The moment Obito laid eyes on Kaede, his pupils contracted.
But he quickly composed himself.
With a tone of indifference, he said:
"Yo… seems the plan got leaked."
"So, it was you who saw through it? The rest of those foolish Uchiha don't have the vision for that."
In just a few short seconds, Obito had seen through the situation.
It had to be said—he had matured a great deal over the years, both in strength and cunning.
Kaede smiled. "So, the plan's exposed—are you giving up?"
"Not a chance," Obito replied with a shrug.
"I know you, Kaede. Just like Itachi, you were one of my observation targets."
"But it seems now… when it comes to vision, you're not that far behind Itachi after all."
"Strength, though… that's a different story."
Kaede's eyes narrowed.
So Obito had been watching him too?
It made sense—his talent in this life was no less than Itachi's.
Though he was two years older, his strength far surpassed his rival's.
The only difference was that Itachi had awakened the Mangekyō a few months earlier.
But that wasn't about talent—that was luck and circumstance.
Obito had probably shifted his full attention to Itachi only after that.
Kaede slowly stood up, raising Kyōka Suigetsu in his hand.
"Looks like I'll have to beat you down and throw you out today."
"Oh?" Obito sneered.
"Do you even know who I am?"
His expression turned cold. "I am Uchiha Madara."
"With your level of insight, surely you've heard my name."
Kaede's face remained impassive. Obito's act looked like a clown show to him.
After all, he was a man who had watched the original series.
"Hahaha… Uchiha Madara?"
Kaede shook his head with amusement. "Such a flawed lie. What a joke."
Obito's expression turned completely cold.
This bastard was mocking him?
Kaede chuckled again and murmured, as if to himself:
"Uchiha Obito. Once a genius and comrade of Kakashi. Saved by the aged Madara..."
Hearing his real name, Obito's face changed dramatically—he could no longer remain calm.
"How do you know that?!"
He didn't wait for Kaede to answer. Killing intent erupted.
"Never mind. Doesn't matter. I'll just kill you!"
In a flash, Obito vanished and reappeared beside Kaede like a phantom.
He reached out with one hand as his Sharingan turned into a Mangekyō.
"Kamui!"
Space twisted violently—Kaede's body was instantly torn apart.
But the next second—
Kaede dissolved into a fading illusion.
"A genjutsu? Impossible!!"
Obito's eyes widened in disbelief.
He had activated his Mangekyō—how could he have been caught in an illusion without realizing it?
But it had happened. The real Kaede now stood behind him.
"Confused? Too bad… you'll never learn the truth."
While Obito used Kamui to attack, he couldn't maintain his intangibility.
Kaede stabbed forward with his sword—impaling him cleanly.
"You… damn… bastard…"
Obito turned in agony, trying to see Kaede one last time.
Kaede's expression was cool, almost amused, as he twisted the blade upward.
Obito's body shattered apart.
"Uchiha Madara? What a joke."
But just then—
"Hmph. You're celebrating too soon."
The body Kaede destroyed also dissolved into mist. The real Obito appeared beside him!
"Die!"
Obito slammed his palm toward Kaede's chest.
"Mokuton: Cutting Sprouts Technique!"
Sharp wooden spikes exploded inside Kaede's body, piercing him from within.
Obito snorted coldly. "Hmph. Shame I wasted a Sharingan on you."
"But I'll just take both of yours as payment."
His smug grin didn't last long.
Puff!
Kaede's pierced body burst into smoke.
"A shadow clone?" Obito twitched.
He'd been tricked again!
Not far away, Kaede reappeared.
"If I figured out your identity, did you really think I wouldn't prepare for your Izanagi?"
Obito glared. "You know a lot."
Kaede smirked. "More than you think."
"Fine. Since you insist on being Itachi's lapdog, I might as well test my strength on you."
"Arrogant, aren't you? Using me to test your skills?" Obito laughed bitterly.
But Kaede ignored him and murmured:
"Let's try this one first."
He flickered forward.
Obito's face turned grim. With a flick of his arms, he summoned chains and charged forward fearlessly.
With Kamui, he feared nothing.
He had only used Izanagi because he was careless earlier.
Now that he was serious, Kaede would never touch him again.
"Still… how did he cast that illusion without me noticing? Could it be…"
"Did he also awaken a Mangekyō Sharingan? One like Shisui's—focused on illusions?!"
Obito's eyes flickered with uncertainty.
He didn't want to believe it. Itachi had watched his best friend die to awaken his own.
Kaede had never lost anyone close to him—right?
But there was no time for thoughts. Kaede's attack had already reached him.
Clang!
Kaede swung his blade. Obito barely blocked it with a kunai.
But that kunai was no match for Kyōka Suigetsu.
In an instant, it snapped in half.
The blade didn't stop—it kept slicing toward Obito's arm.
"This sword can cut steel? So this must be his real body…"
Obito smirked and activated intangibility—dodging the strike.
At the same time, his left hand reached for Kaede's body.
But Kaede was no novice.
He was already a master swordsman, and now, enhanced by the Hōgyoku, his sword skills had reached the pinnacle of the ninja world.
He twisted the blade again—this time aiming for Obito's waist.
Obito casually phased again and Kaede's attack passed through.
Then—
Obito grinned. "Gotcha!"
He yanked the chains forward—wrapping them tightly around Kaede.
But Kaede didn't flinch. In that instant, he calmly tossed a kunai straight at Obito's head.
"Hmph. Partial intangibility!"
Obito sneered as the chains held fast. The kunai passed harmlessly through his intangible body.
"These chains are specially made. Now—die!"
Kamui activated again. He intended to warp Kaede into another dimension—chains and all.
"Tch."
Kaede simply clicked his tongue, eyes flashing with Mangekyō light.
The next second—
He transformed into the kunai he had just thrown!
His real body appeared behind Obito!
"This move… familiar, isn't it?"
He thrust his sword forward—impaling Obito once again.
"This is the dōjutsu of my Mangekyō."
...
(End of Chapter)
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