Just Three Seconds, and Obito Will Kneel Before Me and Beg

The moment Retsuo's feet landed on Hokage Rock, he decided to spill the spoilers. Obito would be here any moment, and there wasn't much time left for him to reveal anything.

He had even thought through the difficult part of spilling spoilers. What could he say, and what could he not say? How could he make it clear to Minato that the newcomer was Obito without making Minato suspicious or think he was simply talking nonsense?

In short, as long as Minato knew that the Masked Man was actually his student Obito, things would definitely turn out very differently.

But Minato was fully focused on Flying Thunder God Guiding Thunder.

This was cutting-edge stuff. Even the slightest mistake would mean the two of them taking a Tailed Beast Bomb to the face, so Retsuo did not dare disturb him in the slightest.

But Obito came far too quickly!

Before Retsuo could even open his mouth, space had already begun to twist behind Minato.

Hearing the warning, Minato spun around sharply. He immediately saw the warped vortex of space and the black-robed Masked Man casually stepping out from it.

Minato's expression was grim, and his mood was even grimmer!

In fact, he had already exchanged a brief but intense clash with this mysterious man wearing a white mask with black patterns and a single eyehole. The opponent was absolutely a formidable enemy, yet Minato had never expected him to possess such advanced Space-Time Ninjutsu as well.

The difficulty level had multiplied!

Space-Time Ninjutsu was Minato's signature skill, the very art that had made his name renowned throughout the Shinobi World. His mastery was almost without equal. Yet at this moment, he was shocked to discover that the other man's Space-Time Ninjutsu was even more exquisite than his own, perhaps even surpassing Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage and Sea Release ninja who had created the Flying Thunder God Technique!

Techniques like spatial transfer were certainly worth taking seriously, but this ability to warp space filled him with an even greater sense of danger. Good thing he had seen it, or he would have suffered badly!

At that thought, Minato felt deeply grateful toward Retsuo.

His Taijutsu had reached the pinnacle. Almost at the same instant Retsuo warned him, he had already raised his kunai. His hand moved faster than his thoughts, stabbing precisely toward the enemy's head.

The instant Minato turned around, Retsuo continued to shout, "This man is my—"

Suddenly, scarlet light flashed in the single eye behind Obito's mask. Retsuo was like a chicken caught by the throat; just as he was about to say, "older brother Obito," his words were forcibly cut off.

Then, the kunai passed straight through Obito's intangible head and arm. Caught off guard, Minato Namikaze had his wrist grabbed by Obito.

"Your opponent is me. And besides, this ends here."

As Obito spoke in the voice of a scheming bastard, space began to twist under Kamui's control, along with Minato's body...

At that moment, Retsuo desperately wanted to change history.

Obito had completely lost his humanity. His mind was extremely twisted and deranged; his morals and emotions had all been buried alongside Rin Nohara. The Shinobi World produced no shortage of perverted ingrates, but the only ones comparable to him were Nagato Uzumaki and Itachi.

The moment Retsuo learned that he was Obito's younger brother, there was no longer any need to think about the Night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre. This identity was simply too outrageous. Obito was his Sword of Damocles, and so-called brotherly affection could not be considered at all.

So Minato, this massive thigh to cling to, absolutely could not fall! At present, the only person in the Shinobi World capable of restraining Obito was Minato, who also wielded Space-Time Ninjutsu. Even Nagato Uzumaki's Rinnegan could do nothing to Obito.

But all hope was paused after Obito casually glanced at him!

That glance did not even count as a proper Genjutsu.

Damn it! Why the hell did you freeze me in place?

I'm just a useless scrub, and you know it!

Shouldn't you just ignore me, you mud-eating idiot?

Pathetic! So pathetic it made his hair fall out...

Retsuo could neither speak nor move, but fortunately, he could still see and hear.

Minato decisively used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape before Kamui could fully unfold its power. Then, with a whoosh beside Retsuo's ear, he discovered in astonishment that Minato Namikaze had not flown elsewhere to regroup as in the Original Timeline. Instead, he landed beside him, kunai in hand and fully on guard!

Minato left a Flying Thunder God Mark on me? Good, good! Retsuo suddenly understood, and he was overjoyed at the same time. Change was happening!

Obito reacted just as quickly. The instant Minato teleported, he flicked his wrist, and chains flew from his sleeve, rattling as they looped toward where Minato had appeared.

"You fly so fast. Next time, I'll absorb you sooner."

Minato remained calm. Ignoring the chains wrapping around him, he rapidly fired seven or eight Flying Thunder God Kunai in every direction. Then, with a simple Flying Thunder God teleportation, he flashed to Retsuo's other side and swung his kunai to knock away the chains.

The clear sensation from the kunai, along with the clinking sounds, proved that the chains had indeed become solid. This was extremely important intelligence!

The Masked Man had suddenly turned intangible earlier, making his kunai strike nothing but air. It had truly startled him. If the opponent could remain intangible even while attacking, then there would be no way to fight him at all.

Minato took a step forward and stood in front of Retsuo. Of course, he knew Retsuo had been immobilized by the other man's dōjutsu, but there was no time to deal with it now. The mysterious man before him gave him pressure unlike anything he had ever felt, far beyond what the Fourth Raikage of Kumogakure and the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, that pair with nothing but brute strength, could compare to.

"You can use Space-Time Ninjutsu too? You used this technique to take Kushina away instantly as well, didn't you? Why are you targeting Konoha?"

Silence fell over Hokage Rock.

After a long while, Obito slightly raised his head.

It was a simple gesture, utterly arrogant.

He stood as casually as if chatting idly and said just as casually, "If you insist on an answer, it was both a whim and something I had planned for a long time. It is for war, and also for peace."

Minato treated him as a great enemy.

The Masked Man's answer was beyond his expectations, and it made him completely focus as a rapid analysis unfolded in his mind.

Meanwhile, Obito looked around without a care. His gaze swept across the formation of Flying Thunder God Kunai Minato had just set up, but he made no move at all, as though he had no desire to pull out those nails. Instead, he rattled his chains and asked curiously, "Aren't you going to try running away?"

As he spoke, his gaze shifted to Retsuo. He shook the chains with exaggerated gestures. "Ah, I see. Fresh green leaves have fallen to the ground, and the firelight cannot easily fade away. Otherwise, the new sprouts will be crushed by the raging wind. But this means you are restrained. All I need to do is make him my target."

Retsuo cursed inwardly, Let me speak if you've got the guts! Let's see whether Minato kills you after I use Talk no Jutsu!

Unfortunately, he could only think it. He was still struggling against his own body, as though suffering sleep paralysis. His mind was clear, but he could not move for the time being.

Trying to turn things around with the Sharingan was impossible as well. There was Chakra in his body, but Obito's dōjutsu had pinned him down, leaving his Chakra completely unable to circulate.

Minato Namikaze said expressionlessly, "You're right."

Obito raised his left hand, clenched it into a fist, and held it before him. "No, I'm not right. To you, subordinates can be discarded at any time. If I thought that way, I would give you the chance to defeat me. You are the most cunning man in the entire Shinobi World."

Minato glared at him. "You are no minor figure. You are Uchiha Madara! No... impossible. He died long ago."

"That is hard to say. Who knows? In any case, the Nine-Tails has now been released. Your opponent is me, and Konoha's opponent is the Nine-Tails. You have no chance of victory!"

As he spoke, Minato lowered his center of gravity. The next instant, he activated the Body Flicker Technique and darted forward. Obito sneered as he looked at the Flying Thunder God Kunai embedded in the ground around them. He did not recklessly move about. Instead, he pulled at his chains and waited amid their rattling for Minato to walk into his trap.

But Minato did not charge straight in. In the midst of cutting in along an arc, he suddenly flashed.

Using the scattered Flying Thunder God Kunai formation, his figure teleported continuously. His repositioning and attacks alternated at an astonishing speed. It was as if one-third of Minato remained on the left while two-thirds had already appeared behind Obito. The clanging of their exchanges never ceased.

Could this be the legendary Flying Thunder God Slash?

No blockbuster or special effect could match this level of shock. It was unfolding before Retsuo's eyes at close range.

This is true transcendent power. I have to learn it! Then I'll punch Madara and kick Obito around. If I ever have a son, he should be like Minato... Wait?

Why had these two reached a stalemate? And why was Obito not at a disadvantage at all?

Retsuo suddenly froze.

During the fierce battle, Obito did not frequently turn intangible. Instead, he rhythmically swung his arms, making the chains dance through the air. He looked completely at ease, as if Minato's Flying Thunder God Slash was entirely within his calculations.

But shouldn't this battle have ended with Minato using his superb combat intelligence to unleash a full combo—Flying Thunder God Second Stage plus Rasengan—and teach Obito a lesson in one burst?

This isn't what I wanted to change! Where is your Flying Thunder God Second Stage, Minato? Where is that huge Rasengan? What I wanted to change was the ending—I wanted to stop Obito from getting away! Ah—

Retsuo suddenly felt anxious. He realized that he was merely a rookie. Even with the Sharingan, he probably did not have the combat strength of a Chūnin. He could neither beat Madara nor kick Obito around, and his so-called plan was unbelievably fragile.

The only reason he had been confident was because he knew the future and had his heavenly foresight, thinking, I can turn this around.

Now that change had truly come, it had taken away his foresight instead...

Retsuo did not even know whether this change was for the better.

He had no choice but to observe the battle anew with the abilities of a reserve ninja, gathering intelligence all over again. The finest education the Uchiha Clan had given him over the past year was all being put to use now.

The situation on the battlefield had already become dire!

Although Minato maintained an unceasing offensive, he was extremely cautious with every move, and his astonishment was obvious. He still appeared to hold the initiative, but the frequency of his flashes was steadily dropping while the frequency of direct exchanges rapidly rose. That meant he needed to conserve Chakra. Minato possessed an enormous amount of Chakra, but the Flying Thunder God Slash was too mana-intensive despite its tremendous power!

In contrast, Obito calmly tangled with Minato. At times, he let out the sinister chuckle of a scheming bastard; at others, he suddenly became intangible and allowed Minato's kunai to pass through empty air.

Even someone as weak as Retsuo could tell that Obito was waiting for an opportunity and deliberately holding back.

Yet he kept feinting toward Retsuo, forcing Minato to spare attention to protect him.

That earned another mocking remark from Obito. "Fourth Hokage, are you still hoping I will pull out your Flying Thunder God Kunai? Such an opportunity exists only in your fantasies."

Minato Namikaze's gaze was sharp. "No. The final victory will be decided by one strike, not by how many kunai are on the battlefield."

Obito sneered. "It seems the Nine-Tails has not caused enough destruction."

Retsuo thought, What are you sneering for, damn it? Minato, you don't need to protect me! Does Obito even dare fight me? If he does, I only need three seconds to make him kneel before me—

And beg me not to kill him!

But if this continued, Minato would be in danger.

Retsuo did not doubt Minato's combat intelligence in the slightest, but Minato was severely lacking spoilers!

And he had set up a kunai formation all around them.

There was nothing wrong with the tactic itself. It was Minato's well-practiced routine, but it meant Obito did not charge in headlong—because even a fool with an IQ of two knew to guard against Flying Thunder God Slash.

As a result, Flying Thunder God Slash was ineffective, and Minato could no longer find an opportunity to use Flying Thunder God Second Stage...

As for Obito, he still had two tremendous trump cards: Mangekyo-level Genjutsu and genuine Wood Release. His Wood Release was not the Great Forest Technique or Four Pillars House.

Why had Minato lost the chance to use his techniques? Retsuo knew. It was because of him—because of the change his appearance had caused.

At this rate, forget stopping Obito from escaping. Minato might even be killed in reverse by Obito. What use would spoilers be then...

An intense resentment swelled within Retsuo's chest. He wanted to do something, but even if he broke free from the immobilization now, what could he do? Talk no Jutsu would only work if Minato defeated Obito first. Even if Minato knew the Masked Man was Obito, what good would it do if he could not beat him?

So I was the clown all along?

No! I can do it! There was still one thing my Talk no Jutsu could accomplish!

Turn it around! Turn it around!

A flash of inspiration struck Retsuo.

Almost at the same time, he felt a change occurring inside his body!

Empowered by Indra's bloodline, his endless resentment transformed into Yin Release Chakra and surged through his meridians toward his head. In an instant, the Chakra veins in his throat throbbed, repeatedly striking against Obito's dōjutsu.

Obito's dōjutsu was like an icy hand strangling his breath.

Retsuo forced his head upward.

He could move!

At that moment, nothing else mattered. He only wanted to raise his head! As his neck loosened, what appeared in his mind was unexpectedly the Four Uchiha Laughing Madmen—the scene he had seen just before crossing over, four lunatics each throwing back their heads in wild laughter.

"Ha ha ha—ha ha ha—"

In the middle of their fierce battle, Minato and Obito simultaneously heard Retsuo's rhythmic manic laughter. Obito was instantly incredulous. How could this Earth Pig Retsuo break through his control?

Impossible, right? That couldn't be—

Retsuo could speak now, that much was true. But at the crucial moment, he suddenly realized a serious problem—if he shouted, "He's my brother Obito," Minato might not react in time, but Obito would definitely be extremely sensitive to it, and then Obito would kill him in one move!

What kind of bullshit would that be? He had to change tactics!

Retsuo recited with the most sincere emotion, "I am Uchiha Retsuo, younger brother of Konoha's hero Obito. I cannot be a burden and hold Teacher Minato back!"

"For the village I love, I am willing to end my own life here on Hokage Rock."

"Wherever the firelight shines, Konoha dances in the wind. Farewell—ha ha ha—ha ha ha—"

Uchiha Obito slowly produced a ?