Phew! In the dead of night, a swirling vortex suddenly appeared above the dimly lit streets of Konoha Village. Emerging from it was Obito, now fully clad in black and blending seamlessly into the shadows. Beneath his hood, he wore a new orange mask etched with black spirals.
In the two holes of the mask, his Sharingan glowed faintly in the darkness.
"Finally... here we are," Obito murmured.
Before him stood the familiar wooden sign: Ichiraku Ramen.
He lifted the bamboo curtain and stepped inside.
"Welcome!" came a warm voice.
Behind the counter, a younger Teuchi, the owner of Ichiraku Ramen, stood smiling. He was in his prime, his face unlined by age. Beside him, a baby calamus—his daughter—slept quietly in a stroller.
"One large bowl of tonkotsu broth ramen," Obito said, choosing the farthest seat on the right, the one closest to the wall.
He was alone tonight. A Fei wasn't with him—Obito didn't want his constant chatter about defecation ruining his appetite.
Teuchi got to work. He filled a bowl with rich pork bone broth, added ramen noodles with a slotted spoon, topped it with chopped green onions and red ginger, and placed the fragrant bowl in front of Obito.
"Here you go, customer—your tonkotsu ramen."
Obito gave a small nod.
The aroma was intoxicating. He removed his mask and set it aside, then opened his chopsticks and leaned forward to eat.
The noodles were springy and flavorful, the broth thick and mellow.
Incredible, Obito thought, savoring every bite. It was ten times better than any ramen he'd eaten in his previous life. Once he started, he couldn't stop.
Just as he was finishing his bowl, two figures stepped inside the shop, pushing past the curtain. It was none other than Might Guy and... Kakashi Hatake.
Guy, as always, wore his iconic green jumpsuit. Kakashi sat beside him in his usual navy attire, his left eye now covered with a blank black eyepatch—no longer hiding the Sharingan, just an empty socket.
"Two large bowls of miso pork ramen, please," Guy called out cheerfully, flashing a peace sign with gleaming teeth.
They took the seats to Obito's left—Guy on the far end, Kakashi in the center.
Kakashi, settling in, happened to glance sideways. He froze for a moment, catching a glimpse of Obito's side profile partially obscured by long hair. A flicker of confusion crossed his face, but he said nothing.
"Here you go, two miso pork ramen!" Teuchi announced as he served them.
"Kakashi, our competition score is tied—twenty wins, twenty losses. Tonight's tiebreaker: who can finish their ramen faster!" Guy declared, as passionate as ever.
"Sorry... I'm not in the mood," Kakashi said, quietly pulling down his mask and picking up his chopsticks.
Guy frowned, staring with concern.
Half a year ago, Kakashi had returned from the battlefield gravely wounded—having lost both Rin and Obito's Sharingan. The trauma had left deep emotional scars. He had spent months recovering in a Konoha rehabilitation facility and had only recently been discharged. But he hadn't truly recovered. Not yet.
Guy dropped his gaze and began eating furiously. In under a minute, he slurped down the last of his noodles and drank the broth dry. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and looked seriously at his friend.
"Kakashi," he said quietly, "as your rival and best friend, I understand the pain you're going through. My father, Might Duy, passed too... But staying trapped in grief does nothing to honor the dead. Obito entrusted you with more than his eye—he gave you his will. If he were alive, he wouldn't want to see you like this."
Kakashi paused mid-bite, lowering his chopsticks. "I understand what you're saying, Guy. I really do. But I can't let it go. I failed to protect Rin... I wasn't worthy of Obito's eye. I think... maybe he took it back. Maybe he hates me now."
Guy clenched his fists. "Kakashi, don't do this to yourself—"
"I've decided to join Root," Kakashi interrupted.
Guy stood up in shock, nearly knocking over his bowl. "Root!? Are you serious?!"
Teuchi glanced at them disapprovingly. Guy quickly sat back down, whispering fiercely. "Is this on the Fourth Hokage's orders?"
Kakashi shook his head. "No. This is my choice. Two weeks ago, Root's base was attacked by unknown enemies. Several members died. Danzo used this to stir paranoia, accusing the Fourth of letting enemies infiltrate our defenses. He even took it to the Fire Daimyo, saying Minato's leadership was weakening the village."
Guy frowned. "And the Daimyo believed that?"
"He's suspicious now," Kakashi said grimly. "A month ago, an elite ANBU named Beisuke—under Minato's direct command—attempted to assassinate the Daimyo. Ever since, trust in the Fourth has eroded. Then last week, the ANBU sent to hunt Beisuke were killed... supposedly by their own captain, Yuhi Uzuki. The situation worsened until the Third Hokage stepped in and personally vouched for Minato. Only then did things calm down. But Root demanded custody of Kushina Uzumaki—the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki—as part of the deal, and the Daimyo agreed."
"Kushina!? That bastard Danzo... he wants the Nine-Tails for himself!" Guy growled.
Kakashi nodded. "He wants to weaken Minato and position himself for Hokage. If he gains control of the Nine-Tails, it'll be disastrous. I joined Root to protect Kushina. If I'm inside, I can watch Danzo's every move."
Guy stared at him. "But Danzo will eat you alive... He's not someone to be trusted. You could die."
Kakashi smiled bitterly. "Then so be it. I failed Obito. I failed Rin. Maybe this is the only way I can make up for it."
At that moment, Obito finished the last sip of his broth. Silently, he paid the bill, pulled his mask over his face, and left.
Outside, under the dim glow of the moon veiled by clouds, Obito stood alone.
Although I'm not yet ready to claim the Nine-Tails, he thought, if it falls into Danzo's hands, the consequences will ripple through everything.
In the story he was now rewriting, Naruto was no longer the destined hero. But Obito wanted to give the boy a happy, peaceful childhood. The cycle of pain must be broken—Kushina would be the last jinchūriki.
A chill wind blew across the quiet street.
Obito looked back toward the darkened rooftops of the village. "Danzo... it's time we met."
A vortex swirled, and he vanished once more into the night.