Inside the Hokage's office, Uchiha Touhuan gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a deep look before turning and walking out.
"Touhuan, where are you going?" Hiruzen asked hastily.
"To deal with the enemies invading the village, of course," Uchiha Touhuan replied, glancing back at Hiruzen.
"I'll go with you," Hiruzen stood up, intending to follow.
"The Third Hokage is too old; it's best not to travel," Touhuan said coldly.
Just then, Uchiha Fugaku blocked Hiruzen's path.
Looking at the scene before him, Fugaku felt a sense of absurdity.
Six years ago, during the Nine-Tails' attack, Fugaku had intended to lead his clan to support the Fourth Hokage, but he was stopped at the gate by Shimura Danzo and the Root forces as soon as he left the clan's territory.
This moment was just like that moment.
Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed and sat back in his office chair. The masked man's appearance was too coincidental, and coupled with his words, Hiruzen couldn't explain himself now.
Watching Uchiha Touhuan's retreating figure as he left the Hokage's office, Hiruzen couldn't help but recall Minato Namikaze, the same young man from six years ago, who had also headed towards the enemy without hesitation.
"Uchiha Itachi! Who is he? What does he have to do with you?" Kakashi, after setting down the unconscious Shisui, looked at Itachi and questioned him.
However, before Kakashi could finish speaking, a scythe shot towards him. Kakashi dodged the attack, then conjured Lightning Release in his right hand and attacked the scythe, the roaring lightning sounding like a thousand birds chirping.
Seeing this ninjutsu, Obito's eyes beneath the mask flashed with a ruthless glint.
The instant Kakashi's Lightning Blade touched Obito's body, Obito's body became intangible, passing right through Kakashi. Kakashi whirled around, only to find a scythe slashing down on him from behind. Due to the immense momentum of the Lightning Blade, Kakashi only had time to twist his waist and use his own Lightning Blade to meet the incoming scythe.
Even if the attack had landed, Kakashi would have been severely injured.
At this critical moment, a dark shadow wrapped around Kakashi's waist, dragging him out of the scythe's range.
Kakashi slumped to the ground, rolling several times to dissipate the impact.
The dark shadow that had been wrapped around Kakashi's waist then withdrew, returning to Shikaku Nara's feet.
Kakashi glanced back gratefully at Nara Shikaku, then turned to look at Uchiha Obito. At that moment, Kakashi keenly noticed that although his ninjutsu hadn't hit, the scythe in Obito's hand had been slightly scorched by the lightning.
[Will the attack reveal its physical form?]
A glint flashed in Kakashi's eyes, and he charged at the enemy again. Having learned his lesson, Kakashi was much more cautious this time. As he charged towards Uchiha Obito, he released many feints to cover his movements.
"Captain Uchiha Itachi!" After rescuing Kakashi, Nara Shikaku turned to Uchiha Itachi and demanded sharply, "What's going on? Don't you know that involving forces outside the village completely changes the nature of this matter?!"
"I...I don't know either. I didn't call this guy!" Uchiha Itachi quickly explained.
"Heh, junior, your words make me quite sad." Obito Uchiha, having used his intangibility to dodge Kakashi's feint ninjutsu and shuriken, turned to the crowd. "Besides, strictly speaking, I'm not exactly an outside force. I was the one who founded this village."
Obito raised his head, displaying his exposed Mangekyō Sharingan.
The Uchiha clan members present were shocked upon seeing the Sharingan and immediately shouted angrily, "Who are you? Where did you get your Sharingan?"
"Don't you understand?" Obito said mysteriously. "My name is Madara Uchiha."
"What?" Upon hearing this name, all the Uchiha clan members present froze in place.
Just then, Kakashi's real attack arrived, the lightning bolt in his hand whistling as it pierced towards his opponent's back. At that moment, the windmill-like Mangekyō Sharingan in the masked man's eyes spun rapidly, and his body became intangible again. Only after Kakashi passed through his body did he reveal his solid form.
However, this time, Kakashi, who was prepared, suddenly stopped and twisted his waist, turning around and abruptly stopping his body. At the same time, he slammed his fist against the ground, completely disregarding the damage this forceful action would cause to his muscles. Lightning crackled in his hand as he thrust towards his opponent.
Kakashi's sudden move completely caught Obito Uchiha off guard. As he withdrew his attack, he entered a state of intangibility.
[Just as I expected.]
Although this attack was fruitless, Kakashi had gained information about his opponent. Using the momentum of the Lightning Blade's acceleration, he wanted to create distance between himself and Obito Uchiha.
However, at that very moment, a sharp pain suddenly shot through Kakashi's left Sharingan.
The sudden pain caused Kakashi to falter, and Obito, seizing this golden opportunity, revealed himself and attacked.
Just as Kakashi was about to die, a bolt of lightning as thick as a thigh descended from the sky.
Obito quickly became intangible, but after the lightning subsided, a figure crackling with lightning appeared, kicking Kakashi out of the fray while simultaneously slamming a lightning-infused right fist heavily towards Obito's face.
Maintaining his intangibility, Obito took the blow, passing right through the opponent, and then swung his sword in a swift motion. However, a Susanoo arm appeared out of thin air, blocking Obito's scythe, and a surge of violent electricity instantly coiled around Obito along the chains connecting the scythe.
Seeing this, Obito could only revert to his intangible state, disappearing into the air only to reappear a short distance away.
After forcing Obito back, the newcomer stopped in place, and a black Susanoo war god rose from the ground.
Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing the newcomer.
"Touhuan!" Kakashi, standing up, covered his left eye and gasped for breath, blood flowing from between his fingers, but he didn't care about that and hurriedly told Uchiha Touhuan the information he had obtained, "Be careful, his body can become intangible, but he will reveal his true form when attacking."
"Junior, and who are you?" Uchiha Obito didn't care about the information Kakashi had revealed, and just stared at Uchiha Touhuan and asked.
"Where did this rat come from? Stealing my clan's bloodline is one thing, but daring to impersonate my clan's ancestor's name is another." Uchiha Touhuan's face was cold, her pale purple eyeshadow paired with the Mangekyō Sharingan with its center turning into a vertical pupil, her whole body exuding an evil aura.
After Uchiha Touhuan's Susanoo took shape, a series of blue runes pulsating with natural energy appeared on its armor, and two longswords formed from raging lightning materialized in its hands.
"Is this how the descendants of the Uchiha treat their ancestors?" After being insulted by Uchiha Touhuan, Obito, hidden behind his mask, twitched his lips and spoke.
"Hmph." Uchiha Touhuan snorted coldly, her Susanoo slashing at her opponent, the surging lightning flashing through the air with a series of booming sounds.
Uchiha Obito vanished from the sky again, and the next instant, he reappeared behind Uchiha Touhuan, his weapon aimed at her back.
However, Obito's usually invincible sneak attacks seemed to have no effect against Uchiha Touhuan. Where Obito appeared, a ferocious lightning dragon burst from the earth, once again forcing him to become intangible.
"Speak, who exactly are you?" After forcing Obito back again, Uchiha Touhuan used her Eight-Headed Serpent Form to manipulate natural energy, lifting herself into the air and looking down at Obito. "Lord Madara has had his merits and his mistakes, but he could never be a cowardly rat hiding his head in the sand."
"Junior! You're too rude!" Uchiha Touhuan's constant use of the term "rat" quickly ignited Obito's anger. After regrouping, Obito attacked her again.
Seeing this, Uchiha Touhuan transformed into lightning and met him head-on. The lightning collided with the distorted void, producing eerie muffled sounds.
Under Uchiha Touhuan's deliberate or unintentional guidance, the battlefield between the two quickly spread from the village all the way to the Forest of Death.
The continuous explosions of lightning awakened many villagers who had to stay in their homes due to the martial law. Those who came to their windows witnessed a scene they would never forget.
The colossal Susanoo brandished its twin lightning blades in the air, the crackling lightning illuminating the night sky like daylight, as if a thunder god had descended upon the earth.
...
After Uchiha Touhuan took Uchiha Obito away, an eerie silence fell over the scene.
Everyone, regardless of their previous allegiance, looked at Uchiha Itachi with strange eyes.
"Uchiha Itachi, colluding with outside ninjas to attack your own comrades, are you planning a rebellion?" Kakashi, covering his left eye, questioned Uchiha Itachi.
"I said, that guy has nothing to do with me!" Uchiha Itachi argued, "Besides, shouldn't you be the ones rebelling?"
Uchiha Itachi looked around at everything, knowing the situation was beyond saving, but for the sake of his beliefs, he decided to fight to the last moment.
Uchiha Itachi drew his ninja sword, preparing for a desperate fight.
However, at that moment, Jiraiya, who was being escorted by Uchiha Inahisa and Uchiha Zaito, suddenly arrived at the scene. He glanced at Uchiha Itachi with some reluctance and said, "Stop, Itachi."
"Lord Jiraiya?" Uchiha Itachi looked up and noticed Jiraiya, immediately calling out, "Lord Jiraiya, don't worry, I'm coming to save you!"
"Forget it, Itachi, stop," Jiraiya sighed.
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(End of Chapter)