In an instant.
Hiss! A suffocating feeling, like a giant python, coiled tightly around Obito's heart, nearly choking him.
The image of Rin suddenly bursting into smoke moments ago played over and over in Obito's pupils.
His face grew more and more twisted, more and more anguished...
Just as Obito was about to break down again,
Kakashi, standing beside him, also froze for a moment. But he was relatively calm, and asked in confusion, "Was Rin using Shadow Clones to talk to us this whole time? Where's her real body?!"
Kakashi's words were like a lifeline, reaching straight into Obito's heart and pulling his crumbling spirit back from the edge of the cliff.
"That's right, that's right..." A glimmer of hope flashed in Obito's eyes. His gaze swept around like a radar as he called out gently, "Rin, why aren't you showing yourself? Why are you still playing hide-and-seek with me? Don't worry, I'll be good and listen to you from now on..."
Unfortunately.
"..." Only deathly silence answered Obito.
Buzz! Obito's heart lurched. An overwhelming sense of terror washed over him, but his lips still trembling, he continued, "Rin... I can't find you. You win. Come out already..."
"..." The scene remained silent.
Seeing this, the smile in Naruto's eyes grew wider. Kakashi hadn't known Rin well, so he could be forgiven...
But this lovesick guy had even kissed Rin's photo. Didn't he know whether she could use Shadow Clones?!
At last, Naruto couldn't hold back any longer. He chuckled at Obito. "Stop looking! That was my Shadow Clone. There was no Impure World Reincarnation at all!"
In that instant,
Bang! Naruto's words were like a world-shattering meteor, crashing down on Obito's heart with despairing force.
"Pfft—" A mouthful of thick, scarlet blood shot from Obito's mouth.
Yet Obito seemed not to care at all.
"How could this be... How could this be..." He muttered as if delirious, his expression growing more and more twisted until he looked like a demon. He suddenly pointed at Naruto and roared, "You're lying! You're lying! Rin was so real just now! How could it have been you?! Give Rin back to me!"
With that,
Obito sprang to his feet, fury blazing in his eyes as he reached for Naruto's shoulders.
"Still trying to fool yourself?!" Naruto's lips curled slightly. He gave a casual flick of his right hand and landed a sharp elbow strike.
Bang! The blow hit Obito squarely in the face, sending him flying backward and kicking up a rolling cloud of dust.
[Elbow strike to Obito Uchiha, Villain Points +99!]
Kakashi had been so stunned by Naruto's words that he was still reeling. But when he saw his friend get sent flying by Naruto's elbow, he snapped back to his senses and cried out, "Obito!!!"
With that, Kakashi didn't hesitate for a moment.
Whoosh! His figure flashed like lightning as he instantly appeared in the dust cloud. He lifted Obito up, his eyes filled with worry. "Obito, are you all right?!"
"Rin... Rin..." Obito's face had been mangled by Naruto's elbow, swollen like a pig's, but he still mumbled the name of his beloved.
When he saw Kakashi holding him up, another spark of hope flared in his eyes. Trembling all over, he rasped, "Kakashi, he's lying to me, right?! He has to be lying to me!"
At that, Kakashi's pupils trembled violently. Then he lowered his head and sank into deathly silence.
The joy of having his comrade return had clouded his judgment. Thinking it over carefully now, there really were many things that didn't add up...
It was true that Rin liked him...
But how could she possibly have treated Obito so cruelly just now?!
So that must have been Naruto transformed into Rin!
As for why Naruto had turned into Rin, it was probably just to torment Obito...
At that thought, Kakashi's expression darkened like storm clouds, and sorrow welled up in his eyes.
There was no way he could reprimand Naruto now. His power was enough to overturn a great nation, and he was clearly beyond anyone's control, free to do as he pleased...
But feeling Obito's warmth in his palm, most of Kakashi's sorrow faded away...
Because Obito definitely wasn't Naruto in disguise! He was the real deal!
After all, there was no way to fake the ocular-power pressure from Obito's Kamui Mangekyō! Besides, Naruto wouldn't stage this whole act just for himself to watch!
Just as Kakashi was thinking,
"Kakashi, why aren't you answering me?!" Obito suddenly bellowed again, his face swollen like a pig's.
"Ah..." Kakashi came back to his senses at the sound of Obito's voice. But when their eyes met, the words caught in his throat, and he fell silent again.
He couldn't bear to tell Obito this cruel truth...
Although Obito might already know deep down, and simply didn't want to believe it...
"Just tell me it's all fake!" Obito was like a rabid beast now, violently shaking Kakashi by the shoulders, his face twisted into a grotesque snarl.
"..." Kakashi remained silent.
Seeing this, the amusement in Naruto's eyes grew stronger and stronger.
Then, in the next instant,
Step! Naruto took one step forward. His figure blurred, and he appeared beside Obito, teasing him. "Still trying to fool yourself?! How about this? If you really need it, I can go ask Orochimaru to use Impure World Reincarnation on Rin! But..."
He paused. A playful glint returned to Naruto's eyes, and his tone turned a little flippant. "But Kakashi-sensei gets to have his turn with Rin first... You'll have to wait in line."
Hearing Naruto's double blow,
Obito felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. He clutched his head in agony and let out a series of shrill cries. "Aaaaaaaaaah! No way! Everything you said is a lie! Rin is real! Rin is real! Kakashi isn't allowed to go first! Kakashi can't go first!"
Blood and senseless babbling poured out of him. Obito was well on his way to becoming a raving lunatic...
And yet, something no one could have expected happened.
As Obito continued to scream...
Hiss! His Kamui Mangekyō began to twist slightly, its shape changing in subtle ways.
Seeing this, Naruto narrowed his eyes. "Hmm?! What's going on?!"
" Aaaaaaaaaah!" Obito kept wailing, his voice sharp and grating. The changes in his Kamui Mangekyō grew more and more pronounced.
"What's going on... It hurts!" Kakashi suddenly cried out beside him. His Kamui Mangekyō was flickering too, and then it began to change as well.
In the next instant,
Their voices abruptly fell silent.
Then,
Whoosh! Both of them jerked their heads up as if jolted by electricity. Their Kamui Mangekyō erupted with astonishing ocular power. The Mangekyō patterns in their pupils shuddered violently, then began to spread!
In the blink of an eye,
The original three-bladed pinwheel pattern transformed into five blades!
Seeing this, Naruto furrowed his brows.
"This is?! A second Mangekyō awakening?!"
Before you continue