, Obito suddenly demanded, "Who are you, really? I've met every single member of the Uchiha clan, so... are you a rogue ninja from Konoha!?"

Konoha?

Rogue ninja?

Facing away from Obito, Madara seemed to smile. Without looking back, he spoke a single sentence that sent Obito's mind reeling.

"I am the ghost of the Uchiha. Uchiha... Madara."

Obito's eyes flew wide open, as if someone had clamped a hand around his throat, choking back all the doubts he had meant to voice. What reached his ears was the sound of that scythe dragging along the ground, scraping against the floor, growing fainter and fainter...