Obito's Despair

Pain! It hurt so much!

Obito felt as though his heart had gone numb. A poison called despair was steadily seeping into his body, trying to drive him to his death...

That Mangekyō Sharingan was also filled with endless tears.

And through those tears, Obito seemed to see the days of old.

The happy childhood he and Rin had spent in Konoha.

Back then, Rin had been gentle and warm, and incredibly considerate.

Even though he was always getting into trouble, Rin had been more than willing to clean up his messes and comfort him. The two of them were inseparable...

They had been childhood sweethearts...

But Kakashi's sudden arrival changed everything!

He was no longer the only one in Rin's eyes. Instead, there was Kakashi, too!

Kakashi was so aloof, yet he captivated Rin. Her eyes and brows were full of unconcealable admiration... no, it was deep affection.

Although he had once tried to deceive himself, chalking it all up to her curiosity about a genius, Rin's gaze reflected the true feelings in her heart...

But thankfully, until he was buried beneath the boulder, Rin had never actually told him that she loved Kakashi.

If she had never said it aloud, then that meant it had never happened!

So the person Rin loved had to be him!

At that thought, the images of the past in Obito's eyes gradually transformed into a photograph of him and Rin embracing happily.

The tears in his pupils seemed to recede a little at the beautiful fantasy, and a blissful smile curled his lips.

But in the very next instant—

"Let's have Senior Rin marry Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto's words from earlier suddenly stabbed into Obito's mind, echoing over and over.

In a flash, the phantom photograph in Obito's pupils was torn to shreds!

New images surged into his grief-stricken Mangekyō Sharingan.

Rin gazing at Kakashi with a face full of love!

Rin abandoning him and going on a date with Kakashi...

Rin constantly praising Kakashi to him, telling him how outstanding he was...

But in the end, all those images were consumed by a nameless blaze, and finally became a single scene...

Rin, dressed in a snow-white wedding gown, hand in hand with Kakashi as they walked down the aisle!

At that moment, the pain in Obito's heart surpassed everything he had ever felt!

His whole body shook violently. The tears in his Mangekyō could no longer be held back, pouring out with his snot.

At the same time, he let out a pained murmur: "Why, even after Rin died... do you have to cruelly take her away from me? Why..."

Who could have imagined that the man now slumped on the ground, crying his eyes out over an unrequited love, would one day be the mastermind behind the Fourth Shinobi World War?

And the second Sage of Six Paths in the Shinobi World!

Naruto watched the scene, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He hadn't expected those words to hit Obito so hard...

But that was exactly what he wanted!

At that thought, Naruto decided to rub salt in the wound and push Obito's suffering into an endless abyss!

Naruto immediately walked slowly toward Obito. When he reached his side, Obito still didn't react at all, lost in his painful sobbing and unable to pull himself out of it.

Seeing this, Naruto's eyes glinted with amusement. He crouched down, slowly leaned toward Obito's ear, and said cheekily, "Madara-senpai~ why are you crying? Did my words make you think of your own situation and start longing for the altar, too?!"

Obito said nothing, only continued sobbing as waves of pain poured out of him.

With a playful smile on his face, Naruto continued, "It's fine. You can come to Kakashi-sensei and Senior Rin's wedding, too! That way, you can witness the grand occasion with your own eyes, ha..."

Naruto's tone was utterly sincere, as if he were truly inviting Obito.

And in that instant, Obito could no longer suppress his feelings!

He jerked his head up, tears of endless pain streaming down as he stared at the blue sky and let out a roar of utter despair: "Why? Why are you doing this to me?!"

[Talk no Jutsu breaks Obito Uchiha down a second time. Villain Points +393!]

"Is this the power of Talk no Jutsu? This feels great!" Naruto gazed at the system panel that had appeared again, the corners of his mouth lifting.

At that moment, Obito completely ignored Naruto beside him and continued roaring at the sky.

"Why? Why?!"

"Why is this world so cruel to me?!"

His anguished cries echoed through the air.

The ground was covered in Obito's falling tears.

Seeing this, Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly and thought, It's time to use my ultimate move!

At that thought, Naruto clapped his hands.

In the next instant—

Whoosh—

A Flying Thunder God Kunai on the ground burst into dazzling black-and-gold light. Two figures emerged from the glow and appeared at the scene.

It was the Shadow Clone that had just left, along with a petite girl with a gentle face, purple markings, and faint cracks.

She was none other than Rin Nohara!

Of course, this Rin wasn't the real Rin. She was only Naruto's Shadow Clone in disguise.

But that was more than enough to fool Obito in his current state!

Just as expected, the moment Rin appeared, she immediately entered Obito's field of vision.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze.

Obito's tears abruptly stopped, and his body went still. His Mangekyō stared at Rin before him in a daze, as if everything in the world had vanished and only she remained!

Rin... had really been brought back with Impure World Reincarnation!

A surge of excitement swept through Obito's heart, only to be swallowed up by endless pain an instant later.

Because Rin's appearance meant that Naruto really was going to have Kakashi marry her!

At that thought, Obito's face twisted beneath his mask. As his eyes moved, tears threatened to spill out again.

But just then—

The Rin in Obito's eyes slowly walked toward him, a hint of heartache on her face.

Obito froze in place, utterly at a loss.

When Rin reached his side, she slowly raised her little hand and gently placed it on his mask. The ache in her expression deepened as she said, "Your presence feels so familiar! Why are you so sad? Why does seeing you suffer make my heart hurt so much?"

"..." Obito didn't speak, but a flicker of excitement shone in his eyes.

Even though he had changed so much, Rin could still recognize his presence!

That was proof enough of his place in her heart!

But in the very next moment, Obito's heart shattered all over again.

Rin looked at him with concern and, in the gentlest voice, said the words that completely broke him.

"But you'll definitely be happy if you come to my wedding with Kakashi!"