By the time Obito realized the wooden giant technique was starting to crumble beneath him—

It was already too late.

At that moment, the brick in Susanoo's hand began to emit a dazzling crimson light.

The sudden flash burned into Obito's eyes, forcing them shut on reflex.

For a brief second… he swore he saw his grandmother waving at him.

Susanoo pulled the glowing brick back, winding up a devastating blow.

Obito's instincts screamed.

Shit—he'd opened a gap!

The moment he forced his eyes back open, a massive shadow had already fallen over him.

Uchiha Hikaru's smirk couldn't be contained anymore.

"You delusional mutt... so what's it gonna be? Abandon the wooden giant?"

"Or sacrifice your pathetic life?"

"One swing of a warhammer costs a hundred... a brick goes for eighty."

"Now—EAT MY BRICK!!!"

A chill shot down Obito's spine, his entire body drenched in cold sweat.

At that instant, he didn't even try to maintain the wooden giant beneath him.

Not even Kamui could phase through this monster's attack.

There was only one thing left to rely on—his backup.

He shouted his companion's name without hesitation.

"Hooligan!"

The moment Zetsu——heard Obito call out, he immediately understood what was needed.

"Got it~!"

"Wood Style: Wood Clone!"

The brick loomed only two meters away from Obito's face.

Suddenly, a branch sprouted from his chest.

In the blink of an eye, the branch grew and shaped itself into a complete clone of Zetsu.

Then—THWACK—he kicked Obito square in the chest.

Snap!

The wooden link severed as Obito is launched off the giant's head.

Uchiha Hikaru saw the move, but didn't bother adjusting his throw.

Instead, he redirected the brick and SLAMMED it into the wooden giant's head.

BOOM!!!

The impact blew the head clean off, wooden shrapnel bursting in every direction.

The resulting explosion sent roots and splinters flying, forming jagged trees that erupted outward, aiming straight at Susanoo.

Hikaru's gaze calmly shifted to Obito, unfazed.

Nice try, kid.

Trying to pull a fast one on me?

The wooden thorns crashed against the six-crystal armor and Susanoo's body—but none of them left so much as a scratch.

Obito landed dozens of meters behind the destroyed giant, panting hard.

His face twisted in pure dread.

Everything replayed in his head.

The wooden giant had been dismantled completely without him even realizing it.

He hadn't sensed it. Not at all.

Something was seriously wrong.

"Obito, didn't I tell you that your bokuto was already done for?"

"Why didn't you listen?"

"Now look—you lost your wooden man for nothing."

Zetsu's voice echoed dully in Obito's ear.

He blinked, dazed.

"You… said that?"

"Why didn't I hear it?"

Silence followed.

Then it began his verbal execution.

"You just kept going on about friendship and bonds!"

"You were like, 'I'll avenge Rin!' and charged at Susanoo like a damn lunatic!"

"Now you don't remember anything?"

Obito froze.

It hit him.

He hadn't noticed the wooden giant crumbling.

The only thing burned into his memory was... that goddamned orange-red brick.

So that was it.

That cursed brick must be some sort of Mangekyō spiritual weapon too…

Obito's thoughts kicked into overdrive.

He reached into his robe, replacing his pale, used-up Sharingan with a fresh three-tomoe one.

The chains that sealed space.

The eerie blue-white flames.

The sword that could change length.

And now... this accursed brick.

All of them came from that sword—, forged by Hikaru's Mangekyō.

Could it be… that Hikaru's ability was to grant his weapons different powers?

If that was true—

Then there was no way to win.

Not unless he could reclaim the other Mangekyō that was now in Kakashi's possession.

Otherwise, even with help and Kamui, he couldn't so much as scratch Hikaru.

And even worse—Hikaru was still spamming Susanoo's fourth stage like it cost nothing.

There wasn't even blood in his eyes.

He must've used Hashirama's cells—probably through Orochimaru.

He's just like me now…

The more Obito thought about it, the more he wanted to retreat.

Even a mad thought entered his mind.

[The Rinnegan… what if I took back the Rinnegan that Madara left with Nagato...?]

But he quickly suppressed that idea.

He couldn't beat Nagato. Not now.

Still… he knew Nagato's weaknesses.

"How about we just run for now?"

"Obito, if you can't win, running isn't shameful."

It's advice rang loud and clear.

After two rounds of utter humiliation from Uchiha Hikaru, Obito had no choice but to admit it.

He couldn't win.

"Tch. It's called a strategic retreat!"

He activated Kamui's spatial distortion with his right eye.

Uchiha Hikaru saw the space twist—and immediately hurled the brick again.

As it flew, the carved sneering face of the mysterious girl grew larger and larger in Obito's vision.

He clenched his jaw and turned away, refusing to look.

He couldn't risk losing his mind again.

"Izanagi!"

The brick passed straight through him harmlessly.

Hikaru paused.

Then smirked.

So that's it...

He timed his escape perfectly—switching from Kamui to Izanagi the moment his eyes could no longer evade the brick.

He erased the fatal outcome.

Hikaru raised an eyebrow.

Well, well. Obito actually used his brain for once.

Blessed hollowing plus Izanagi—that's the smartest thing he's done all day.

Before vanishing completely, Obito hurled one last bitter shout over his shoulder.

"Uchiha Hikaru! You better remember this!"

"I'll be back!"

Hikaru didn't miss a beat.

"You better not come back to lick my boots again!"

"Promise me you'll love yourself a little next time, alright?"

"Dogs who keep licking get put down!"

"Uchiha Hikaru you￥@#%￥#￥%%@…"

A final flurry of censored curses, and Obito disappeared into Kamui space.

What no one knew was...

He kept cursing nonstop for over an hour inside Kamui before finally calming down.

Uchiha Hikaru dismissed Susanoo with a sigh.

As his feet touched the ground, he staggered slightly—his body trembling from exhaustion.

Without hesitation, he pulled out two high-grade soldier pills from his sleeve and popped them into his mouth.

After all...

He had just traveled nonstop for a day and a half and unleashed Susanoo's fourth stage like a maniac.

If Obito had brought even one more backup Sharingan…

That might've gotten very dangerous…

(;￣Д￣）

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