Sasuke's own Sharingan spun wildly, fixed on the scythe patterns instantly forming in Obito and Kakashi's eyes. And an indescribable jealousy seized his heart.
A Two-Tomoe Sharingan jumping straight to the Mangekyō, even the future "him," who would be stronger than Obito, couldn't do that. What an enviable talent!
Still, he had already awakened his Three-Tomoe now, no worse than Itachi at the same age.
Itachi had awakened the Mangekyō at thirteen, while he had awakened the Three-Tomoe at twelve; the gap wasn't an insurmountable chasm.
The only problem was how to awaken the Mangekyō.
'Hmm…?'
Could he also awaken the Mangekyō through love, like Sarada did?
There was no reason that his future child could do it, but he, as the "father," couldn't.
At that thought, Sasuke's gaze fell on Sakura's face. Sakura was already looking at him, and when he stared back, her entire body froze, her face flushing from the base of her neck all the way to her ears.
Sasuke continued to look at her for a few seconds, countless images flashing through his mind, but in the end, he gently shook his head.
'Forget it. I really can't do it.'
Never mind, he would just focus on mastering Sage Mode for now. The feeling of getting stronger bit by bit was truly addictive; he was already much stronger than the predetermined future on the Sky Screen. And at most in three years, he would definitely be able to complete his revenge—not some so-called holding back, but killing Itachi and Obito fair and square!
Beside him, Sakura, seeing Sasuke stare at her for a long while only to shake his head, felt veins bulging on her forehead. She clenched her hands into fists, roaring internally:
'Damn you! What did that head shake mean?! You stared at me for so long and then shook your head?! What's wrong with me?! I want to punch him so badly! No, calm down! Stay calm! He's Sasuke-kun, I can't hit him… can't hit him…'
Sakura took a deep breath and forced a smile.
"Sasuke-kun, what are you thinking about?" Her voice was terrifyingly gentle.
"Nothing." Sasuke turned his head away.
Sakura's smile froze on her face, her fists clenching even tighter.
Naruto looked at Sasuke, then at Sakura, utterly baffled. "What's wrong with you two?"
"Shut up!" The two said in unison.
Naruto shrank back, not daring to ask anymore.
Meanwhile, on the screen, the narration continued.
[Age 15: After Madara's death, Obito began walking the Shinobi World under Madara's name, executing the Eye of the Moon Plan.]
The moment those words came out, reactions across the various Timelines were completely different.
---
[Konoha, Year 60]
[Iwagakure, Tsuchikage's Office]
Ōnoki, who had been helped onto a chair by Kitsuchi, let out a massive sigh of relief, his entire body slumping.
Thank goodness, at the present point in time, that bastard Madara was already dead.
That man's very existence was a threat to the Shinobi World.
---
[Konoha, Year 20. Hokage Office]
Tobirama, however, felt uneasy.
He hadn't expected that guy Madara to actually live that long.
Based on the timing of the Nine-Tails Rampage and Obito's age, it could be deduced that Madara had actually lived nearly thirty more years!
And even without any accidents, there was a good chance Tobirama himself wouldn't outlive him.
What a troublesome guy!
[Age 15: Accidentally learned the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki's delivery time from Kakashi. Broke the Nine-Tails' seal and attacked Konoha. Minato and Kushina died in battle.]
---
[Konoha, Year 48. Hokage Office]
Minato sat in his chair, looking at this description on the screen, and smiled bitterly while shaking his head.
With the bizarre abilities of Obito and White Zetsu, even if it weren't an accident, it would have become one. He couldn't really blame Kakashi.
"Minato…" Kushina leaned on his shoulder, her voice full of worry.
"It's fine." Minato gently patted her hand. "We already know Obito's abilities. The barrier has been modified, the ANBU have been reinforced, and you've reconciled with the Nine-Tails. None of it will happen."
Kushina nodded, but the worry in her eyes still didn't fully fade. After all, Obito had the Mangekyō Sharingan, practically a natural counter to Tailed Beasts.
Minato, on the other hand, was thinking about something else.
Even if they changed the sealing barrier and arranged for people to monitor Rin's grave at all times, he honestly wasn't sure whether Obito had returned to Konoha.
Space-time abilities were simply that troublesome!
Now he understood the helplessness other villages' shinobis must have felt when facing the Flying Raijin.
However, based on the screen's intel, there were still some things Minato genuinely couldn't figure out.
Rin had only been dead for a year at that point. And Obito's obsession was mainly about reviving Rin, so he shouldn't have any particularly deep attachment to world peace yet.
And, as Madara's proxy, Obito might even have had the chance to control the Rinnegan. So why didn't he just use the Rinne Tensei to revive Rin?
Did he not know about it? Or did he not want to revive her?
Minato took a deep breath.
Regardless, the Rinnegan was definitely in Nagato's hands now, and knowing all this intel, Nagato surely wouldn't be content to remain a pawn of Madara's mechanism. So he could contact Nagato, request Rin's revival, and reach cooperation on certain matters.
After all, the matter of peace in the Shinobi World... why couldn't it be achieved by him and Nagato?
It would have been one thing if he didn't know about these things from the Sky Screen, but now that he did, Minato's vision had broadened considerably!
As a father, he couldn't be outdone by his son.
"Kushina." Minato suddenly spoke.
"Hm?"
"I want to go to the Land of Rain."
Kushina was stunned: "Go to the Land of Rain? To find Nagato?"
Minato nodded: "Mm, to talk with him."
Kushina fell silent for a moment, then gently took his hand. "Be careful."
Minato smiled: "Don't worry, I'm fast."
As long as he wanted to leave, no one in the current Shinobi World could stop him.
[Age 23: As one of the perpetrators, deeply involved in the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre. He obtained a wall of Sharingan.]
The screen flashed again to Obito walking into the Konoha Police Force headquarters with his scythe, blood splattering across bright glass, staining the night red.
Under the moonlight, the black figure reaped the lives of Uchiha clan members one after another.
[Age 28: Began recruiting Akatsuki members. And the final batch of Akatsuki members officially joined.]
[Age 30: Declared war on the Five Great Nations, launching the Fourth Great Ninja War.]
The scene suddenly shifted to a conference hall.
The Five Kage were gathered, the atmosphere heavy. However, the most eye-catching figure on the screen wasn't the Five Kage, but the figure sitting on the high platform.
Obito, wearing his spiral mask, sat leisurely on the wooden platform. Below him stood the Kage and bodyguards of the various villages.
He rested his left hand on his left knee and spoke slowly, looking down from above:
"I hereby declare war on you all! The Fourth Great Ninja War begins now!"
---
The moment those words fell, the various Timelines before the Fourth Great Ninja War era erupted into heated discussion, countless voices rising.
The higher-ups of the Five Great Nations were also extremely shocked.
They really hadn't expected the Fourth Great Ninja War to be actually initiated by Obito.
Because of Edo Tensei's existence, they had assumed it was Orochimaru or the future Kabuto, who had raised an army of dead to fight the world, but they hadn't expected it to be Obito.
Nagato sat in his wheelchair, watching Obito declare war on the Five Kage, his eyes full of shock.
The future Obito actually had that much courage?
One man declaring war on the Five Great Nations.
Even he, with the Rinnegan, wouldn't dare say such things lightly.
Kakashi was equally stunned, his heart a mix of emotions.
In some of the Timelines, few also found this version of Obito incredibly cool.
Especially the young Uchiha clan members; watching that lone figure declare war on the Five Great Nations, they felt their blood boil.
That was what it meant to be an Uchiha!
One man, facing the entire world, without backing down!
*****
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