If it were possible, Obito might have even wanted to help Madara—despite the fact that Madara was the one who killed Rin and led him into darkness. But what could he do now that he, too, had become one of the "good guys"?
In this world, being a good person was incredibly difficult. The fact that Naruto didn't fall into darkness could only be attributed to pure luck.
Obito couldn't help but shake his head at that thought.
Then, he slowly calmed down and began to analyze the situation.
The timing of his rebirth was quite peculiar.
The Second Shinobi World War had just ended. Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake—the White Fang of Konoha—had not died on the battlefield, but had taken his own life. Kakashi was devastated and disheartened. To prove himself, he was planning to apply for early graduation from the Ninja Academy.
In his previous life, this incident had broken Kakashi completely.
At that time, Obito himself had been insecure, terrified of falling behind Kakashi and losing his best friend. What frightened him even more was the idea that Rin would follow Kakashi and eventually disappear from his world altogether...
To escape that painful reality, he had run away.
Until... Rin found him.
It was Rin's comfort and encouragement that helped him pull himself together. It was also then that she made a promise:
"I'll always be watching you."
Because of that promise, Rin waited for him—waited a very long time—on the path to the afterlife.
Now, history seemed to be looping back, and he had returned to that same turning point.
After seeing Rin in the afterlife, Obito had finally understood his place in her heart. The bond between him and Rin wasn't fragile; in fact, it was far stronger than he had ever imagined. Even if he abandoned the entire world, Rin would never abandon him.
Her concern for him was greater than the entire world combined.
So even if Kakashi became a radiant sun in the sky, he could never take away his Rin.
And the future would prove it—Obito Uchiha was the true genius.
Kakashi? He was just a so-called prodigy. After all those years, he hadn't made any significant progress...
Therefore, Obito now felt he had a responsibility. He had to help that so-called prodigy regain his footing. If not, with the scale of the Fourth Shinobi World War, Kakashi wouldn't even be qualified to stand in front of Kaguya.
"By now, Rin should be looking for me. I'll meet up with Rin first, then I'll go find Kakashi..."
With that in mind, Obito activated Kamui and returned to reality.
The war had just ended, and although Konoha Village still carried a heavy atmosphere, the children remained unaffected for now.
At a training ground near the Ninja Academy, five young boys and girls played during their lunch break, their faces full of youthful innocence.
Although the Will of Fire passed down by the First Hokage—Hashirama Senju—had been twisted by the village elders, it still formed the village's foundation. Its core ideals were upheld by the next generation.
Compared to the Warring States era—when children as young as four or five were sent to war—the children of Konoha were truly blessed.
Obito appeared beside one of the large trees on the training ground, cloaking himself in shadow, quietly observing.
This was a habit he had cultivated over the years.
In his previous life, he had infiltrated Konoha many times. For him, coming back to the village felt like coming home. He knew every hidden path, every blind spot in the sensory barriers—perhaps better than even the Barrier and Reconnaissance Units.
He had come here because Konoha was still crawling with White Zetsu clones—Madara's ever-watchful eyes and ears. Avoiding them was crucial. If his unique powers were exposed, it would bring complications.
Not that he feared Madara anymore. To him, the man was just a withered old ghost clinging to life.
If he wanted, he could risk the deterioration of his eyesight and body, use Kamui to teleport directly to Madara, and finish him off.
Madara likely couldn't defeat him at this point.
But the danger wasn't to himself—it was to those around him.
Saving lives was much harder than taking them.
A reckless person like Naruto, without the blessing of luck, might have ended up just like him—lost in the dark.
He didn't want to gamble on luck anymore.
Unlike in his past life, he wasn't a ghost haunting the ninja world. Now he had a legal, respectable identity. There was no need to live in the shadows anymore.
Thinking that, Obito stepped into the light.
It was a beautiful afternoon in Konoha, and as the sunlight warmed his skin, he felt a long-forgotten sense of peace.
He hadn't felt this kind of warmth since he first fell into darkness.
Just then, a little girl with purple face paint stepped into the training ground. She looked around, searching for someone.
Her eyes were bright, lively, and filled with excitement and worry.
Obito's gaze locked on her instantly.
Rin...
He hadn't seen such a vibrant version of her in what felt like an eternity.
Her very presence made the world glow. She was the reason the world hadn't turned into hell.
Tears welled up in Obito's eyes. He wanted nothing more than to run up and hug her tightly.
He needed Rin's warmth. Desperately.
It was then he realized something painful: after all these years, he was still the same inside.
He could stand against the entire world for Rin—but he still didn't have the courage to confess his feelings face-to-face.
He froze. Hesitating. Anxious. Wanting to act... but doing nothing.
As if sensing his burning gaze, Rin turned.
Her eyes immediately found his, and when she saw the tears on his face, the joy on her expression quickly faded. She ran toward him, panic in her steps.
"Obito, what's wrong? Why are you crying?"
She raised her small hand and gently wiped away his tears.
Obito sniffled and forced a smile.
"It's nothing... just a bit of hardship..."
Before he could say more, Rin hugged him tightly.
She hugged him as if trying to bear all his pain for him.
"Obito, you really can't lie."
"No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side. If you want to cry, cry out loud."
Rin didn't know what Obito had gone through. But she could feel—deeply—that he needed this embrace. He needed her warmth.
His tears, which had briefly stopped, began to flow again.
In that moment, he was no longer the mastermind who had manipulated the ninja world. He was just a boy who had lost something precious and then found it again.
He hugged Rin back, crying loudly, crying like a child.
He poured out all the pain, frustration, and grief that had weighed him down for so many years.
It was a long time before he finally stopped crying.
Rin's shoulder was already soaked with tears.
Obito let go, slightly embarrassed.
"I'm sorry, Rin... we just met again, and I showed you such an embarrassing side of me..."
Before he could finish, Rin gently shook her head.
"Obito, can you tell me what happened?"
Her voice was soft but resolute.
In that hug, she had felt everything.
The despair, the sorrow—crushing. But the love and longing—overwhelming.
If they hadn't just met that morning, Rin might have thought they'd been separated by life and death for years before reuniting.
She needed to know: what had Obito gone through in just one afternoon?