Madara's unrestrained, almost deranged laughter echoed through the screen—
and with his distorted expression, everyone finally understood why the title of the series called him one of the "Four Maniac Laughing Kings."
That laugh…
was mad.
No one expected someone so cold and stoic to laugh in such an unhinged, feral manner.
But no one dared complain—
the multiverse was still reeling from the overwhelming power Madara displayed.
Dragon Ball Universe — Seventh Universe
Somewhere in space, Beerus sucked on a drink through a straw, unimpressed.
"The 'Maniac Laughing Quartet,' huh?
Cute name. But calling that level of power 'godly' is just insulting.
Right, Whis?"
Whis smiled politely, graceful as always.
"Lord Beerus, there's no need to concern yourself with beings so weak.
Treat these videos as light entertainment."
Beerus shrugged.
"Hmm… fair enough.
Whis! We're out of snacks! Where's my food!?"
Even a God of Destruction needed something to pass the time.
Naruto World — Iwagakure
Ōnoki sat in silence—
horrified, exhausted, and feeling much older than before.
Madara's power alone was already terrifying…
but paired with a body that doesn't stay down?
How were they supposed to defeat someone like that in the future?
What depressed him even more was watching the video version of himself—
old, frail, bruised, practically half-dead,
still flying up to block a meteor.
"Was my future brain full of sand!?
Why would I rush into danger at my age!?"
But Ōnoki knew himself.
Something must have changed him…
or someone must have inspired him.
Otherwise he would never do something that reckless.
"What on earth… happens in the future?"
Back to the Video
Madara's laughter faded.
A faint smirk lingered on his lips as he turned toward three figures who had just arrived.
"Oh? The Five Kage?"
He raised his head, eyes glowing with the Eternal Mangekyō and Rinnegan.
"At last… opponents worth fighting."
And with that, the Five Kage finally assembled.
But before the viewers could see the battle—
The video abruptly cut to black.
Then a new title appeared:
Ranking Strange Nicknames Across the Multiverse
Maniac Laughing Quartet – Uchiha Obito!!!
Everything went silent.
Those who had been furious about the cliffhanger instantly swallowed their anger.
Because—
if Madara was one of the Maniac Laughing Quartet…
Then what kind of monster would Uchiha Obito be!?
Excited and nervous, the audience temporarily forgave the abrupt ending.
It was like dealing with one of those authors who love cliffhangers—
annoying, but still irresistible once a new chapter drops.
Naruto World — Konohagakure
A rare peaceful morning.
Kakashi stared at the cut-off Madara video, feeling a deep sense of loss.
He truly wanted to see how the Five Kage fought against Madara.
Though, based on what he'd seen Madara do…
Kakashi privately suspected that even the Five Kage might not hold out for long.
He assumed the Kage on screen included the Third Hokage, since the camera never showed Tsunade—
He was wrong, but he didn't know that yet.
Then Kakashi saw the new video title.
And his heart nearly stopped.
Uchiha Obito.
Maniac Laughing Quartet.
His pupil constricted.
Even the Sharingan hidden under his forehead protector seemed to throb in pain.
"Obito…?"
But… Obito was dead.
Wasn't he?
Kakashi's mind went blank.
Obito—
the friend he failed to save.
The person he felt he owed the most in this life.
Alive?
Appearing in a video?
If he survived…
why didn't he return to Konoha?
Why—did he never show himself?
With a storm of unanswered questions, Kakashi hit play.
He needed answers.
He needed the truth.
The Video Begins
A pitch-black screen.
Then—
the chirping of countless birds.
CHIRP! CHIRP! CHIRP!
A burst of blue light pierced the darkness—
SWISH!
Lightning flashed across the screen, then stopped abruptly.
The image cleared—
A silver-haired young man stood, right hand glowing with concentrated lightning.
Chidori.
And his hand was frozen mid-strike.
Just inches from another man's face.
A man with half of his face deeply scarred—
the other half showing a glowing, crimson Sharingan.
And in his left eye…
The Rinnegan.
The same as Madara's.
The man calmly observed the halted strike, then sneered.
"What's wrong, Kakashi?
This isn't the first time you hesitated to kill me."
"Guilty, are you?
Because you failed to protect Rin?"
"Or because you broke your promise to me?"
"Or…"
He smirked coldly.
"You want me to turn over a new leaf?"
The words pierced Kakashi like a blade.
"…Obito."
Kakashi's voice trembled as he looked at the familiar yet unfamiliar man.
"Come back.
Back to the Obito who dreamed of becoming Hokage.
Just like Naruto now."
The scene changed—
A younger Obito appeared, smiling with youthful arrogance.
"I'm Uchiha Obito, the future Hokage!
And my face goes right here on the Hokage Monument—
goggles and Sharingan included!"
Then a young Naruto appeared—
"One day I'll surpass all the Hokage, and everyone in the village will acknowledge me!!"
The two images overlapped—
like they were mirrors of each other.
The screen returned to the confrontation.
Kakashi spoke softly.
"Obito… Naruto is who you used to be.
Are you denying your former self?"
Obito stared at him—
then burst into wild laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
That manic, twisted laughter—
the very reason he was part of the Maniac Laughing Quartet.
Suddenly, the laughter vanished.
Obito's face went cold.
"Naive."
His Sharingan spun—
the three tomoe swirling ominously.
And then—
"Kakashi…
you don't need to feel guilty about me."
SPLAT!!!
A sickening wet sound rang out.
Everyone watching froze.
Obito—
had deliberately driven his own body forward—
straight into Kakashi's Chidori.
Blood splattered.
Gasps erupted across the multiverse.
He…
stabbed himself.