"RIN—!!!"
The instant Obito saw Rin, his eyes flew wide open.
The three tomoe in his Sharingan spun wildly as he completely lost his composure and tried to charge forward.
Kakashi immediately grabbed his arm.
"Obito, don't rush in!"
Almost at the exact same moment, the black-robed man on the metal platform bent his knees and lowered himself beside Rin, placing a kunai horizontally against her slender neck.
The movement looked simple and casual.
But the threat behind it couldn't have been clearer.
"…Damn it!"
Obito stopped dead, gritting his teeth.
Yuu narrowed his eyes slightly.
He measured the distance between himself and the metal platform, silently calculating the chances of successfully flashing over and rescuing Rin.
On the platform,
the black-robed man calmly swept his gaze over each of them before speaking coldly.
"Mikami Yuu, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Shisui… and Uchiha Obito, correct?
"I've heard your names from Yagura for quite some time.
"It's rare that we finally get to meet in person."
He paused.
"Don't worry.
"Your companion is still alive for the moment.
"But if you want to take her back…
"it won't be that easy."
"So we have to get through you first?"
Yuu asked.
"Something like that."
The black-robed man neither confirmed nor denied it.
Then, still speaking in that slow, unhurried tone, he continued,
"I've heard that your Konoha Village places great importance on the so-called 'Will of Fire' and cherishes the bonds between comrades.
"So…
"I'd like to play a game with you.
"Let's see whether those bonds of yours are truly as strong as you claim."
"If you can give me an answer that satisfies me, I may consider releasing this girl.
"Otherwise…
"she dies here immediately."
As he spoke, the black-robed man applied slightly more pressure.
The sharp edge of the kunai pressed a thin red line into Rin's neck.
"Damn it! Who wants to play your stupid fucking game?!
"Let Rin go right now!"
Obito shouted again.
The black-robed man ignored him completely.
His gaze remained fixed on Yuu, seemingly waiting for his answer.
"…Let's hear it."
Yuu said.
"The rules are simple."
The black-robed man continued calmly.
"If any one of you is willing to kill one of the companions standing beside you, you may immediately exchange that life for this girl's."
"And if none of you are willing to do it…
"then she dies."
"One life for one life.
"Fair, isn't it?"
"…"
For a moment,
Obito merely stared at him in shock, seemingly unable to comprehend why anyone would make such an absurd demand.
But then, as if suddenly remembering something, he whipped his head around and stared straight at Yuu.
Kakashi did exactly the same thing.
Standing on either side of Yuu, the two looked toward him—
then past him toward each other.
The moment their gazes met, the exact same phrase appeared in both their minds.
The Trolley Problem!
That was right.
The game before them was practically a real-life manifestation of the "Trolley Problem" Yuu had once described.
It was enough to make them wonder whether the black-robed man had somehow secretly overheard their conversation.
But that seemed impossible.
Their discussion about the Trolley Problem had taken place more than half a year ago on the Sunagakure front.
Back then, they had still been inexperienced rookies who needed Namikaze Minato accompanying them for protection.
Even if Kirigakure had already been planning its offensive against Konoha at the time,
there was no reason they would have been paying attention to a few rookies that early…
A brief silence followed.
The black-robed man looked down at them and let out a quiet chuckle.
"What's wrong?
"Is the so-called camaraderie of Konoha ninja nothing more than empty words?
"You aren't even willing to do something this simple?"
"Well then, let me add another rule."
"If someone is willing to volunteer their own life, I may also choose to release the girl depending on the circumstances.
"That should make things much easier, shouldn't it?"
His tone became faintly mocking.
"Especially certain people who are already injured and have become burdens to the team.
"Shouldn't someone like that take the initiative and step forward?"
"…"
Another deathly silence.
Only several increasingly heavy breaths could be heard.
Suddenly, Hizashi pulled himself free from Shisui's support and spoke hoarsely.
"Captain Yuu… perhaps I should—"
As a Hyūga whose eyes had been injured, Hizashi felt that he had already lost most of his value to the team.
There was even a possibility he would have to retire from being a ninja entirely after this.
Under these circumstances,
using his life for the exchange seemed like the most reasonable choice.
Besides,
he was only an unimportant member of the Hyūga branch family.
He was alone.
If he died, then he died.
There probably wouldn't be anyone especially heartbroken.
Perhaps only his twin brother, born a few minutes earlier, would genuinely shed a few tears for him.
But—
before Hizashi could finish,
Yuu interrupted him.
Then Yuu stepped forward and turned around to face Kakashi and Obito.
"Kakashi. Shisui.
"Come on.
"Kill me."
"?"
Kakashi froze.
"Yuu, don't be reckless either!
"There has to be another way!
"He's just trying to manipulate us!
"There has to be something else we can do!"
Obito was also rendered speechless.
He certainly wanted to save Rin.
But he had never thought about exchanging someone else's life for hers.
If one person absolutely had to die,
then it should be him—
not Yuu or Kakashi, who were stronger and far more likely to successfully bring Rin back.
And besides…
based on what Yuu had said when they previously discussed the Trolley Problem,
this shouldn't be the kind of answer he would choose…
Suddenly,
a flash of inspiration crossed Obito's mind.
But he couldn't quite grasp it.
Just as he struggled to catch hold of that thought,
Yuu spoke again.
"I said, kill me.
"This is the only way to rescue Rin!"
"…Understood."
Kakashi nodded.
His voice became slightly heavy.
"If that's your decision, Yuu…
"then Obito and I have no choice but to obey the order and exchange your life for Rin's."
"Lightning Blade!"
As he spoke,
Kakashi lowered one hand.
Chakra surged violently through his body and condensed into a crackling mass of blue-violet lightning in his palm.
"!!"
"Kakashi, have you gone insane?!"
Obito nearly jumped out of his skin.
The flash of "inspiration" he had almost caught instantly vanished.
His brain returned to its usual not-particularly-bright state.
Wait…
To save Rin,
Kakashi was going to kill Yuu?
What kind of nightmare was this?!
Or…
Was this genjutsu?!
But Fugaku had said that after special training, a three-tomoe Sharingan was basically impossible to trap in ordinary genjutsu!
Beside him, Shisui also looked startled.
He seemed about to say something—
but the instant his gaze met Yuu's, he stopped.
After a brief pause, he changed what he was going to say.
"Alright.
"If that is the captain's order, then…"
"Uchiha-Style: Sword Jumping Flame!"
"Huh?!!"
Obito's eyes grew even wider.
They'd all gone insane!
Every single one of them had lost their minds!!
He couldn't sense even the slightest sign of genjutsu, yet everything happening in front of him was so absurd…
He couldn't tell anymore!
He really couldn't tell what was real anymore!!
Just as Obito began doubting his own sanity and even started developing the thought that the world itself might be fake—
Kakashi lunged toward Yuu with the fully formed Lightning Blade in his hand.
At the same time, Shisui's Sword Jumping Flame stabbed toward Yuu as well!
And just as their killing moves were about to touch him—
Whoosh—!
Space seemed to blur.
More precisely,
Yuu's figure blurred.
For the briefest instant, his silhouette seemed to overlap with another figure.
That figure was taller.
He wore a black robe and a Kirigakure mask patterned like rippling water.
A kunai was still clenched in his hand…
It was none other than the black-robed man who had been standing beside Rin!
"?!"
What the hell?!
Even the black-robed man froze.
Wasn't he supposed to be standing on the platform, looking down at these brats?
How had he suddenly appeared here?
Genjutsu?
No.
Impossible.
There was no one alive with enough mastery of genjutsu to trap him without his noticing.
Then—
was it that white-haired brat's space-time ninjutsu?
It could forcibly swap positions with another person without any medium?
Without even making eye contact?!
Wasn't that absurd?!
Damn it!
This brat had to be the reincarnation of that inherently evil Senju Tobirama!
Otherwise, there was no way he could have developed such a disgusting technique!
Within a fraction of a second,
the black-robed man understood what had happened.
Faced with Kakashi and Shisui attacking at point-blank range, he suddenly thrust out both hands and grabbed for their wrists.
Then he tightened his grip!
"…Chidori Sharp Spear!!"
Crackle—!!
The Lightning Blade condensed in Kakashi's hand abruptly extended into a sharp spear of lightning, stabbing toward the black-robed man's chest and abdomen!
Of everyone present,
Kakashi had been the first to understand Yuu's intention.
Because he had personally witnessed Yuu use the Substitution Technique before to swap his own position with an enemy Ame ninja.
That opponent couldn't remotely compare with the one before them now.
But Kakashi chose to trust Yuu.
So regardless of what happened,
his objective had only ever been one thing—
kill the person in front of him!
Shisui didn't possess as much information.
But he knew Yuu never acted without purpose.
And Kakashi wasn't the kind of person who would casually attack a companion.
So if Yuu had issued such a bizarre order,
there had to be a deeper meaning behind it.
And now…
As expected of Senior Yuu!
Truly unfathomable!
"Susanoo!!"
The instant the black-robed man's hand reached toward him,
Shisui activated the skeletal form of Susanoo.
The rib-like armor protected his body while an enormous skeletal fist swung forward!
Compared with Sword Jumping Flame,
this was Shisui's true killing move!
"…Hmph!"
At the critical instant,
the black-robed man kept his right hand locked around Kakashi's wrist and violently swung him aside.
At the same time, he twisted his waist, narrowly avoiding the Chidori Sharp Spear from striking a vital point.
His left hand withdrew.
With one hand, he formed a seal.
"Water Formation Wall!!"
A wall of water erupted.
Its casting speed was actually no slower than that of the Water Release master Senju Tobirama!
It was nearly comparable to Yuu's automatically triggered Water Formation Wall.
Although it failed to completely block Susanoo's punch,
it did slow the fist for the briefest instant.
Using that opening,
the black-robed man pushed off the ground and rapidly retreated.
A section of armor near the left side of his ribs had been pierced by the Chidori Sharp Spear, leaving a circular wound.
But at that exact moment—
Whoosh—!!!
A cold flash erupted with a piercing scream through the air!
Yuu had already slung Rin across his back.
Then, with a flash, he appeared directly behind the black-robed man.
The Sword of the Thunder God swept outward.
Nerve Activation Technique: Overload Pulse!
Super Strength: Mad Gamble!
Both activated simultaneously!
"!"
The black-robed man abruptly dug his toes into the ground and stopped.
He was already extremely fast.
But Yuu's blade—
was faster!
The combination of Overload Pulse and Mad Gamble pushed Yuu's sword speed to a level that even Hatake Sakumo at his peak would have struggled to match.
The black-robed man had only just begun turning and raising his weapon to block when—
half of his arm, along with the kunai clenched in his hand, was sliced cleanly away and sent spinning into the air!
"?!"
Thud—!
The severed arm fell from above.
Without warning, blue flames exceeding two thousand degrees erupted around it.
They wrapped around the severed limb layer by layer and rapidly burned it to nothing.
"…"
The instant the black-robed man realized there was no hope of recovering his arm,
he used the Body Flicker Technique several times in rapid succession and pulled away from Yuu, Kakashi, and Shisui.
Then he focused his gaze on Yuu and revealed a cold smile.
"Heh…
"Not bad."
"Although it was an ambush, being able to injure me means you've already earned the right to—"
Before he could finish—
Yuu's figure blurred.
He flashed forward again.
"!!"
The black-robed man was furious.
Losing an arm didn't actually matter much to him.
After all, the person standing here was merely one of his Shapeshifting Clones.
Even if it were destroyed, he would only lose some chakra.
His true body would remain unharmed.
But…
having his cool line interrupted before he could finish saying it—
that was absolutely intolerable!
Even Hashirama never dared casually interrupt me!
Who do you think you are?!
A mere grain of sand!
Under the force of his rage, the black-robed man's mind instead became even calmer.
The eyes beneath his mask shifted.
His dynamic vision and battle instincts were pushed to their limit.
He reacted instantly.
A short blade was drawn from his waist.
With a precise swing, he placed it directly in the path of Yuu's attack.
The blade was clearly of excellent quality.
Although Yuu's strike caused it to vibrate violently,
it didn't break on impact.
Then—
the black-robed man suddenly exerted force through his arm and knocked Yuu backward!
The entire exchange happened unbelievably quickly.
In only a few seconds, the situation had changed dramatically.
From an outside perspective, it almost looked as though Yuu had gained the upper hand.
Even Kakashi, who had already guessed Yuu's plan beforehand, couldn't completely suppress his surprise.
"…Everyone, attack together!"
Kakashi once again formed a Lightning Blade and charged forward.
Shisui also stepped in immediately, rushing toward the now one-armed black-robed man.
Obito might have been a little slow,
but by now he finally understood what had happened.
"I see!
"I completely understand now!"
He pointed forward dramatically.
"When you face the Elevator Problem, you just have to smash the 'elevator' itself!"
"In other words…"
"WE KILL THIS GUY!!"