"Is This Your Strength? Keep Crane"
Kakashi's intuition was right.
On a cliff outside Konohagakure, Obito Uchiha leaned against the trunk of a tree, watching the chaos unfold below. His tiger-patterned mask concealed his expression, and the atmosphere was eerily silent.
As a key manipulator behind the Akatsuki, Obito always kept a close eye on Konoha's affairs.
Upon learning that Konoha was hosting the Chūnin Exams, he traveled all the way from Amegakure—not only to sow discord during the event but also to observe the movements of Amegakure's shinobi. He wanted to see if he could further destabilize the village.
Since Nagato and Konan had annexed the Land of Grass, using it as a strategic outpost, Obito had grown increasingly suspicious of their true intentions. He feared that instead of pursuing the original plan of gathering the Tailed Beasts, Nagato and Konan were shifting their focus toward making Amegakure a dominant force among the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
The fact that Amegakure had sent a team led by a jōnin—and that they were engaging in secret talks with Konoha's leadership—only reinforced his concerns. If Nagato truly allied with Konoha, the grand plan for the Infinite Tsukuyomi would be doomed.
Even with his interference, Konoha remained embroiled in chaos. All he needed now was the perfect moment to spark a larger conflict between the villages.
Suddenly, he noticed two figures approaching from the distance, radiating powerful chakra signatures. He recognized them immediately—Kakashi Hatake and the ever-energetic Might Guy.
When Obito saw the jōnin vest on Guy, he frowned.
It's only been a few years, and even Might Guy has become a jōnin… Why?
Ten seconds later, Kakashi and Guy landed in the clearing below. They stared up at Obito, who remained perched in the tree. The tension in the air was palpable.
Guy studied the masked figure, sensing familiarity but unable to place it. He turned to Kakashi and asked, "Is this masked man another enemy of the village?"
Kakashi nodded slightly, then fixed his gaze on Obito. "Obito… We haven't seen each other in over ten years."
Hearing this, Guy's eyes widened in confusion. "Kakashi, did you just say this masked man is Obito? But Obito died more than ten years ago! We even attended his funeral."
Kakashi's tone turned grave. "You're right, Guy. The Obito we knew is dead. All that remains is an enemy of the village—the masked man who attacked Konoha… the one calling himself Uchiha Madara."
Obito's posture stiffened for a moment before he let out a dark chuckle. "Oh? What gave me away?" His voice dripped with mockery. "But you're right… The old Obito is long gone. The one standing before you now is Uchiha Madara."
Kakashi clenched his fists. "Obito, why didn't you return to Konoha? Why did you attack the village? Why did you kill Kushina-sensei? This isn't who you are!"
Obito scoffed. "A world where shinobi kill each other is meaningless. What could a fool like you possibly understand?"
He activated Kamui, vanishing in an instant. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Kakashi, his scythe aimed at his former friend's heart.
"Maa, Kakashi! Behind you!" Guy shouted.
Just as the scythe was about to strike, Kakashi disappeared, reappearing on a nearby treetop. His expression remained calm. "Obito, you've lost your way. But I'll bring you back—just like before."
Obito's gaze fell on the kunai in Kakashi's hand, his interest piqued. "Hmph. So you've picked up a few tricks over the years. I didn't even notice you mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique." His voice turned cold. "But tell me, Kakashi… Are you faster than Minato-sensei? Even he couldn't escape his fate at my hands."
At the mention of his former teacher, Kakashi's expression darkened. Lightning flickered in his palm as he formed a seal. "Obito, I will defeat you myself. And when I do… you will kneel before sensei and Kushina-sensei and beg for forgiveness."
---
The Battle in the Arena
As time passed, the spectators in the Chūnin Exam arena had mostly evacuated.
Among the remaining shinobi were the Uzushiogakure forces, the reanimated dead, and a handful of Konohagakure and Sunagakure shinobi still resisting the invasion.
From a numbers standpoint, the Suna shinobi were clearly outmatched. But against a Tailed Beast, sheer numbers meant nothing. Without strong leaders, even the largest forces would crumble in battle.
Among Konoha's remaining shinobi, the only one who could stand against Shukaku was Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin.
But Tsunade's hemophobia had paralyzed her. The sight of corpses in the arena had rendered her completely unable to fight.
With a thunderous roar, Shukaku unleashed a powerful air blast, sending Konoha's shinobi flying. His gaze locked onto Naruto Uzumaki, who stood in the stands. The beast narrowed his eyes.
"Brat, I smell a stinking fox on you. Could it be… you're the jinchūriki of the Kyūbi?"
Without waiting for a response, Shukaku formed a hand seal, took a deep breath, and gathered a massive rotating chakra sphere. With terrifying speed, he launched it straight at Naruto.
"A technique of that scale… The shinobi of Uzushio are finished," one of the Konoha ninja muttered in horror.
But Naruto simply raised a hand.
Golden chains erupted from behind him, weaving together to form an impenetrable barrier. The massive wind blast collided against it, dispersing harmlessly.
The Konoha and Suna shinobi watched in shock.
That attack was on par with a Tailed Beast Ball—yet this boy had blocked it effortlessly.
Naruto slowly stood up, his gaze meeting Shukaku's. His voice was calm. "Shukaku… if that was your full power, I have to question whether you even deserve the title of a Tailed Beast."
The contrast between Naruto's small frame and Shukaku's towering body should have been laughable. But in that moment, the tension in the air made it clear—this was a battle between monsters. And Naruto's presence was the more overwhelming of the two.
Shukaku snarled. "Damn you! I'm the strongest Tailed Beast!"
Roaring in rage, Shukaku charged, his massive arms sweeping through the battlefield, tearing apart buildings as he lunged at Naruto.
But just before he could strike—
A flash of green chakra surged in front of Naruto.
A towering green Susanoo materialized, its samurai-like armor gleaming. Without hesitation, it unleashed a chakra arrow at Shukaku, then drove its spiraling longsword into the beast's massive body.
The battle had begun.
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