Konoha cat breeder

Chapter 243: The Eye That Reflects the Heart

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Tree branches suddenly sprouted from Obito's body, tearing through his clothes.

"If that's how it is… then this world has no reason to exist!!" Obito roared, stomping the ground fiercely with his bare feet.

The ground cracked and caved in under the immense pressure.

This burst of power far surpassed Obito's previous strength. It was clear that, like Tonari, Obito's body—enhanced with White Zetsu cells—had activated the Hashirama cells within him after awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan, instantly unlocking Wood Release and significantly boosting his strength.

"He's just one person! Take him down!" one of the Mist Anbu shouted, showing no fear of Obito's rampage. They threw several shuriken while charging forward.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

The shuriken passed through Obito's body and embedded themselves into the trees behind him.

The Mist ninjas were momentarily surprised but didn't think much of it—until the next moment revealed a scene they would never forget.

Of course, it was also the last thing they would ever see.

After recovering from his initial discomfort, Tonari didn't hesitate. He leaped into the tree canopy, hiding himself.

Simultaneously, the puppet disguised as "Rin" dragged Kakashi underground, vanishing without a trace.

Kakashi's two-tomoe Sharingan was one thing—his mastery over it was relatively weak. Moreover, Tonari had placed a seal on Kakashi's Sharingan, preventing him from seeing through the puppet's disguise.

But if Obito got close, he would undoubtedly realize that "Rin" was a fake.

While this revelation might have pulled Obito back from the brink of darkness, it would have also provoked the wrath of Uchiha Madara. Not to mention, Madara would likely start searching for another pawn, someone beyond Tonari's influence.

Therefore, making both "Rin" and Kakashi vanish, creating the illusion that they had been taken by an unknown force, was the safest course of action.

Furthermore, Obito was currently fighting purely on instinct, lacking advanced jutsu and combat techniques. It was only after Madara's tutelage that Obito became the mastermind capable of manipulating the entire shinobi world from the shadows.

Even now, relying solely on instinct, Obito was overwhelming the Mist Anbu. They were no match for him in this state.

The awakening of a Mangekyō Sharingan within the Uchiha clan was deeply tied to the user's most desperate emotions.

For example, Uchiha Shisui, Tonari's disciple, awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan during the height of the conflict between the Uchiha clan and the Konoha leadership. As the Uchiha planned a coup, the Konoha-loyal Shisui awakened his Mangekyō, driven by his desire to prevent the rebellion. This gave him access to Kotoamatsukami, the most powerful genjutsu capable of altering one's will.

Similarly, Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan was born from the heartbreaking sight of Kakashi seemingly killing Rin, the girl he loved most. His overwhelming despair and desire to escape reality led to the awakening of Kamui, a space-time ninjutsu unique to both of his eyes.

This is why the Sharingan is often referred to as The Eye That Reflects the Heart.

Despite just awakening his Mangekyō, Obito wielded its powers with surprising proficiency. Coupled with the activation of Hashirama cells, his chakra reserves and physical strength skyrocketed. While Obito himself lacked experience, the White Zetsu armor compensating for his shortcomings made him a near-perfect combatant.

In mere moments, the entire Mist Anbu squad and the three Konoha Anbu accompanying Kakashi lay dead at Obito's feet.

However, as he staggered toward the spot where Rin and Kakashi had fallen, Obito found nothing but empty ground.

A wave of dizziness struck him, his mind spiraling into chaos. Seeing Rin's lifeless body had been his final emotional anchor. Now that even Rin had disappeared, Obito lost all will to continue.

After all, he was still just a twelve or thirteen-year-old boy, barely recovered from his near-fatal injuries. Even with Hashirama cells enhancing his body, the recent battle had drained him immensely.

Moreover, the Mangekyō Sharingan itself consumed an enormous amount of chakra.

Obito's body trembled, and he was about to collapse when, suddenly, he steadied himself. A voice, not his own, spoke from within.

"Tsk tsk, what a mess. But for a two-tomoe Sharingan to bypass the third stage and awaken directly into a Mangekyō… What terrifying talent. No wonder Madara values him so highly."

"The Mangekyō not only awakened but also triggered the Hashirama cells within him. With that, my task here is complete."

The voice was laced with playful arrogance.

Obito's body moved once more, sprinting through the forest and vanishing from sight.

As for Kakashi and Rin, they were of no concern to White Zetsu. In his eyes, Rin was dead, and the Three-Tails had dissipated along with her. As for Kakashi, White Zetsu didn't even recognize him.

Only after confirming that Obito and White Zetsu had truly left did Tonari leap down from the canopy.

Obito wasn't the only one who now possessed Kamui. From the moment Tonari awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan, he had also gained the Kamui ability—specifically, the left-eye Kamui. At will, he could now hide his body in the Kamui dimension.

Aside from Obito himself and the space-sensitive Minato Namikaze, few could detect Tonari while he remained in the Kamui space unless he actively attacked.

In other words, Tonari and Obito had become each other's perfect counter.

Of course, the Kamui space was vast, and the chances of the two encountering each other there were slim. Moreover, it wasn't feasible for Tonari to carry an Uchiha Mangekyō Sharingan with him at all times.

With this Kamui eye, Tonari had effectively become invincible. The ninja world was now an open playground for him—there were few places he couldn't reach.

After decades of struggle, cautious maneuvering, and diplomacy, Tonari had always approached problems with restraint, knowing that the ninja world was rife with dangers. Even with his previous strength, he never dared act recklessly.

But from this moment on, all that changed.

No longer did Tonari need to tread carefully or hold back.

If not for Obito still being under Madara's control, accessible via the right-eye Kamui, Tonari wouldn't even fear Madara himself.

Truly, the only being who could ignore space and distance entirely was Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.

"I'll rise to the heavens and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Kaguya!" Tonari declared, fists clenched in excitement.

He could feel the newfound power surging through him.

"I didn't expect awakening the Mangekyō to trigger the Hashirama cells as well," Tonari mused.

Indeed, like Obito, the Hashirama cells within Tonari had now fully awakened.

The characteristics of these awakened cells were remarkable—greatly enhanced physical strength, significantly accelerated chakra recovery, increased cellular vitality, and rapid self-healing.

If they had the full set of Hashirama cells, this awakening would have signified the resurgence of Asura's power, along with Sage Mode and other abilities.

Even with partial cells, the power boost was immense.

The resonance between Indra's and Asura's chakras was undeniable.

Of course, Tonari's physical enhancement wasn't as drastic as Obito's, as Tonari's base physique was already far superior.

Yet, even for someone as powerful as Tonari—capable of opening the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates without strain—the increase in strength was clearly noticeable.

"It seems even the Seventh Gate won't be much of a burden now," Tonari thought, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

The difference between the early gates of the Eight Gates technique wasn't significant, but the latter gates provided exponentially greater boosts. The Eighth Gate, in particular, unleashed power a hundred times greater than that of an ordinary Kage.

"I guess the nickname 'Blue Beast' isn't very fitting for me. That can stay with Guy. But maybe I can earn the title Madara once bestowed: 'The Strongest.'" Tonari chuckled, rubbing his chin.

If he could open the Seventh Gate, the Eighth Gate would undoubtedly be within reach. After all, once the Eighth Gate opened, death was inevitable.

The real question wasn't whether one could withstand the Eighth Gate but whether their willpower was strong enough to remain conscious and continue fighting.

"Opening all eight gates? Never happening. Not in this lifetime. I'll stick with the Seventh Gate, thank you very much."

Tonari stomped lightly, and the ground beneath him softened as the puppet disguised as Rin and the unconscious Kakashi slowly emerged from underground.

He winced at the sight of the puppet's damaged chest. "Damn, that's an elite-level puppet, you know."

"At least I avoided damaging the core. The heart is the puppet's engine—without it, it's useless. I'll have Kakuzu patch this up later. Throw some clothes on it, and it'll be good as new."

Sacrificing the puppet to provoke Obito's Mangekyō awakening had been a calculated but regrettable choice.

Tonari had two main reasons for sticking to Madara's script.

First, because White Zetsu was present, any deviation would risk exposing Tonari's interference. If Madara discovered Rin had been switched, he would undoubtedly trace the plot back to Tonari.

Second, Tonari coveted Obito's Kamui eye.

The Sharingan, as an Eye That Reflects the Heart, was unpredictable. If Obito had awakened his Mangekyō under different circumstances, the resulting abilities might not have been Kamui.

Had Obito awakened some other power, all of Tonari's meticulous planning would have been for nothing.

Thus, for the sake of this unique space-time ability, Tonari had gone to great lengths.

Now, all that remained was for Obito to return from Madara's tutelage as a true powerhouse.

Tonari knelt beside Kakashi, checking his condition.

"Overexerted and unconscious. These young ninjas really love pushing their limits. You and Obito are two sides of the same coin." Tonari sighed.

He gently pried open Kakashi's left eyelid, revealing the Sharingan—still at the two-tomoe stage.

"Better safe than sorry. Let me give you a little boost."

Tonari placed his hand over Kakashi's eye, channeling Yin Chakra into it. He had tested this before—massive amounts of Yin Chakra could forcibly break the barriers of Sharingan evolution.

With the Mangekyō now unlocked, Tonari's control over Yin Chakra had grown significantly.

Moreover, while his Yin Chakra had previously come from the Two-Tails, the presence of two Mangekyō Sharingan now triggered his body to naturally produce Yin Chakra. The awakened Hashirama cells, producing Yang Chakra, completed the cycle within him.

As Tonari continued to pour Yin Chakra into Kakashi's eye, the two tomoe spun faster and faster.

"Ugh—" Kakashi groaned in his sleep. Forced evolution wasn't something an ordinary person could endure.

Frowning, Tonari knocked Kakashi into a deeper state of unconsciousness.

"Bear with it. Once your Sharingan reaches the third tomoe, I'll seal its power. You'll still become the 'Copy Ninja,' and the sealed eye won't hinder your growth. Fair trade, I'd say."

After all, Tonari's rescue of Rin was already an immeasurable boon for both Kakashi and Obito.

Finally, the spinning tomoe slowed and stopped.

Kakashi's eye now held three tomoe.

Tonari wiped the sweat from his brow. "This isn't something just anyone could pull off. You're lucky you're Kakashi. I wouldn't do this for anyone else."

Satisfied, Tonari placed Kakashi back where he had fallen.

When Minato returned, he would undoubtedly find Kakashi immediately. With the Flying Thunder God, carrying one person was a trivial task.

"Now then… time to deal with those Mist ninjas."

Tonari's body distorted in a spiraling motion, centered around his left eye. Within moments, he vanished without a trace.

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