Hiruzen persuaded me to die

Although slightly surprised by Jiraiya's swift reaction, Uchiha Obito remained calm.

In fact, confidence now surged through him—maybe even to the point of arrogance.

With Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, already under his Genjutsu, Kirigakure was under his thumb. And now, with Sarutobi Hiruzen dancing on his strings, Konohagakure, the mightiest of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, would soon follow.

Nearly half of the Shinobi World… was his.

As for Hyuga Naraku, the so-called biggest threat to the Eye of the Moon Plan?

Let Kumogakure deal with him. By the time this night ends, Naraku will be nothing more than a name on a grave marker.

And now, the most crucial piece of the plan—the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki—stood defenseless before him.

"Do you really think you've got me figured out?" Jiraiya's voice cut into the silence, calm and composed.

He didn't show a hint of fear.

"Naruto, get behind me," Jiraiya said, extending his arm protectively. "Let me show you the true power of a sage."

But inside, his mind was racing.

My kunai passed through him like mist... and yet, he reached out to Naruto. I felt the air shift—he was real then.

He can phase through attacks. Must be some kind of time-space ninjutsu...

If that's the case, there must be limits. He can't be intangible forever...

Jiraiya bit his thumb and weaved hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Boom!

A massive puff of white smoke exploded out, and crimson flesh surrounded the trio.

Toad Mouth Bind! He'd summoned the very esophagus of the Great Toad of Mount Myōboku—Iwagama—a living, writhing trap no shinobi had ever escaped.

Acidic slime poured from the walls, creeping toward Obito.

"Hmph. You think this can hold me?" Obito scoffed.

The acid reached his feet… but didn't burn.

The Kamui dimension. Obito's trump card.

It's just a projection, Jiraiya deduced. The real body is phasing in and out.

But he smirked inwardly. He has to become tangible to grab Naruto...

And Jiraiya was counting on that.

"You can't stay in that state forever, can you?" Jiraiya asked, voice low.

Obito said nothing.

He didn't need to. He had five minutes. That was all he ever needed.

In a flash, the two clashed—Jiraiya lunging forward, Obito reaching out for Naruto.

Suddenly—three tomoe flickered within Obito's lone Sharingan.

"Got you."

Genjutsu: Sharingan.

Jiraiya's eyes glazed over. His body froze mid-step and toppled forward.

Just like he'd done to Yagura.

Obito turned to Naruto, voice cold.

"Come, Nine-Tails."

He approached slowly, confidently. No one could stop him now.

"I should've taken you years ago..."

But just as he reached out—

"Big Ball Rasengan!!"

Obito's eye widened—

BOOM!!

The Rasengan exploded into his back, blasting him down through the toad's stomach wall and into the foundation of the house.

Smoke, dust, and rubble flew in all directions.

Bang!

The toad stomach vanished in a flash of white smoke.

Jiraiya stood firm, smoke curling from his extended palm.

"I hit him," he muttered. "But he slipped into the void at the last second..."

Obito coughed, struggling to rise. Blood seeped from his robes.

He leapt back, clutching his arm, breath ragged.

Again... A Rasengan. Just like Minato...

Shame burned deeper than the injury itself.

Obito looked up—Jiraiya was still standing, unfazed.

"What... how did you escape my Genjutsu?" he spat.

A tiny ninja toad peeked out from Jiraiya's collar, croaking once.

Obito's eye narrowed.

"...I see."

"You summoned more than just the toad stomach," Obito growled. "You summoned a messenger frog. You faked being caught... just to ambush me."

"You've got guts, Sannin."

"And you've got a big mouth," Jiraiya countered, keeping Naruto behind him.

"You said you should've taken Naruto years ago. That Nine-Tails attack... that was you, wasn't it?"

The calm in his voice vanished, replaced by rising fury.

Obito's mask curled into a smirk beneath the cracks.

"That's right. I unleashed the Nine-Tails on this village."

"And I would've succeeded—if not for Minato. He sealed it into his own son before dying."

Naruto's breath caught.

"Son...?"

Jiraiya's eyes widened. Damn it.

He turned—Naruto was trembling.

"I... I'm the Hokage's son?"

"Why..." Naruto's voice cracked, "Why do they all hate me?"

His tiny hands shook, gripping his shirt.

"Hey! Naruto!" Jiraiya called out, desperation in his voice. "Don't listen to him! He's lying!"

But it was too late.

Obito kept going, voice like a dagger.

"Ever wonder why they called you a demon fox?"

"Why the Third Hokage seemed so 'kind' to you?"

"He kept you isolated. Kept you docile. So that the Nine-Tails would only ever obey him."

"Shut up!!!" Jiraiya roared, lunging forward—

But Obito slipped into nothingness again.

"Heh... enjoy the gift I've left behind," he whispered, fading into the void.

Jiraiya turned, eyes wide with dread.

Naruto stood still, his young face twisted with pain.

"Grandpa Hokage... lied to me...?"

Boom. Boom. Boom.

His heartbeat thundered in his ears.

His eyes turned from ocean blue to crimson red.

A vertical slit formed in each pupil.

Chakra—dark, malicious, and monstrous—erupted from his small frame.

It crashed through the room like a storm, burning red and full of rage.

The Nine-Tails stirred.

And Naruto Uzumaki—the Fourth Hokage's son—was no longer just a child.

He was becoming a force no one in the room could contain.