Naruto: I am Uchiha Seiryu

In the Hokage's office, Seiryu cast a deep glance at Hiruzen Sarutobi, then turned and walked out.

"Seiryu, where are you going?" Hiruzen Sarutobi hurriedly called after him.

"Of course, I'm going to deal with the enemies invading the village," Seiryu replied, glancing back at Hiruzen.

"I'll go with you." Hiruzen stood up, intending to follow.

"You're getting on in years, Third Lord. You'd better not tire yourself out," Seiryu said coldly.

At that moment, Uchiha Fugaku stepped in front of Hiruzen, blocking his way.

Having stopped Hiruzen, Fugaku looked at the scene before him, feeling an odd sense of absurdity.

Six years ago, during the Nine-Tails' rampage, Fugaku had wanted to take his clan to support the Fourth Hokage, but as soon as they'd left the clan compound, Danzo Shimura and Root had blocked their way.

This moment was just like that one back then.

Seeing this, Hiruzen sighed deeply and sat back down at his desk. The appearance of this masked man was just too coincidental, and with what he'd said, Hiruzen knew there was no way to explain things clearly now.

He watched Seiryu's back as he left the office, and in his mind's eye, he saw Minato Namikaze—the same young man, six years ago, also charging forward without hesitation to face the enemy.

….

"Itachi, who is he? And what's your relationship with him?" Kakashi asked, putting down the unconscious Shisui and looking at Uchiha Itachi.

But before Kakashi could finish, a scythe shot toward him. Dodging the attack, Kakashi formed lightning in his right hand and struck back, the sound of a thousand birds echoing.

Seeing the jutsu, Obito's eye behind the mask flashed with ferocity.

As Kakashi's Raikiri touched Obito, his body became intangible, letting Kakashi pass right through him. Kakashi spun around, only to find a scythe already swinging down at his back. With the momentum of his attack, he barely managed to twist his waist and meet the blow with his Raikiri.

Even if he managed to counter, Kakashi was sure to be seriously injured.

At the critical moment, a shadow wrapped around Kakashi's waist and yanked him out of range.

Kakashi tumbled awkwardly, rolling several times to dissipate the force.

The shadow retreated, returning to Nara Shikaku.

Kakashi looked back gratefully at Shikaku, then turned to Obito. He noticed that while his own attack hadn't landed, his lightning had left marks on Obito's scythe.

Does attacking him force him to become tangible?

With a flash in his eyes, Kakashi charged in again, this time more cautious, using feints along the way to cover his approach.

"Itachi!" After saving Kakashi, Nara Shikaku turned to Itachi and sternly questioned, "What's going on? Do you realize that bringing in outside forces changes the entire nature of this incident?"

"I... I don't know! He's not someone I called here!" Itachi hurriedly explained.

"Heh, your words wound me," Obito said, dodging Kakashi's feints and shuriken with his intangibility, then turning to the group. "And strictly speaking, I'm not really an outside force. After all, I helped found this village."

He raised his head, showing them his Mangekyō Sharingan.

All the Uchiha present were shocked. "Who are you? Where did you get those eyes?"

"Don't you get it yet?" Obito said mysteriously. "My name is Uchiha Madara."

"What?" At the name, all the Uchiha present were stunned.

At that moment, Kakashi attacked in earnest, lightning in hand piercing toward Obito's back. The Mangekyō in the masked man's eye spun rapidly, and his body became intangible again, letting Kakashi pass through before he became tangible once more.

But this time, Kakashi, prepared, stopped abruptly, twisted, and, despite the strain on his muscles, thrust his lightning blade at Obito.

Caught off guard, Obito retreated into his intangible state.

'Just as I thought.'

Though he hadn't landed a hit, Kakashi had gained valuable intel. Using the momentum, he tried to put distance between himself and Obito—when suddenly, his left Sharingan throbbed with intense pain.

Kakashi staggered, and Obito seized the opportunity to attack.

Just as Kakashi was about to die, a massive bolt of lightning crashed down from the sky.

Obito hurriedly became intangible again, but as the lightning cleared, a figure wreathed in lightning appeared, kicking Kakashi out of the fray while punching at Obito's face with a lightning-clad fist.

Obito, still intangible, let the punch pass through, then swung his scythe in response, but a Susanoo hand appeared, blocking the scythe. Violent electricity ran along the chain, wrapping around Obito.

Seeing this, Obito had no choice but to go intangible again, disappearing and reappearing some distance away.

After driving Obito back, the newcomer stood tall, and a black Susanoo rose up.

Everyone present breathed a sigh of relief.

"Seiryu!" Kakashi, clutching his bleeding left eye, gasped, but quickly relayed his intel to Seiryu: "Be careful, his body can become intangible, but when he attacks, he becomes tangible."

Obito ignored Kakashi and stared at Seiryu.

"A nobody who stole our clan's bloodline, and now you claim our ancestor's name too?" Seiryu said coldly, his pale purple eye shadow and vertical Mangekyō pupils giving him a sinister air.

Seiryu's Susanoo, now fully formed, was inscribed with blue runes of natural energy, and two long swords of thunder formed in its hands.

"Is that how the Uchiha treats his ancestor?" Obito's mouth twitched under the mask.

Seiryu snorted, his Susanoo swinging its blade, lightning crackling through the air.

Obito vanished and reappeared behind Seiryu, stabbing at his back.

But Seiryu seemed unfazed by such tricks—a fierce lightning dragon burst from the ground where Obito appeared, forcing him intangible again.

"Tell me, who are you really?" Seiryu forced Obito back and, using manipulation of natural energy, floated into the air, looking down. "Lord Madara had his achievements and his faults, but he was never a sneaky coward."

"You're too rude!"

Seiryu's insults quickly enraged Obito, who rallied and attacked again.

Seiryu met him head-on, lightning and warped space clashing with strange booms.

Guided by Seiryu, their battle soon moved from the village to the Forest of Death.

The roaring thunder woke many villagers, who saw an unforgettable sight from their windows: a massive Susanoo wielding twin lightning blades, illuminating the night like daylight—a thunder god among mortals.

After Seiryu led Obito away, an eerie silence fell over the battlefield.

Everyone present, regardless of allegiance, looked strangely at Itachi.

"Itachi, conspiring with outsiders to attack your fellow villagers—are you rebelling?" Kakashi accused, still holding his bleeding eye.

"I told you, that guy has nothing to do with me! If anyone's rebelling, it's you!" Itachi retorted.

Seeing that the situation was beyond salvage, Itachi resolved to fight to the end for his beliefs.

He drew his blade, ready for a desperate struggle.

But at that moment, Jiraiya, escorted by Uchiha Inaho and Uchiha Zaito, arrived. Looking at Itachi with some pity, he said, "Stop, Itachi."

"Jiraiya-sama?" Itachi looked up and shouted, "Jiraiya-sama, don't worry, I'll save you!"

"Let it go, Itachi. Just stop." Jiraiya sighed.