A Gift for Obito

When the Incomplete Ten-Tails began to awaken, when its nine half-open eyes simultaneously projected an aura beyond the mortal realm, when the entire battlefield was shrouded in a chaotic aura originating from the ancient God Tree — Neji knew that the moment he had waited for for three years had finally arrived.

His heart pounded violently in his chest, each beat like the resounding of a war drum. Blood flowed through his veins three times faster than usual, Chakra meridians burned slightly from extreme excitement. Yet, his face remained expressionless. Behind his specially made lenses, the pupils of his Byakugan were as calm as a deep, still pool, with only a barely perceptible flame of "desire" burning fiercely in its deepest recesses.

The plan has changed.

Naruto didn't fight, Sasuke didn't appear, Jiraiya died in battle, Mei Terumi perished. The Allied Forces' high-end combat power was as fragile as paper in front of Obito's Susanoo. The Incomplete Ten-Tails awakened earlier than expected, Obito clearly intended to become the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki now, taking a step into the legendary realm belonging to the Sage of Six Paths.

We can't wait any longer.

He couldn't wait for Naruto and Sasuke's protagonist aura to take effect, nor could he wait for the plot to follow the "original" trajectory. This world was no longer the Naruto World he remembered; Obito Susanoo, the Ten-Tails had awakened prematurely, and everything was out of control.

Then, he will take control.

Neji bowed slightly, his body maintaining that respectful posture, like that of the most loyal servant. His crimson robes fluttered slightly amidst the Chakra turbulence stirred up by the Ten-Tails' awakening, the crimson clouds embroidered on the hem like congealed blood, gleaming eerily in the gradually brightening morning light. His hands hung at his sides, his right hand's fingers unconsciously rubbing the inside of his sleeve—where a fragment of Flying Thunder God Kunai was sewn, the icy touch permeating the fabric, a reminder of his last resort.

"Lord Madara."

Neji spoke, his tone as humble, calm, and unwavering as when he was "sake." He even bowed slightly, lowering his posture even further, like a subject presenting a treasure to a king.

Obito stood two steps in front of him, his back to him, facing the nine half-open eyes of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path. He spread his arms, his black robe fluttering in the torrent of Chakra. His face behind the white mask was expressionless, but his smug aura, as if he had the whole world in his grasp, could be clearly felt even through the mask.

"Hmm?" Obito didn't turn around, only humming a syllable through his nose. His attention was completely focused on the golem, on the power that was about to belong to him, a power that transcended everything.

"Lord Orochimaru..." Neji paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully, "Actually, I've prepared a special gift as well. He said you'll definitely like it."

He said this in a low voice.

However, empowered by Chakra, it clearly permeated every corner within a radius of 500 meters amidst the eerie atmosphere of silence when the Ten-Tails awoke.

In the distance, the six members of the allied forces who had just reunited— Tsunade, Kakashi, A, Gaara, Kurotsuchi, Darui —heard it simultaneously. Tsunade's pupils contracted sharply, Kakashi's Sharingan spun faster, A clenched his fist, Gaara's sand moved without wind, and Kurotsuchi and Darui exchanged a solemn look.

Orochimaru.

That name was like a pebble thrown into a stagnant pond, creating ripples.

That missing-nin, one of the Sannin; that scientist who mastered forbidden techniques; that man who was supposed to die during Sasuke's revenge... he's still alive? And, he's connected to "alcohol"?

Obito finally turned around.

His movements were slow, with the composure of a king inquiring of his subject. His right eye behind the white mask—the ordinary eye that belonged to Obito Uchiha —fell on Neji, his gaze carrying a hint of amusement, a hint of curiosity, and a hint of... condescending scrutiny.

"Oh?" Obito's voice was devoid of emotion. "Orochimaru's gift? What could that snake hiding in the shadows possibly offer that I would 'absolutely love'?"

His words were full of contempt, but Neji could sense that Obito's attention had indeed been drawn.

Very good.

Neji remained bowed, slowly raising his left hand and reaching into his robes. His movements were slow and steady, without any unnecessary tremors, as if he were performing some kind of sacred ritual. When he withdrew his hand from his robes, he held a simple, unadorned black wooden box in his palm.

The box wasn't large, about the size of a palm, with a matte black lacquer finish, devoid of any patterns Chakra fluctuations. It lay quietly in Neji's palm, gleaming warmly in the morning light, as ordinary as a jewelry box you could buy at any roadside general store.

But this ordinary box made Neji's heart almost jump out of his throat.

Because it contains--

Shisui Uchiha, the Kotoamatsukami Crow.

The vessel of the strongest Genjutsu, the ultimate weapon capable of permanently altering the will of others without their knowledge. It was entrusted to Naruto by Itachi Uchiha before his death, but Naruto seized it amidst the chaos following Itachi and Sasuke's final battle. It is something that can only be used once and is powerful enough to change the entire course of the battle.

Neji held the box in both hands, stepped forward, and presented it to Obito. He lowered his head even further, his posture even more respectful, as if offering up some rare treasure.

"Lord Orochimaru says," Neji's voice became even more humble, "That this gift is crucial to the ultimate perfection of the Eye of the Moon Plan. Please... open it yourself."

Obito's gaze lingered on the box for three seconds.

Three seconds is nothing more than the time it takes to breathe for an ordinary person, but for Neji it felt like three centuries. Every nerve in his body was stretched to its limit, and his Byakugan was locked on every subtle movement of Obito —the curling of his fingers, the frequency of his breathing, the trajectory of his Chakra flow, and even the angle at which his eyes moved behind the mask.

He is evaluating.

Assess Obito's defenses, assess your own chances, and determine the perfect moment—a fraction of a second.

As Neji had predicted, Obito was indeed in a very good mood.

The Incomplete Ten-Tails has awakened, and the Chakra of all Nine Tailed Beasts has converged. Although the complete Nine-Tails is missing, the remaining Nine-Tails Chakra Attribute within the Kinkaku and Ginkaku Brothers are sufficient as a substitute. Becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, reaching the Six Paths Tier, activating the Eye of the Moon Plan, and creating a world with Rin—all of this is within reach.

At this moment, Orochimaru's "gift" is more like a form of submission, an acknowledgment of his power, his plans, and his impending status as the god of the new world.

Obito liked this feeling.

So he reached out, his pale fingers—the hand that belonged to Obito Uchiha, not Madara Uchiha —and gently placed them on the lid of the box.

But he didn't open it immediately.

Obito wasn't stupid. On the contrary, he was very intelligent and cautious. Seventeen years of infiltration and seventeen years of planning had made him accustomed to doubting everything and to remaining vigilant in every seemingly smooth moment.

His right eye was fixed on the box, while his Rinnegan moved slightly within his left eye socket, his pupil power already subtly activated. The repulsive field of Shinra Tensei enveloped him, the gravitational pull of Banshō Ten'in was ready to be activated at any moment, and his Hollowfication ability was in a semi-activated state—he could react within a thousandth of a second should anything in the box be unusual.

As for "alcohol"...

Obito's gaze shifted slightly, sweeping over Neji, who remained respectfully bowing.

This missing-nin from the Land of Hot Water joined Akatsuki was efficient and decisive, never questioning orders, and his execution ability even surpassed that of many veteran members. Pain once commented on him. "His loyalty may be questionable, but his ability is beyond doubt."

Doubtful loyalty.

Obito remembered those words.

However, since joining Akatsuki, "Sake" has never done anything suspicious. He has completed every mission perfectly, never pried into core secrets, and even just now he took the initiative to capture Kinkaku and Ginkaku, to complete the final Nine-Tails Chakra Attribute for him.

Moreover, "Sake" was standing right in front of him, less than a meter away. If he truly harbored ill intentions, Obito was absolutely confident that he could kill him instantly at this distance before he could even make a move.

So, Obito opened the box.

Click.

A soft, crisp snapping sound, like a spring opening.

The lid was flipped open, revealing the contents inside.

It's not poison, not a bomb, not any "dangerous item" in the conventional sense.

It's a Crow.

A lifelike, almost living, Crow specimen. Its feathers are pure black, gleaming with a dark sheen in the morning light, and its beak is dark red, like congealed blood. The Crow is huddled on the velvet at the bottom of the box, its eyes closed, as if it were asleep.

But what's most striking is its right eye.

That eye was open.

Not the eyes of birds, but the eyes of humans—no, the eyes of ninjas. In the scarlet pupils, windmill-shaped patterns slowly rotated, each Tomoe as clear as if it had just been gouged out of a living person's eye socket.

Mangekyō Sharingan

Shisui Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan.

Obito's breathing stopped for a moment.

For the first time, a genuine and uncontrollable change occurred in the expression on the face behind the mask. It wasn't from fear, nor from anger, but from shock—an extreme, mind-blowing shock.

He recognized the eye.

Shisui Uchiha, the genius known as "Body Flicker Shisui," the Kotoamatsukami who possessed the strongest Genjutsu Uchiha Clan, the ninja who "committed suicide" on the eve of the Uchiha Clan —how could his eyes be here? How could they be in Orochimaru's hands? How could they be...?

The brain is still processing this information, still analyzing its underlying meaning, still trying to understand the logic behind it all.

But the Kotoamatsukami don't need to be understood.

The windmill pattern on the Crow's open right eye suddenly began to spin faster.

Buzz--

A wave that transcended sound, Chakra, and all conventional perception spread from the Crow's eyes. It was not a physical impact; it was an interference that acted directly on the soul, on the will, and on "existence" itself.

Obito saw it.

No, it wasn't "seen," it was "stuffed in."

A memory, a will, a completely different perception, like the most violent scalpel, forcefully cut into his consciousness, into his soul, into the indestructible fortress of belief he had built over the past sixteen years with hatred, pain, and longing for Lin.

"Eye of the Moon Plan is a mistake."

"Infinite Tsukuyomi is a hoax."

"Lin wouldn't want to see a world like this."

"You should return to Konoha, apologize to Kakashi, repent to Minato-sensei, and... become a true Obito Uchiha."

Every word was like a red-hot branding iron, searing his soul.

"No--!!!"

Obito's roar exploded from the depths of his throat; it wasn't a sound, but a wailing cry as his soul was torn apart. He clutched his head with both hands, his face behind the mask contorted in extreme pain, veins bulging wildly on his forehead, neck, and arms. His body trembled uncontrollably, Chakra erupting from every pore like an out-of-control volcano, churning the surrounding air into turbulent currents.

Two wills were at war in his mind.

One is Obito Uchiha from the past seventeen years—the avenger who wants to destroy the world, create a new world, and resurrect Rin.

One is Kotoamatsukami "Obito Uchiha —the lost soul who wants to return to Konoha, repent for his sins, and become a "good person."

Both wills are "Obito Uchiha," possessing complete memories, emotions, and self-awareness. However, they made drastically different choices and had drastically different goals.

It's like a person's left and right hands fighting each other, or like a person's first and second halves of life being enemies.

Obito's mind was in complete chaos.

He stood there, clutching his head, his body trembling violently, uttering meaningless roars. The repulsive field of Shinra Tensei collapsed, the gravity of Banshō Ten'in dissipated, the ability to become intangible was released, and he even lost the most basic control over his Chakra. He was thus exposed to everyone's sight, completely defenseless, like the most vulnerable infant.

And at this moment—

Neji moved.

It wasn't Hand Seals, it wasn't Ninjutsu, and it didn't even use a single Chakra.

He used Taijutsu.

Pure to the extreme, pushing the body's potential to its limit, the most powerful inheritance from Konoha—

"Eight Gates, Seventh Gate, Gate of Wonder-- "

A low growl exploded from deep within his throat, not loud, but carrying a resolute determination that seemed to tear everything apart.

Open!

Boom--!!!

Blue waves of energy erupted from every pore of Neji's body. It wasn't the blue of Chakra, but a steam-blue mixture of sweat and body heat, produced by the rapid flow of blood, the extreme contraction of muscles, and the overloaded operation of cells. His skin instantly turned crimson, veins bulged on his body like writhing dragons, his hair stood on end, the surrounding air distorted due to the high temperature, and the ground beneath his feet cracked from being stomped on.

The Seventh Gate, the Gate of Wonder, opens.

Why not use Senjutsu? Why not use Dust Release? Why not use any Ninjutsu that requires Hand Seals Chakra Nature Transformation?

Because Obito's left eye is the Rinnegan.

Because the Rinnegan can absorb Ninjutsu, Senjutsu techniques, and all energy attacks that use Chakra as a carrier.

However, the Rinnegan cannot absorb Taijutsu.

The Eight Gates are pure physical power, a primal and violent physical attack that transcends the Chakra system.

Neji was not to kill Obito.

It's about kicking him away.

That's all.

Neji pulled his right leg back, arching his body like a full moon, compressing all his strength—the explosive power honed on the edge of life and death—into the toes of his right foot.

Then, kick it out.

This kick had no fancy moves, no techniques, only speed and power.

It was so fast that it exceeded the limits of visual capture.

It was so fast that the air was kicked apart, producing a sonic boom.

Almost Obito was still screaming, clutching his head, his mind still being torn apart by two conflicting wills, and his body still trembling uncontrollably—

Bang--!!!

A dull thud, like a giant hammer striking a sandbag.

Neji's right foot slammed into Obito's side. Not his heart, not his head, but his waist—the hub of Chakra pathways, the core of body balance, and one of the most vulnerable yet crucial parts of a ninja's body.

Obito's body turned into a blurry afterimage.

He didn't move on his own; he was kicked away.

Like a boulder launched by a catapult, like a leaf swept up by a storm, his body traced a straight, almost horizontal trajectory through the air, instantly covering a distance of a hundred meters before crashing heavily into a grove of trees in the distance.

Rumble--

Trees fell in swathes, dust billowed into the sky, and the shockwave from the impact leveled all vegetation within a 30-meter radius.

Neji, the instant he delivered that kick, had already turned, facing the ground, and roared with all his might:

"Lord Orochimaru --You may begin--!!!"

The sound, amplified by Chakra, resounded across the entire battlefield like a war horn.