The Arrival of the Desperate Hell

Chapter 7: The Arrival of a Desperate Hell

The days passed by in a monotonous blur. This godforsaken place was devoid of sunlight, and with Madara having blocked off the exit and several tunnel entrances, Aoba and Obito had no way of knowing how much time had actually passed.

However, as his appetite grew day by day, Aoba's previously malnourished body began to recover. He even started to put on some weight in his face, a change he was quite pleased with.

Obito, through his desperate, day-to-day rehabilitation exercises, had also gradually regained some mobility. At the very least, he could now stand and walk on his own, no longer needing the White Zetsu clones to support him.

The fusion with the Artificial Body was proceeding very smoothly. At this rate, it was estimated that in a year or so, Obito would be completely healed.

On this day, Aoba was sitting on Obito's back as usual, clutching a large bowl and devouring his food, while Obito beneath him struggled through push-ups, sweat constantly dripping down his cheeks.

"998... 999... 1000!"

Thud!

Having completed a thousand push-ups in one go while "weighted," Obito finally couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed flat onto the ground.

I've finally adapted to this body. Wait for me, soon... I'll be able to see you both again, Rin, Kakashi. Obito, his hair having grown quite long, thought to himself while feeling the strength surging within his body.

At the same time, Aoba stuffed the last piece of meat into his mouth and flipped off Obito's back.

Although Madara hadn't taught him any cultivation methods during this time, he had successfully learned some basic physical training from that idiot Obito. In his spare time, he had joined Obito in his "rehabilitation," which kept him from becoming a little fatty and helped him gain quite a bit of strength.

Madara had seen everything he did, but he hadn't said or done a thing.

He neither stopped Aoba from training on his own nor taught him anything; it was as if he were completely free-range, showing nowhere near the level of care he invested in Obito.

This led Aoba to develop some unsettling thoughts. He suspected he might have guessed something wrong. He couldn't figure out why, if Madara acted as if he didn't need him at all, he had saved him in the first place and let him stay here to eat and drink for free.

There had to be a reason for this that he didn't know about!

But no matter how he tried to probe the White Zetsu clones, he couldn't get anything out of them, to the point where he was starting to think this old geezer was just a warm-hearted philanthropist.

Just then, a White Zetsu figure suddenly emerged from the wall and shouted at Obito in an anxious tone: "I just went outside, and that Rin and the idiot Kakashi you mentioned are in very bad shape!"

Aoba, who was just about to go wash his bowl, suddenly stopped in his tracks...

Is it finally starting?

After waiting for so long, it seemed Madara's arrangements were complete; now, he was just waiting for Obito, the actor, to take his place.

And he would be able to use this opportunity to complete his own mission and leave this hellhole.

But... now that the day had truly arrived, for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

Because soon, that idiot dead-last Obito would disappear completely, replaced by the Uchiha—the second Madara—forged by Madara's own hands, "born" in hell, a poor soul who would never find true liberation until the day he died.

Although they hadn't spent a particularly long time together, after months of living side by side and bickering, he had to admit that he didn't dislike this idiot.

Even though Obito never admitted that he was the little brother under his protection...

So, was he really going to let this idiot experience that scene of endless, dark despair?

Aoba clenched his fists tightly. He desperately wanted to tell Obito the truth and stop him from going, but at the same time, he knew that the moment he opened his mouth, he would be killed without a burial site!

Madara, who had been plotting for so long, would never allow anyone to ruin his plans at a time like this.

Especially not a helpless little brat like him, whom he could crush as easily as an ant.

Therefore, in order to survive, he could only pretend that he knew nothing.

"I'm sorry, please forgive my selfishness."

"What happened!?"

"The two of them have been surrounded by Kirigakure ninjas!"

The moment White Zetsu shouted those words, Obito's expression changed drastically. Without a second thought, he leaped up from the ground, rushed to the massive, thousand-catty stone door, and slammed his fist into it with all his might!

However, his all-out punch only shattered the surface of the stone door. Instead, his artificial body's right arm, which he had only just grown accustomed to, couldn't withstand the impact and snapped clean off, falling to the ground.

Obito let out a pained grunt and clutched his severed right arm with his left hand.

"Your current body cannot break this stone door."

The White Zetsu clone, whose head looked like a swirling mask, jumped directly behind him and stated this fact.

"I have to go save Kakashi and Rin."

Obito's persistence seemed to move it. "Then... wear my body."

As it spoke, the White Zetsu clone wrapped itself directly around Obito's body.

"Aren't you guys Madara's subordinates? Why?"

"Let's go. Aren't you going to save Kakashi and Rin? If you're late..."

"Thank you!"

BOOM!

Obito, having no idea he was being sold out, thanked them before stepping forward and shattering the entire stone door with a single punch!

"Borrowing the power of the Gedo Statue while still connected to the roots—not bad at all~" the White Zetsu in the wall praised him without reservation.

"Are you leaving?"

Only at this moment did Madara seem to react. He raised his head and asked quietly.

"You saved me, and I am very grateful. But I have to go; I must leave."

"You are too impatient. It might be too early to thank me now."

"I don't think I will be coming back."

At this, Aoba gritted his teeth, stepped forward, and said, "Do you really have to go? Your body is still..."

Noticing Aoba's concerned gaze, Obito felt a warmth in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face. "I have to! Thank you for taking care of me during this time. When the war is over, I will come back to pick you up as promised, or you can have that White Zetsu fellow take you to Konoha. You will definitely see me there."

Sigh!

Aoba sighed helplessly in his heart. The moment he spoke up just now, Madara had already glanced at him without leaving a trace.

He had taken such a huge risk and hinted at everything he possibly could, yet this idiot Obito still thought he was just reluctant to see him go. That level of intelligence was truly hopeless.

"Anyway, I've said my thanks. I'm leaving."

PS: Seeking recommendation votes, seeking follows, seeking investments. Honestly, the timing of my book release is something else; my editor seems to still be on vacation, to the point where they haven't replied to my messages in two days... so sad.