Konoha: The Honored One

"Obito should be dead," Might Guy muttered, his voice tinged with unease as he glanced at Kakashi, who stood frozen.

"Obito? How is it possible?!" Kakashi's face twisted in disbelief as eyes remained glued to the masked figure standing before them.

The idea that Obito, his former teammate and presumed-dead friend, was alive and working with Akatsuki hit him like a kunai to the chest. It didn't make sense. Obito was dead. He had seen the rubble bury him with his own eyes. And yet, here he was.

Obito Uchiha , unfazed by the revelation, spoke with cold detachment. "Discovered already? Tch. How boring," he said, his tone flat, betraying no concern.

Sasuke, his Sharingan blazing, stepped forward, his voice cold and cutting. "Where is Itachi Uchiha?!"

Obito turned his head slightly, his tone dripping with apathy. "Who knows?"

Sasuke's fingers clenched, the glow of chakra forming into a Rasengan in his palm. "Then I'll force you to tell me!"

Before Sasuke could lunge, Might Guy moved like a blur, grabbing the younger Uchiha by the arm and pinning him to the ground. "Calm down, Sasuke. Gojo just taught you the importance of keeping your head cool. Have you already forgotten?"

"Let me go," Sasuke growled, but his anger simmered as he reluctantly dispelled the Rasengan. "Tch."

Kakashi, still dazed, stepped forward hesitantly. His voice trembled as he asked, "Are you really… Obito?"

Obito's lone Sharingan narrowed as he replied with scorn, "Does it matter who I am? In a world full of despair, identity is meaningless. Life is meaningless."

His words carried venom, but the emptiness in his tone spoke volumes. "This world is a cruel, twisted reality. Hope and despair are just masks people wear to endure it."

Kakashi flinched at Obito's words. He knew exactly what Obito meant—the death of Rin. Her loss was the crux of everything, the event that changed both their lives forever.

"I… I'm sorry about Rin," Kakashi finally choked out, his voice filled with regret.

Obito's Sharingan glinted dangerously. "There is no hope in this world. Hope is just an excuse—a meaningless pretense. I'll create a world where she exists. A world where there's no pain, no suffering… only Peace."

Suddenly, a familiar voice chimed in with a tone of mockery. "Ah, yes. The classic 'two men, one woman' tragedy. One of you wallows in guilt, and the other decides to rewrite the world. A bloody love triangle if I've ever seen one."

Gojo appeared out of nowhere, casually ruffling Naruto's hair with one hand as he assessed the scene. His sudden arrival seemed to pause the tension as everyone turned to him, relief washing over Team Seven's faces.

"Sensei!" Naruto cried, his voice a mix of joy and relief.

Obito's Sharingan locked onto Gojo, narrowing as he said, "Since you're here, I'll let the Nine-Tails go… for now."

With that, the space around Obito began to twist, a swirling void consuming him as he prepared to leave.

Gojo leaned slightly forward, his smirk playful but laced with derision. "Oh, don't pretend like you're letting me off. Just say it—you're scared. It's okay to admit it."

Obito's voice was as cold as the wind whipping around them. "You'll see the truth soon enough." He turned to Kakashi one last time, his tone sharp and cutting. "Use my eye to witness the darkness of this world, Kakashi."

And then, with a final distortion of space, Obito vanished.

Kakashi stood rooted in place, his head bowed as memories flooded his mind. Obito's words, Rin's death, the weight of everything—it all bore down on him. Slowly, he reached up and slid his forehead protector back over his Sharingan, shielding the pain behind his ever-aloof expression.

Naruto glanced at his teacher, his expression turning somber as he tugged on Gojo's sleeve. "Sensei… Gaara…"

Gojo's expression softened for a moment as he crouched down to Naruto's level. He ruffled the boy's hair again, giving him a reassuring smile. "Naruto, what's the first thing I taught you?"

Naruto blinked, confused. "Uh… to eat my vegetables?"

Gojo laughed. "No, idiot. I taught you that living is the most basic wisdom. So you keep fighting. You get stronger. Because if you die, well… I'm not paying for your coffin. Those things are expensive."

Naruto's jaw dropped, his face flushing with indignation. "SENSEI!"

The rest of Team Seven exchanged glances, caught between exasperation and amusement. Sakura muttered, "Is Gojo-sensei worried about us… or just cursing us?"

Meanwhile, Gojo stretched and yawned, looking thoroughly unconcerned. "Alright, kids. Let's wrap this up. Grab that red-haired kid's body—he's worth ten million. And don't forget Sasori's puppet remains. They might fetch a decent price in the Land of Wind." Sakura gawked. "You're thinking about selling the body of a missing ninja?"

"Well, duh," Gojo replied. "You think I fight Akatsuki for free? I'm a teacher, not a charity worker."

As the group set about gathering what they could, Kurenai approached Gojo, her sharp red eyes scanning him carefully. She sniffed the air subtly as she drew closer, her brow furrowing slightly.

"Gojo," she said, her voice calm but tinged with suspicion, "where exactly did you go during the fight?"

Gojo paused, his usual smirk faltering for a split second. "Oh, you know. Just dealing with some business."

Kurenai stepped closer, tilting her head as she sniffed again. "You smell… different."

Gojo raised an eyebrow. "Is that a compliment?"

"No," Kurenai replied smoothly, her smile taking on a dangerous edge. "You smell like perfume. And not Tsunade-sama's."

Gojo froze.

Her smile widened. "So, who was it, Gojo? Someone pretty, I assume, since she left her scent all over you."

The rest of the group went dead silent, their heads swiveling between Kurenai and Gojo like spectators at a tennis match. Naruto leaned toward Sasuke and whispered, "Uh-oh. Sensei's in trouble."

Sasuke shrugged. "Serves him right."

Gojo rubbed the back of his neck, laughing nervously. "Oh, come on, Kurenai-chan. Let's not jump to conclusions. I'm a respectable man!"

Kurenai's red eyes glinted ominously. "Respectable? We'll see about that."

As the group prepared to leave, Gojo found himself facing a new battle—the wrath of an inquisitive Kurenai.