Chapter 552: Izanagi

In the enclosed space, the atmosphere was tense and oppressive.

Kakashi and Obito stood opposite each other, their eyes revealing resolve and hostility.

They were once comrades, fighting side by side, but today they turned their weapons on each other.

They each held their weapons, bodies tense, breathing ragged, ready to attack at any moment. Their eyes locked on each other, seeking any opening.

They once shared laughter and tears together, faced difficulties and challenges together, but now all of that has become the past.

Their past intertwined in this enclosed space, each memory like a sharp dagger stabbing their hearts.

"Looks like today only one of us can walk out of here alive!"

A blue electric light flashed in his hand, Kakashi tightly gripped the dagger in his hand, stared fixedly at the opposite figure, and began to silently gather chakra.

"Yeah!"

Obito likewise gathered a large amount of chakra, prepared himself, and coldly replied.

Time seemed to solidify in this enclosed space, each second feeling as long as a year. They waited silently, waiting for the other to reveal an opening, waiting to deliver a fatal blow.

Swish!

Their pupils contracted; Kakashi and Obito seemed to simultaneously spot an opening in each other and charged at one another.

Sizzle!

Without hesitation, Kakashi did not defend; the electrically charged dagger in his hand thrust straight toward Obito's heart.

This attack lacked any flair, and was far from his usual superb ninja skills, utterly unworthy of his title as a Leaf Village ninja.

"Are you planning to die together?"

Such a straightforward attack could not escape the keen insight of the Sharingan; Obito instantly understood Kakashi's intention.

Pfft!

A soft sound of a blade piercing flesh came through.

"Obito, you…"

Lowering his head, Kakashi looked at the weapon that had passed through his armpit, turned his head in disbelief, and looked at Obito.

Unfortunately, the orange vortex-patterned single-eye mask obscured Obito's expression, preventing him from seeing the other's face clearly.

"Just slipped my hand!"

He forced out these words from his mouth; at the edge of the mask, a strand of scarlet blood trailed down.

"Why…"

His right hand slowly withdrew from Obito's chest; Kakashi could hardly believe his own eyes.

After a prolonged battle, he realized Obito was no longer the same, and that he could not bring him back to the right path.

He had decided to stake his own life to stop Obito from falling into the abyss.

He never expected things to turn out like this.

"Ugh… Wah…"

As Kakashi's arm retracted, Obito could no longer hold back, spitting out a mouthful of scarlet blood.

"Hehe!"

"This battle… is not over yet…"

Lowering his gaze to his chest, pierced front and back, Obito breathed with difficulty, his eyes once again falling on Kakashi.

"By now, aren't you going to give up?"

Seeing Obito half-kneeling on the ground, near death, Kakashi felt no joy at having prevented him from reclaiming the Sharingan; instead, he felt sorrow.

Killing a comrade is not something that brings pleasure.

"Do you think I… am about to die?"

Gathering his breath, Obito looked at Kakashi, flipped his right hand, and casually tossed the mask he was wearing onto the ground.

"Your face…"

Looking at the crisscrossing ravines on Obito's face, Kakashi recalled the origin of those hideous scars.

Adding to that, Obito had little life left, his body limp as he half-knelt on the ground.

"How did things come to this?"

Originally a helpful boy, plus two friends who disliked each other yet each regarded the other as an important companion—how did we end up like this?

"This is… the fate of a ninja!"

His originally closed left eye suddenly opened; in what should have been an empty socket, a scarlet tomoe glowed with fierce red light.

Boom!!

Originally half-kneeling on the ground, only able to await death silently, Obito suddenly appeared behind Kakashi.

"This is impossible…"

Struck in the head by Obito's punch, Kakashi hadn't even come to his senses before being put in a chokehold, his hands clutching the arm around his neck, muttering in disbelief.

He had clearly used Lightning Cutter to shatter Obito's heart; how could the opponent be unharmed and still launch an attack?

"There's nothing impossible."

"I said this battle wouldn't end so easily!"

Gradually tightening his grip, watching Kakashi still struggling, the left eye that had just been radiating scarlet light from the Sharingan had now turned completely gray and white.

"This gift—it's time to return it to its rightful owner!"

Seeing Kakashi's struggle weakening, Obito reached out with one hand, feeling around in Kakashi's eye socket.

With Kakashi's groan, the eye that had once borne the Sharingan of past friendship vanished, leaving only an empty socket.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

"Why… why won't you kill me?"

He drew a heavy gasp, recovering from the suffocation and faintness just now; Kakashi lay on the ground, turned his head and asked:

Also, what is that?

I absolutely couldn't have fallen for a genjutsu just now!

All of this happened too suddenly; in the blink of an eye, Obito appeared unharmed behind me.

Furthermore, he could confirm that he had definitely not been caught in a genjutsu.

Killing you is unnecessary. In the world I created, there is not only Rin, but also a place for you.

A white mist hovered at the corner of his eye; Obito answered absentmindedly.

As for just now, you really weren't caught in a genjutsu!

That is a Uchiha clan forbidden technique, costing one Sharingan, a forbidden technique applied to oneself—He Who Invites!

This is a self‑cast genjutsu that can bring illusionary things into reality, letting one avoid fatal harm.

Is that so?

Covering his left eye with one hand, Kakashi struggled to get up.

However, after a sudden ambush and losing another eye, plus prolonged battle, his body could take no more, voicing a silent protest.

Obstinate and insensible!

He estimated the time needed for the eye to recover; Obito's gaze swept over the wobbling Kakashi.

He faintly furrowed his brow.

Obito… I will never let you…

Kakashi, his words slurring, trembled his hand, seeming to want to make one last struggle.

Hmph!

He let out a cold snort.

Obito directly cut off Kakashi's upcoming words, power surging in his eyes.

In the Divine Majesty Space, ripples spread across the flat ground.

After the ripples faded, Kakashi's figure remained there.

Since you're injured, why not rest a bit!

Having sent Kakashi out of the Divine Majesty Space, Obito began to consider his next plan.