Obito's Sacrifice

The massive boulder collapsing from above left Obito no time to escape.

With all his strength, he threw Kakashi clear.

The boulder slammed down on Obito...

Dust billowed everywhere...

The brown-haired ninja, who had already escaped outside, sneered. "That intel was hard to come by, but it couldn't be helped."

"At least those little brats are finally dealt with."

The dust slowly settled.

Kakashi, who had been saved, opened his eyes in a daze...

Then, suddenly...

Rin Nohara and Kakashi heard a familiar, feeble voice. "Are you two all right, Rin, Kakashi...?"

Kakashi saw Obito lying on the ground ahead.

Half of Obito's body was pinned beneath the enormous boulder.

Kakashi rushed to his side in shock...

"Obito!" he cried in panic.

Rin Nohara saw Obito trapped beneath the boulder.

Her face filled with horror...

Kakashi strained to push the massive boulder off Obito.

No matter how hard he pushed, it would not budge.

Blood filling his mouth, Obito said weakly, "Don't waste your strength, Kakashi."

"I... don't think I'm going to make it."

"The right side of my body's been crushed. I can't even feel it."

At that moment, mournful music began playing from the screen in the sky...

Beside them, Rin Nohara stared at the scene, tears streaming down her face.

Kneeling before Obito, Kakashi spoke through his tears. "Damn it. Damn it!"

Kakashi collapsed to his knees, crying in anguish.

He clenched his fists and pounded the ground again and again.

His voice broke as he poured out his grief and frustration. "Damn it! Damn it all! Why? Why?"

"If I'd... if I'd listened to you from the start..."

"If we'd gone into the forest together to save Rin..."

"This never would've happened."

Kakashi clutched his head and knelt before Obito, sobbing as he blamed himself. "What kind of captain am I? What kind of Jonin?"

"What am I...?"

Behind him, a grief-stricken Rin Nohara came over.

She gently took Obito's hand and looked at him through her tears as he lay dying.

Rin's eyes brimmed with tears...

Then...

Obito seemed to remember something.

His feeble voice came again. "Oh, right, Kakashi. I almost forgot again."

"I'm the only one who hasn't given you a gift to celebrate becoming a Jonin."

"Kakashi, I kept wondering what I should give you."

"But now I finally know."

Kakashi and Rin Nohara looked at Obito in anguish.

Seeing their pain, Obito tried to comfort them. "It's all right. Don't worry."

"And this time, it won't be some useless burden."

His voice was weak but resolute. "I'm giving you my left Sharingan."

Rin Nohara and Kakashi stared at him in shock...

Obito explained weakly, "Don't worry about what anyone in the village says."

"You're an amazing Jonin. This is my gift to you."

"Please, take it."

"Rin, use your Medical Ninjutsu."

"Transplant my Sharingan, optic nerve and all, into Kakashi's left eye."

Rin Nohara nodded with difficulty, fighting back tears as she choked out, "Kakashi, come over here."

"Let's begin right away."

Kakashi hung his head in pain and did not move...

Obito struggled to speak again. "Kakashi, I'm... about to die."

"But I'll become your eye."

"I'll help you see the future."

Only after hearing that did Kakashi resolve to accept Obito's Sharingan.

Thinking he had finished off Kakashi and the others, the brown-haired ninja sat outside the collapsed cave, eating his lunch.

Then...

A sudden BOOM came from the collapsed cave...

Kakashi blasted through the rock overhead with Chidori.

The dust cleared...

Kakashi's left eye bore a Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and tear tracks still marked his face.

His eyes burned with hatred as he looked toward the brown-haired ninja eating in the distance.

"What a stubborn little pest," the ninja muttered.

"You're still alive."

"But a brat's a brat. What kind of Ninja cries?"

"Come on, crybaby. Let's settle this."

Just then...

The brown-haired ninja seemed to notice something. "That brat's completely different from before."

"And his left eye..."

Obito, whose left eye had just been removed, kept it shut as he spoke weakly. "Kakashi, I'm counting on you to protect Rin."

Kakashi drew the Chakra White Blade from his back. "I will, Obito."

Murder in his eyes, Kakashi charged the brown-haired ninja.

He gripped the blade and brought it down hard.

The ninja hurriedly drew his Dual Blades to block.

The Dual Blades clashed fiercely with the Chakra White Blade's short sword.

Then came a sudden...

Clang!

Kakashi's Chakra White Blade snapped in an instant...

Kakashi swiftly flung the broken blade...

Behind him.

His hands flew through a series of signs.

A great mass of lightning-nature chakra gathered in Kakashi's right hand.

The Chidori formed from that chakra rang with the cries of birds.

At that moment, Kakashi's Chidori was complete.

Its sound, like a thousand birds calling at once, struck fear into the brown-haired ninja ahead.

How is that possible? How can this brat have such a terrifying technique? he thought, his face contorting in terror.

Chidori in hand, Kakashi charged straight at him.

Without thinking further, the brown-haired ninja raised his Dual Blades.

He thrust them at the oncoming Kakashi.

The Dual Blades met Kakashi's Chidori.

The ninja's blades shattered instantly, and Kakashi's Chidori pierced straight through his chest.

The brown-haired ninja died at Kakashi's hand.

After finishing him, Kakashi climbed atop the rocks.

Kakashi looked down at Obito and Rin, who were still beneath the boulder.

He drew ragged breaths.

The mournful music began playing once more.

Obito struggled to speak. "Kakashi, get Rin out of here, now."

"Enemy reinforcements will be here any moment."

Rin Nohara gripped Obito's hand, weeping and unable to let go. "Obito..."

Obito forced her hand away with his left hand. "That's enough, Rin. Go."

Kakashi reached out to Rin Nohara and called in anguish, "Rin!"

Rin Nohara stood silent, her face twisted with pain.

She did not move.

Just then...

Several swift swishing sounds rang out...

More than a dozen Cloud Ninja appeared in the distance.

They formed hand signs in unison.

"Earth Release: Split Earth Palm!"

All of them slammed their hands against the ground.

Cracks instantly spread across the once-still earth.

The ground began collapsing, racing straight toward Kakashi and the others...

Seeing this, Kakashi cried out in panic, "Rin, take my hand!"

Rin Nohara fought back tears as she looked at Obito, still unable to move.

Obito summoned the last of his strength and roared, "Rin!"

Only then did Rin Nohara turn away, struggling against her grief.

Reluctantly, she reached for Kakashi's hand. He caught it and led her away without hesitation.

The collapsing rock swallowed Obito Uchiha in an instant...

In that final moment...

Obito remembered Kakashi, Rin, and all the times they had shared with everyone.

I'd only just managed to get along with that guy Kakashi.

And I never even told Rin how I felt.

I wish I could've stayed with everyone...

The screen in the sky froze.

It showed young Obito Uchiha buried beneath the rocks.

A line of words appeared beneath the young Obito's closed left eye.

I wish I could've stayed with everyone...

Note: The new book is out.

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