Chapter 008: Phantom Blades and Shattered Eyes

Shisui, sword in hand, darted forward like a phantom. In the blink of an eye, over a dozen identical Shisui surrounded Obito, forming a deadly circle. It wasn't a typical Shadow Clone Jutsu—there was something more refined, more insidious.

Obito quickly formed a seal with his hands. "Release!" he shouted, attempting to dispel the illusion.

But his voice was drowned out by a chorus—more than ten Shisui speaking in unison. "It's useless. My Body Flicker Jutsu isn't just a simple illusion. Under the power of the Mangekyō, a mere dispel won't work."

Obito's expression twisted into a snarl of frustration. From behind, a long sword swept toward him, but he turned swiftly, catching the attacker's wrist.

Kamui!

The familiar space-time vortex began swirling, pulling Shisui's form toward it. But something was wrong—Obito's brow furrowed. 'It's not a physical body…?' And yet… the sensation of grabbing the wrist was undeniable. It was solid.

*Clang!*

The sound of a blade colliding with chain echoed as Obito's counterattack was intercepted.

*Thump!*

A sharp kick came from another direction, but it was blocked by his forearm.

Obito twisted, trying to locate the real one. Each attack hit like a physical blow—strong, fast, and precise. But the trees summoned by his Wood-style technique—his Deep Forest Emergence—passed through their bodies harmlessly, unable to touch them.

This… This was too similar to his own Kamui-based phasing technique. Unless he identified the real body, defeat was inevitable.

From the outer circle of attackers, Shisui—one of them—spoke with narrowed eyes. "I have to admit, it's impressive. You're still standing after everything. The intel we acquired clearly wasn't wasted."

He looked at Obito, the man who once was just a naive boy at the bottom of the Uchiha rankings, who thought silly things like eye drops and eye patches might help awaken his Sharingan sooner.

Now, that same boy had grown into something monstrous.

"You think you've won? If it weren't for Kakashi… If it weren't for that bastard Kakashi—!"

Kamui!

Obito bellowed, and multiple space-time vortexes erupted at once, dragging six of the surrounding Shisui into the Kamui dimension. But blood trickled from his mask-covered eye, a clear sign of overexertion. Even Hashirama's regenerative cells couldn't fully keep up with this level of Mangekyō's strain.

"You're just flailing now." Shisui's voice echoed again.

A flicker of flame ignited along the length of his ninjatō. The illusion clones reformed, their presence more threatening than ever.

*Swish!*

In an instant, the flame-cloaked blade surged forward. Each strike was surgical, aimed perfectly, pushing Obito to the brink. He had to defend and probe simultaneously, trying to find the real Shisui.

"Kamui!" Obito screamed again, desperation leaking through the rage.

But Shisui's voice echoed from all directions. "It's useless. Each clone has form and formlessness. Every strike is real. With Mangekyō's blessing, this illusion is beyond you."

*Clang!* *Thud!* *Whoosh!*

One by one, the illusions dissolved as the flames faded. Obito finally dropped to one knee, chest heaving. The Kamui vortexes vanished. Even his wood-style technique had ceased—no more trees surged around them.

Obito gasped for breath. Shisui, standing a few meters away, looked no less exhausted. While he hadn't used the Mangekyō with the same reckless abandon, the battle had clearly taken its toll.

Obito looked up from behind his mask, panting. "Why didn't you finish me off…?"

Shisui didn't answer immediately. He sheathed his sword and walked a few paces closer.

"Because your fate isn't mine to decide," he said quietly. "The Uchiha's situation is already too complicated. But tonight… we were lucky."

He paused, his expression solemn. "Lucky that I was the one to stop you. Someone who still believes in the clan… and in the village."

For the first time, Obito's mouth curled into a bitter smirk. "Heh… you've figured something out, haven't you? You'll regret this."

Shisui didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward in a blur. The moment was so fast even Obito didn't react until it was too late.

*Swish!*

With a flick of his hand, Shisui dug beneath Obito's mask and yanked out his right eye.

"AAAHH!!" Obito's scream echoed across the space, guttural and raw.

Kakashi, who had barely regained his strength, staggered over. "It's been used once already… Shall we get out of here?"

Shisui glanced at Kakashi briefly, his expression unreadable. 'What kind of blow will this man suffer, he wondered, when he learns who's behind that mask…?'

"Let's go. Hokage-sama is waiting."

Kakashi nodded, lifting his forehead protector. The Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye whirled. The Kamui space warped and twisted, and in seconds, the trio vanished from the dimension.

…

Back in the real world, atop the Hokage Monument, the clone Sora peered through a telescope. He spotted a group emerging from the cave in the distance.

At the same time, deep in Konoha, the Nine-Tails' chakra stirred faintly, pulsing through the air with a chilling, malevolent presence.

Minato, standing nearby, looked tense. His eyes shifted toward the restrained Obito, who sat silently, his gaze hollow.

"So… the Nine-Tails is here," Obito murmured. "Looks like you were ready for me. But… who told you?"

Even now, surrounded and defeated, Obito didn't believe he had truly lost. Not even Shisui's illusion, nearly perfect in its execution, could erase that unshakable arrogance.

Because Obito knew—so long as he had Kamui, no prison could truly hold him.

Unless…

His empty eyes turned toward Kakashi, full of loathing.

'That left eye… Kamui… the same power from a distance, and yet… it completely counters me.'

Kakashi felt a chill crawl up his spine as he noticed Obito's stare. 'Why me? Shisui beat you. Sensei's right here. Why am I the one you're looking at like that…?'

"Fugaku-san." Minato said calmly, breaking the tension, "Please escort this man to the Uchiha Police Force headquarters. Use a barrier and multiple layers of sealing—he may not be acting alone."

Just as he was about to leave, Shisui approached with a glass container. "Hokage-sama, this is… his Mangekyō."

Minato took one glance at the spiraled tomoe inside the glass. It radiated a sinister, captivating power.

He turned to Fugaku, who stood tense beside him. "The Sharingan is the Uchiha clan's bloodline. This Mangekyō should rightfully return to the clan."

Fugaku's shoulders relaxed with visible relief.

He didn't covet the eye—but the political implications were dangerous. If another Mangekyō Sharingan existed in the village, not under Uchiha control, it would only fuel the Hawk faction's paranoia.

Minato nodded once more. "Thank you all for tonight. I ask that what happened here remain confidential."

The medics and shinobi nearby nodded. Minato pressed a marked kunai into his palm.

Flying Thunder God!

In a blink, the Fourth Hokage vanished from sight. Shisui stared at the glass bottle in his hand for a long moment, then silently tucked it away.

The group began escorting the now-silent Obito toward Uchiha territory.

Kakashi, trudging beside them with fatigue clinging to his every movement, finally asked, "Shisui… aren't you curious about who he is? About who's under the mask?"

"Hoh…"

Shisui let out a slow exhale, his eyes unreadable.

"Hokage-sama said only he would reveal the truth. Until then, I don't know."

Obito remained deathly quiet, like a ghost dragged back from the brink. He didn't even glance Kakashi's way anymore.

…

"Three… two… one."

Atop the Hokage Monument, the clone, Sora, snapped his fingers—and vanished into thin air.

But down below, in the escort formation, something changed.

*Shing!*

*Gahh!!*

A figure flashed into view—and with one clean strike, Obito's right arm and shoulder were severed.

Blood sprayed across the forest floor.

*****

Support me on my pat reon and gain early access to my creations.

https://www.pat reon.com/RroY28 (remove the space)

You can access up to 30 advanced chapters.