Traveling through Naruto, I am Uchiha Obito?

"Don't get in my way! I'm going to kill him! Right now!!"

"My foolish brother..."

Itachi Uchiha finally slowly shifted his gaze from Naruto to Sasuke, who was acting like a madman. There was no anger or sarcasm in his eyes, only an almost ethereal calm and an unfathomable disappointment.

"You are still... as weak as ever."

His voice was low and slow, each word piercing Sasuke's heart and dignity like a needle.

Is it because...hatred isn't enough?

Before he could finish speaking, Itachi vanished instantly! The next moment, he appeared silently beside Sasuke, his pale, long tentacle reaching straight for Sasuke's fair neck! The speed was so fast that Sasuke had no time to react!

Just as the cold tentacle was about to touch Sasuke's fair skin...

--Snapped!

With his other hand, he gripped Itachi's wrist firmly with absolute force! It was a Rubik's Cube!

Itachi's movements came to an abrupt halt. He tilted his head slightly, his sinister Sharingan fixed on the Rubik's Cube so close at hand.

The Rubik's Cube's face was expressionless, but suppressed emotions surged within its crimson Sharingan eyes, and its voice was low and chilling:

"Don't mess with me now, Uchiha Touch."

"It's Itachi."

Kisame corrected him, displeased.

The Rubik's Cube ignored Kisame's corrections, each word sounding as if it were being squeezed out from between his teeth.

"Listen up, Uchiha Ryu, I'm in a bad mood right now, so stop pretending. Get lost."

Itachi's gaze lingered for a moment on Rubik's Cube's face, which was suppressing its emotions. A barely perceptible hint of inquiry flashed in the depths of his eyes. He did not answer Rubik's Cube's question.

"Tsk!"

Kisame clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction, his massive shark-like skin pointing at Rubik's Cube, his face contorted with displeasure and murderous intent. However, when his gaze fell upon Rubik's Cube's gloomy, impatient face, a strange sense of familiarity suddenly struck him!

That face...that look...and what he said when he confronted "Lord Madara" just now...countless guesses rapidly pieced together in his mind!

"Mr. Itachi,"

Kisame suddenly grinned, revealing a smile that seemed relaxed but was actually probing, trying to break the tense standoff and also trying to confirm his guess.

"This child... could it be that you 'accidentally' left behind back then? Do you need me to help you 'clean up' the mess?"

He brandished Samehada in his hand, his tone deliberately flippant, but his eyes remained fixed on the Rubik's Cube.

"You think you're so great? You're the one building the dam!"

The Rubik's Cube suddenly turned its head, its scarlet Sharingan eyes fixed on Kisame!

"Didn't you hear what I said? Get out—!"

boom!

Kisame stared at the Rubik's Cube in surprise. It was just a simple aura, yet it made even this battle-hardened, eccentric man from the Hidden Mist, involuntarily take a half step back, and the fake smile on his face completely disappeared.

This feeling... Could it be... could this kid really be...?!

Kisame's expression instantly became incredibly complex, a mixture of surprise, suspicion, apprehension, and confusion. Lost in thought, he knew his mission to capture the Jinchuriki wouldn't be completed today. He looked again at Uchiha Itachi and asked...

"Mr. Itachi... what did you say?"

His voice was much lower, and he asked in a questioning tone.

Itachi stared intently at the Rubik's Cube, his Sharingan seeming to see right through him. The force emanating from his wrist clearly conveyed the other's suppressed emotions and formidable power.

After a few seconds of silence, Itachi finally spoke again, his voice still calm and even, but lacking the previous oppressive aura:

"Can I let go of your hand now?"

Rubik's Cube snorted coldly, his disgust undisguised, and abruptly shook off Itachi's wrist, as if shaking off something filthy.

"It smells like the underworld, it's disgusting."

He loathed this disgusting guy in every sense of the word.

He didn't even glance at Itachi and Kisame again. His crimson Sharingan slowly faded, returning to its deep black, but the lingering unease deep within his eyes was still clearly visible.

His mind was filled with Obito's escapist attitude before he disappeared, and he had no desire to argue with this rat in front of him.

Itachi withdrew his hand, his fingertips twitching almost imperceptibly. He said nothing more, not even glancing at Sasuke, who was nearly overwhelmed by anger and humiliation, but instead gave Kisame a very subtle look.

Kisame immediately understood, and breathed a sigh of relief as if he had been granted a pardon, hoisting Samehada onto his shoulder. The two appeared as abruptly as they had, their figures quickly fading and disappearing into the smoke, leaving behind only a mess and three boys, each with their own thoughts.

The tension in the air, which had been stretched to its limit, finally eased abruptly with their departure, but what remained was an even heavier silence and countless emotions waiting to erupt.

Sasuke was breathing heavily, his body trembling slightly from exhaustion and extreme emotional turmoil. He stared intently at the spot where Itachi had disappeared, his eyes burning with resentment. Naruto, still shaken, looked at the Cube's somber back, then at Sasuke with worry, at a loss for what to do.

Rubik's Cube simply bent down and silently picked up the dusty vegetables that had rolled on the ground, its movements carrying a sense of suppressed irritation.

"Naruto, I'll have Master come and keep you company later. I need some peace and quiet tonight..."

Chapter 52 Father and Son

Chapter 52 Father and Son

The vortex cube dragged its leaden legs back to the familiar door of the Momonogi family home.

The house was quiet. Karin had gone to study at the medical department; she seemed to have a good talent for healing ninjutsu and had been studying diligently for the past few months. She didn't seem to have returned today. At this moment, only he and Momonogi were at home.

Momono was sitting under the lamp reading a book, the soft light outlining her serene profile. Hearing the door open, she looked up and immediately saw Mofang's preoccupied expression.

She put down her book, asked no further questions, and simply patted the cushion beside her. The Rubik's Cube obediently walked over, like a traveler who had found his way home, leaned against it, and slowly lay down, resting its head on Momono's soft thighs.

Momono's slender, cool fingers gently traced the somewhat messy black spiky head of the Rubik's Cube. Her fingertips carried a soothing magic, one touch after another.

"Has...something happened?"

Her voice was very soft, as if she was afraid of disturbing something.

"Why is he like this as soon as he gets back?"

The Rubik's Cube closed its eyes, only slowly shaking its head, letting out a muffled groan filled with endless weariness. It offered no explanation, uttering not a single word.

After a moment, he suddenly moved. He propped himself up, not leaving, but instead stretched out his arms and pulled Momono into his embrace. His chin rested on the top of her soft hair, and the faint, reassuring scent of her emanated from him lingered around his nose.

He looked down at the woman in his arms, the one who had given him the warmth of "home" in the ninja world. His eyes were unusually gentle, and his voice was deep with a barely perceptible hoarseness.

"I'm fine... I'm just a little confused inside."

Momono's cool eyes gazed silently at his face, so close to hers, as if trying to pierce through his weariness and see into his heart. A few seconds later, she uttered two words softly:

"Liar."

But she didn't press the matter further. She knew there were certain corners of his heart that she couldn't, and shouldn't, easily touch.

She chose to remain silent and stay by her side.

She didn't struggle, but obediently snuggled closer into his arms, gently resting her cheek on his strong but somewhat taut shoulders.

The two embraced quietly, the only sound in the room their soft breathing. There were no words, no movements, only their body heat conveying silent comfort.

Exhaustion washed over them like a tide, and in this rare tranquility and warmth, the two unknowingly snuggled together and fell into a deep sleep.

After an unknown amount of time, the moon was high in the sky. Rubik's Cube was the first to wake up. Momono, nestled in his arms, was fast asleep, her breathing even and deep, her long eyelashes casting a small shadow beneath her eyes.

He carefully, almost holding his breath, lifted her up in his arms, his movements as gentle as if she were a rare treasure, and placed her on the soft bed, carefully tucking her in.

After settling Momono in, Rubik's Cube couldn't fall asleep again. He walked to the window, where moonlight poured in like quicksilver, elongating his shadow. He sat silently at the low table by the window, and from the sealing spell in his left hand, he took out an antique little wine pot and two plain wine cups of the same material.

The clear, cool liquor was poured into the glass, shimmering faintly in the moonlight. He placed one of the glasses on the empty seat opposite him, then picked up his own, but did not drink it immediately.

He simply gazed silently at the bright moon outside the window, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if trying to absorb the cool moonlight into his gaze, or as if searching for some vague answer within it. A heavy, unyielding weight hung between his brows.

It was at this moment when all was quiet, with only the moonlight flowing.

A figure, as if emerging from the shadows of the wall itself, appeared silently behind the Rubik's Cube.

He wore his signature black robe embroidered with red clouds, and his orange swirling mask gleamed eerily in the moonlight.

He stood there silently, like a frozen statue, his breath seemingly blending into the night. An invisible, heavy, and oppressive atmosphere permeated the air, and there seemed to be a trace of... indescribable hesitation in the man's heart.

The Rubik's Cube continued to gaze out the window, seemingly oblivious to what was behind it. After a moment of this oppressive atmosphere, it slowly spoke, its voice calm and even, yet clearly piercing the silence of the night:

"Since you're here, please sit down."

He turned his head slightly, his gaze not completely turning behind him, but his invisible gaze seemed to have locked onto the mask.

"Whether it's you or me..."

The Rubik's Cube's voice lowered, and he spoke with downcast eyes.

"...We both have so many questions we want to ask each other, don't we?"

The body beneath the orange swirling mask stiffened almost imperceptibly for a moment, as if the Rubik's Cube's words had pierced some invisible barrier.

After a moment of silence, the masked man began to walk. His steps were slow and heavy, each one as if he were treading on invisible swamp; he had never imagined this journey would be so difficult. He walked around to the opposite side of the low table and sat down where the wine glass was placed.

After settling down, he subconsciously looked up.

The cool moonlight shone unhindered on the young face across the table.

That spiky black hair, that stubborn jawline, that certain glint in his eyes…

Behind the mask, in the shadows unseen by anyone, his pupils contracted sharply. It was as if he were seeing a distant, almost blurry, yet incredibly clear reflection through the dust of time.

That was clearly...my younger self, the one who still dreamed of becoming Hokage...Uchiha Obito.

He stared, momentarily lost in thought, forgetting words, actions, and the purpose of his trip, as if being dragged into a bottomless vortex of memories by that remarkably similar silhouette.

Time passed quickly, the night deepened, and the moonlight outside the window seemed to grow colder, flowing silently between the two, illuminating the wine cups, but unable to penetrate the abyss beneath the masks.

Finally, the suffocating silence was broken by a voice coming from behind the mask. That voice was no longer the deliberately feigned frivolity of before, nor the coldness of Madara, but carried a… extremely inappropriate, even somewhat clumsy concern, and a deeper, undisguised unease:

"How old are you? And you're already learning to drink?"

He paused, his tone revealing a feigned dissatisfaction as a supposed elder, yet unable to conceal his cautious probing.

"Was it... Jiraiya who taught you?... Drinking... is bad..."

"..."

The Rubik's Cube's hand, holding the wine glass, froze in mid-air, its expression a mix of astonishment, absurdity, and a sense of powerlessness at being led astray.

He almost burst out laughing in anger, but managed to suppress the inappropriate laughter, transforming it into an incredulous question:

"You...you asked this as your very first question?!"

His brows furrowed deeply, and a strong sense of displeasure welled up within him.

"At a time like this...shouldn't there be more important questions to ask?!"

The masked man paused for a moment, then slowly and very seriously shook his head, the movement appearing somewhat stiff in the moonlight.

"No."

A nameless rage surged within Rubik's Cube! To avoid waking Momono, who was fast asleep in the inner room, he forcibly suppressed the angry rebuke that was about to spill from his lips, but he couldn't hide the churning disappointment and sharpness within his voice:

"Shouldn't you have asked?! Shouldn't you have asked about Uzumaki Chino, about my mother?!"

Uchiha Obito!

"..."

The figure behind the mask seemed to have been pierced to the heart by that name, jolting violently! The carefully maintained aloof and cold image instantly crumbled, and a hoarse, trembling voice struggled to emerge from beneath the mask:

"You...so you already knew, huh...?"

"You think I wouldn't know?!"

The Rubik's Cube's voice carried suppressed anger and sarcasm.

"Just look at my face! When I first stepped into Konoha, I could practically 'bump into' a white-haired guy wearing a mask wherever I went! Every time we met, the opening line was almost always..."

Ah, the sun is shining so brightly today; it reminds me of that person who likes to help the elderly…

'Ah, Obito, he was truly an amazing ninja, protecting his comrades…'

'Ah, this Sharingan...it belongs to Obito...'

He's so talkative! Anyone who didn't know better would think he was a fanatical missionary!