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Chapter 86
🕑 Added 2025-02-28 14:50:21 +0000 UTCChapter 86
(T/N: I think there is some inconsistents in between chapter 86 and 87. I can't find where because I translated it according to author's writing. Still a heads-up. And it's more than 7K words chapter)
With a flick of his fingers, a swarm of puppets burst into motion.
Shuriken, senbon, and countless hidden weapons rained down on the team like a deadly storm.
"And this time… I’ll send you all to your graves!"
"Get down—"
Kakashi barely managed to shout before Haruta pressed his hands together.
"Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
Boom—
In an instant, the ground roared as an overwhelming surge of chakra burst from Haruta's body.
"His chakra… is that powerful?"
Kakashi stared at Haruta in shock. They had never fought side by side, nor had they undertaken missions together.
Their interactions were mostly limited to casual conversations at the Anbu headquarters. Kakashi knew Haruta was clever and strong, but the depth of his strength was something he hadn’t fully grasped—until now.
Under the nourishment of Haruta's chakra, countless vines and branches broke through the soil, growing wildly at an astonishing speed.
In the blink of an eye, a towering forest had sprouted, thick and dense.
The incoming barrage of weapons never reached them, halted by the impenetrable wall of trees.
Boom—
Boom—
Boom—
A series of explosions followed — clearly, the weapons were laced with explosive tags.
"This level of defense…"
Kakashi was momentarily speechless. His gaze shifted to Yamato.
"I can't do that. Haruta is beyond me."
Before Kakashi could even ask, Yamato shook his head without hesitation.
It wasn’t that Yamato couldn’t create a large-scale forest with Wood Release — with enough chakra, it was possible.
The difference lay in the quality.
Yamato could sense that Haruta's trees were alive — brimming with vitality, like real, breathing organisms.
His own Wood Release, by contrast, felt like lifeless timber — as if the trees had already been chopped down.
But Yamato wasn’t bitter about it. He understood that his Wood Release was fundamentally different from Haruta’s.
"Kakashi, stay sharp."
Haruta's voice snapped Kakashi out of his thoughts.
"I've sensed someone approaching… and I’m pretty sure it’s an old friend of yours. Be ready."
"An old friend?"
Kakashi frowned, still confused — until Haruta's next words made his heart drop.
"I sensed the Fourth Hokage’s mark on him. Unless I’m mistaken, it’s Uchiha Obito."
"Obito!"
Kakashi's expression shifted instantly.
Meeting an old comrade in the Land of Grass might sound poetic — but for Kakashi, it was anything but. His emotions churned violently.
"Where is he?"
"In his usual hiding place — that strange dimensional space. I can’t pinpoint his exact location."
Haruta shook his head. He raised one hand, causing a thick tree branch to rise from the ground, carrying him skyward. Similar branches appeared under Kakashi and the others, lifting them above the forest.
"I'll get you all out of here first. My Wood Release is powerful, but I can’t control it precisely enough to distinguish friend from foe in a large-scale attack.
Kakashi, I need you to watch over Yugao and that rookie kid.
Shisui, you’ll come with me — let’s pay these new and old 'friends' a visit.
When Obito shows up, Kakashi and Yamato can seize the moment to strike. Sound good?"
"No problem."
Shisui nodded. Haruta had somehow slipped into the role of leader, but Shisui didn’t mind — he trusted his judgment.
"Got it."
Though Kakashi was momentarily distracted, he quickly regained his composure. He was a professional ninja, after all.
Taking a deep breath, he suppressed his turmoil.
Obito… this time, we will face each other properly.
Haruta paid no mind to Kakashi’s inner conflict. From his vantage point above the forest, he looked toward the sky.
There, Sasori hovered, supported by the Third Kazekage puppet, surrounded by a swarm of deadly puppets.
Haruta's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Last time, you had the advantage with your puppet army.
This time… it’s my turn."
In their last encounter with Iwagakure, Haruta and his team had managed to outsmart Sasori — but they had also struggled under the relentless assault of his puppet techniques.
Those countless puppets and endless attacks had been a nightmare.
But now?
The tables had turned.
When it came to large-scale attacks, few techniques in the ninja world could rival Wood Release.
Certainly not a bunch of wooden puppets.
"Alright then… Break!"
Haruta formed a seal with one hand, and the entire forest seemed to roar in response.
In the next moment, countless vines and branches shot into the sky like enraged dragons, surging toward the puppets.
"Hmph."
Sasori scoffed, commanding his puppets to retaliate.
But his attacks were futile. The wooden tendrils tore through the puppets like paper, shattering them piece by piece.
Even Sasori’s Magnet Release — meant to counter Haruta’s techniques — proved less effective than expected.
"Kakuzu — use Fire Release."
Realizing the situation was spiraling out of control, Sasori shouted without hesitation.
It was his first time battling a user of Wood Release, and while he didn’t fully understand its nature, retreating wasn’t an option.
Better to test its limits now.
"Got it."
From the ground, Kakuzu observed the growing forest with a grimace.
He remembered facing the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, long ago.
The result? A crushing defeat.
But at least he had survived.
Now, standing against another wielder of Wood Release stirred something dark within him.
"Do you really think you’re the next Hashirama?"
Kakuzu sneered, summoning a masked creature from his back.
Forming a quick series of hand seals, he unleashed a fiery jutsu.
"Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"
A massive wave of flames erupted from the mask's mouth, surging forward like a tidal wave, threatening to consume everything in its path.
Sasori, meanwhile, commanded his fire-release puppet to join in, igniting the forest with intense flames.
"In my old world, a fire like this would’ve made you rich for years…"
Haruta muttered, shaking his head — yet he made no move to extinguish the flames.
"It’s working?"
Sasori and Kakuzu's eyes lit up momentarily at the sight of the burning trees — but their confidence didn’t last long.
"Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu!"
Without hesitation, Haruta performed another hand seal.
The burning vines didn’t wither — instead, they seemed to absorb the flames, transforming into blazing tendrils that roared to life.
Like flaming dragons, the burning branches lashed out at Sasori and Kakuzu.
Boom—
Boom—
Boom—
The fiery vines slammed into the ground and tore through the air, crashing into Sasori’s puppets and scattering flaming debris everywhere.
The battlefield turned into a sea of fire — yet the flames now worked for Haruta, not against him.
Sasori was forced to descend, unable to dodge the relentless attacks.
Kakuzu, meanwhile, barely evaded the blazing tendrils, rolling across the ground to avoid being incinerated.
Once they escaped the burning onslaught, their gazes met — an unspoken exchange of frustration passing between them.
Didn’t you say fire would work?
Weren’t you the one who suggested it?
Awkward silence hung between them for a brief moment — but they had no time to dwell on it.
Because Haruta was already standing before them.
"Look at you two — what a mess."
Perched on a wooden branch, Haruta crossed his arms, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"I was hoping for a bit more of a challenge. Guess I overestimated you."
"Don’t get cocky, kid."
Sasori's face darkened. It was embarrassing enough to be pushed back like this — but being mocked? Unforgivable.
"Looks like I'll have to ask Iwagakure for a bigger reward," Kakuzu growled, his eyes narrowing behind his mask.
"You’re worth far more than 30 million ryo."
30 million?
Haruta blinked.
Wasn’t that the bounty on Asuma’s head in the future?
So his Wood Release and Flying Raijin Jutsu were only worth as much as Asuma?
"Has inflation hit the ninja world already?"
He chuckled, shaking his head.
Then, with a sharp clap of his hands, the forest behind him rumbled once more.
At the sound, Sasori and Kakuzu tensed — their eyes gleaming with battle lust.
Without a word, they launched their attacks.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Drizzle!"
"Lightning Release: False Darkness!"
A rain of black iron sand and a crackling bolt of lightning shot toward Haruta.
But before either attack could land, a figure appeared beside him — and a flash of green chakra erupted.
A towering green Susanoo enveloped Haruta, blocking both attacks effortlessly.
"Relax."
Shisui, his Sharingan glowing, stood firm beside Haruta.
The forest roared behind them — and from its depths, a massive wooden dragon surged into the sky, its thunderous roar shaking the heavens.
"Now then…" Haruta grinned.
"Your puppets are gone, Sasori.
This time, we won’t be running away."
"This brat’s Wood Release… it’s improving at an alarming rate."
Inside the Kamui dimension, Uchiha Obito stood alongside Black Zetsu, watching Haruta’s battle unfold. Even Obito couldn’t help but mutter those words.
He, too, could use Wood Release — but he had never relied on it as his main fighting style.
With Kamui at his disposal, there was no need for flashy jutsu. Usually, he could simply warp into battle, use Kamui, and overwhelm his enemies directly.
But now… things were different.
After having his Kamui countered by Haruta not once but multiple times, even Obito wasn’t foolish enough to charge in recklessly.
"He really is improving quickly… perhaps this is the power of the Senju clan," Black Zetsu added, nodding slightly.
Still, something about Haruta's Wood Release didn’t sit right with him.
It was odd — the boy's jutsu didn’t carry the same God Tree energy that Senju Hashirama's did.
To Black Zetsu — the ancient offspring of Kaguya Ōtsutsuki — Wood Release was simply the result of Asura's chakra, a mutated power influenced by the God Tree.
Hashirama's Wood Release always carried faint traces of the God Tree’s essence, yet Haruta’s…
"There’s something off about it. It feels more like a fusion of Water and Earth Release, deliberately triggered by Yang Release…"
Black Zetsu’s sharp instincts picked up on details others couldn’t, but he ultimately shook his head.
Regardless of the strangeness, Haruta's Wood Release was undeniably powerful — and growing stronger.
If his body and jutsu could "level up" as they seemed to, the gap between him and others would only widen over time.
For now, Black Zetsu chalked it up to Haruta being a direct descendant of the Senju.
Turning back to Obito, he hesitated for a moment before asking, "Obito, what do you plan to do now?"
The moment Obito had heard Haruta's name mentioned during their last Akatsuki meeting, he insisted on coming to observe the boy in person.
Black Zetsu didn’t bother stopping him. After all, Obito was still fuming from the last few humiliations Haruta had dealt him.
Let him vent a bit — as long as he didn’t cause too much trouble.
"What else? I want to see how they perform… and maybe find an opening to make my move."
Obito's voice was laced with bitterness.
He hadn’t forgotten the humiliation Haruta had brought him — twice.
The first time, he’d been tricked by that damn brat.
The second time… it wasn’t just a loss — it was a full-blown public embarrassment.
Now, thanks to Haruta, Obito’s masked face was plastered across every bingo book in the ninja world.
How could he not want revenge?
"I suggest letting Sasori and Kakuzu deal with the kid," Black Zetsu said carefully.
"You’re here, so as long as you stay alert, they won’t die.
Besides, those two are notoriously hard to kill — one’s a puppet, the other literally has extra hearts. It’s not like they’re going down easily.
Let them feel the weight of a true enemy. Maybe it'll make them more cautious in the future.
And… I suggest you retrieve your other Sharingan.
A single Sharingan can only do so much — its true power lies in the pair."
Obito had operated with just one Mangekyo Sharingan for so long that even Black Zetsu found it frustrating.
Though, in a way, it was also a relief — having only one eye meant Obito always had Izanagi as a fallback, like during his last close call.
But having both eyes would make him far more dangerous.
Especially since Kakashi wielded the other eye — and that was the very eye capable of countering Obito's Kamui.
This was the perfect opportunity.
Obito scoffed, his voice cold.
"I don’t take back what I’ve given away."
He clenched his jaw, adding, "If I wanted to retrieve my eye, I could’ve done so when Kakashi was unconscious."
The words felt a bit hollow, so he quickly followed up:
"I don’t care about anything in this world anymore.
What I give away is gone — just like how I chose not to kill him back then.
In the new world I’m creating, Kakashi will still have his place."
Black Zetsu resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
I’m telling you to get your eye back, not ramble about your so-called new world.
This was peak Uchiha behavior — absolute melodrama.
But then Obito’s gaze shifted, his voice suddenly calm yet dangerous.
"Besides… forget Kakashi for a moment.
Look over there — Haruta’s teammate."
His eyes locked onto Yugao, who stood at a distance, anxiously watching Haruta's fight.
Something about the scene struck a nerve.
An Uchiha. A prodigy ninja. And a female medical-nin watching from the sidelines.
It was all too familiar.
The setup mirrored Team Minato far too closely.
Obito’s blood boiled.
Sensing the shift in his mood, Black Zetsu immediately intervened.
"I strongly advise against this," he said sharply.
"Haruta is from Root. There’s a good chance he’s marked his teammates with the Flying Raijin seal.
If you touch her, he’ll know instantly — just like how you still have his seal on you.
The moment you make a move, Haruta will teleport straight to you."
He paused.
"And let’s not forget — Kakashi is there too. Are you prepared for both of them at once?"
What Black Zetsu didn’t say aloud was that all of Obito’s recent humiliations were thanks to Haruta.
Had Obito not provoked him, none of this would’ve happened.
Worse still, Haruta had an uncanny ability to piece things together.
Even when Obito hadn’t revealed much, Haruta somehow deduced his every move — and was right every single time.
It was almost supernatural.
If Haruta set his sights on Obito fully…
It wouldn’t end well.
And killing Haruta wasn’t exactly easy either — not when Obito kept messing things up.
"Tch. Damn Danzo and his disciple… and that cursed Flying Raijin."
Obito cursed under his breath but ultimately listened.
Haruta’s Flying Raijin technique was too much of a wildcard.
He’d lost to him three times now.
Better to focus on erasing that blasted seal from himself before making any more reckless moves.
"I’ll deal with Kakashi first."
Seeing Obito finally back down, Black Zetsu relaxed slightly.
He pressed again:
"I know you hate him — but at least test the other eye.
If you won’t take it back now, get close enough to gauge its strength.
It’ll help you plan your next move."
Eventually, Obito nodded, albeit reluctantly.
"I don’t want to see that weakling again…
But knowing the full extent of his Sharingan could be useful.
After all…"
His voice darkened.
"Last time, I paid the price for underestimating him."
With that, Obito’s form flickered — and his projection appeared in the real world.
"Be careful!"
Kakashi, who had been watching the battle unfold from a distance, immediately tensed.
He’d been waiting — just as Haruta had warned — for Obito’s inevitable appearance.
And now, there he was.
"It’s him."
Itachi's eyes narrowed as he spotted Obito’s masked figure.
That silhouette… it was the same one he’d seen during the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha.
The same figure responsible for his first time awakening his Sharingan.
"Kakashi-senpai — let me handle him."
Kakashi's Mangekyo flared.
He knew it — this battle could only be fought by him.
"Yamato, stay back and cover the others."
"But, Captain Kakashi—"
Before Yamato could finish, Kakashi dashed forward — closing the distance between him and Obito in mere moments.
Stopping about ten meters away, he stared at the masked man in silence.
After what felt like an eternity, Kakashi finally spoke softly:
"Obito… it’s been a long time."
"I told you — I’m not Uchiha Obito anymore!"
Obito’s voice cracked, his Sharingan spinning violently.
Images of Rin’s death flashed through his mind — Kakashi’s Chidori piercing her heart.
The pain was still fresh.
"I know why you never came back… but that day—"
Kakashi hesitated, but Obito cut him off coldly.
"I already know the truth.
I don’t need your excuses."
Obito’s chakra flared — a clear sign he was about to attack.
"Then why—"
Again, Obito interrupted him.
"You still don’t get it, do you?"
His voice was sharp.
"The village… the ninja system… even destiny itself…
It’s all this world’s fault."
With a flash of black iron, Obito brandished a chakra rod.
His Mangekyo blazed.
"I’m here to destroy this fake world…
And you’ll never understand, Kakashi."
Boom—
In an instant, Obito charged — the battle had begun.
"Obito's made his move?"
On the other side of the battlefield, Haruta sensed the Flying Raijin mark on Obito's body suddenly becoming clearer. He immediately understood what had happened.
Obito was unpredictable — reckless, even — and Haruta had been genuinely worried he might target Yugao.
Thankfully, he had already given Yugao a kunai marked with the Flying Raijin seal. Even if she didn’t activate it, Haruta could sense any sudden movement near her.
"Still… I need to figure something out. If Obito ever removes the Flying Raijin mark from himself, that could be a real problem."
Haruta muttered under his breath, but quickly pushed the thought aside, refocusing on the current fight.
With Sasori's puppet army no longer a threat, Haruta decided not to use Nativity of a World of Trees again.
The jutsu's strengths — and weaknesses — were obvious.
Against a crowd, it was a devastating "map-wide" attack.
But against only one or two enemies, it could just as easily trap him as it could his opponents.
So, without hesitation, Haruta shifted to a more flexible technique — summoning the Wood Dragon.
Sasori wasn’t an easy opponent. Even without his puppet army, he still had the Third Kazekage puppet and several others with unique abilities.
And Kakuzu—this man who had lived for over a century—possessed an unmatched level of combat experience and battlefield awareness.
"But I’m not alone," Haruta thought, his gaze drifting to Shisui, who had already dispelled his Susanoo. The strain on his eyes was evident — that technique wasn’t something he used lightly.
"Plus… with enemies like these, the mission rewards will only get better."
—
[New Mission Acquired]
[Investigate the Situation in Kusagakure]
—
The mission had appeared the moment Haruta left Konoha, and he was more than eager to tackle something this significant.
"Be careful — these brats aren’t easy to deal with," Sasori muttered to Kakuzu, who gave a small nod.
"I'll use the puppets for feints and support. You handle the main attack with your jutsu. If necessary, we split them up."
"Got it."
With just a brief exchange, they coordinated their next moves.
Sasori raised his hand — now a puppet appendage — and countless senbon shot out from the mechanism, a metallic rain of death.
In the flickering firelight, Haruta and Shisui could clearly see the senbon glimmering with a faint green sheen.
Poison.
"Wood Release: Tree Barrier Wall!"
Unfazed, Haruta formed a single seal, summoning a massive wooden wall before them. The senbon struck the barrier, embedding themselves deeply but failing to break through.
At the same time, Haruta’s chakra stirred the Wood Dragon overhead, causing it to roar and dive straight for Sasori and Kakuzu.
The wooden wall crumbled, revealing Shisui, who had already completed his hand signs.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
A roaring dragon of fire spiraled through the air, merging with the descending Wood Dragon — a dual-pronged attack that even Kakuzu momentarily found disorienting.
"Dodge!"
Sasori barked the command, leaping away instantly without waiting for Kakuzu.
Without hesitation, Shisui pursued Sasori, while Kakuzu — momentarily stunned — quickly switched to his Earth Release heart and used a rapid body flicker to evade the Wood Dragon’s direct assault.
He braced himself against the resulting shockwave, gritting his teeth.
"You fought the First Hokage, didn’t you?"
With Shisui gone, Haruta fixed his gaze on Kakuzu. In a flash, he reappeared behind him.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Blade!"
A kunai cloaked in azure chakra slashed directly toward one of the masks on Kakuzu's back — aiming for his heart.
"What?!"
Kakuzu’s expression shifted instantly. A hit to his body was one thing — but a strike to the masks meant a direct attack on his hearts.
Twisting his body at the last second, he allowed the kunai to strike his side instead, the blade scraping against his hardened skin with a sharp clang.
Haruta wasn’t fazed.
Without missing a beat, he vanished and reappeared behind Kakuzu once again — this time, his hands forming a new seal.
"Wood Release: Cutting Sprigs Jutsu!"
Sharp wooden spikes sprouted from his arms, thrusting toward Kakuzu’s masks.
This time, Kakuzu couldn’t turn in time — one of his masks shattered instantly.
"Argh!"
He let out a pained grunt, his body momentarily stiff before dashing away at an even greater speed than before.
Haruta's eyes narrowed.
"I see… those masks emitting chakra on your back — they’re your weak point, aren’t they?"
He didn’t chase after Kakuzu, instead perching himself atop the Wood Dragon.
"Each mask represents a heart. I felt the life energy in you shift — now there’s one less.
So… how many lives do you have left?"
Kakuzu broke into a cold sweat. How did this brat figure out his secret so quickly?
"Damn kid…"
Haruta’s voice broke through the tense silence again.
"There’s something I’m curious about — maybe you can answer it for me."
He crossed his arms, staring down at Kakuzu from his wooden perch.
"You said you’ve faced Wood Release before — so that means you’ve fought the First Hokage.
What I want to know is… how did you survive? There’s no way Hashirama didn’t notice your weakness."
Kakuzu’s jaw tightened.
He had no interest in answering — what good would it do to admit that the First Hokage spared him?
"Don’t flatter yourself. You’re nowhere near his level," Kakuzu spat.
Haruta shrugged.
"You don’t have to say it — I know I’m not at his level… yet."
He smirked.
"But let’s see how far I am from him, shall we?"
In an instant, Haruta disappeared again.
"Wood Release: Great Forest Burial!"
From his outstretched arm, a swarm of writhing roots shot forward, spiraling toward Kakuzu.
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
Kakuzu didn’t hesitate. He couldn’t match Haruta’s teleportation, so he focused on countering his attacks directly.
A high-pressure wind sphere erupted around him, its force threatening to tear apart anything nearby.
But Haruta anticipated it.
"You think I didn’t sense your chakra shift?"
The roots never reached Kakuzu — instead, they twisted mid-air, linking together and forming a massive tree that encased Haruta.
The wind blast struck the tree, leaving Haruta unscathed.
Above them, the Wood Dragon roared again, diving straight for Kakuzu.
"Damn it!"
Kakuzu bolted, running at full speed to escape.
BOOM—
The earth quaked as the dragon smashed into the ground, sending cracks rippling in all directions.
Kakuzu nearly stumbled as he noticed the spiderweb-like fissures spreading beneath him.
This kid is dangerous.
Even if Haruta’s Wood Release lacked the sheer overwhelming power of Hashirama's, the combination of Wood Release and the Flying Raijin Jutsu made him terrifyingly unpredictable.
Each jutsu alone was formidable. Together, they were a deadly combination.
"This brat knows both Wood Release and the Flying Raijin…?"
Kakuzu’s mind raced.
He had heard about teleportation techniques — they were the signatures of both the Second and Fourth Hokage.
And now, this kid had both abilities.
Even if Haruta’s execution wasn’t perfect, the synergy between the two jutsu multiplied his combat power exponentially.
Running away suddenly seemed like a smart option.
"You think you can run?"
Haruta’s voice echoed behind him.
Kakuzu’s face twisted in shock — before he could react, a fierce kick struck him, sending him tumbling across the shattered ground.
"What the—"
Kakuzu's mind spun. Hadn't Haruta been inside the wooden shield?
He hadn’t even seen him throw a kunai — how did he teleport so fast?
Wait…
A chilling realization struck Kakuzu.
Haruta’s voice rang out again — this time right beside him.
"Relax.
I didn’t leave a Flying Raijin mark on you."
Before Kakuzu could respond, Haruta appeared mid-air and delivered another swift kick, sending Kakuzu skidding across the battlefield.
Though Kakuzu's Earth Release heart protected him from injury, panic was creeping in.
There was no mark — so how was Haruta moving so freely?
"You and Sasori wear the same cloak.
Considering how Onoki likes to hire mercenaries for dirty work, I’m guessing you two are part of the same organization, right?"
Haruta’s voice came from above.
Kakuzu looked up — Haruta stood atop the Wood Dragon, which was already lunging down at him again.
"Damn it!"
Kakuzu's frustration boiled over.
Leaping back, he commanded two of his masks to unleash a combination attack — intertwining Fire and Wind Release.
"Ninjutsu: Scorching Wind Gale!"
A blazing wave of fire surged forward, roaring like a tidal wave toward Haruta and his Wood Dragon.
BOOM—
The impact was deafening — flames devoured the battlefield, and the shockwave shook the very ground.
Even Sasori and Shisui, battling nearby, felt the blast force them apart.
The sheer intensity of the battle stunned Yugao, Itachi, and Yamato as they watched from a safer distance.
"This… is on another level," Yugao whispered, worry clouding her eyes.
Itachi, normally composed, stood frozen — even he hadn’t expected the fight to escalate like this.
After another round of entanglement, Kakashi seized the opportunity the moment Obito's black rod swept past.
His left hand shot out swiftly, grabbing Uchiha Obito's wrist with precision. However, he didn't immediately follow up with the kunai in his right hand. Instead, he questioned in a low voice,
"You've already made so many mistakes. Do you really want to keep being so stubborn?"
"Mistakes?"
Obito was still wearing his mask, but the Sharingan exposed outside revealed a trace of disdain.
"Don't make me laugh. You really are just an idiot—an idiot who understands nothing!"
With a sharp shake of his left hand, a chain suddenly dropped from Obito's sleeve. Without hesitation, he swung it viciously at Kakashi.
"Damn it!"
Kakashi cursed under his breath and quickly followed up with his kunai, managing to block the chain at the last moment. However, the force behind the swing knocked the kunai from his hand.
"I'll be borrowing your hand for a moment."
Obito let out a cold snort. At the same time, his left hand clamped down on Kakashi’s right hand and began forming hand seals.
"Aren't you trying to figure out what I’m planning? I know you’re fishing for intel, but I don’t care. Besides, I’ve already told you!"
Already told me?
Although Kakashi was deep in thought over Obito’s words, his hands did not slow down.
He immediately let go of Obito’s right hand. At the same time, a kunai appeared in his own grasp. This time, he showed no hesitation and thrust it directly at Obito.
"Now this is more like it! At least you're not that useless coward who couldn’t even fight back!"
Obito sneered as he formed the first hand seal.
He twisted his body, swinging his black rod to intercept the kunai.
Clang!
Another sharp, piercing sound rang out. Obito suddenly smirked and muttered coldly,
"I’ll tell you one more time, you idiot—I’m going to break this fake world!"
"Everything—every bit of suffering—is caused by this world. War, Rin’s death... all of it!
"This world is no different from hell. Just breathing here feels suffocating. My goal is to shatter it all. Now, do you finally understand?"
Break... this world?
Kakashi was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Obito to be dead serious.
But... how was he planning to do it?
Obito didn’t give him any time to think. While Kakashi was momentarily distracted, Obito threw a heavy punch straight at his face!
"You’re zoning out at a time like this? Do you really think I wouldn’t kill you?"
"Ugh—!"
Kakashi groaned in pain. His balance wavered, and he stumbled to the side.
At that exact moment, Obito completed another hand seal!
I can't let this continue…!
Kakashi braced his hand against the ground and used the momentum to kick toward Obito.
But Obito was far more focused than Kakashi. He easily dodged the kick.
Kakashi instantly threw a kunai at him, but Obito deflected it with his black rod and then closed the distance again.
Whoosh—
Obito swung his black rod in a sweeping motion, cutting through the air with a gust of wind. Kakashi leaped back, but Obito was too close. Once again, Obito grabbed his wrist!
"Obito, we can change this world. Stop being so foolish!"
Seeing Obito complete the final hand seal with his hand, Kakashi felt both helpless and a growing sense of danger. He quickly tried to persuade him in a low voice.
"Change?"
Obito scoffed, his voice turning ice-cold.
"This world isn’t worth changing!"
His black rod swept toward Kakashi once again. Kakashi immediately jumped into the air to evade it.
The kunai he had thrown earlier was now falling rapidly. Kakashi adjusted his body midair and kicked it forcefully!
The kunai's trajectory changed, shooting straight toward Obito.
"Child’s play."
Obito leaped to avoid it. At the same time, his chakra surged, and the jutsu he had just finished sealing was released in an instant.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
A roaring inferno surged toward Kakashi. Seeing this, Kakashi quickly formed hand seals midair.
Obito noticed and was about to pursue. Since he had to fight Kakashi, he might as well go all out!
As for Black Zetsu’s request to investigate Kakashi’s Sharingan, he had long forgotten about it.
He had too many unresolved grudges in his heart. Right now, he just wanted to fight in his own way!
"Obito, wait a minute. Something’s happening outside."
Just as he was about to continue his assault, a White Zetsu attached to his body suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
Obito stopped, irritated. He hated being interrupted.
"What is it?"
"Not sure, but it seems like something big is happening."
The White Zetsu sounded a bit confused. This was, after all, a separate dimension, so establishing contact at all was difficult. He had no idea what was going on outside.
"But I heard the black one is in a hurry. It seems serious."
"...Is that so?"
Obito's gaze turned thoughtful as he glanced at the massive earth-style barrier sculpted with a dog’s head—something Kakashi had summoned because Obito hadn’t intervened.
After a brief hesitation, he shook his head.
If that was the case, he might as well check it out. This battle no longer had any meaning.
It was time to see what was happening outside. After all, there was still someone he had his eye on—someone with a Mangekyō Sharingan.
And, of course, that pesky little brat from the Senju Clan who had been giving him trouble!
With that thought, he turned his gaze back to Kakashi.
Before leaving, he needed to ‘take out the trash’ here first!
Obito suddenly accelerated, charging straight at Kakashi. The momentarily relieved Kakashi tensed up as Obito flanked him.
"It’s over!"
Obito locked onto Kakashi, his Sharingan spinning rapidly. At the same time, Kakashi swung his kunai and charged forward.
Whoosh—
Space distorted. Obito’s expression beneath the mask shifted.
"A Lightning Clone?!"
Clearly, Kakashi had used the earth barrier earlier as cover to set up a Lightning Clone as a decoy!
"Naïve!"
Obito’s face darkened. He immediately focused on the real Kakashi, but it was already too late—Kakashi’s Mangekyō Sharingan had locked onto him!
Whoosh—
In an instant, space warped chaotically. Kakashi’s Lightning Clone exploded right beside Obito!
"Damn it!"
The electric surge spread through his body, momentarily paralyzing him.
At that moment, both he and Kakashi reappeared in the real world. Because of Kakashi, the Kamui dimension remained half-open for a brief moment.
To avoid complications, Obito was forced to pour even more chakra into his Mangekyō Sharingan. Kakashi couldn’t withstand it and soon wavered.
His body swayed, as if about to collapse.
But Obito didn’t feel victorious. Instead, his face beneath the mask grew even darker.
Because he had sensed it—someone had silently appeared behind him…
---
In the forest, Haruta glanced at the newly awakened Kakashi, who looked somewhat dejected, as well as the helpless-looking Shisui and the unharmed Yugao. He nodded slightly.
Sweeping his gaze across the area, he thought it was no longer fitting to call this place a forest.
The massive crater, still burning, and the wreckage all around barely hinted that this was once a lush woodland…
He had to admit, Wood Release was truly destructive—especially when combined with the Curse Mark!
With the extended duration of LV6 Curse Mark, its power had further increased. Meanwhile, LV5 Yin Release had also played a remarkable role.
With these dual enhancements, his Wood Dragon had unleashed such devastating force!
"This impact… it’s probably no weaker than a slash from a Third-Stage Susanoo, right?"
A Third-Stage Susanoo was already a fully armored entity, combining both offense and defense. In fact, in terms of sheer attack and defense, it might even surpass the Fourth Stage!
After all, the Third Stage had full-body armor and weapons. The only drawback was the loss of its legs, making it stationary like a fortress.
The Fourth Stage, on the other hand, lacked these features—or rather, the chakra that would have gone into weapons and armor was instead used to form the structure of Susanoo, giving it mobility.
This inevitably led to a decrease in its offensive and defensive capabilities, though it made it more suited for battle.
"Too bad Shisui didn’t use Third-Stage Susanoo, and I don’t have anything to compare it with right now. But this level of attack power is quite satisfying."
Haruta was pleased with the destruction he had caused. Though it had consumed a lot of chakra, his recovery rate was just as impressive!
"Yeah… it’s over."
Shisui nodded. There was still blood at the corner of his eye. Yugao had wanted to heal him, but he had ultimately refused.
After all, his condition wasn’t something medical ninjutsu could fix, and he wasn’t in the best mood right now.
"It’s a shame we let Sasori escape. I couldn’t stop him—he seemed completely unaffected by my genjutsu."
"That’s normal. His whole body has likely been converted into a puppet."
Haruta wasn’t surprised by this revelation. Sasori, who operated through his "Life Core," even had artificial eyes. Using standard genjutsu against him was incredibly difficult.
Perhaps only sound-based illusions or those that directly targeted the spirit could work against him.
"As for my side… you probably saw it already. Looks like Obito escaped."
Kakashi shook his head, sighing helplessly. Letting Obito get away again left him feeling frustrated.
Obito’s intense use of the Mangekyō Sharingan had overwhelmed him completely. When he regained consciousness, he learned that Haruta had arrived.
And he knew for sure that Haruta would never hold back against Obito—he wouldn't show mercy to anyone.
Yet, Obito had still managed to escape.
All Kakashi felt, besides relief that Obito hadn’t died, was helplessness. He hadn't been able to bring Obito back.
"Uchiha Obito really knows his clan’s secret techniques. He escaped the same way last time—what a troublesome guy."
Shisui nodded. If anyone was the most frustrated by this outcome, it had to be him.
After all, it was this bastard who had unjustly implicated the Uchiha Clan, leaving them with a crime they couldn’t even explain.
"Forget it. That guy will be dealt with sooner or later. For now, let’s focus on organizing our intel."
Unlike Shisui’s anger and Kakashi’s disappointment, Haruta was in a great mood.
Especially after dealing with Obito—it made him feel even better.
Of course, he didn’t say this out loud and quickly changed the subject.
"This organization seems to be connected to Uchiha Obito. What an unexpected surprise—we finally have a clear direction for our next move."
"Yeah, this group is definitely no joke. At the very least, that Sasori guy was no pushover."
Shisui nodded. If someone as powerful as Sasori was willing to join, and if the guy Haruta fought—Kakuzu—was just as formidable, then this organization was truly dangerous.
Yamato remained speechless for a long moment, a single thought echoing in his mind: So this… is the true power of Wood Release?
"This is bad," Black Zetsu muttered from the shadows, shaking his head.
With Obito and Kakashi’s fight having shifted into the Kamui dimension, Zetsu had chosen to reappear in the real world.
Even though the level of destruction wasn’t on par with the legendary battles between Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, it was still intense — especially for this era.
"What makes it worse is that this brat's strength comes from a combination of abilities. Wood Release and the Flying Raijin are troublesome enough on their own — but add in his sharp mind…
It’s only going to get more complicated."
Zetsu edged closer to observe Haruta's battle more clearly, but when he heard what Haruta was saying, his expression changed drastically.
"Damn it… White Zetsu, hurry! Get Obito out of there — we have a big problem!"
The sea of flames continued to rage, seemingly swallowing the massive Wood Dragon whole.
Yet Haruta stood calmly at the edge of the inferno, watching Kakuzu with a faint smirk.
"You’re part of the same organization, and if someone like Onoki values you, then your group must be quite powerful.
Sasori is a rogue ninja, and from what I can tell, your abilities come from Takigakure.
Maybe I should check the records when I get back — confirm if you’re also a rogue ninja."
Haruta’s voice was light, almost playful, but his words were precise — and dangerous.
"No organization has only two members.
There must be others hiding in the shadows — and if I had to guess…
Your group operates in the smaller nations, not the great ninja villages."
Kakuzu stayed silent, his mind racing.
He wasn’t scared by Haruta’s words — in fact, he found the kid’s theories almost laughable.
They’re the ones looking for Obito — and they’ve got nothing.
But hiding in the shadows, Black Zetsu broke into a cold sweat.
Haruta's deductions were dangerously close to the truth.
"And if your group is made up of rogue ninjas…
There’s a good chance Uchiha Obito is part of your organization."
Haruta’s words were a casual guess — but to Zetsu, it felt like a direct stab to the heart.
Kakuzu wasn’t fazed, but Zetsu was reeling.
This brat… how does he keep hitting so close to the mark?!
Haruta’s gaze darkened.
"Well then…
I guess I’ll just kill you here and bring your head back for investigation.
Let’s see what secrets your organization is hiding."
Before Kakuzu could react, a deafening roar erupted from the flames.
A blazing Wood Dragon, its body wreathed in fire, surged from the inferno.
Its molten orange eyes locked onto Kakuzu like a predator eyeing its prey.
In that instant, Kakuzu felt an icy chill in his veins.
"So long, Kakuzu."
Haruta raised a single hand seal — and the burning Wood Dragon dove toward Kakuzu with unstoppable force.
The ground trembled violently under the impact.
—
