"The technique used to bring you back is called Impure World Reincarnation. It's a forbidden jutsu created by the Second Hokage," said Aoba, continuing his explanation.
"But the Impure World Reincarnation can't truly bring someone back to life. So, in essence, you're still dead."
Kushina couldn't help lowering her head, looking at her own hands. There were faint lines across them, like cracks.
No wonder she had felt something strange earlier. She had been so overwhelmed with emotion, but not a single tear had come out. So it wasn't real resurrection after all.
"How long can we exist like this?", Kushina asked nervously, looking at Aoba.
Aoba glanced over at Tsunade.
"Why are you looking at me?", Tsunade frowned.
"Tsunade-nee?", Kushina blinked, confused.
"Ahem! If the teacher agrees, you can exist for a very long time," Aoba whispered.
"...", Tsunade was speechless. Her original plan was to have Aoba end the Impure World Reincarnation once the situation with Uchiha Obito was resolved.
But now, looking at Kushina and Naruto's expectant faces…
'Isn't this just pushing me into being the villain?'
'What an inconsiderate brat.'
Tsunade shot Aoba another glare before saying, "You can't let anyone else in the village know about your existence."
Bringing the dead back to life, it was far too unbelievable. And besides, everyone carried regrets in their hearts. If people found out that such a method existed, the whole village would descend into chaos.
"I understand," Kushina exhaled deeply. She looked toward Naruto, she truly wanted to spend more time with her son.
"Thank you, Aoba, and you too, Tsunade-nee."
Kushina spoke her thanks sincerely. She was truly grateful to Aoba for giving her and Naruto this rare chance to reunite as a family.
Aoba smiled. "No need to thank me. Reviving you wasn't just to make up for Naruto's regret, we also wanted you to know the truth."
"The truth?"
Kushina blinked, puzzled.
"It's about the Nine-Tails attack…"
Kushina's expression froze slightly, her face turning solemn.
"Speaking of that, there's something I should tell you," she said, "Back then, there was a man wearing a mask who controlled the Nine-Tails and made it attack the village."
Having calmed down from her earlier joy, Kushina remembered that this was a very important matter.
"That bastard took advantage of me giving birth to Naruto, snuck into the village, almost killed Naruto, and released the Nine-Tails from my body."
As she spoke, Kushina's face darkened. That masked man was the reason she had been separated from her son.
She hated him with every fiber of her being.
"You know who that masked man was, right?", Aoba said slowly.
Kushina shook her head, then noticed something in his tone, "Wait… you mean, you already know who the real culprit is?"
"The Third Hokage also died at his hands."
Aoba nodded, "And… he had a deep connection with both of you."
"What?"
Kushina and Rin Nohara both froze.
Especially Rin, she was just an ordinary chunin. How could she possibly be connected to someone who killed Teacher Minato and the Third Hokage, and released a tailed beast in the village?
"Let's take a look at the culprit first."
Aoba took out another scroll, the same kind Tsunade had used earlier.
After opening it, he immediately summoned Uchiha Obito.
"This is…"
Both women instinctively took a step back at the sudden appearance of Uchiha Obito.
Mainly because Obito's current appearance was utterly terrifying.
Having been trapped in genjutsu for so long, his body was thin and withered, his face twisted, and much of his body was wrapped in a strange white substance.
He looked like a ghost straight out of a nightmare.
For two women seeing that suddenly, being startled was perfectly normal.
"Why… why does he look kind of familiar?"
Kushina studied him carefully. After all, this was her greatest enemy, she had to know his face.
But as she looked closer, she couldn't shake the feeling that he seemed strangely familiar.
Rin felt the same.
Neither of them could connect this horrifying figure to Uchiha Obito.
After all, in their knowledge, Obito had long been dead.
Besides, how could Obito possibly have done something this monstrous?
At that moment, Aoba released the genjutsu seal on Uchiha Obito.
Obito slowly opened his eyelids, revealing a pair of bloodshot eyes.
These were normal eyes, replacements Aoba had given him.
And the instant Obito opened them, he immediately noticed the person standing before him.
"Aoba! Aoba!"
At the very first sight of him, Uchiha Obito let out a hoarse, maddened roar.
'This bastard, he dared to cast that kind of genjutsu on me!'
'Forced me to watch, over and over again, to watch Rin, right in front of me…' [T/N: N! T! R!]
It could be said that, if the Obito of the past hated the shinobi world that caused Rin's death most of all, the current Obito hated Aoba even more.
If sacrificing his life could kill Aoba, he would do it without hesitation. As long as Aoba died.
To be honest, Aoba hadn't expected him to be this insane after breaking free of the genjutsu.
The genjutsu he'd used was merely the simplest Naraka Vision Technique, only amplified through the power of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, which was why Obito couldn't resist it.
That jutsu made the victim relive their deepest fears.
It seemed Obito had truly seen something horrifying.
The others were also slightly shocked by Obito's crazed state.
"Aoba! I'll kill you!"
Still half-lying on the ground, Obito suddenly burst upward with insane strength, lunging toward Aoba with both hands outstretched.
Of course, such an attack couldn't possibly harm Aoba.
Even so, Aoba took a small step back, shielding Rin behind him.
Rin was startled, thinking she was being used as a shield, but the moment Obito lunged close, he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks.
"Rin?"
Even though the face before him was marred with cracks, even though he had been tortured endlessly in illusionary worlds. How could Uchiha Obito ever fail to recognize the girl he'd loved and longed for all these years?
"That bastard Aoba… he really went and did this…"
Rin, however, was stunned. The man before her looked as if he knew her deeply.
"Um… who are you?", Rin asked timidly, instinctively stepping back, fear in her voice, "I don't think I know you."
Thud!
Obito froze on the spot, staring at Rin in shock.
The hand he had reached out with trembled violently, his eyes filled with disbelief.
In that instant… his heart completely died.
═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═
[email protected]/AmbitiousTranslator
🥳Joining P@treon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰 You can access upto 20 advance chapter through P@treon.