Chapter 13: The Verdict on Obito

The atmosphere in the room was tense, but there was an undercurrent of something else—something a bit lighter. The Kage and Team 7 were standing in a circle, still reeling from the bombshell about Kaguya and the Ōtsutsuki. However, another matter was still unresolved, one that had been weighing heavily on everyone's minds ever since Obito had been revived.

Obito stood off to the side, arms crossed and his usual mask of indifference firmly in place. He was being looked at by the Kage with skeptical eyes, especially after all the things he had done in the past. His redemption was in question, and it was time for the group to decide his fate.

Tsunade folded her arms. "So, what do we do with him now?"

Mei glanced at Obito, her eyebrows raised. "We can't just let him roam free. He was a major threat to the world at one point."

Gaara's expression was hard to read. "But he's still... an Uchiha. There's a chance he could be useful."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "Why does that sound like you're already considering a personal alliance, Gaara?"

Gaara blinked, caught off guard. "I'm just saying..."

Tsunade rolled her eyes. "You're all getting a bit ahead of yourselves. What about all the people he hurt? All the lives he destroyed?"

The room fell silent as the weight of Tsunade's words hung in the air. Obito stood there, unfazed, his eyes scanning the group. It was clear that, despite everything, he didn't expect things to go his way.

Kakashi, who had been quietly observing the situation, finally stepped forward. "Tsunade's right. Obito's past is complicated. But... we can't ignore the fact that he's changed. He helped us during the Fourth Great Ninja War. He fought on our side."

Sasuke's arms were still crossed, his voice sharp. "I don't know about this. Just because he helped doesn't mean we should just forgive everything. He's done far too much damage."

Naruto, however, jumped in with his usual enthusiasm. "Come on, Sasuke! Don't be so serious all the time. Obito's cool, okay?"

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Naruto, who was grinning widely.

"Cool?" Sasuke deadpanned, raising an eyebrow. "You're calling him cool?"

Naruto nodded vigorously, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Yeah! I mean, the guy's got a whole dramatic backstory. He's basically like... a tragic hero! He was an actual villain, but then he turned things around. You know, redemption arc and all that!"

Obito stood there, a little stunned, but trying not to show it. He wasn't used to being praised, especially not in such a... Naruto way. "I'm not sure I'd go that far."

"Seriously, though," Naruto continued, "Obito's been through a lot. Sure, he's messed up, but you can't just forget all the battles we fought together. He saved us, remember? If it weren't for him, we'd have had way bigger problems."

Sasuke gave Naruto a deadpan look. "And what exactly makes him 'cool,' Naruto? The fact that he wore a mask for years?"

Naruto grinned. "Exactly! The guy was so mysterious! I mean, come on, he had one of the best entrances ever. 'I'm Madara!' He even tricked you, Sasuke! That's impressive!"

Kakashi couldn't help but chuckle, his hand covering his face. "I didn't even know who he was at first. That was a real shocker."

"See?" Naruto said, pointing at Kakashi. "That's what I mean! He was like the ultimate twist in the story. Who else could pull off a reveal like that?"

Tsunade sighed, rubbing her temple. "This is ridiculous. We're discussing whether or not to trust someone who literally almost wiped out the entire world, and you're making jokes about it?"

Naruto looked at her seriously. "But that's the thing, Tsunade! He's not the same guy anymore. He helped us when it mattered, and now he deserves a second chance."

The room fell quiet, and for a moment, no one knew what to say. Then Gaara, of all people, spoke up.

"I agree with Naruto. Obito... he's not the same as he was. We all change. I think he deserves a chance."

Tsunade crossed her arms, still skeptical but softening slightly. "I don't know about this..."

"You know what they say," Naruto said, a big grin spreading across his face. "A little redemption goes a long way!"

Sasuke sighed deeply, rubbing his temple. "Naruto, you can't just make everything sound like some grand speech."

Naruto's grin didn't falter. "Sure I can! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the guy who believes in second chances. I know what it's like to make mistakes and keep fighting. Obito's no different."

Obito was quiet for a moment, processing everything. He hadn't expected this turn of events. He'd thought there would be a lot more resistance, but Naruto, of all people, was vouching for him. It was almost... surreal.

Finally, Tsunade exhaled, shaking her head. "Fine. But mark my words, if anything happens, I'll be keeping a close eye on you, Obito. You don't get a free pass just because Naruto likes you."

Obito nodded, though his expression was unreadable. "I understand."

And with that, the decision was made. Obito had been given a second chance—at least for now. As the Kage exchanged wary glances, they all knew that this wouldn't be the end of the story. But for the moment, they had bigger threats to deal with.

Naruto grinned at Obito. "See? I told you it would be fine. You're cool, man. Just don't go trying to destroy the world again, alright?"

Obito couldn't help but give a small smile. "I'll try, Naruto. I'll try."