The three tomoe in Obito's eyes spun wildly as he tried to drag his opponent into an endless illusion.
Ever since awakening his Sharingan, this technique had never failed him.
Anyone caught in his genjutsu had ultimately fallen beneath the power of these eyes.
Yes—no one was an exception before the Sharingan.
Even against a Kage-level shinobi, he was confident he could end the battle.
And now, it was time to claim his victory…
But just as Obito raised his kunai to finish his opponent, a sharp snap suddenly rang out.
Tobi's right hand abruptly grabbed the arm holding the kunai.
"You… How is this possible?!"
Tobi's voice was cold as ice. "There's nothing impossible about it."
"BOOM—!!"
Wood Release erupted with full force.
…
"Uzuki-senpai… the enemy… is very cunning…" One of the Konoha ANBU clutched his badly wounded abdomen as he spoke with difficulty.
"Don't talk." Shimizu Uzuki let out a quiet sigh. He had only arrived slightly late, yet the casualties here were already severe.
If Madara remained determined to continue this kind of guerrilla warfare, then within minutes—before Konoha's main force arrived—the ANBU here would all become easy targets for him.
"Since when did even you start hiding in the shadows like a coward?" Shimizu shouted into the steam-filled surroundings. "Relying on nothing but cheap sneak attacks?"
"Heh… that kind of provocation won't work on me."
"Really?" Because his sensory perception was being heavily disrupted, Shimizu could only try to determine Madara's location through the chaotic sounds of the battlefield. "Then it seems that with time, you didn't just lose your strength—you also lost your pride and dignity. There was a time when you looked down on the rats lurking in darkness…"
"And now you've actually become one of them."
"I used to think you were still the man who stood above the world… a shinobi worthy of respect."
"Seems I was wrong." Shimizu let out a heavy sigh.
"Sharp tongue." Madara's figure slowly emerged from the shadows.
It worked.
"I've lived long enough that life and death no longer matter to me." The middle-aged man also wore a white mask as he spoke calmly. "Pride and dignity were discarded long ago as well."
Then what exactly is this sudden honest appearance supposed to mean? Did your legs come to a different conclusion than your brain?
"This body only has a single obsession left."
Madara slowly extended a hand toward Shimizu.
"So, Shimizu Uzuki… my offer still stands."
Even Shimizu's toes knew what Madara was about to say. He cut him off immediately.
"Sorry. Not interested."
Yet just as Shimizu expected Madara to launch a direct attack, the man suddenly stopped moving again.
What is he planning now?
"Heh… Shimizu, don't reject me so quickly. When did I ever say I blamed you?"
What does that mean?
Still, since the battle had not resumed, Shimizu quietly checked the time again. If he could stall for another five minutes, hundreds of Konoha shinobi would arrive.
In that case, he might as well keep talking and drag things out.
"As long as you continue working for me… I can let the past go."
Shimizu sneered. "That's a pretty filthy accusation. Since when have I ever worked with you?"
But beneath his calm exterior, his thoughts were already in turmoil.
"U-Uzuki-senpai?!" The ANBU captain stared in shock. Anyone could hear the implication hidden in the intruder's words.
"Don't fall for his attempt to sow discord," Shimizu said steadily.
"Yes, sir!!"
"Heh, come to think of it, I should thank you." Madara's tone sounded extremely sincere. "Without the intelligence you provided, how could I have successfully ambushed Jiraiya?"
"!!"
If this continued, Madara would keep throwing out one accusation after another.
The moment Shimizu prepared to make his move, Madara's figure suddenly began turning transparent.
And then his own body—
Just like before, he completely lost control over it. He couldn't even make a sound.
It was as though his soul had been stripped away, severing his control over his own body entirely.
When had he fallen under the Mangekyō Sharingan's genjutsu?!
Damn it… move!!
"I still remember your answer last time," Madara's voice echoed from all directions. "You said you needed more time to think."
"So after thinking for this long… what's your answer now?"
Shimizu frantically pushed his chakra to its limits, desperately trying to regain control of his body.
"Or are you worried that Konoha might discover the truth?"
"That's a trivial problem. As long as you and I join forces, we can simply kill everyone here who gets in our way."
"And once they're dead… who would possibly know your secret?"
After hearing words like those, how many people could truly remain unaffected?
The ANBU captain could no longer stay silent. In a low voice, he asked, "Uzuki-senpai, should we attack?"
They might not know the enemy's exact location, but with so many shinobi present, surely they could force him out eventually.
Yet no answer came.
Shimizu still stood at the very front of the group, motionless and silent.
"In that case, Shimizu… what are you still hesitating for?"
"Come."
"Kill them."
At that exact moment, chakra burst violently from Shimizu's body as he finally regained control over himself.
The sudden surge caused him to lurch forward instinctively before he abruptly stopped himself.
But combined with Madara's words, that brief movement looked almost like a response to Madara's provocation.
A strange feeling immediately rose in Shimizu's chest.
At last, the steam surrounding the battlefield began to disperse, and his sensory perception finally recovered enough to scan the area clearly again. However, Madara had already disappeared.
Shimizu slowly turned around.
As expected, every Konoha shinobi present looked unsettled by his sudden movement just now. Some were even visibly tense.
"…Sigh."
Shimizu let out a quiet breath.
His strange reaction moments ago, combined with Madara's deliberate accusations…
Ordinary shinobi might not have been so sensitive to it, but these people were ANBU. They lived in a world filled with deception, suspicion, and hidden agendas. On top of that, none of them were his close friends or former comrades.
Their reaction was hardly surprising.
After all, suspicion was like a seed. Once planted, it would eventually take root.
"Senpai… you…" The ANBU captain started to speak, but Shimizu interrupted him before he could continue.
"It's over. The intruder has already left."
Within his sensory range, Madara was retreating at top speed. Tobi had also fled alongside him.
At the same time, large numbers of Konoha shinobi were rapidly approaching the battlefield.
Clearly, they also understood that they could no longer remain in Konoha for long.
And Obito…
Soon, a white-haired boy wearing a mask entered Shimizu's field of vision. He walked toward them slowly, carrying an unconscious Obito on his back.
"Kakashi."
"Uzuki-senpai…" Kakashi carefully lowered Obito onto the ground.
"How is he?"
"There's no danger to his life," Kakashi replied softly.
That's good…
By now, more and more Konoha shinobi had gathered at the scene. Even the Third Hokage himself had been alarmed by the incident.
Shimizu had no time to worry about how Kakashi felt seeing his former teammate again after all this time. After Madara casually walked away, the mess left behind was enormous.
Dozens of people had heard Madara's earlier accusations. If those words spread, anyone with ulterior motives could easily use them to stir up trouble.
And on top of that, news of Jiraiya's serious injuries would likely leak out as well.
The moment that thought crossed his mind, Shimizu immediately walked toward the Third Hokage…