Chapter 252: Who Will Follow Me?

"Hmm? it's just a single Tomoe Sharingan after all, even with your father dying in front of you…"

Obito sealed the recovered right eye into a scroll and slowly approached the seven-year-old boy.

"Should I say you have too little talent or that your emotions are too stable?"

Sasuke put down Fugaku's corpse, drew a kunai from his father's waist, and remained silent, biting his lip hard to swallow his blood and tears.

"You certainly have spirit," Obito said, shaking his head. "Dying on the same day as your father is quite a story."

Two shurikens with explosive tags were taken out from the Kamui dimension. Although Sasuke had activated his single Tomoe Sharingan, he was only seven years old, making it as easy for Obito to kill him as drinking water.

However, the man with the Impure World's Body did not make a move.

Behind him, a palpable killing intent emerged. Obito felt as though he was wrapped tightly by a massive venomous snake, with every muscle under tremendous pressure.

Obito understood that although killing Sasuke was as simple as drinking water, any action on his part could reveal a flaw. Even with the protection of both Kamui and Impure World's Body, facing that man meant any tiny flaw could be dangerous.

"You missed the best opportunity to seal me, Hokage-sama," Obito said, turning his head and sneering. "You should have attacked me from behind while I was killing Sasuke Uchiha."

"Twenty years ago… No, even in the Third Shinobi World War eight years ago, you would have sacrificed this child without hesitation to gain a valuable chance to defeat a powerful enemy."

"You've changed so much in just two years, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage's snake-like eyes glinted with golden light, deep and inscrutable, lost in thought.

"Damn it!"

At that moment, Sasuke let out a roar and charged forward with his kunai. His single Tomoe Sharingan granted him better insight and faster sprinting speed. Just as his voice fell, he "plunged" into Obito's body.

As expected, Sasuke passed through Obito's body.

'Fugaku, your son is too reckless…' This thought crossed Orochimaru's mind.

Two years ago, Obito's rampage in Konoha had revealed the nature of Kamui. Any random person from the village could now recite its characteristics by heart.

The boy's thoughts were straightforward—once Obito materialized and killed him, the Hokage would surely find an opportunity to deal with the enemy!

It was reckless but not entirely without merit as a battle strategy.

Orochimaru did not waste the opportunity earned with the life of a seven-year-old boy.

The moment Sasuke left Obito's body, Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword was concealed right beneath Obito. The Hokage was confident that a sudden, unexpected thrust could be successful.

As long as he could catch him, even with the Impure World Reincarnation body, Orochimaru was somewhat confident in sealing his soul… although it would come at a great cost.

However, contrary to Orochimaru's expectations, Obito did not leave his intangible state.

—He hadn't intended to fight at all.

"Do you think I would make the same mistake as two years ago, Hokage?" Obito's figure slowly merged into the swirling, distorted space. "With Kamui, I can't be beaten and still escape…"

Orochimaru's face darkened. Just as he was about to act, Obito disappeared. Having learned from past experiences, he was no fool.

In front of the police building demolished by explosive tags, only the seven-year-old boy who had just lost his father and the Hokage exuding a cold killing intent remained.

Soon, masked ANBU members landed and knelt before Orochimaru.

"Hokage-sama, reports from the front…"

Boom!

Before the message was finished, a sky-high fire erupted from the Hokage Building. Within less than half a second, the landmark building of the Fifth Hokage had turned to ashes.

Understanding Obito's intent, Orochimaru maximized the mobility of Kamui.

He couldn't even spare the Five-Tails in the distance and rushed to the Hokage Building's ruins, quickly forming several seals. He waited for a while but received no response.

—The Rinnegan had also been taken by Obito.

---

"Do it again!" Shisui took a deep breath. Shikotsumyaku of Ruri and Kakashi's left Mangekyō Sharingan unleashed again, heavily attacking the Five-Tails.

The enormous tailed beast collapsed to the ground and fainted.

Shisui and his team relaxed as Susanoo, Shikotsumyaku, and Mangekyō were deactivated.

Kushina Uzumaki, with gray-white hair, sighed in relief. She led the sealing team forward to seal the tailed beast into a container before considering the choice for the Five-Tails' jinchūriki.

"Diamond Seal!" Kushina released countless golden chains that bound the Five-Tails tightly.

Then, the sealing team spread out a scroll on the ground, forming precise seals to enhance the sealing technique's power, dragging the Five-Tails toward the container.

Panting heavily, Shisui felt the strain from Susanoo's burden. At fifteen, he wasn't at his peak and didn't have an excess of chakra and ocular power, but he continued to fulfill his duties as the ANBU Captain, issuing orders.

"Kushina-senpai, I'll leave this to you. Kakashi, Ruri, you and your subordinates come with me to the Hokage Building. Obito seems to have attacked there…"

"Obito?"

A clear voice appeared on the chaotic battlefield. A golden flash swept across as a long-haired youth stepped on the Five-Tails' head, smiling at Shisui.

"Wasn't Obito supposed to be crippled by the village? He still has so much power…"

An eerie silence spread. The shinobi swallowed nervously, their bodies tensed with vigilance and deep fear.

The figure before the Konoha shinobi was none other than the most notorious S-rank rogue shinobi, Yuto Hyuga!

"Bastard…"

The voice sliced through the air, mingled with chilling anger and hatred. Kushina appeared in front of Yuto almost instantaneously, swinging a punch. The immense chakra tore through her skin, turning flesh and blood into a crimson mantle.

"Yuto!"

The woman's furious fist struck Yuto. The most notorious S-rank rogue ninja was sent flying, barely stopping a hundred meters away. He dusted off his torn shirt and said with interest:

"You can remain conscious in the Six-Tails' state, Kushina-senpai. You have great talent. Indeed, you and Minato-senpai were well matched."

"Minato, Minato…" Enveloped in crimson mantle, Kushina mumbled, her violent chakra tearing at her sanity. Facing her husband's murderer, all past love turned into overwhelming hatred.

The Seventh Tail slowly took shape.

"Minato, Minato… You don't deserve to mention my husband's name!"

"You're right." Yuto's voice was soft. "My soul doesn't deserve peace and will drift in hell. However, to uphold one's will regardless of what happens is a lesson I learned from the Fourth Hokage. If possible, I would prefer not to say this in front of his widow…" He paused and continued, "I need the Nine-Tails. Who will follow me, you or Naruto?"

(End of Chapter)