The scene grew tense.
Neither Kiyosuke nor Obito could overpower the other, but Obito couldn't escape either. It was frustrating—especially since he also had to guard against Kotoamatsukami. If Kiyosuke used that, his chances of survival would be slim.
"This kid's ability is strange… it's a lot like Kiyosuke's," Jiraiya muttered, rubbing his chin.
"His body really is unusual. I've never seen anything like it," Fukasaku said, watching as Kiyosuke's attacks passed straight through Obito's body again and again.
"It's similar to that brat from Ryūchi Cave, but instead of turning his body into flame, he becomes intangible. If they keep fighting like this, nothing will come of it."
Kiyosuke and Obito's clash intensified. Kiyosuke hurled a kunai. The instant it passed through Obito's body, he lunged forward.
Bang!
This time, Obito had materialized—and Kiyosuke's punch sent him flying.
Obito twisted midair and landed steadily on his feet.
"As expected of you, Asakawa Kiyosuke. Your strength has grown again. You're practically a monster now."
"How could you say that about your old friend, Obito? That really hurts." Kiyosuke shook his head.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A clone appeared at his side, charging forward with him.
"A mere shadow clone? You think that can catch me? Ridiculous!" Obito cursed under his breath. Pain had already fled. If this dragged on, he'd only end up in greater danger.
He was unsettled. If Kiyosuke managed to seize Nagato's Rinnegan, things would spiral out of control. He knew better than anyone how shameless Kiyosuke could be.
If the Rinnegan were lost, then Madara's revival would be delayed. That couldn't be allowed.
But somehow, in just a few words, Kiyosuke had already sown mistrust between him and Pain. Everything Obito had worked for—ruined.
Damn it, this bastard!
There was no way to leave now. Against Asakawa Kiyosuke and Jiraiya together, he stood no chance. Coming here to save Pain only to be dragged down himself—what kind of sick joke was this?
Obito's chest tightened with frustration.
He turned sharply, sprinting toward a wall and phasing into it. But he hadn't gone far when a deafening boom sounded behind him.
Kiyosuke strode forward like a god descending from the heavens, talismans raining down around him. His smile was sharp, dangerous.
"Go on, run. I dare you. Let's see how far you can teleport."
"Damn you!"
Obito gritted his teeth—then froze when he saw Kiyosuke pluck out one of his own eyes and replace it with another Sharingan. His whole body trembled.
That scarlet Sharingan quickly adapted under the flood of Sage Chakra, its tomoe spinning and twisting into a four-pointed windmill.
A Mangekyō Sharingan rotated slowly in Kiyosuke's eye. Its gaze locked onto Obito, making every hair on his body stand on end.
I have to get out of here!
"Face judgment, Obito! Kotoamatsukami!"
Fueled by Kiyosuke's immense chakra, the cooldown had already reset. He unleashed it instantly.
Obito didn't dare stay—he tried to use Kamui to teleport away. But as the space-time vortex swallowed him, it also dragged in Kiyosuke's explosive tags.
The detonation blew apart his mask, revealing half of his scarred face.
Whenever he teleported, his body had to become tangible. At that moment, there was no way to avoid the attack.
"Damn it!"
Fury surged in him, but then a strange chakra burst through his mind. The false memories Madara had planted began to unravel.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"
Clutching his head, Obito screamed in agony.
Jiraiya rushed forward. "Kiyosuke, what's happening? Wait—your eye! Is that a Mangekyō Sharingan?!"
"That's right," Kiyosuke said calmly. "I dug it out of his socket earlier. He was under Madara's genjutsu, turned into his most loyal servant. I just broke that genjutsu."
To fight Kotoamatsukami, he had used Kotoamatsukami.
Obito's implanted false memories had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, and Madara had used Kotoamatsukami to turn him into his most faithful pawn.
Kiyosuke simply needed to cast it again—to overwrite the manipulation.
Truly, the terror of Kotoamatsukami was absolute. If Kiyosuke had been caught in it, he too would have been a puppet.
"My head—aaahhhhhh!!!"
Obito writhed on the ground, drenched in sweat as two conflicting forces tore at his mind.
Kiyosuke strode up and drove his fist into Obito's face, knocking him unconscious.
Hoisting him onto his shoulder, Kiyosuke said,
"Jiraiya-sama, Pain won't catch up now. And this—this is even better. With him, things just got much easier."
Jiraiya's mouth twitched. "And you're sure he'll help us after this?"
"He will. Without Madara's control, Obito's just like Naruto—a hot-blooded fool."
In a world where Rin had lived, Obito would have been that same passionate idiot, striving toward his dream of becoming Hokage.
But fate had dealt him cruelly. Under Madara's control, he'd been a pawn for years.
And because of that, he had caused the deaths of his teacher and teacher's wife.
"Then let's head back. Boss—we'll need your help."
Jiraiya released Sage Mode.
"It's nothing," Fukasaku said. "Jiraiya-boy, Kiyosuke-boy, do your best. The future of this world rests in your hands."
"Enough chatter, old man. I'm going back to cook dinner," Shima said brusquely before vanishing. Fukasaku followed shortly after.
Kiyosuke and Jiraiya wasted no more time. With Obito slung over Kiyosuke's shoulder, they made for Konoha.
...
Konoha Hospital
Rin, now head of the hospital, was busy at her desk as always. A photo sat nearby—Minato, Kakashi, Obito, and herself smiling in younger days.
Stretching her back, the white coat did little to hide her graceful curves. She glanced at the photo, sighing softly.
Obito… where are you?
Bang!
The door burst open. Kiyosuke strode in, Obito slung over his shoulder.
"Rin, emergency patient!"
She blinked at him, startled.
"What kind of way is that to carry someone? Kiyosuke, you're getting more reckless by the day!"
But when she saw who it was, her hands flew to her mouth.
"H-he… that's…"
"Yes. I'll leave him to you."
Kiyosuke dropped Obito unceremoniously into her arms. Rin panicked, nearly fumbling him.
"Be careful! What happened to Obito?"
"No idea. I'll need to call in some experts."
Since Kiyosuke had knocked him out, Obito hadn't woken once. Even in his sleep, he mumbled Rin's name over and over.
Even unconscious, the guy was hopelessly devoted. Jiraiya couldn't help but respect him for that.
Rin hurried him into a ward, while Kiyosuke sent word for Kakashi and Tsunade.
He also summoned Shisui from his covert ANBU post—after all, Kotoamatsukami was his dōjutsu, and he was the one who understood it best.