In order to prevent Hatake Kakashi's eye from being taken, Uchiha Fugaku had been sending Spore Clone No. 1 to monitor him.
When Hatake Kakashi was attacked, the first spore clone received the news and rushed over.
Upon arrival, he did not act immediately, instead choosing to hide and strike at the critical moment.
"Ugh—"
With black flames burning on his body, Uchiha Obito groaned in pain.
At the moment of attack, he had to deactivate Kamui's intangibility, and it was precisely then that he was struck.
The black flames were extremely vicious, clinging to his body like spikes lodged in his bones, making him feel as if he were being gnawed on by a million ants.
"Raikiri!"
Hatake Kakashi, nearly blinded by Uchiha Obito, recovered in time.
He seized the opportunity, and his lightning-wrapped right hand pierced Obito's chest, creating a large hole.
"Izanagi."
The transplanted ordinary Sharingan in Obito's left eye activated Izanagi. His figure vanished and reappeared a short distance away.
The black flames on his body disappeared, and the gaping wound closed up completely.
Behind his mask, Obito coldly stared at the person who had just attacked with black flames.
Seeing the Mangekyō Sharingan in that person's eyes, he immediately realized this was the one White Zetsu had mentioned as impersonating Uchiha Shisui.
But the ocular ability was different from Shisui's—it clearly wasn't him.
"Be careful. This guy's space-time jutsu lets him ignore attacks. It only deactivates at the moment he strikes!"
Hatake Kakashi, relieved by the timely reinforcement, gave a warning.
Even with his Kage-level strength, battling a Wood Release ninja was difficult.
Thankfully, help had arrived.
Of course, Kakashi knew the man before him wasn't the real Shisui.
As a former Anbu, he had fought alongside the real Uchiha Shisui several times, and the man's combat style now was different.
Still, even if this man wasn't Shisui, he was clearly an ally.
"I know," Spore Clone No. 1 replied with a nod.
He understood Obito's abilities even more thoroughly than Kakashi did.
Swish—
Obito closed in on him.
"Susanoo!"
Spore Clone No. 1 summoned an orange-red Susanoo, armed with the Yata Mirror in one hand and the Totsuka Blade in the other.
"It's useless."
Obito sneered.
To him, Susanoo was formidable, but not effective against his Kamui. He could phase through attacks and defenses alike.
Shua—
As Susanoo charged forward, the Yata Mirror in its left hand slammed into Obito.
Expecting to phase through it, Obito's mask-hidden face twisted in confusion as he was suddenly repelled, bones breaking from the impact as he flew backward.
"The intangibility... failed?! No—it was forcibly disrupted!"
Using Izanagi again, he quickly regenerated from the injuries and stared at the clone in disbelief.
Kamui, his "invincible" ability, had been countered.
"It worked!"
Inside Susanoo, Spore Clone No. 1 breathed a sigh of relief—his theory had been correct.
The Yata Mirror could adapt to attack attributes and nullify them. That included spatial techniques.
When Obito phased through it, the mirror had adapted to a spatial attribute, neutralizing Kamui's effect.
"That mirror... something's wrong with it."
Feeling unsettled, Obito activated Kamui again and charged—but this time toward Kakashi.
Dealing with the fake Shisui was too risky. Kakashi, by comparison, was far easier prey.
A sharp branch in his hand extended, aimed directly at Kakashi.
Swish—
Faced with Obito's near-unstoppable space-time attack, Kakashi had no choice but to dodge.
But escaping wasn't easy. The branch was about to pierce through Kakashi when—
"Totsuka Blade!"
From the gourd-shaped vessel in Susanoo's right hand, a fiery sword burst out, stabbing toward Obito.
Obito was forced to abandon his assault and reenter Kamui's void space.
Swish—
Spore Clone No. 1 followed up with another charge, slamming the Yata Mirror into Obito—but this time Obito dodged cleanly.
Though Spore Clone No. 1 had Kage-level strength thanks to his Mangekyō Sharingan, his physical speed was only at an elite jōnin's level—he couldn't match Obito's speed.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Clone No. 1 and Kakashi launched coordinated attacks. Their figures flashed rapidly as they engaged Obito.
Obito, having already learned his lesson, no longer took damage. He kept a careful distance and expertly evaded the mirror and blade.
Despite being outnumbered, Obito didn't fall behind—his combat prowess was overwhelming.
But neither did Clone No. 1 and Kakashi suffer setbacks.
Both were Kage-level shinobi, and the Yata Mirror limited Kamui's advantage, narrowing the power gap.
As time dragged on, it became clear—neither side could defeat the other.
"The eye stays with you... for now."
As Izanagi's time limit approached, Obito gave Kakashi one last glare.
A spiraling vortex opened, and he vanished.
Neither Clone No. 1 nor Kakashi could match Obito's instantaneous mobility.
They could only watch him leave.
"He's after the eye Obito gave me..." Kakashi muttered, grim-faced.
It was clear now that the Wood Release user had come specifically for that eye.
"A normal three-tomoe Sharingan wouldn't interest a Wood Release ninja... That means he knows this is a Mangekyō Sharingan!"
Kakashi was certain the intruder knew the truth.
Yet he had never publicly used Mangekyō powers—how could the enemy have known?
Spore Clone No. 1 glanced at Kakashi.
He knew the answer.
When Rin Nohara died, Obito's Sharingan had awakened into the Mangekyō. Since Kakashi bore Obito's eye, it evolved at the same time.
Obito, knowing this, naturally realized Kakashi had a Mangekyō—and so did those around him.
Still, without Fugaku's permission, Spore Clone No. 1 would not reveal this to Kakashi.
"Thank you... for today," Kakashi said sincerely.
"No need. As a fellow shinobi of Konoha, it's what I should do. Now that it's over, I'll take my leave."
Clone No. 1 turned and departed.
"Then I'll properly thank you another day."
Kakashi didn't insist on keeping him—his home was half-ruined from the earlier battle, unfit for guests.
(End of this chapter)