Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 535 A Moment of Freedom

The battlefield is ever-changing, and any change can bring unexpected results.

The moment Madara Uchiha stepped onto the field, he immediately drew the attention of 70% of the participants. Everyone assumed that with the First Hokage present, Madara wouldn't be able to intervene in the battle. However, when Madara forcefully entered the fray, the First Hokage remained rooted to the spot, making no move.

"I knew it." Tobirama's tone was tinged with resentment, but he stopped leaping and turned to look at his two teammates who had been standing by.

Sasuke, who hadn't even entered the battle yet, blocked the first wave of attacks. Madara Uchiha's target was clearly him and Naruto; the strength of these two young men was indeed enough to make Madara, who enjoyed the thrill of battle, itch to fight. Moreover... Naruto Uzumaki was a god-like figure capable of drawing upon the entire Ten-Tails' chakra. Who knew what would happen if he were placed next to Obito? He couldn't let Obito die too quickly for the time being.

"Oh, it's coming for us." Naruto was just wondering how to let it go. Capturing the whole Black Zetsu was too troublesome. This guy left a part in Obito and a part in Madara. It would probably only merge into a complete entity when the Infinite Tsukuyomi was truly realized, to welcome the return of its creator.

Yin-Yang Release can affect the soul. Black Zetsu, being a creation of Yin-Yang Release, is hidden too close to the soul for delicate operations like cutting. The structure of a soul is unique; there are only similarities, no two identical. If anything is cut off, he can't repair it. Therefore, he can only wait for the moment when the other party willingly detaches from the host's soul. Although the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki's soul state is certainly complex, he can already see some clues. However, he doesn't need to be as gentle with the Ten-Tails as with humans. Given enough space, he can still separate the trapped soul.

Moreover, while observing the growth of the Ten-Tails, he came up with a brilliant idea.

Ultimately, the Ten-Tails is a tree, and its growth process is perceptibly 70% similar to Hashirama's Wood Release. This tree's soul appears vast, but its structure is actually simple; it can only grow stronger by devouring the symbiotic souls it depends on. So why not completely destroy this tree's soul and let another, more powerful soul, highly compatible with the Ten-Tails, replace it?

He thought it was feasible; Hashirama's soul radiance was indeed dazzling enough that, theoretically, such a possession should be possible. However, not everyone was willing to abandon their human body, so he would have to ask Hashirama's opinion on this matter.

In a flash, swarms of enormous wooden branches surged forth from beneath Madara Uchiha's feet, quickly engulfing the area. Instead of focusing on entangled prey, they blossomed into giant flowers at the ends of the branches, their fine pollen scattering in the chaotic air currents.

Pollen is poisonous.

Those Jinchuriki with in-game voice chat started running as soon as they saw Wood Release. Their Tailed Beast allies knew it was a Tailed Beast killer, capable of absorbing chakra; the more they struggled, the tighter the bindings became. Running fast was the best course of action. The Five Kage, however, were more stubborn and directly confronted it. Onoki, with Tsunade's help, unleashed the largest Dust Release technique of the battle, instantly clearing a clearing. However, he at least considered the others, clearing precisely the area where Obito was located.

Before anyone could see whether Obito had been hit by the smoke and dust, a figure swiftly flashed out and, guided by the Sharingan, caught up with their target.

"Trying to use the same trick again?" Obito used his Hollowfication to dodge Kakashi's attack. The last time he was caught, it was only because he caught a glimpse of the Tailed Beast Ball about to land. If he hadn't Hollowfied along with Kakashi, this guy would have died.

"Obito, stop... If you hate me for not protecting you..."

"Shut up, you bastard who stood by and watched Rin die." No, Obito knew Rin had committed suicide, but she chose to die at Kakashi's hands. But only saying this could shut him up.

Kakashi indeed shut up. He wore a mask, so his expression was mostly hidden, except for his slightly trembling eyes, which revealed his struggle.

"I'm not interested in this world that's about to disappear. I'd rather just die in reality."

The fire jutsu appeared to be overwhelming, but the water jutsu immediately followed. The water dragon bit through the fire tornado, swallowing the flames, and even had the strength to tear at the spot where Obito was. Lightning then followed, and the temporary puddle was instantly filled with blue lightning, forcing Obito to remain in his intangible state.

The five Kage, choosing not to dodge, charged forward. From the moment Obito was about to escape the puddle, they launched a relentless attack, hoping to replicate their near-successful attempt. The Mizukage and Raikage's coordinated attack was the longest possible delay, but after using it a few times, Obito figured out their attack pattern and moved away from the danger zone faster and faster, making it extremely difficult for the five Kage to keep up.

With no one to restrain Obito, five minutes felt like an eternity for a ninja. Long enough for Kakashi to force himself to rally, simply because the war had already come at a heavy price. To protect the future of the world, he had no right to break down.

Just then, the Tailed Beast Ball, which had been gathering power, was ready. A sphere even larger than the Tailed Beasts themselves, propelled by the beasts, hurtled towards the tiny barrier. The Tailed Beast Ball smashed through the barrier and continued its relentless march into the distance, leaving a deep trench in the ground. Everything seemed to be swallowed up by the purplish-black sphere, which, after traveling a considerable distance, became a giant mushroom cloud on the horizon.

The tremors over there inevitably affected the battlefield here, causing a flaw in the coordination of the Five Kage. The attack had already lasted for more than four minutes, and if they had held on for another ten seconds or so, they would have been able to hit the main body. However, the ground tremors affected the accuracy of the attack. Obito seized an opportunity to completely break free from the attack and was about to take advantage of the time to buffer his intangibility when he turned around and met eyes that looked exactly like his.

That was Kakashi, his eyes filled with pain, yet he rushed towards him, his hands crackling with electricity.

It's the same old story. I always force myself to do things I don't want to do, honing myself into a sword of Konoha, yet I've failed to protect anything.

Obito knew that the attack was aimed at his heart, intended to prevent him from deactivating his Hollowfication, but he did just that, using his chest to meet the lightning.

Was this the same pain Lin had once felt? But within that pain, he sensed a long-lost freedom and an indescribable sense of exhilaration.

Kakashi's expression was truly grim. He closed his eyes, even his movement of withdrawing his arm was hesitant. Would this moment become an unforgettable memory?