A New Choice

Chapter 1

"Join us! Obito!" Those words, those three. simple. words.

The Ten tails jinchuriki stared down at the extended hand, his mind a blender of thoughts. There was a choice in front of him, a choice only he could make. Too many possibilities to consider, on one hand, he could continue his path and make some excuse for himself, trying to make his mind believe that his own self-induced belief was the correct path, or…he could take Naruto's hand, and make a new choice. The blonde's ringed a question in his mind ...what would Rin want? What would Minato want? What would *Obito* want?

He looked downcast, his whole world now turned a full One Eighty, he didn't know what to do…

"Don't hide your feelings, I'm always watching, you know."

"Rin…..I'm sorry, I can't get you back….forgive me."

"...dammit." The Uchiha stared at Naruto in his piercing blue eyes, before his lips twitched upwards. "I was so close too."

"It wouldn't have been real anyway, that is no true peace, it's just a fake reality, nothing more," he stated. "Now stop running! Take my hand!"

"...heh…damn that silver tongue of yours." Obito smirked, even if his eyes were anything but joyful. "Fine."

He walked over to the teen, allowing himself to come to terms with his new choice, he would never be Hokage, he would never be Shinobi, he would never be anything he dreamed of, but maybe, he can do something different, give the world a chance against Madara. The Divine tree is only minutes away from blooming, allowing the infinite Tsukuyomi to be achieved. So, he gave in, allowing himself to take Naruto's hand, and suddenly the inner mindscape exploded in a ball of light.

(POV SWAP)

The tailed beasts chakra took barely anything to get pulled out of Obito, it was nearly effortless, he allowed himself to be rid of the chakra, in an instant he was Ten tails jinchuriki no more.

Falling to the ground, he held no resistance to the impact of the cold dirt, allowing the pain to seer and burn before he finally settled onto the rocky earth. He didn't grimace as he laid there, looking up at the blood red moon, rather he gave a small smirk.

"Well, guess I lost." He chuckled. It felt rather….comforting, he was done, with everything. He could still feel his body, perhaps, letting it go willingly saved a bit of his strength? It didn't matter, he barely managed to lift himself to his knees, much less stand.

Looking over, with wide eyes he saw his younger cousin, Sasuke Uchiha rushing him, his mangekyo practically burning a hole into him. It would be fitting, he thought, to die by the hands of his distant kin. However, in an instant a kunai was to his throat by a whole different threat.

"Sasuke, leave this to me." the calm but saddened tone of Kakashi Hatake ringed out. Rather than grimace at his old friend, Obito gave a sad grin.

"I surrender Kakashi, I'm done." he could see his friends eyes widen at his declaration. "I concede the war, it's over…i lost."

"You…why…" Kakashi stuttered.

"Your brat gave me a pretty big scolding, you should be proud…Minato." He didn't even need to use his Sharingan to know that his sensei was right behind them both. "B-but…just because I'm done…doesn't mean the true battle…. is over!"

With great effort, he slowly dragged himself to his feet. His knees were shaking, body nearly drained of all chakra.

"So….Naruto got to you, huh?" Minato asked, a small smile on his face.

"I'm done chasing something that isn't there…this whole time, i was trying, praying that this wasn't a fake reality i was rushing after…so many dead, all because i couldn't wake up to the simple truth…i can't get anyone back." Obito admitted, looking over at his former allies. "Words will not cover my apologies…my regrets…so i'll make a new choice, forgive me…sensei."

"Obito…." the Fourth Hokage stared at his former student in shock.

"There is no need for words, sensei ...but I will still say…I'm sorry…so...so sorry." Obito started, his right eye beginning to bleed. "Kamui!"

A small swirl appeared from the air in front of his face. When the kamui ended, a mask fell into the Uchiha's hand, a repaired orange mask that formed into a swirl. Looking down at the mask, he could feel a deep satisfaction take over him, slowly putting back on his face. Looking over to his former enemies, face now covered to only show his mangekyo sharingan.

"It's time to put an end to this…Project Tsukuyomi." He stated, his voice once again mimicking Madara's. "The land of eternal dreams is a false reality, our goals are aligned, to stop the still reanimated Madara Uchiha."

"Still mimicking Madara?" Sasuke snorted.

"I have used this voice for so long, it might as well be mine, you know." Tobi retorted. "Besides, it's truly a fitting end for him, to die again by technically his own hand."

"So, you're on our side now?" Naruto asked. "Like…fully?"

"I have many sins to answer for, ending the tsukuyomi will just be the beginning." He answered, his eyes softening at his former enemies. "You are all free to kill me, once this catastrophe is over."

Suddenly a mountain exploded in the distance, likely where the first Hokage and Madara were still battling. Tobi/Obito wasted no time beginning to enter his Kamui to transport over to the ongoing battle. "I'll meet you there."

In an instant he disappeared into his pocket dimension, leaving them in awe. Kakashi couldn't believe what he had just seen, in one moment he saw Obito as the enemy, that he was only an obstacle, and in the next, he had just gotten his best friend back. He looked over to his sensei in shock, to which Minato gave a wide smile with a nod.

"He's back, Kakashi…he might be damaged, and much older, but Obito is back." the fourth stated, putting his only arm remaining on his students shoulder. "We should help him, he is much weaker than before."

"Can he use his visual jutsu again? I wonder…" Kakashi asked himself, still trying to come to terms with this situation.

"Hope so! We need to get going to help him kick Madara's ass!" Naruto yelled, running past his father and teacher to catch up with his newfound ally. "Come on, Sasuke!"

The Uchiha only inclined his head before rushing after his former rival.

(POV SWAP)

"COME ON, HASHIRAMA!" Madara screamed, his wide eyes and bright smile showing every once of Joy he was feeling from the thrill of their reanimated battle. The perfect Susanoo and the first Hokage's wood golem clashed, the shockwave causing the very air to blast around them, forcing many onlooking Shinobi to go flying, except for one.

Standing on a large hill, Tobi/Obito watched as their battle raged, the air blast going right through his body, the black void of an eyehole showed no emotion, however internally, he could practically feel his blood boiling. He honestly wanted to just Kamui Madara into oblivion, despite how impossible it would be.

"YOU MUST STOP THIS MADARA! This will only hurt the world as a whole, it is not true peace!" the First Hokage pleaded to the madman.

"There is no other option, Hashirama! To obtain true peace! WE MUST DO IT THIS WAY!" the Uchiha roared, his Susanoo unleashing a mighty slash to the wood golem's side, sending it tumbling away several hundred feet. "Freedom is a privilege! We all must lose something on the road to peace! The Infinite Tsukuyomi will bring about an endless fantasy where the entire world gets what it wants! Who wouldn't want that, Hashirama!?"

"It is only a dream Madara! Nothing real will be found in a dream! To make true peace we must face pain and reality together and form understanding with the entire world!" Hashirama retorted, the golem slowly getting up from the ground, its wooden dragon roaring in dismay towards the giant neon samurai. The First Hokage's eyes widened as a man slowly came into existence from the swirling of the winds. It was a man of white hair, his face covered in an orange mask.

"Forgive me for the interruption, First Hokage." he bowed respectfully, despite his voice being an exact copy of Madara's. "However, I feel that it is better if I take on Madara."

"Who are you? Why do you possess Madara's voice?" Hashirama asked, his enormous golem shifting into a fighting stance.

"I am the one who has shamed the entire Shinobi world, my failures are inexcusable, so Lord First…I must ask you to leave the battle as I pay the debt for my mistakes." Tobi/Obito stated, turning away from the First Hokage, walking over to the perfected Susanoo.

"I need to be careful, one wrong screwup and this will be my end. I must do everything that I can do...I did so many clever acts of despair and evil, I'm sure I can use that mental capacity for good too." Obito thought to himself.

"Obito, or should I call you…*Tobi?*" Madara huffed from inside of his giant made of chakra.

"Call me whatever you wish, you can even call me Madara if that strokes your ego." Tobi/Obito stated. "However, it doesn't change the fact that you must be returned to the afterlife."

"And what are you exactly going to do about that, Tobi?" the Uchiha chuckled. "You were just a failed plan, a backup that I no longer need."

"You would do well to remember, my former *partner*, that i was the one to found the Akatsuki, I was the one to make the fourth Great Shinobi war happen, *I was the one who allowed you to exist as you are right now*...and it was my greatest mistake." Tobi/Obito argued, his sharingan beginning to swirl as he glared towards his newfound enemy. "I have changed now, no longer am I the one who wishes to achieve a false reality, Madara, I am the one who wants to be Hokage! Obito Uchiha!"

"What a simple and dumbfounded dream! You will regret your betrayal, Obito!" Madara roared, his Susanoo charging towards the masked man, its mighty sword unleashing an enormous downward slash into the ground. The explosion was massive, the very earth beneath the giant chakra armor shook and rumbled from the impact. He stood there for a few moments to see the dust clear.

"Impressive, the Perfect Susanoo is truly a powerful Jutsu, however…it will not work on me." Obito stated, slowly walking out of the dust cloud, without even a scratch on him. "As you know, the Rinnegan can absorb all forms of Ninjutsu, including the Susanoo."

"He used the rinnegan to absorb the Susanoo's hit? How odd, I do not feel any chakra absorbed from the blade I used ...what is going on here?" Madara contemplated, however he was given no further time as his Susanoo's arm was suddenly covered in purple glowing chains of chakra, unable to move. "Chakra chains?"

"Correct, they absorb all chakra they touch, while also being extremely painful to anyone who comes into contact with them, normally i would need black rods for chakra receivers, however…the technique can be used in other circumstances, such as wrangling in a once sleeping dog, now feral, who needs to be put down." Obito smirked behind his mask, watching as all of the giant armor's neon blue chakra flowed into his body, he could practically feel all of his strength returning, on the outside, even his once white hair was now returning to its regular pitch black. "Now with your Susanoo's almighty chakra being absorbed into me, I can return to full strength, and since you have unlimited chakra, we could be here for a while if I so choose."

Madara could only stare in disdain at his former partner, his Susanoo slowly dissolving and leaving him landing on his feet, a snarl on his face.

"You interrupted our dance, how dare you." he cursed.

"Ah yes, how dare I, heh…foolish old man." Obito chuckled. "You raised a cub, but now I am a lion…saving me was the worst mistake you will ever make."

"You seem to have forgotten your place, Tobi, now I shall make you understand what sort of trouble you are in." Madara hissed, charging towards his imitator, his war fan raised and ready to slam into Obito's skull. The younger Uchiha narrowly dodged the oversized weapon, its overshoot causing it to slam into the dirt, forcing a large shockwave into the surrounding area.

Countering his predecessor's attack, he molded a black receiver rod from his arm which impaled Madara right in the ribcage. Breaking off the rod, he jumped back to avoid a large swipe from the giant fan that nearly hit Obito in the abdomen. Landing on his feet, he rushed in, ducking low to land a sweeping kick to the reanimation's feet, knocking him to the ground. Jumping above the downed Madara, he formed another chakra rod, breaking it off whilst falling to attempt a plummeting stab onto the madman.

"Fool!" Madara yelled, rolling out of the way as the rod stabbed into the rocky earth right next to his head. Jumping to his feet, the reanimation landed a mid air roundhouse to Obito's masked face, sending him flying several meters away. Rolling to a halt, the younger combatant looked up to see Madara ripping the chakra rod out of his gut, throwing it to the ground. "We both know it's going to take more than that to defeat me, Tobi."

"...heh, you are correct in that regard, but you only landed a minor hit on me." Obito stated, hopping to his feet, his mask gaining a new crack from the blow. He drew two rods from his arms, breaking them off to dual wield them as blades. "However you must realize that by now, my allies are coming towards us, and I am plenty certain that they could make a seal strong enough to make sure you never see the light of day ever again."

"Then they will have to get here before I kill you." Madara smirked. "If you die, i can simply reanimate you using Edo Tensei, and *make* you bring me back to life using Rinne Rebirth."

"Tch, the only way you will be able to kill me is using Taijutsu, which is also something that is very hard to land on me, but it doesn't matter, I shall make you a pin-cushin!" Obito roared in Madara's voice, rods out in front as he charged the reanimation. The black rods of chakra connected with the war fan, before the masked man jumped over Madara, attempting to land a falling slash while he was upside down. It connected, the blow decimating the elder Uchihas armor and back muscles, causing him to fall to the ground as his reanimated body slowly reformed. Landing on his hands, he pushed himself off the ground once more, using the momentum of the hand-jump to spin, landing on his knees, facing the still reforming Madara.

Forming another black chakra rod, he threw it like a Javelin into the Uchiha's back. In an instant purple glowing chains flew out from the spike, attaching to Obito's hand. With a large swing of his arm, Madara was sent flying into the air, crashing into the dirt. Another chain quickly formed from the spike, wrapping around his throat.

"You see, Madara!? How embarrassing is it to admit that your *imitator* has you beat in versatility!?" Obito laughed, chains continuing to restrain and hold Madara in place.

The onlookers stood in shock, Naruto and the group arriving just in time to see the masked man dragging his elder with the chakra chains, slamming him over and over into the ground.

"Obito?..." Kakashi stared in awe, crouching down while activating his sharingan to analyze the fight even further.

"You bastard!" Madara roared, ripping the rod out of his body in the blink of an eye, the chains immediately dissolving. He threw his fan towards the masked man, however Obito sidestepped the launched weapon in an instant. The elder Uchiha growled as he charged in, pulling his fan back to possibly hit his enemy from behind.

"I believe i have had enough of this game…..Almighty *Push*." Obito stated, once the words were spoken, an enormous blast of air exploded all around him, sending Madara and his fan flying into the distance, his reanimated body in pieces.

"Urhh!" The reanimation grunted in surprise. He hadn't expected that, not out of Obito. Looking over to his enemy, he gave a chuckle. "So...you have mastered the Rinnegan quite well, huh?"

"Maybe…..maybe even better than you." The masked man huffed, slowly walking towards the downed Madara. Taking a glance towards the crowd watching their clash. "Anyone here good at sealing Jutsu?"

"I can use the Dead Demon Consuming seal Jutsu." The reanimated Hiruzen Sarutobi stated, hopping next to Obito.

"Hehehehehe...Hahahahahaha!" Madara began laughing, a loud, wild laughter that was nearly haunting. "Hehehehe….you have no idea what's about to happen….do you?"

"Get back!" Obito grabbed the Third Hokage, jumping as Madara unleashed a blast of air himself. The two narrowly avoided the wave, the concentrated air going right above their heads. "If we had gotten hit with his Almighty Push...that would have been bad."

"Ahh, poor poor Obito, trying to be a hero, are we?" The elder Uchiha chuckled, climbing out of the dent his body made in the side of the crater. "It doesn't matter, soon I'll be able to achieve it."

"Achieve what, Madara?" Hiruzen growled.

"My coming back to life, of course, thanks to the death of Nagato and the betrayal of the man who is beside you...i have to resort to...unorthodox methods of my plan." Madara smirked, slamming his hands onto the ground. "Summoning Jutsu!"

In an instant, a wooden coffin ripped itself from the ground, its appearance all too familiar to Obito.

"What sort of Shinobi do you have in there, Madara?" The masked man asked, his imitating voice hiding his caution. "Perhaps you plan to face us in a two versus two battle?"

"Oh this Shinobi is likely the most effective one I could ever use on you, Obito, however….this Ninja is by no means meant for battling." Madara's smirk widened into a maddening grin. With that, the door on the coffin dropped, revealing its occupant.

Obito's eyes widened, he couldn't believe it...it was impossible. Hiruzen could only gasp, dropping his giant shuriken as he stared in horror. Their eyes were met with the purple ringed orbs of the rinnegan, but the body of the reanimation is what truly shocked them.

"...Rin?…" Obito choked, his impersonation of Madara breaking as he watched as a small teen walked out of the coffin, cracks and breaks in the skin around her signature purple bands on her face.

"H-how does she possess Rinnegan?" Hiruzen stuttered.

"Simple...oh Obito you poor, ignorant child, did you really think after I saw how much this girl meant to you, that I'd just throw her away without using her for my true plans?" Madara laughed, lightly ruffling Rin's brown hair. "She has now become a path of pain...while also being a reanimated body...something that I appeared to have taken out of your manual it seems."

"H-how?..." the masked man visibly shook.

"Simple...white Zetsu took a sample of her body to hide away for this particular purpose long ago, just to make sure in case *this* happened." The Uchiha chuckled. "Now I am going to make her use Rinne Rebirth on me...she is the outer path of pain...the path of life and death, it should be plenty easy enough."

"Wh-where am i!? Wh-where are Kakashi and Obito!? Where is Sensei!?" The girl yelled, frightened with so many eyes on her.

Obito stared into the frightened eyes Rin possessed, he lowered his head, trying to think of a way out of this. "Rin."

"H-huh?" She looked over to the masked man, watching as he removed the wooden swirl, eye's widening as she saw the all too familiar sharingan, the scars on his face giving his identity away. "...Obito?"

Her voice filled with hope and happiness crushed his soul, only giving a sorrowful smile. "Rin, I couldn't save you...at all….forgive me….f-for that."

"...it's okay, Obito...take care of Kakashi…" she smiled, in an instant her wide beam turned into a face of cold stoicism.

"What a heartbreaking reunion, now then." Madara stated, making the reanimation form the hand signs to perform the jutsu in the blink of an eye.

"Gedo art of Rinne rebirth."

"Gedo art of Rinne rebirth."

The two spoke in unison, a bright glowing light shining onto Madara's reanimated form.

"Rin!" Obito yelled, watching as the reanimated body of his best friend dissolved into dust. Staring at the pile of ashes, he dropped to his knees.

"...I'm sorry, Obito." the Third Hokage closed his eyes.

"I...i didn't even get the chance to…." The younger Uchiha breathed, shakily putting the mask on his face. His breathing grew sharper, heavier as he stared back up at Madara, only he was met with laughter.

"It's just...not a battle without flesh and blood! And a pounding heart!" The elder laughed, roaring into the sky as he felt the very lifeblood returning to his body.

"I'm going to kill you." Obito coldly spoke, the voice of Madara returning fully. He slowly stood up, an extra spiked chakra rod forming from his palm. "No, kill is not an accurate term for what I'm going to do to you, it's not an ordinary killing if there is nothing left to identify the victim."

"Ohohohoho...do try it." Madara chuckled, his eyes now closed. "And while you do that, you have to make sure that I don't get that left eye of yours."

"..." the masked man gave no response, only for his mangekyo to spin to life, the red, agitated veins in his eyes the only indication of his unholy rage. He didn't wait, weaving hand signs as his kamui created a vortex of wind. "Fire style: Bomb blast Dance!"

The spiral whirlwind of fire blasted towards the eyeless Uchiha with a ferocity unmatched. Madara jumped over the cyclone, landing on his feet. Weaving his own nigh untrackable signs, he took a deep breath. "Fire style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

Obito didn't dodge, surprising the older opponent, as the flame tsunami blasted across the giant crater, before long the attack subsided, revealing Obito standing in the fire, the only thing brighter than the inferno being his sharingan staring Madara down. "Are you going senile? Or is your lack of eyes making you forget I have a special eye as well?"

"Hmmph." The elder smirked. "Aren't you being the snarky one?"

"Hello Pot, names Kettle, have we met?" Obito retorted. Madara only snorted at that.

"Fair enough." He huffed, sensing something, his eyeless face looking down, only for White Zetsu to slowly emerge from the ground. "Well?"

"I have collected the right eye, although the left is being used by your opponent." The creature smiled.

"I see." Madara stated, taking the eye into his hand, forcing it into his right socket. A sizzling noise emanated from the inside of his eye socket, likely the sound of the cords of the eye connecting with the stems attached to the brain. Opening his eye, the Rinnegan is revealed.

"I am starting to hate these accursed eyes." Obito growled. "All they do is separate us, these eyes are a cursed Dojutsu."

"Cursed or not, these eyes are the only thing we have to unlock true peace." the elder huffed.

"Heh…what a delusional fool." The masked man looked up at Madara, his single mangekyo swirling faster and faster. "However, now that you are no longer a reanimation, I shall have no trouble doing what must be done."

"I shall be at your side, Obito." Hiruzen added, standing next to him, the Hokage's face sculpted into one of a calm rage.

"Thank you, Lord Third." he dipped his head in thanks to the smaller man, crouching down, hands and arms bending into a combat stance. "Let's go."

In an instant the two rushed the revived Madara, both with weapons in their hands that were reared to pierce the Uchiha in his now fully revived flesh and guts. The Third Hokage vaulted over the flying war fan, launching a giant shuriken towards the elder shinobi.

"Heh, what an old trick." the Uchiha chuckled, his eye narrowing, speaking one single word, "Limbo."

Out of nowhere the giant weapon was blasted away, impacting the dark earth. Before the former leader could launch another, he was swiftly torn in half, his bifurcated body falling to the ground. However, he knew his body would regenerate, it would just take some time. Hiruzen silently thanked the Second Hokage for this Jutsu, otherwise he'd be dead already, having accomplished nothing.

"You aren't anywhere near my power now, Obito!" Madara roared, his smile maddening as he narrowly missed a punch aimed straight at his copy cat's mask. The former student to the elder Uchiha sneered under his face covering, wanting nothing more than to gouge his eye out to end all of this madness. Perhaps he could simply destroy his own eye? But then what could he do to counter Madara's?

"Have I seriously forgotten about kamui? No, that is a trump card to hold out for…if Naruto and Kakashi could figure it out…there is no doubt in my mind Madara could put the pieces of the technique together." Obito pondered to himself. "To assume such things….is the worst mistake you can ever make about an opponent."

"Is that so? Well, then prove it to me!" the elder Uchiha yelled, jumping above the masked man, throwing his war fan at the former partner. Weaving past the large weapon, he weaved many signs in what only seemed as an instance.

"Fire release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!" Obito roared, ripping his mask off to blast several balls of fire from his mouth. The blasts of flame immediately formed into the mighty heads of dragons, roaring as they streamed towards Madara. The elder Uchiha easily dodged the reptilian heads of hellfire, the attacks pouring into the dark sky above.

"Such a sad waste of Chakra." Madara chuckled, his face turning to a grimace when a giant shuriken slammed into his arm, sending his mid-air form crashing into the ground. "Rrr!"

"I am not one to go back on my word!" the Third Hokage stated, body fully restored, giving Obito a nod. The unmasked man returned the nod, looking over to see his elder prying the giant projectile out of his limb. "Honestly Obito, the scar just adds character."

"Heh, that's a word." the younger Uchiha chuckled. "Still looks ugly though, guess I'm never going to be popular with the ladies ever again, huh?"

"Last time I checked Obito, you weren't that good with the ladies at all." Kakashi said from behind him.

"Oh well, it was worth a try." Obito smirked, the two walking to his sides. Hiruzen gave a smile, seeing the two together once more…he couldn't help but be happy.

"It's good to see the pair of eyes together again." he chuckled, looking towards Madara slowly walking towards them. "I can die with one less regret now."

"Thank you…Lord Third, I can go in peace, as well." The younger Uchiha smiled, walking towards Madara.

"Obito!" Kakashi roughly grabbed his arm, looking back with an expression of shock, the copy-eyed ninja looked him in the eye. "You already died on me once! Don't throw your life away now!"

"Kakashi…..I…there-there's no other way, I can't continue to live with...this shame, I failed everyone, and everything I once thought would be forever cherished in my heart, I threw away…everything, this is my final act, to protect the hidden leaf and its people, *this* is my final chapter." Obito grimaced, a single tear flowing from his sharingan before staring into Kakashi's Dojutsu. "With what I got left in me, I need you to help me one last time, please, we have very few options left."

Kakashi slowly let go of his arm, giving a small nod in agreement.

"I'm done hiding behind the mask….goodbye, Tobi." the younger Uchiha soberly stated, dropping the mask to the ground. "Goodbye, everything."

"One last time." the Captain of Team 7 muttered.

"One last time." Obito repeated.

With those three words uttered, their sharingan's swirled to life in unison, both charging in with Hiruzen at the rear. Both drew their weapons, with the Third Hokage launching two giant shuriken at Madara, whilst the sharingan duo ducked below the projectiles, their elder jumped over the flying blades, crashing into the ground on his feet.

"What are we doing just sitting up here!?" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto….this is his mistake, and Obito wants to take care of it himself." Minato gave a sad smile, looking down at his students fighting the only man to challenge the god of shinobi himself. The Fourth Hokage knew Obito, despite such a large change to his appearance. Sinking his head down, he knew intervening would if anything be an insult to his student's honor, so he stayed above the crater…and let Obito repent for his sins.

"You know, he was just like you, Naruto…so hopeful and always wanted to help everyone out except himself…so, I guess he never changed, did he?" Naruto looked up to see his father giving a sad grin towards the battlefield.

"...Yeah, I guess so." the blonde looked towards the fight, his expression slowly becoming downcast.

"This is nothing you rejects of the Uchiha!" Madar roared, unleashing a shockwave of trees and branches from his palm, "Wood style: Deep Forest Emergence!"

"Urgh!" Kakashi grunted, being sent flying into the air from the blast. In an instant, a flash of yellow blipped past his vision, and suddenly he was back on the ground again. "Sensei?"

"Figured you could use a lift." Minato smirked. Suddenly, they looked over to see something that truly shocked them.

"H-how did you-!" Madara stuttered in shock, the vines and wraps of the trees restraining the elder Uchiha.

"Simple. I possess the ability to use wood style as well, you know." Obito smirked. "It's not hard to manipulate an already launched Jutsu."

Walking a few feet away, he planted his hands onto the ground, "Earth style: Mobile Core!"

The younger Uchiha was lifted into the air by a giant pillar of stone emerging from the ground. Standing atop, he could see so much of his imperfect, but beautiful world. He took one last gaze around, staring at the allied Shinobi forces, giving a thumbs up. Lifted his hand into the sky, something absolutely unworldly began to transpire. The blackened clouds began to gather, the red moon blotted out by the infinite void of the midnight storm. He stood there, the crackling of lightning being heard in the distance, before long the thunder rumbled across the atmosphere, letting everyone know what was about to happen.

"Is that-?" Sasuke started, not even able to finish his sentence before lightning struck his older cousin atop the large pillar. The pure energy being pulled from the blinding cracks of electricity from the clouds. Out of the unending darkness of the storm, an enormous dragon of lightning appeared behind the Uchiha.

"Welcome Madara, to your doom." Obito smiled, jumping off the pillar and into freefall. The dragon of pure lightning followed, concentrating into his hand to be unleashed at the disabled Uchiha.

"No matter, I'll simply absorb it with the rinnegan." Madara smirked to himself, only making the younger Uchiha's smile wider.

"Yes! It's working!" Obito chuckled to himself. His free-falling form had nothing left to regret now, so with a content breath, he unleashed the Jutsu as he was less than a meter from Madara's face. Just as the accursed eye began to absorb the energy, Obtio went inside the Jutsu itself, a single Kunai in his hand as he impacted with his elder. The sound of a small stab emanated just before the enormous explosion that took place, causing the very earth to shatter even more inside the crater.

"OBITOOO!" Kakashi screamed, watching in horror as another friend of his bit the dust to the sound of a mighty thunder-clap. His sensei simply held his shoulder to hold the silver-haired man back from rushing in himself. The blast continues for only a few more seconds, leaving only an enormous dust cloud in its wake. There was nothing anyone could do, except watch as the dust slowly went into the wind, gradually dissipating to reveal two bodies.

"You…you bastard!" Madara screamed, rolling in pain from the many burns across his body, and especially from the Kunai stabbed into his eye socket. Obito didn't respond, he only stared into the sky, a proud smile on his face as he lethargically grabbed another Kunai from his pouch. He took it with a small stare, before jamming it into his left eye. He gave a small hiss in pain, only feeling satisfaction from its destruction.

"It's over, Madara, now there's only one thing left to do." The younger Uchiha grinned, before suddenly his elder stopped moving. Going completely still, it was easy to tell he was under a genjutsu. "No more rinnegan, no more Tsukiyomi, all there is…is reality, and we can never escape it, but….what we can do, is make it better for future generations to come, that…haah…is the way of the Ninja, and…haaa…the way…of a Hokage!"

"Obito!" Kakashi blitzed over in a millisecond, his pupils the size of pinpricks in shock of his friends sharingan. It was pure white, only a tiny black dot in the middle. "You…you didn't…"

"The Izanami…" Obito coughed, holding his mouth to block the oncoming blood. "It…was a jutsu used by the Uchiha of the past, to stop those from using the Izanagi…to stop them from trying to change fate…what better way to use it…right?"

"His chakra…." Minato flashed to his students' side.

"Sensei…so this is blindness, huh?" the Uchiha smirked. "I guess being Hokage really is…not gonna happen now….never heard of a blind Kage before."

"Obito, save your strength." His sensei gave a warm smile, placing a hand on his arm. "You shouldn't go so soon, it sounds like you have a lot left to say."

"Heh, you…always knew I was a talker, Sensei." Obito smiled. "Madara will awaken one day, and he will be a whole new person, likely trying to repay for his sins...like me. He deserves to pay for what he's done, at…l-least this will make it easier."

"Obito." Kakashi quietly whispered.

"Don't be too sad, kakashi…remember…It's like i always said…I'll be your eye, watching you, wherever you go, for-for real this time." He smirked. "Where...is Naruto? Help a blind man out here."

"I'm here! Obito." Naruto soberly stated, crouching down to look the Uchiha in the closed eyes.

"Th-thank you…so much..N-naruto, you…opened my eyes before it was too late, and now…I get to die, with less shame than before." Obito gave those surrounding him a wide grin, his bloodied teeth showing over the white enamel. "B-before i go…Kakashi, Naruto…you both better…become the Hokage!"

He chuckled, a true, hearty laugh, his close friends and family all watching him laugh because it was all over, it was done, the war was done…the Ninja had won, and he couldn't be happier. So he laughed, knowing that after all this time, all this pain and suffering, the world would be just fine now, because of a little blonde haired brat, he had made a new choice…and for once, it was the right one. His laughing began to die down, all the way down to a small chuckle. His chakra was gone, it was time.

"Rin ... .I'm..c-coming ... .home." he beamed up at the sky, it's dark clouds revealing a bright light to him that only he could see. Slowly, his breathing stopped, allowing his sins, his actions, his pain, everything...to be pried off of him, as he elevated to the place above. "Let's spend some time alone together…now."

They watched as life left his body, yet, he still died with a smile on his face.

(POV SWAP)

"It took you awhile, Obito." He awoke to the sight of Rin herself waking him up. Grabbing his hand, he looked in shock to see his body was untarnished, completely rid of all blemishes and scars, he was clean. "Are you okay?"

"...Now I am." He beamed at her, now allowing himself to be free of the pain of earth. He allowed himself to be taken by Rin to the land beyond the horizon, where they could live a lovely life of eternal happiness together. He was gone of pain, gone of anger and hatred, for all those years…he was free, at last.

He was free.

THE END.

Just a quick idea for a one shot I had on the spot, hey! This is one of the few stories I'll actually be done with in this decade, hahaha~!