The Time Nohara Rin Died, You Were a Lot Braver Than You Are Now

The Tiger-Masked Man stood silently in the darkness. His black-hole-like eyeholes were deep and cold, as if they would swallow Uchiha Yoru whole.

The air around them was still, and the suffocating silence seemed to press in from all sides.

Uchiha Itachi's corpse still held some warmth. Blood slowly spread across the ground, reflecting Uchiha Yoru's pair of scarlet, indifferent eyes.

"You—think you're worthy?"

Uchiha Yoru slowly squeezed the eyes he held in his hand, his tone scornful and his face full of contempt.

With a wet pop, the eyes in his palm burst beneath Uchiha Yoru's grip.

"Heh... interesting. Very interesting."

The Masked Man chuckled, his voice low and eerie, as if Uchiha Itachi's death meant nothing to him. Yet his wariness had risen to its utmost.

Among the Uchiha Clan, Uchiha Itachi was the most outstanding genius the Masked Man had ever seen, apart from Uchiha Shisui. And now he had been killed by this obscure young man before him...

But that only made the boy worth recruiting.

Still, he was rather arrogant.

"Since that's the case... let me see what you're made of."

The Masked Man narrowed his eyes, killing intent spreading as he swiftly formed Hand Seals.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Scorching flames burst forth like an enraged dragon, surging and rolling as they instantly engulfed the area where Uchiha Yoru stood. The blaze soared into the sky, painting the night red.

Yet before the flames could reach him, a skeletal frame instantly formed around Uchiha Yoru, shielding him. The fireball struck Susanoo and stirred no more than a negligible ripple before vanishing into nothing.

The Masked Man's pupils contracted slightly, and his wariness rose another notch.

He had only meant to test Uchiha Yoru's condition. After all, the boy had just displayed a Perfect Susanoo that had left even him stunned, along with twenty Susanoo clones.

In Uchiha Obito's mind, even the real Uchiha Madara at the height of his power would have exhausted his chakra after using such strength, and might not even have been able to stand.

But the reality was that Uchiha Yoru showed no sign of fatigue. He had even dealt with the fire technique as if it were nothing?

"This brat's strength... is far more dangerous than I expected."

The expression beneath the mask darkened.

But in that case, he might as well show his hand.

"I am Uchiha Madara."

He spoke in a low voice, deliberately adding a note of mystery. Then he raised his head, his words carrying a hint of seduction. "Kid, interested in joining us?"

"The ideal of our Akatsuki is—"

Before he could finish, Uchiha Yoru's mouth suddenly curled into a smile, his indifference gradually turning to mockery.

He lowered his head and chuckled, then burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Hahahaha... You're called Uchiha Madara?"

Uchiha Yoru slowly raised his head, eyes full of amusement and the corners of his mouth slightly lifted. His tone was openly scornful.

"Then should I call myself... Uchiha Tajima?"

"..."

The Masked Man froze for a moment, seemingly unprepared for this reaction.

But before he could speak again, the smile vanished from Uchiha Yoru's face. His gaze turned as sharp as a blade, and his voice abruptly went cold.

"Uchiha Obito, what the hell are you pretending for?"

"?!"

The Masked Man's pupils contracted sharply.

When had his identity been exposed?!

Before he could react, a chill of killing intent came from behind him—

"Your turn."

Uchiha Yoru appeared behind the Masked Man like a ghost, his scarlet Sharingan already fixed on him.

Uchiha Yoru's arm passed straight through Uchiha Obito's body without the slightest resistance, as if he were no more than an illusion.

Seizing the opportunity, Uchiha Obito leaped back several steps, quickly opening up some distance as he warily watched Uchiha Yoru.

But Uchiha Yoru didn't stop. A half-body Susanoo formed in an instant, and its enormous hand came crashing down!

"Bam—!"

The ground exploded, sending dust flying, and a huge crater appeared where it struck.

But when the dust settled, Uchiha Obito was still standing there completely unharmed, as if the attack had never happened.

He tilted his head slightly, his tone calm and even a little disdainful. "Kid, your attacks don't work on me."

"This is the power of... Uchiha Madara!"

He deliberately emphasized the name "Uchiha Madara," as if to convince his opponent that he was the genuine article.

Uchiha Yoru only gave a cold laugh, unmoved by the show of bravado.

Uchiha Obito's "Kamui" was certainly troublesome...

Physical attacks couldn't touch him. He could turn intangible at any moment to avoid damage, making it almost an invincible ability.

But—

Invincible didn't mean without weaknesses!

Buzz—

Uchiha Yoru's Sharingan narrowed sharply. Its ocular power spread like a tide, and Susanoo formed once more, filling the air with a strange, oppressive force.

Uchiha Obito furrowed his brow. He sensed something amiss, but stayed calm. After all, in the face of "Kamui," every attack was futile.

But the next instant, his pupils contracted—

Susanoo blades surrounded him on every side!

Dozens of Susanoo afterimages appeared, crisscrossing to seal off every escape route. Even the sky above and ground below were completely covered!

At that moment, Uchiha Obito was experiencing firsthand what Uchiha Itachi had seen just moments ago!

But—

Buzz!

A black spatial vortex suddenly appeared and rapidly expanded, slowly swallowing Uchiha Obito's body. Without hesitation, he activated "Kamui," preparing to leave the battlefield entirely.

Uchiha Yoru's gaze darkened, but he didn't rush to stop him. At this critical moment, he spoke coldly:

"The time Nohara Rin died, you were a lot braver than you are now!"

Buzz!

The vortex abruptly stalled!

The smooth spatial distortion began flickering erratically, as if interfered with by some unknown force. For an instant, it seemed even time itself had frozen!

In that brief hesitation, Uchiha Yoru's Sharingan unleashed a powerful burst of ocular force. A massive mental assault slammed straight into Uchiha Obito's mind!

Boom!

Uchiha Obito's face suddenly turned deathly pale. His mind rang as countless fragmented images surged into it all at once:

—A battlefield drenched in blood. The moment Nohara Rin fell, he reached out helplessly, but couldn't touch her.

—In the darkness, Uchiha Madara watched him with cold indifference. His low voice echoed in Uchiha Obito's ear: "This world has long since rotted..."

—In the beautiful illusion of Infinite Tsukuyomi, Rin still stood before him, speaking softly: "Obito, let's go home..."

"Gah—!"

Uchiha Obito let out a muffled groan and staggered, but in the end, the vortex swallowed him completely, and he vanished from the battlefield.

Uchiha Yoru gazed silently in the direction where he had disappeared, his eyes cold and the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he murmured:

"You might get away this time, but next time... will you be able to escape me?"