Obito's chewing motion suddenly froze.
The meatballs seemed to lose their sweetness instantly, getting stuck in my throat and difficult to swallow.
Those dark, cold memories, filled with eerie conversations, flooded back like a tidal wave.
It sent a chill down his spine.
Obito put down the dumpling, his eyes darting around, unable to look Mikoto in the eye.
"I... I don't know either..."
Obito's voice lowered, filled with confusion and lingering fear.
"When I woke up, I was in a completely dark place, cold and hard, like a stone box..."
I called out for a long time, but no one answered me...
Mikoto's heart sank slightly, but her tone remained gentle.
"Don't be afraid, tell me slowly. And then?"
"Then... then a voice appeared."
Obito struggled to recall and organize his thoughts.
"A very, very old voice, terribly hoarse, it was unpleasant to listen to..."
What did he say?
Mikoto pressed on, leaning slightly forward.
He said... he said a lot of strange things...
Obito frowned, trying his best to repeat the words he couldn't understand back then, and only half understood now.
He said... "Everything I cherish will ultimately betray me."
This world is beyond saving; it's a place where the strong deceive the weak...
Mikoto's hand, holding the teacup, tightened instantly, her knuckles turning slightly white.
This kind of talk seems somewhat extreme.
And it looks somewhat familiar!
Although Obito's words were incoherent.
But she didn't interrupt him; she just encouraged Obito to continue with her eyes.
Obito's words became increasingly incoherent, fragmented and disjointed.
But they were like cold needles, piercing through the world he once believed in.
He also said...
The Uchiha's power originates from love, but only the pain of losing love and the hatred it evokes can unleash their true potential...
They say I'm working on the wrong path.
"It is said that only an Eternity dream can bring true peace..."
When Obito mumbled the words " Eternity dream," Mikoto's pupils suddenly contracted.
She suddenly remembered the ancient Stone Tablet beneath the Uchiha Shrine, the one whose Sharingan!
That piece, according to legend, was left behind by the Sage of Six Paths.
Stone Tablet that records some astonishing secrets!
It seems that this was mentioned above...
The ambiguous concepts of "infinity" and "dream"...
That's forbidden content that even the clan's higher-ups might not be able to fully decipher!
Because the stronger your Dōryoku, the more things you can see!
Why?
Is he an outsider?
A mysterious person hiding in the shadows?
How could he know the Uchiha's secret? How could he know such a thing?
They even used it to manipulate Obito?!
Those who can decipher the contents of this Stone Tablet.
Only a high-level Sharingan could read it, at least Mangekyō Sharingan or higher level of Dōryoku...
Could it be one of our own?
In the clan, besides myself, only Chiyo-niichan has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan...
Not within the family.
Are there other Uchiha clan members outside?
"What else did he say? About the eyes? About the Uchiha?"
Mikoto's voice unconsciously became slightly hurried, and although she tried her best to hide it, the seriousness still showed.
Obito was startled by Mikoto's sudden change in tone and shook his head blankly.
"No... not much... He also said I can't see the truth."
They say the time isn't right yet...
Later, he suddenly let me go. The wall opened by itself, and I ran out as fast as I could...
He paused, as if remembering something, and added.
"By the way, his chakra... it feels strange, cold and oppressive, but... but it also seems somewhat familiar, a bit like our Uchiha Clan's, yet not quite the same... I can't quite put my finger on it."
The dark surroundings, the aged, hoarse voice, and the profound understanding of the Uchiha's power...
even...
They might know the contents of the Shrine's Stone Tablet!
And that familiar yet strangely different feeling of chakra...
All the clues were rapidly piecing together in Mikoto's mind.
This is no coincidence!
This is absolutely not retaliation from Kirigakure or Iwagakure!
This is a terrifying enemy who knows the Uchiha extremely well and may even have a very deep connection with them!
He precisely kidnapped Sharingan Obito was relatively simple-minded, and attempted to corrupt him with those dark and twisted theories!
His goal may not be limited to Obito.
Instead, it was through Obito that the entire Uchiha was targeted!
or...
He has bigger ambitions!
Mikoto felt a chill rise up her spine, even colder than during the battle against the Kirigakure Ninja that day.
The enemy was not in the open, but in the deeper shadows, which she had not yet seen clearly.
Moreover, they can interpret dreams!
At the very least, that person had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan!
" Mikoto?"
Seeing Mikoto's increasingly pale face, Obito asked cautiously.
"What... what's wrong? Did I say something wrong? That person... he was lying to me, wasn't he?"
Kakashi and Rin won't betray me, right?
Obito's voice carried a barely perceptible plea; he desperately needed to deny the cold despair instilled in him by the old man, and he needed affirmation from someone he trusted.
Mikoto took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in her heart.
She can't scare Obito.
She put on a gentle smile again, though it seemed somewhat forced.
"Of course, everything he said is wrong."
It's never wrong to want to protect your comrades.
That person... is just a madman hiding in the shadows, afraid to face anyone, spouting nonsense.
She reached out and gently patted Obito's shoulder, her tone firm.
"You did a great job, Obito."
I wasn't swayed by his words and resolutely returned. This matter is very important, thank you for telling me."
Feeling Mikoto's affirmation and the warmth of her hand, Obito visibly relaxed, and a smile returned to his face.
"Yes, Lady Mikoto! I knew he was lying!"
"But."
Mikoto abruptly changed the subject, her expression turning serious.
"Don't mention this person to anyone except me for now."
Including Kakashi and Rin, okay?
This is extremely important intelligence, concerning our Uchiha. Further investigation is needed in secrecy; the fewer people who know about it, the better."
Although Obito didn't understand why, seeing how seriously Mikoto was taking it, he immediately nodded vigorously.
"I understand! Lady Mikoto, I won't tell anyone!"
"Good boy/girl."
Mikoto smiled.
"Go ahead and get some rest. Try not to go to remote parts of the village alone lately."
"Yes!"
Watching Obito's departing figure disappear into the afterglow of the setting sun.
The gentle smile on Mikoto's face vanished instantly, replaced by an unprecedented solemnity and coldness.
She stood up and walked quickly towards the study.
This matter must be recorded immediately and reported to Chiyo-niichan with top-secret information!
The hand lurking in the shadows has already reached out to the younger generation of the Uchiha, and may even have touched upon the oldest secrets of the Uchiha.
enemy...
Who exactly is it?
Is he the one Chiyo mentioned before?