Chapter10 Duel of Destiny edited

Kaito's smirk deepened. He had no reason to hide these eyes anymore.

Even if Obito understood his Mangekyō's abilities, understanding and countering were two different things.

Obito's single red eye gleamed beneath his mask. He knew Kaito was a threat—not just to him, but to everything he had worked for. There was no time to hesitate. Izanagi's timer was counting down.

He attacked.

With a surge of speed, Obito rushed forward, his scythe arcing through the air in a vicious downward slash. Kaito's hand flickered to his sword, drawing the blade in a seamless, fluid motion.

Neither of them intended to rely on ninjutsu—not when their abilities manipulated space-time itself. A miscalculation could mean burning through too much chakra or giving the other an opening.

Their weapons clashed in a shower of sparks.

CLANG!

Kaito twisted his wrist, redirecting the scythe's force, but Obito had already shifted—his body warping with Kamui as he phased through the counterattack. He reappeared an instant later, his scythe aiming for Kaito's exposed ribs.

Kaito vanished.

A flicker—then steel met steel again, this time at Obito's back.

Obito phased instantly, allowing the blade to pass through harmlessly. But Kaito was already anticipating this. He spun, bringing his sword downward—this time feinting the strike, then twisting at the last second to slash at Obito's legs.

Obito's Sharingan whirled frantically, reacting just in time.

Tch. He clicked his tongue. His Kamui activation is slightly delayed again.

He knew Kaito's Mangekyō had something to do with it. That distorted, spiraling pattern wasn't just for show.

But figuring out how it worked mid-battle was another matter entirely.

CLANG!

They moved like ghosts, their weapons a blur of silver and shadows beneath the moonlight. Each attack was lethal, each evasion a razor-thin escape from death.

Kaito's swordsmanship was flawless. He wasn't just a skilled swordsman—he was an artist of the blade. The way he moved was precise yet unpredictable, every strike flowing into the next like a perfectly orchestrated symphony of destruction.

Obito was no slouch, either. He had fought against some of the strongest shinobi in history and lived to tell the tale. His Kamui, combined with his enhanced strength from Hashirama's cells, made him an overwhelming opponent.

A spark of chakra ignited between them as they clashed again, the sheer force of their attacks creating a shockwave that tore through the battlefield.

The ground cracked beneath their feet.

Scorched earth, shattered stones, and splintered trees littered the area, bearing witness to the violent power of their duel.

Obito pressed forward, his attacks coming faster, harder. His time was running out.

"I need to push him—make him reveal a weakness before Izanagi ends!"

Kaito, however, had other plans.

He parried a particularly aggressive strike, then stepped into Obito's space, forcing him into a close-range battle.

"What's wrong?" Kaito taunted, his voice calm even as he dodged another deadly swing. "Starting to feel the pressure?"

Obito's grip on his scythe tightened.

"He's trying to stall. He wants me to waste Izanagi."

The realization sent a wave of irritation through him.

He had fallen for this strategy before.

Years ago, against Minato.

The similarities were infuriating.

With renewed aggression, Obito lunged, this time throwing a kunai mid-strike to force Kaito to react. At the same time, his body flickered—half phasing, half solid—his scythe swinging in an arc meant to sever Kaito's head.

But Kaito's eyes glowed ominously.

The clock-hand tomoe shifted.

Obito felt it again—that unnatural distortion of time.

His Kamui lagged by a fraction of a second.

A sliver of panic crept into his mind.

"If I miscalculate, he'll—"

In that split second, Kaito moved.

His sword blurred into motion, a silver arc slicing toward Obito's exposed torso.

Obito's Sharingan spun.

Too late.

SLASH!

A deep gash opened across his side. Blood sprayed into the night air.

Obito staggered back, his fingers ghosting over the wound. It wasn't fatal—but it was real.

"Izanagi… didn't activate fast enough?"

He clenched his teeth. Something was seriously wrong.

Kaito exhaled slowly, his blade glistening with Obito's blood.

"I see it now," he mused, watching the way Obito's breathing had shifted, the slight tension in his stance. "You're feeling it, aren't you? The lag?"

Obito didn't respond.

Kaito's Mangekyō spun slowly, hypnotically.

"That's the problem with absolute power, Obito. You've never had to fight with true consequences. Your Kamui? Your Izanagi?"

His smirk widened.

"I'm taking those advantages away from you. One second at a time."

Obito's heart pounded.

He wasn't used to feeling this vulnerable.

And Kaito knew it.

The battle had shifted.

Now, Obito wasn't hunting Kaito.

Kaito was hunting him.