Not to mention what happened inside the Tsukuyomi space between Uchiha Obito and Uchiha Itachi.
The instant Obito materialized earlier, the Konoha shinobi who had been lying in ambush all around reacted swiftly.
Almost simultaneously as Uchiha Itachi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and pulled Obito's consciousness into the Tsukuyomi realm, a visible chakra barrier rapidly rose around them, enclosing a space with a radius of several hundred meters.
"Did we succeed?"
Seeing the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier activate—one modeled after the Four Red Yang Formation used during the Nine-Tails' attack—Shimura Danzō and Sarutobi Hiruzen, both hidden inside the barrier with teams of elite Anbu and Root shinobi, immediately revealed themselves. Danzo's eyes locked on Obito's still figure, and he muttered in a low voice.
Clearly, as Itachi had done when entrusting the village with his loyalty before the Uchiha Clan Downfall, he had not concealed his Mangekyō abilities.
Or rather, once Mangekyō Sharingan was revealed, it was impossible to hide it entirely—especially from veterans like Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzō, who had long experience dealing with the Uchiha and their cursed eyes.
"Hmph!"
Just as Sarutobi and Danzo appeared, Obito's body suddenly shuddered violently, and with a muffled grunt, he broke free from Tsukuyomi.
Judging by the tremble in his form and the blood at the corner of his mouth, he had clearly suffered spiritual damage and was momentarily weakened.
"Attack!"
Seeing the perfect opening, Sarutobi Hiruzen, a battle-hardened veteran of three wars, wasted no time.
"Fire Style: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Spears!"
"…"
In an instant, countless powerful ninjutsu attacks rained down like an apocalyptic storm, enveloping Obito's position with overwhelming force and precision, leaving no room for escape or mercy.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions of ear-splitting intensity shook the entire barrier, and a massive crater tens of meters wide was blasted into the earth before the attacks finally ceased, smoke and debris lingering in the air.
However, when the dust cleared, Sarutobi Hiruzen, Shimura Danzō, and the elite shinobi around them all froze in disbelief.
Standing unscathed at the center of the crater, his mask untouched, his body immaculate, Obito looked exactly the same as when he first appeared—untouched by their massive assault.
The damage to the ground was real, but the man at its center appeared utterly invincible.
"What a warm welcome… but sadly, your attacks mean nothing to me,"
Obito said calmly, his tone carrying a mocking disdain.
It was the ultimate demonstration of his Kamui: the ability to intangibly shift his body between dimensions, an ability tied to his right Mangekyō, which even Minato Namikaze had found troublesome during their fight years ago.
"Who are you really, and what are your plans for Konoha?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen, suppressing his shock, stepped forward, his voice sharp and commanding.
"Heh, just a ghost of the Uchiha… And as for plans—weren't you the ones who invited me here? In the current situation, shouldn't I be the one asking about your intentions?"
Obito's Sharingan spun slightly under the mask as he spoke, sharp and cold.
"And don't pin the Root attack on me. I had no hand in that.
As for who is impersonating me… with your situation, you should be able to guess without me saying more."
"So? Have you really thought this through?
Are you prepared to make me your enemy right now… and start a war you cannot end?"
Obito's words carried a terrible weight. The hint of a broader conspiracy, the invocation of Uchiha Madara's name, and the suggestion of more powerful forces lurking behind the scenes were all deliberate provocations.
"Hmph!
You call yourself Uchiha Madara and still dare to speak nonsense?"
Danzo snarled, stepping forward, his voice full of killing intent.
"You've already fallen into our trap. This is the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier designed with Fourth Hokage's specifications. Even space-time ninjutsu will be disrupted. You're not going anywhere!"
Danzo, who had witnessed Minato Namikaze battle masked Obito sixteen years ago during the Nine-Tails' attack, recognized the space-time ability as extraordinarily rare and extremely dangerous.
Thus, in his mind, Obito's denial was merely a desperate stalling tactic.
Now that the enemy was surrounded, Danzo saw no reason to hesitate—the village could not afford to let someone like this live.
Even if there was a chance of mistaken identity, to Danzo, it was acceptable collateral damage.
All Uchiha were threats that had to be eliminated.
"Tch. Shimura Danzō…
You think a mere barrier can imprison me?
I am Uchiha Madara!"
As if to punctuate his contempt, a slow spiraling distortion began to expand from Obito's right eye—the unmistakable signature of his Kamui.
His body started to phase and twist, slipping through dimensions.
"What!?"
Danzo's expression changed drastically.
"This is impossible!"
He lunged forward to strike, unwilling to let the prey slip away again.
However, just as he moved, a firm hand grasped his shoulder and stopped him cold.
"What are you doing, Hiruzen!?"
Danzo barked furiously, turning to glare at the old Hokage.
"It's useless, Danzo.
We have more important matters to attend to,"
Hiruzen said heavily, not bothering to meet Danzo's furious gaze.
Instead, his eyes remained locked on the fading image of Obito, while at the edge of his vision, he also noticed Itachi standing silently—with fresh blood trickling from his eye.
Obito's body fully vanished from within the barrier without resistance, slipping into another dimension.
Thus, with the target gone, the operation ended anticlimactically, leaving behind only tension and questions.
The trap had failed. Worse yet, Obito's final words hinted at internal rot, unseen enemies, and an inevitable future conflict.
Even as Sarutobi Hiruzen calmed Danzo and tried to maintain some semblance of control, the bitter taste of failure lingered.
Before they could even regroup and discuss their next move, urgent reports arrived—news that made the already grim situation far worse.
The Hokage Building had been invaded by a mysterious assailant.
The Anbu stationed there had suffered heavy casualties.
And the Scroll of Seals—containing forbidden techniques sealed away by previous Hokage—had been stolen.
The crisis for Konoha was only just beginning.