Chapter 038: Divine Power? Mere Child’s Play!

“What? That formidable figure, the one who once slew the Cloud ninja and so resembled Minato, has appeared again?” Hiruzen Sarutobi shot to his feet.

The ANBU messenger bowed his head. “Yes. He broke straight into the Uchiha compound, showing no intention of communicating with anyone. Everyone he encountered was felled by a single blow, utterly unable to resist.”

Hiruzen frowned deeply. “What on earth is he after?”

“According to those who’ve faced him, he muttered things like ‘someone I must kill’ and ‘settling a debt’ before forcing his way in.”

“Someone he must kill…”

Whoever it was that the man sought, Hiruzen could no longer remain seated.

He immediately donned his armor, summoned Enma in advance, and transformed him into an iron staff. Thus prepared, Hiruzen led a host of elite ninja in a grand assault toward the Uchiha compound.

Yamanaka Inoichi had failed to stop Naruto, and the ANBU had fared no better. Naruto strode boldly through the Uchiha district, an act that sent shockwaves through all of Konoha.

The entire village was in turmoil, currents swirling beneath the surface, as crowds hurried toward the commotion.

Naruto’s senses had already detected these movements, and his heart tensed—a swift resolution was imperative.

He soon found Sasuke, who was crouched alone in a corner, his face numb.

Yet there was no sign of Itachi, who was usually never far from Sasuke’s side; only a lone, one-eyed masked man remained.

“Is that the one?” Naruto asked the Nine-Tails within him.

The Nine-Tails was agitated. “Yes, that’s the one! He abducted your mother right from under the ANBU’s and the sealing team’s noses, and was able to control me. He’s extremely powerful—be extremely cautious.”

“I understand.”

Naruto abruptly increased his speed.

As soon as he closed to striking distance, he launched his assault on the masked man. First, he pushed his speed to the limit and then drew every weapon at his disposal. All four mechanical arms donned steam-powered gauntlets, which he activated at full power and hammered toward the masked man.

Obito, poised to execute Sasuke, sensed the attack but remained utterly unconcerned. With overweening confidence, he invoked Kamui, intending to phase through the blow.

However—

“Phase shift? Spatial techniques? Hmph, mere tricks.”

A golden ring flickered in Naruto’s pupils; instantly, he pinpointed Obito’s true position.

With a thunderous crash, Naruto struck Obito in the side. Obito, never expecting anyone could touch him, was sent flying, smashing into a nearby building.

Naruto’s blow was so forceful that its shockwave brought down an entire street.

Grabbing Sasuke and shielding him behind, Naruto asked, “Where’s your brother? Where did he go? I haven’t seen him.”

Pulled to safety, Sasuke was first stupefied. Then, seeing Naruto’s form emerging from the gleam of optical camouflage, color flooded back into his pallid cheeks.

“My brother… my brother, he…”

With a strangled cry, Sasuke bit his lip, blood dripping down. From Sasuke’s jumbled words, Naruto pieced together the truth.

After retrieving some things from home, the two of them realized their clan’s territory had been invaded.

The invader wiped out all the remaining able-bodied Uchiha ninja in the compound with the greatest of ease.

Each of these ninja had awakened the Sharingan, and over twenty among them were Jōnin whose eyes bore three tomoe. Yet none could stand against Obito—not for a single exchange. In moments, they were slaughtered.

When Obito discovered the brothers, Itachi urged Sasuke to escape alone. He himself activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and confronted Obito one-on-one, hoping to buy Sasuke time.

By now, most of the Uchiha district lay in ruins—a testament to the clash between Itachi and Obito.

For Sasuke, this night was a living nightmare.

First, his mother had vanished mysteriously. Then his father went to look for her, and never returned—not even a message.

Returning home with his brother to fetch something, he found the entire clan annihilated.

Then began the nightmare pursuit: twisted, towering flames of black, buildings and streets vanishing into thin air, bizarre trees materializing from nowhere.

Howling winds, fire dragons, and explosions assailed him.

Sasuke felt that in this single night, he had suffered every torment imaginable.

As for the battle—though he had not witnessed it directly, the outcome was clear: Obito had caught him.

“Your brother was brave. He fought with everything he had to protect you, but it was useless.”

Such was Obito’s appraisal of Itachi.

Having recounted all he knew, Sasuke finally lost consciousness.

As his eyelids closed, Naruto saw that Sasuke’s eyes had turned a deep crimson, with a single tomoe spinning in each pupil.

“The Sharingan has awakened?” Naruto murmured. “It’s no wonder—witnessing such horror firsthand would leave anyone deeply scarred. Rest now.”

He made sure Sasuke was safe, then turned his attention back to the masked man in the settling dust.

The masked man staggered upright from the debris, his mask shattered at his feet.

Naruto now saw his face clearly: the left side was intact but missing an eye, the right was grotesquely marked with spiral scars—hideous to behold.

“So it’s Obito. Uchiha Obito, after all.”

Naruto spoke softly.

Ever since learning his father was the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, Naruto had been collecting every scrap of information about him.

Naturally, he knew all Minato’s bodyguards, students, their names and faces.

Uchiha Obito, of course, he recognized—as Kakashi’s classmate. A warmhearted “dead last,” hopelessly in love with Minato’s third student, Rin Nohara. He thought he hid it well, but everyone in the village knew.

He was believed to have died in the Third Great Ninja War, yet now he stood here.

No, not now. According to the Nine-Tails, the night of the Nine-Tails’ attack had been orchestrated by this very man.

He had killed his own teacher, massacred villagers, slaughtered an entire clan—his hands were drenched in blood.

“What scum. How hideous,” Naruto said.

At these words, Obito’s shoulders began to shake, his whole body trembling as his expression twisted with deranged intensity.

Suddenly, hysterical laughter erupted into the night.

“Yes! I am scum! Isn’t that exactly what you taught me, sensei?”

Obito clutched his forehead, laughing wildly, tears streaming down his face.

“Like teacher, like student—isn’t that how it goes? If I became such a disgrace, it’s all your fault, Minato-sensei!”

Another one mistaking me for my father.

A vein throbbed on Naruto’s forehead.

But it wasn’t the mistaken identity that angered him—it was Obito’s words.

Naruto had seen many war criminals, and before retiring, had even executed some with his own hands.

But never had he encountered someone so petty, so deranged, and so unashamedly self-righteous!

Was this supposed to be a villain plotting to overturn the world? Could he not insult the very profession of villainy like this?

This was the very embodiment of that saying: ignorance is truly terrifying!

“Very well. You’re absolutely right.”

Naruto clenched his fist. “If a teacher fails to instruct his student properly, the fault lies with him. I’ll correct that mistake right now.”

Since my father cannot teach you, then as his son, I’ll have to shoulder the burden in his place.