Seeing this, Minato Namikaze glanced toward Kakashi and prepared to use the Flying Thunder God Technique.
But Obito suddenly vanished.
Minato froze for an instant, then turned toward the dark figure that had been standing nearby.
He saw nothing there. Instinctively, he looked back at Kakashi and saw the dark figure burst from the ground and seize Kakashi's ankle.
The Masked Man appeared behind Kakashi at the same instant, pressing a dagger against his back.
Kakashi turned his head slightly. The man's Ninjutsu felt strangely familiar, even similar to his own.
His eyes widened in disbelief. "Obito?"
Kakashi's voice trembled faintly as he said it. He clearly did not want to believe it.
The Masked Man behind him faltered too. It had been a long time since he had heard anyone call him Obito.
Minato looked equally stunned. He could only stare at the man holding Kakashi hostage.
"You're Obito?" The disbelief in Minato's voice stung Obito.
His reply carried a trace of bitterness. "It's been a long time. Are you that shocked?"
As he spoke, the Masked Man raised his free hand and removed his mask.
The right half of his face still looked like Obito's, though he had clearly grown older.
But the left half had been destroyed and repaired with some kind of white substance.
Minato's brows drew tight. "Obito, why are you doing this?"
His voice was full of accusation.
Obito seemed to bristle at his tone. He gave a cold laugh. "You think you still have the right to speak to me like that? You owe me, and I'm here to collect!"
While Obito and Minato spoke, Kakashi kept his head lowered. It was hard to tell what he was thinking. Perhaps he still had not recovered from the shock of seeing Obito Uchiha again.