Hidden In The Shadows

The Moment Between Life And Death

"Don't make me repeat myself...I saw it...all of it...if you really believe that...THEN QUIT DAY-DREAMING ABOUT WHAT IT WOULD'VE BEEN LIKE IF YOU HAD BECOME HOKAGE!"- Uzumaki Naruto to Uchiha Obito

I landed in the middle of the cave. Without warning my knees gave in and I fell forward. I held my hand out stopping myself from hitting the ground.

I realized again that I had only one arm. The other had been melted away...destroyed in the rasengan attack from the Yondaime Hokage. And also the Kunai stab to my heart didn't seem to be healing. Why? Is it because the ransengan destroyed the Hashirama cells in my body?

I slowly stoodup, staring at my other hand, folding and unfolding my fingers. Hearing a sudden noise behind me, I whirled around. Did Minato arrive here? Damn it! The Hiraishin marking!

"...Tobi?"

It took all my will-power to not to heave a sigh of relief. Keeping my voice composed I said to Zetsu."The capture of the Kyuubi is a failure...but no matter, we still have time."

Everything had been moving perfectly. But, I overlooked Minato Sensei- the Yondaime Hokage. I underestimated him. That was my first mistake. I should have stayed away from him and focused on the Kyuubi. But, for some reason, a tiny part inside me really wanted to meet him, wanted him to recognize me. To make him see what this cruel world had turned me into.

I slowly removed my mask, placing it on a stone platform by my side and walked away from it.

I had never felt so vulnerable in my life like I had felt before Minato Sensei, not even when I was being crushed under the boulders in the mission of Kannabi Bridge. Maybe because I decided to die then; But, now I cannot afford to die. The infinite tsukiyomi must be activated by-

Then suddenly my head exploded into a world of pain.

I fell to my knees. It felt as if all my muscles were constricting, tearing themselves apart, my bones were burning, my blood boiling...and freezing... I felt like as if my skin was being peeled open. Then I heard distant screaming. It took me a moment to realize that it was my own voice.

In this inferno of pain, inside my head, a rational part of my mind tried to reason.

How? What is happening?

Then the image of Minato slamming the Rasengan on my bacnk flashed into my mind.

No doubt, it was the rasengan. It was thanks to the Hashirama's DNA that I did not die right-away. But now, in my weakened state, the intensity of the attack could not be suppressed.

Then in one horrifying moment I realized what was about to happen: I was about to die.

Crawling pathetically on the ground over the concerned voices of the Zetsu pair, gritting my teeth, I made my way slowly towards the Gedo Mazo, if only I can connect myself to it...

I slowly raised my head up towards it, only to discover another horrifying fact.

The Mazo had vanished. An empty gigantic flower stood before me.

Despite the pain, a series of questioned bombarded into my brain.

How did the mazo disappear?

Who was behind this?

Is Madara back?

…Nagato?

...who?

"ZETSU!" I shreiked, as a series of white hot jolts of pain raked through my body. "WHAT HAPPENED!?"

I turned over, my back to the ground and saw the white Zetsu answer, his face torn between concern and shock, but I could not hear him. The pain was too much to bear.