Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 538 The Truth of the Past

"You're still barely clinging to life? Did the White Zetsu cells give you a little more time?"

Just as Sasuke had predicted, Obito and Madara were both in Obito's alternate dimension, but their positions had been reversed. Obito was struggling to breathe, but the passage of life would not be altered by his stubborn will. Madara's eyes shattered like paper, leaving only empty eye sockets, but the cracks on his face had disappeared, and a powerful life force was pulsating in his veins.

"I originally wanted to revive Izuna as well, but forget about Hashirama, he's a huge problem, and his complete form is even more troublesome. I didn't expect you to resist this technique so much, and in the end you only revived me." Madara looked down at Obito's dying struggle.

When he chose this kid, he didn't entirely expect him to follow the plan, which is why he kept so many precautions. The result was that the brat grew up and, as expected, became arrogant, even attempting to bypass him and complete the Eye of the Moon plan. Don't think he didn't know what that empty chest meant; it's no wonder they came from the same team—they even chose the exact same method to remove the restrictions.

"This was also... something you planned?" Obito gritted his teeth and forced out the few remaining breaths. His lungs had ruptured, so normally he shouldn't be able to speak.

"Are you referring to the way you removed the spell, or the moment you were captured and weakened that allowed me to revive?"

Madara couldn't see anything, yet he precisely lifted Obito by the neck. At this moment, Obito's entire upper body and half of his face were black, except for his red Mangekyou Sharingan, which was not covered by Black Zetsu.

"If you try to erase the cursed seal placed inside the doll, the seal will inhibit that action, you know that, Obito."

Madara smiled maliciously. He retrieved his eyes from Obito, intending to witness the final despair of the traitor he had created and destroyed.

“I have placed a curse seal within ‘you’ bodies, so naturally ‘you’ cannot commit suicide, because ‘you’ are important pawns in my game.”

"You...you?" Even though he no longer had a heart, Obito felt the pain in his chest intensify, as if the worst-case scenario he had ever wanted to believe was about to come true.

"I don't know what the cause and effect is, but 'you' used the exact same method to erase him. It's really interesting."

Rin's death was fleeting; she too perished after colliding with Kakashi's Chidori, all to... prevent the Three-Tails within her from being brought to Konoha. Could it be that Rin chose this path not out of a desire to die at Kakashi's hands, but rather...

"Lin!"

“That’s right. The plan to make that little girl the Three-Tails Jinchuriki and let her run rampage in Konoha was my idea, not Kirigakure’s. Her sacrifice of herself to save the village by using Kakashi’s attack on the enemy was also part of my plan.”

"It's all so that you'll fall into darkness and become my pawn."

Obito gritted his teeth, but since he couldn't move his body, he was still able to spit blood onto Madara Uchiha's face.

"Damn it! You deliberately made me..."

Madara, however, was still not satisfied and continued to add insult to injury: "I deliberately chose the time when Minato was on other missions, leaving Kakashi alone, having Rin captured, and then manipulating the Hidden Mist ninja to hunt them down. This was also to observe how much power you can unleash."

The truth is, everything about Obito was under Madara's control. His pain, his collapse, and his determination to pursue the Infinite Tsukuyomi were all traps carefully prepared for him by Madara.

This world is indeed dark, indeed full of flaws, and indeed robbed Obito of his former brilliance, but... some people wanted him to only see the dark part, some people pushed him into the abyss of darkness, and he... jumped in without hesitation, struggling for half of his life in the abyss.

"Obito, I taught you this. To manipulate people's hearts, you must exploit their darkness. Darkness cannot be created. You think you're the only one who's different? Isn't that a ridiculous idea?"

Creating darkness... that's something Obito did too, and towards Nagato... so he did the same thing? But why? Why was he chosen from among so many people?

"Because you are full of kindness and love for others from the bottom of your heart."

“You love Rin, your comrades, and the ninjas deeply. Once you fall, that love will turn into hatred for the world.”

The deeper the love, the deeper the hate.

Madara's smile was the last thing Obito could see. Madara did it on purpose, deliberately letting this brat die knowing the truth, only in this way... could his betrayal be punished.

He hates betrayal the most.

"It seems the other eye is in Izuna's hands. That's alright, it won't affect the Eye of the Moon." Madara wasn't particularly keen on getting his second eye back, since he didn't really need that power right now. Having it with Izuna was essentially the same as it being in his possession, and if he wanted it, Izuna would most likely give it to him.

Black Zetsu had completely taken over Obito's body. He had already located the Ten-Tails' position before entering, and by now, that massive creature should be fully evolved. Once Madara landed on the Ten-Tails, he could immediately become its jinchūriki. He had waited far too long for this moment, but it was precisely at times like these that he couldn't afford to be impatient. That Naruto Uzumaki was far too unpredictable; he couldn't even guarantee he could escape from that guy again. If this plan failed, he would have to lie low until Naruto Uzumaki died before devising a new strategy.

He couldn't keep his mother waiting that long.

"It's been a long time since I felt this exhilarating feeling. I originally wanted to savor this body, but I can't dawdle now. There's another eye outside that can enter this place."

"Let's go, it's time to let this world go to sleep."

Madara Uchiha's chaos bought enough time for Naruto's eyes to regain their luster. In the distance, a bizarre, inhuman howl echoed from the horizon. A colossal beast, beyond description, brandished its ten tails and roared at the sky. Its size far surpassed that of any tailed beast, resembling a vast, continuous mountain range.

"That is... the Ten-Tails."

The Ten-Tails revived without retrieving any of the tailed beasts. This ancient monster shocked the ninjas immensely, even though everyone present was a top-tier ninja who had seen countless battles. This legendary monster, which had fought against the Sage of Six Paths, was still far beyond their comprehension.

"Where's Kakashi-sensei?" The first thing Naruto asked upon opening his eyes was about Kakashi's whereabouts. He hadn't forgotten where Madara Uchiha had gone. It seemed Madara had been resurrected and was currently trying to seize the Rinnegan from Obito. He wondered if Madara would try to take down Kakashi-sensei, who possessed another Kamui, before entering the dimension. Madara's departure was rather sudden, and he hadn't had time to confirm.

"Here I am." Tsunade ran over from a short distance, carrying Kakashi, and turned to face her family member, angrily saying, "Grandpa, you'd better explain what Madara Uchiha's Wood Release is all about!"