As twilight deepened and the last rays of sunlight faded beyond the horizon, a quiet stillness settled over Konoha. The sky was painted in shades of orange and purple, casting long shadows across the village.
At the edge of the Memorial Stone, Aoki Yoru stood silently, holding a small bouquet of fresh flowers in his hands.
He gazed at the engraved names before him—two names that meant more to him than anything else in this world.
His parents.
For a moment, everything else faded away.
Fragments of memory surfaced in his mind—simple, warm moments of laughter, meals shared together, and the comforting presence of family. Those memories, though distant, felt painfully vivid.
He stepped closer.
"Father… Mother… I've come to visit you," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
A faint smile appeared on his lips, though his eyes carried a hint of sadness.
"I don't know how things are on your side… but I hope you're at peace."
He paused, exhaling slowly.
"I might have to head to the battlefield soon. The situation in the ninja world is becoming unstable again… but don't worry."
His tone grew lighter, almost teasing.
"I value my life more than anything. If I can't win… I'll run."
His fingertips brushed gently across the cold, rough surface of the stone. Carefully, he wiped away the thin layer of dust that had gathered over time, as if tending to something precious.
After a moment of silence, he bowed deeply.
Then, without lingering any longer, he turned and walked away.
On his way out, he noticed a familiar figure standing not far from the memorial.
Kakashi Hatake.
The silver-haired jonin stood alone, motionless, his gaze fixed on the stone. His posture was relaxed, yet there was a heaviness surrounding him—a quiet sorrow that seemed to linger in the air.
Aoki Yoru approached slowly.
"Kakashi-sensei… paying respects to your comrades?" he asked.
Kakashi didn't answer immediately.
Instead, Yoru's eyes drifted toward the names Kakashi was staring at.
On the left side was carved the name Uchiha Obito.
On the right—Rin Nohara.
"I see…" Yoru murmured.
After a brief silence, Kakashi finally spoke.
"Yes," he said quietly. "They were my comrades… precious comrades."
His voice was calm, but his eyes told a different story.
Guilt.
Regret.
Self-blame.
It was the same hollow look Yoru had seen when they first met—a man burdened by a past he could never escape.
Just as Yoru was about to speak again—
"Huh…?!"
His pupils shrank slightly.
In the distance, perched high on a tree branch, stood a figure.
A man wearing a swirl-patterned mask, with only a single eye visible through its opening.
That eye—
A Sharingan.
Aoki Yoru's heart tightened for a brief moment, but he quickly suppressed his reaction. His expression returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
"Uchiha Obito… here? In Konoha?"
He kept his composure and continued speaking casually with Kakashi, careful not to reveal anything unusual.
Not far away, hidden among the trees, the masked man remained completely still.
Uchiha Obito.
His gaze was fixed on the memorial stone—more specifically, on the name carved into it.
Rin Nohara.
For a brief moment, his expression softened behind the mask.
"Rin…" he murmured softly.
"Don't worry… I will create a world where you can live happily."
But as his gaze shifted toward Kakashi, the warmth in his voice vanished.
In its place, cold hatred surfaced.
"If it weren't for you… you useless trash… Rin wouldn't have died."
His fingers clenched slightly.
At that moment, a strange figure emerged from the trunk of a nearby tree—a half-black, half-white humanoid form.
It was White Zetsu.
"Obito," it said, its tone casual yet eerie. "There's nothing on Konoha's side either."
They had come here to investigate the disappearance of a White Zetsu.
The fact that it had vanished without leaving a trace was deeply troubling.
Only the Five Great Ninja Villages—or someone like Orochimaru—had the ability to do something like that without being detected.
Obito's single visible eye narrowed.
"I've already checked the other villages. Nothing," he said coldly.
"Which means… it has to be Orochimaru."
A faint sneer formed beneath the mask.
"That slippery snake… he's good at hiding."
White Zetsu tilted its head.
"So what now?"
Obito's voice grew colder.
"Increase the search. Mobilize all White Zetsu."
"We will find him… even if we have to tear apart the entire ninja world."
As he spoke, his eye began to swirl, forming a vortex-like distortion.
In the next instant—
He vanished.
White Zetsu sank back into the tree, disappearing as well.
Back near the memorial, Aoki Yoru quietly let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"That was close…"
He subtly signaled Kakashi.
Kakashi, though still immersed in his thoughts, noticed the gesture. His eyes flickered slightly, and he gave a small nod.
Without saying a word, the two of them turned and began walking away together.
Kakashi's home was located not far from the memorial stone, on the edge of Konoha's central district.
As members of an old clan, the Hatake family had once held a respectable position in the village.
But now…
Very little remained.
As they entered the clan grounds, they saw only a handful of children playing in the open courtyard. Their laughter echoed faintly, but it felt fragile.
Most of the clan had perished during the previous wars.
This was the fate of many small ninja clans.
Unlike the major clans, their numbers were too few. A single war could wipe them out completely.
It was a silent, unspoken reality of the ninja world.
Inside the house, the atmosphere was quiet.
A photograph sat on a nearby table.
Yoru's eyes were drawn to it.
It was a team photo.
Minato Namikaze stood in the center, smiling warmly. Beside him were three younger figures—Kakashi, Obito, and Rin.
"They were my teacher… and my teammates," Kakashi said quietly.
"They're all gone now."
Yoru nodded.
Then, without hesitation, he formed a series of hand seals.
A barrier spread out, sealing the room.
Kakashi's expression turned serious.
"Kakashi-sensei," Yoru said calmly, "do you know someone who wears a spiral mask… with only one eye visible… a Sharingan?"
Kakashi froze.
His expression changed instantly.
He grabbed Yoru's shoulders tightly.
"Where did you see him?!" he demanded.
"That man—he's the one responsible for sensei's death!"
Yoru gently removed Kakashi's hands.
"Calm down," he said.
Then, he explained everything he had sensed earlier.
After listening, Kakashi fell silent.
His expression was grim.
"We need to report this to the Hokage immediately," he said.
"If that man is here… Konoha is in danger."
The last time Obito had appeared—
The Nine-Tails disaster had followed.
Hokage Office
After hearing their report, the Third Hokage remained silent for a long time.
His expression was uncertain.
"The masked man… again…" he murmured.
The Uchiha Clan was already gone.
Yet this threat remained.
What troubled him even more was how easily the intruder had entered the village.
The barrier had been reinforced after the Nine-Tails incident.
And yet—
Someone had slipped through unnoticed.
"When did Konoha become this vulnerable…?" he thought bitterly.
Finally, he spoke.
"You've done well. Leave the rest to me."
His tone was calm, but heavy.
"The situation at the border is worsening. Prepare yourselves. You will be deployed soon."
The two nodded and left.
After they were gone, the Hokage sat alone.
The room was quiet.
He lit his pipe slowly, taking a long drag.
His back seemed to bend slightly, as if weighed down by invisible burdens.
"Bring Danzo to me," he said hoarsely.
To him, there was only one explanation.
Someone inside Konoha was helping the enemy.
And Danzo…
Was the most suspicious.
"I hope it isn't you…" he murmured.
But deep down—
He already knew the answer might not be what he wanted.
Outside, Aoki Yoru walked through the streets of Konoha, his mood noticeably lighter.
A faint tune escaped his lips.
"Now Obito and Black Zetsu will be busy chasing Orochimaru…"
A slight smirk appeared.
"Perfect diversion."
But he quickly reminded himself—
This was dangerous.
Very dangerous.
Until he had the strength to stand against the Akatsuki…
He must remain invisible.
No mistakes.
No traces.
No evidence.
Three days later, Konoha remained peaceful on the surface.
Aoki Yoru and his team trained alongside Might Guy's team once again.
Neji had changed.
He was no longer obsessed solely with the Gentle Fist.
He was evolving.
Adapting.
Growing stronger.
Yet—
The gap remained.
Even working together, they were completely overwhelmed.
"They're… too strong…" Neji thought.
It wasn't just a difference in skill.
It felt like a difference in level.
Suddenly—
A sharp cry echoed through the sky.
A flock of ninja hawks flew overhead.
One circled above them.
A message scroll dropped.
"This is an emergency summons for all Jonin and Special Jonin."
Silence fell.
War—
Was coming.
Aoki Yoru looked up at the sky, his expression turning serious.
The wind felt colder.
The calm…
Was about to end.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)