Chapter 94 – Rivals for Life 一生的对手

Lin Yuan's consciousness gradually emerged from the haze. The blurry scene before his eyes slowly came into focus. The air was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs and the acrid smell of scorched chakra. He lifted his head slightly and saw Neji and Hinata lying on stretchers not far away, being treated by medical ninjas. Neji's chest was wrapped in bandages; his breathing was weak but steady. Hinata had her eyes tightly shut, and the exhaustion on her face hadn't faded.

"You're awake?" Ino's voice was tinged with surprise. She sat beside Lin Yuan, her hands still forming seals for a medical ninjutsu. Despite the obvious tiredness in her eyes, she stubbornly continued the treatment. When she saw Lin Yuan wake up, she sighed in relief. Then she frowned and scolded, "You're always reckless. This time, you almost died of exhaustion on the battlefield."

Lin Yuan gave a bitter smile and replied in a low voice, "But I'm still alive..." He tried to sit up, but felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on him, rendering him unable to move. His ninja's intuitive perception made him vaguely aware that the battle outside was still raging.

"What's… the situation now?" Lin Yuan asked weakly, his eyes fixed on the sky outside the medical camp. It was a chaotic canvas, painted by the wild chakra and the glow of jutsu. He could faintly hear explosions and battle cries from afar, and his unease grew stronger.

Ino bit her lip and said quietly, "Obito absorbed the Ten-Tails and became Six Paths Obito. Naruto and the others beat him. But now, Uchiha Madara's back. He's resurrected with Six Paths power, even stronger than Obito."

From Ino's brief description, Lin Yuan quickly pieced together the changes in the battle situation. The crisis that should have eased was once again pushed to the abyss because of Madara's resurrection. "Six Paths Madara…" Lin Yuan murmured softly, feeling a dryness in his throat.

"By the way," Ino continued, "Both Naruto and Sasuke are severely injured and down. Right now… their lives are hanging in the balance."

Just then, a deafening roar from the battlefield drew everyone's attention outside.

The wind howled, and the earth cracked. Six Paths Uchiha Madara exuded an overbearing aura. His Rinnegan eyes, like the pupils of hell, coldly surveyed everyone on the battlefield. Six Black Chakra receivers floated behind him. He sneered. "This? You can't stop my Infinite Tsukuyomi."

At this moment, Kakashi stood on the other side of the battlefield, gasping for breath. His Mangekyo Sharingan was fixed on Madara, and he was calculating the right moment in silence. Beside him, Uchiha Obito had regained some strength. Although he looked haggard, there was a newfound determination in his eyes.

"Obito…" Kakashi said in a low voice, his tone complex. "I never thought we'd fight side by side again."

Obito didn't respond, just gave him a sideways glance.

"Naruto's in the Kamui dimension," Obito breathed. "I've got to get in there. Bringing him back is our one shot at victory."

"But Madara won't let you succeed." Kakashi quickly calmed down, regaining his judgment as an elite ninja. He looked at the dense Black Chakra receivers around Madara and the invisible oppressive aura. A glint of determination flashed in his eyes. "Here's the plan. We'll work together. Use Kamui to hold off his attacks. You enter the Kamui dimension, and I'll fend off Madara."

Obito was slightly taken aback. He looked at Kakashi with a complex expression. His Mangekyo Sharingan spun gently, as if recalling the past. In the end, he just nodded and didn't say anything more.

"Let's go." Kakashi took a deep breath, swiftly forming seals. "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

A clone appeared beside Kakashi and immediately charged towards Madara, diverting his attention. At the same time, Kakashi's original body seized the moment and activated Kamui, teleporting Obito's body into the Kamui dimension.

The next second, Madara's attack surged forward, shattering Kakashi's shadow clone. Kakashi's original body stumbled backward in the aftermath of the attack, barely able to stay on his feet.

Obito appeared in the Kamui dimension and saw Naruto lying on the ground. Naruto's breathing was extremely weak. Sakura was nervously using medical ninjutsu to maintain Naruto's vital signs.

"How did you…?" Sakura gasped, her face a mix of surprise and distrust at Obito's sudden appearance.

"I'm here to save Naruto." Obito said coldly, without further explanation. He walked slowly towards Naruto, sensing the faint fluctuations of Tailed Beast chakra within himself. His left eye, with the Mangekyo Sharingan spinning, looked at Naruto with a complex gaze.

"What are you trying to do?!" Sakura asked warily, but her hands didn't stop treating Naruto.

Obito didn't answer. Instead, he slowly raised his palm and placed it on Naruto's abdomen, connecting to the chakra of the Nine - Tails' seal. At the same time, he activated the remaining Tailed Beast chakra in his body, releasing the power of the Tailed Beasts he had once absorbed.

"Kid, you've always wanted to be Hokage, right?" Obito grumbled, mockery and an unfathomable sentiment in his voice. "Here's your chance. Save this messed-up world."

The Tailed Beast chakra flowed like light into Naruto's body. Sakura was stunned. Although she still couldn't fully trust Obito, she keenly sensed that Naruto's condition was gradually stabilizing. She was speechless for a moment, and could only clench her teeth and continue using medical ninjutsu.

When the last trace of Tailed Beast chakra left Obito's body, his figure swayed slightly, looking extremely weak. However, he didn't seem to care. Instead, he said coldly, "Naruto's life… has been saved for now."

Meanwhile, Kakashi was doing his best to hold off Madara's attacks. Madara's Black Chakra receivers shattered his shadow clones. He was being pushed to the brink.

"It's over." Madara's voice was cold and emotionless. The Black Chakra receivers condensed into a huge energy ball and charged straight towards Kakashi. The intense pressure made Kakashi almost unable to move. He could even feel the approach of death.

At this critical moment, a blurred figure flashed from the side. It was Might Guy!

"Kakashi!" Guy shouted. He kicked Kakashi with all his might, knocking him out of the path of the attack. The shockwave from the explosion of the energy ball sent both of them flying, but Guy landed steadily on the ground, supporting himself on one knee and gasping for breath.

"Guy…" Kakashi climbed up clumsily from the ruins in the distance after being kicked away. His eyes brimmed with mixed emotions. A bitter smile tugged at his lips. "You… always arrive just in time."

Taking a steadying breath, Guy lifted his head and fixed his eyes on Madara far away. His eyes were ablaze with resolve. "Yes, my lifelong rival."

====================

林远的意识逐渐从混沌中恢复过来,眼前的模糊景象慢慢变得清晰.空气中弥漫着浓浓的医疗草药气味和焦灼的查克拉气息.他微微抬头,便看到宁次和雏田同样躺在不远处的担架上,正接受医疗忍者的治疗.宁次的胸口缠满绷带,呼吸虽弱却平稳,而雏田则紧闭着双眼,脸上还有未褪尽的疲惫.

"你醒了?" 井野的声音带着一丝惊喜,她坐在林远的身旁,手中还攥着一个医疗忍术结印,虽然眼底有明显的倦意,但依旧强撑着维持治疗.看着林远缓缓转醒,她松了口气,却又忍不住皱眉责备道:"你总是这么乱来,这次差点彻底脱力死在战场上."

林远苦笑了一下,低声回应:"我不是还活着吗..." 他想坐起身,却感觉全身像被巨石压住,根本动弹不得.忍者的感知直觉让他隐隐察觉到,外界的战斗依然激烈无比.

"现在...什么情况?" 林远虚弱地问道,目光落在医疗营地外的天幕上,那已经被狂暴查克拉与术式光芒映照得一片混乱.他隐约能听见爆炸声和喊杀声从远方传来,心中不安愈发强烈.

井野咬了咬唇,语气低沉道:"根据情报,带土吸收了十尾,成为了六道带土.六道带土已经被鸣人他们击败... 但更可怕的是,宇智波斑又回来了.他复活了,而且还拥有了六道之力的力量.比之前的六道带土还要强得多."

林远从井野简短的描述中,迅速拼凑出了战局的变化,原本应该有所缓解的危机,却因为斑的复活而再度被推向深渊."六道斑..." 林远轻声喃喃,感到喉咙发干.

"对了," 井野继续说道, "鸣人和佐助都重伤倒下了,现在... 生死未卜."

就在这时,战场上传来的震天巨响将所有人的注意力拉回到了外界.

狂风呼啸,大地龟裂,六道宇智波斑,浑身散发出不可一世的威压.他那双轮回眼宛如地狱的瞳孔,冷冷俯视着战场上的所有人,身后漂浮着六根求道玉.他的嘴角勾起一抹轻蔑的冷笑:"就这点程度,也想阻止我实现无限月读?"

而此刻,卡卡西站在战场的另一边,喘着粗气.他的万花筒写轮眼死死盯着斑,同时默默计算着时机.他的身旁,宇智波带土也恢复了几分气力,虽然神色憔悴,但眼中多了一份从未有过的坚毅.

"带土..." 卡卡西低声开口,语气复杂, "没想到,我们还能并肩作战."

带土没有回应,只是瞥了他一眼.

"他现在在神威空间..." 带土低声说道, "我得进去,只有把鸣人带回来,战斗才有胜算."

"但斑不会让你如愿." 卡卡西迅速冷静下来,重新恢复了他身为精英忍者的判断力.他看着斑周围密集的求道玉和无形的威压,眼中闪过一丝锋芒:"这样吧,我们联手,用神威牵制他的攻击.你负责进入神威空间,我来挡住斑."

带土微微一愣,目光复杂地看了卡卡西一眼.他的万花筒写轮眼轻轻转动,似乎在回忆过去的种种,但最终,他只是点了点头,没有再多说什么.

"来吧," 卡卡西深吸一口气,双手迅速结印, "影分身术!"

一个分身出现在卡卡西身旁,立刻向斑的方向冲了过去,引开了他的注意力.与此同时,卡卡西本体抓住这个瞬间,发动了神威,将带土的身体传送进入了神威空间.

下一秒,斑的攻击汹涌而至,直接击碎了卡卡西的影分身.卡卡西本体则在攻击余波中踉跄后退,险些无法支撑.

带土出现在神威空间内,看到了倒在地上的鸣人.整个人的气息微弱至极.而一旁的小樱正紧张地使用医疗忍术,试图维持鸣人的生命体征.

"你怎么..." 小樱看到带土突然出现,脸上写满了惊讶与不信任.

"我是来救鸣人的." 带土冷声说道,没有多做解释.他缓缓走向鸣人,感知着自己体内微弱的尾兽查克拉波动.他的左眼转动着万花筒写轮眼,视线复杂地落在鸣人身上.

"你想干什么?!" 小樱警惕地问道,但她的手没有停止治疗鸣人.

带土没有回应,而是缓缓抬起自己的手掌,按在了鸣人的腹部,连接九尾封印的查克拉.与此同时,他催动自己体内残存的尾兽查克拉,释放出他曾经吸收过的尾兽力量.

"小子,你不是想要成为火影吗?" 带土低声喃喃,声音中带着一丝嘲讽,却也有种难以言说的复杂情绪."那就拿去吧,用你的力量来拯救这个荒谬的世界."

尾兽查克拉化为光流,缓缓注入到鸣人的体内.小樱愣住了,虽然对带土仍旧无法完全信任,但她敏锐地感知到,鸣人的气息正在逐渐平稳下来.她一时间说不出话,只能紧咬牙关,继续施展医疗忍术.

当最后一丝尾兽查克拉离开带土的体内时,他的身形微微摇晃了一下,显得格外虚弱.然而,他却并未在意,反而冷冷地说道:"鸣人的命...暂时保住了."

与此同时,卡卡西正在竭尽全力牵制斑的攻击.他的影分身已被斑的求道玉击碎,而他本人也逐渐被逼入绝境.

"结束了." 斑的声音冰冷无情,求道玉凝聚成一个巨大的能量球,向卡卡西直冲而来.强烈的威压让卡卡西几乎无法动弹,他甚至能感觉到死亡的气息逼近.

就在这千钧一发之际,一道残影从侧面闪现而出,是迈特凯!

"卡卡西!" 凯高喊一声,猛然一脚踢向卡卡西,将卡卡西从攻击的轨道中踹飞了出去.能量球爆炸的余波将两人分别掀飞,但凯却稳稳地落在地上,用一只手撑住膝盖,喘着粗气.

"凯..." 卡卡西被踹飞后,在远处的废墟中狼狈地爬起.他的目光中充满了复杂的情感,嘴角却不由得扬起一抹苦笑. "你这家伙...每次都这么及时."

凯喘了口气,抬头看向远处的斑,眼神中没有半分退缩之意:"是的,我一生的对手."