Naruto: The Second Chance of Obito Uchiha
Chapter 22: The Eight-Tails' Shadow
The northern battlefield trembled beneath the clash of thousands of shinobi.
On one side, the Hidden Leaf fought to hold its defensive line.
On the other, Kumogakure pressed its assault with relentless force.
The war had reached a stalemate.
Until Killer B entered the battlefield.
B landed atop a massive rock overlooking the fighting.
Eight swords rested across his back.
He looked down at the Leaf shinobi below with a grin.
"Yo, what a scene, dust in the sky,
Cloud's rolling through, and here's the reason why!
Fool, ya fool!"
Leaf shinobi instinctively tensed.
Even without releasing the Eight-Tails' power, his chakra was overwhelming.
The veteran jonin beside Obito whispered,
"That's Killer B…"
"The Eight-Tails' jinchūriki."
Elsewhere, A and Minato continued their incredible duel.
Lightning and yellow flashes streaked across the battlefield faster than most shinobi could follow.
Every collision shattered the earth.
Neither warrior had gained an advantage.
A smiled as another Rasengan barely missed him.
"So this…"
"…is the Yellow Flash."
Minato calmly replied,
"And you're every bit as strong as the reports claimed."
The battle continued.
Neither could afford to lose focus.
Back on the eastern flank, the three Kumogakure elite jonin attacked again.
Kakashi intercepted the axe-wielding jonin.
Their weapons clashed repeatedly.
The Lightning Release specialist rushed Rin.
Obito appeared between them.
"You aren't touching her."
The jonin smirked.
"Confident."
Obito answered with a barrage of shuriken followed immediately by a Great Fireball.
The battlefield exploded into flames.
High above them, B watched quietly.
"Hmm…"
"That Uchiha's got some heat,
Moves so smooth, light on his feet.
Fool, ya fool."
He rested a sword on his shoulder.
"Let's see what else you got."
Instead of transforming or unleashing Gyūki's power, B leaped into the battlefield with nothing but his swords.
The earth cracked beneath his landing.
Every shinobi nearby froze.
One of the Leaf jonin shouted,
"Fall back!"
"No!"
Obito replied instantly.
"If we retreat now, the entire eastern flank collapses."
The jonin hesitated.
He knew Obito was right.
B walked forward casually.
Eight swords slid into position.
He smiled at Obito.
"Yo, Sharingan, looking so cool,
Think you're ready? Don't be a fool!
Fool, ya fool!"
Obito slowly activated his Sharingan.
Three tomoe rotated.
He knew better than anyone alive…
This man was a monster.
Without warning—
B vanished.
Obito barely managed to raise a kunai.
Clang!
A sword struck with enough force to send him skidding backward.
"So fast…"
Even with the Sharingan, following B's movements was incredibly difficult.
"Kakashi!"
"I'm coming!"
Kakashi disengaged from his opponent and rushed to Obito's side.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder.
B laughed.
"Two against one? That's mighty nice,
Maybe now you'll pay the price!
Fool, ya fool!"
The eight swords began moving.
Each blade attacked from a different angle.
The style was unlike anything Kakashi had ever seen.
"I can't predict it…"
Obito narrowed his eyes.
"I can…"
"But barely."
The battle intensified.
Obito called out every movement he could read.
"High!"
"Left!"
"Behind!"
Kakashi trusted every warning completely.
Even then…
The two could only defend.
Neither found an opportunity to counterattack.
Rin continued healing wounded Leaf shinobi while watching helplessly.
"They're being overwhelmed…"
She clenched her fists.
"I have to do something."
Using smoke bombs and explosive tags, she disrupted the battlefield around B just enough to force him to reposition.
B laughed loudly.
"Medic girl, that's pretty slick,
Got some brains, I like that trick!
Fool, ya fool!"
Several Cloud jonin attempted to surround Rin.
Before they reached her, a platoon of Leaf reinforcements intercepted them.
Their commander saluted Obito.
"We'll hold them!"
Obito nodded without taking his eyes off B.
Across the battlefield, Minato sensed B's chakra.
His expression changed.
"B…"
A noticed immediately.
"You looked away."
Lightning erupted around him.
"That's a mistake."
He launched himself at Minato with incredible speed.
Minato barely escaped using Flying Thunder God.
For the first time in their duel…
A forced him completely onto the defensive.
Back on the eastern flank…
B suddenly stopped attacking.
He pointed one of his swords at Obito.
"Yo, Uchiha, you're no fake,
Most kids your age would already break.
Fool, ya fool!"
Obito remained silent.
B smiled.
"I like warriors who don't run."
Before Obito could respond—
A deafening horn echoed across the battlefield.
Every Cloud shinobi immediately disengaged.
A landed beside B.
"The day's objective is complete."
B shrugged.
"Aww, we just got started, what a shame,
Guess we'll finish another game!
Fool, ya fool!"
The Cloud army began an organized withdrawal.
Jiraiya watched from the command ridge.
"They weren't trying to destroy us…"
"They were measuring our strength."
Minato rejoined his team moments later.
His gaze followed A and B as they disappeared beyond the mountains.
"They'll be back."
Obito nodded.
"I know."
For the first time since returning to the past…
He had faced one of the shinobi who would one day stand beside him during the Fourth Great Ninja War.
The difference was…
This time they met as enemies.
And Obito realized one terrifying truth.
Even with all of his future knowledge…
Changing history would be far harder than he had imagined.