The Great Schemer, Black Zetsu Appears

Obito's eyes burned with a raging fire as he stared fixedly at Shi Xiu, as if he intended to swallow him whole.

The current situation was undoubtedly extremely unfavorable for Obito.

Just at this critical juncture, a graceful figure darted over like a bolt of lightning—it was Rin.

Rin lunged toward Obito without a moment's hesitation, her speed truly astonishing.

Obito instinctively raised the long blade in his hand to defend himself, but when he realized the person rushing toward him was Rin, his heart jolted, and he forcibly suppressed the urge to swing the sword.

Rin reached Obito in a flash and, without the slightest hesitation, threw her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Pressing her beautiful face against Obito's chest, Rin spoke with earnest sincerity.

"Obito, don't keep going down this path! Come back with us, let's go home together!"

Rin's voice trembled slightly, filled with concern and worry for him.

In truth, through the words Obito had just spoken, Rin had gradually realized that the reason he had become the man he was today was likely tied closely to her.

Therefore, even though she knew the move was fraught with danger, she rushed forward without looking back, because she trusted Obito and truly wanted to persuade him to turn back.

Sure enough, when Obito heard these heartfelt words from Rin, a flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, which had previously been filled with killing intent.

At that moment, as Obito looked at Rin holding him, her words, "let's go home together," echoed repeatedly in his mind.

Watching this scene from the side, Shi Xiu couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion, and he couldn't resist thinking to himself.

Truly, the one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it! In the original story, Naruto spent dozens of episodes trying to persuade Obito with earnest words, yet failed to shake him at all.

Who would have thought that Rin could make Obito waver with just a few short sentences?

At the same time, Kushina slowly walked forward. A gentle smile graced her face as she pulled Obito into a hug and said softly, "Obito, you good boy, don't keep making mistakes."

Seeing Rin and Kushina both step forward to persuade Obito from a distance, Minato's footsteps also began to move forward slowly.

As Minato drew closer, a look of unmistakable guilt flickered in his eyes.

Finally, Minato stood before Obito and apologized with sincere, heartfelt words: "Obito, I am truly sorry!"

Witnessing this, Shi Xiu realized that he no longer needed to intervene in the matter.

Consequently, Shi Xiu simply sat down on the ground, wrapped his arms around his knees, and watched the scene unfolding before him with great interest.

Obito's gaze shifted back and forth between Rin and the Minato and Kushina he had once killed with his own hands, his heart filled with conflict and struggle.

Obito's eyes finally settled on Minato, and he asked in a slightly hoarse, strained voice, "Sensei... do you not blame me at all?"

Minato gazed at Obito in silence, raised his hand to pat his shoulder gently, and then let out a deep sigh.

He then spoke slowly, as if pouring out words he had kept buried in his heart for a long time: "I know this matter cannot be blamed entirely on you. As the teacher of Team 7, I failed to protect my students; and as the Hokage of Konoha, I failed to fulfill my duty to protect the village..."

At this point, Minato lowered his head slightly and fell silent for a moment, as if recalling those painful memories.

After a brief pause, he looked up again, a warm and gentle smile blooming on his face as he continued.

"But what brings me comfort is that you, Obito, are still alive in this world! To me, that is the best news of all!"

As Minato's words reached Obito's ears, the emotions he had been suppressing deep within his heart surged forth like a bursting dam.

The cold, resolute mask that Obito usually wore finally shattered completely.

Two lines of clear tears flowed uncontrollably down from his Sharingan and Rinnegan, as if to vent all the pain and regret he had endured for years.

Seeing this man—once so familiar yet now so strange—lose his composure, a sense of pity welled up in Kushina and Rin.

The two women reached out without hesitation to gently wipe the tears from Obito's cheeks.

Kushina, like a loving mother, stroked Obito's hair, attempting to offer him some comfort.

Obito hugged Kushina tightly and began to sob loudly, repeating the same guilt-ridden words over and over.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry!" Every word struck the hearts of everyone present like a heavy hammer.

Watching from the side, Shi Xiu sighed to himself, "Even the Kamui cannot hide these tears now."

However, at that very moment, Shi Xiu suddenly sensed an unusual aura.

Shi Xiu frowned slightly, his sharp gaze sweeping toward the ceiling above. Without warning, he stood up and roared at the ceiling, "Get out here!"

Shi Xiu's sudden shout exploded in the room like a thunderclap.

Obito and the others jumped in shock, and the warm, touching atmosphere vanished in an instant.

They looked at Shi Xiu in astonishment, not understanding why he had such an extreme reaction.

Shi Xiu flashed forward, leaped high into the air, and threw a punch, striking the ceiling with immense force.

With a deafening boom, the ceiling shattered into countless pieces, raining down in a cloud of dust and debris.

At the same time, a black, amorphous mass fell from the broken ceiling.

"Black Zetsu!" Obito exclaimed, looking at the wriggling black mass on the floor in surprise.

Seeing that he had been exposed, Black Zetsu stopped hiding.

With a ferocious expression, Black Zetsu shrieked, "Obito, you ungrateful wretch, how dare you betray the great Madara!"

Hearing this, the corners of Shi Xiu's mouth curled up into a sneer of disdain.

Shi Xiu suddenly raised his foot and stomped down onto Black Zetsu's body with all his might.

"Heh, 'the great Lord Madara,' indeed. You truly are the number one schemer, bar none!" Shi Xiu sneered, his gaze burning as he stared straight down at Black Zetsu beneath his foot.

Black Zetsu was sent reeling by the sudden kick, his senses scrambled to the point where he couldn't even gather his thoughts.

Just as he managed to regain a shred of clarity, he heard Shi Xiu's mocking words, causing his heart to skip a beat as a vague, ominous premonition rose within him.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" Black Zetsu gritted his teeth, demanding an answer while enduring the pain in his body.

However, Shi Xiu acted as if he hadn't heard the question, continuing to speak at his own pace: "Black Zetsu, a fragment of chakra split off when Kaguya Otsutsuki was sealed a thousand years ago. To break the seal and resurrect your 'mother,' Princess Kaguya, you tampered with the stone tablet left behind by the Sage of Six Paths."

With every word Shi Xiu spoke, the look of terror on Black Zetsu's face deepened; when he heard the mention of Princess Kaguya, he roared, "Shut up!"

Ignoring Black Zetsu's impotent rage, Shi Xiu continued, "You tricked Madara Uchiha into gathering the Tailed Beasts to summon the Ten-Tails, manipulating him into launching the Infinite Tsukuyomi to resurrect Kaguya."

Hearing Shi Xiu lay out his origins and true purpose so clearly, Black Zetsu's spirit instantly withered.

He simply could not fathom how this person knew so much.

At this moment, Obito and the others were all struck with shock upon hearing Shi Xiu's words and seeing the expression on Black Zetsu's face.