Obito returns

Ryuu took Kakashi to Rin and Ichika.

Rin was sobbing while being held by Obito.

"Obito, you came back…" They hugged each other tightly.

"I promised, didn't I?"

Kakashi's eyes widened.

"Obito…"

Obito looked back at Kakashi.

Kakashi couldn't recognize him at first, one half of his face was completely messed up with scars that resembled wrinkles.

Kakashi recognized the other half of his face and couldn't believe it.

"Obito…

But… how?" Kakashi looked at Ryuu.

"Hey, Kakashi."

Kakashi was too stunned to speak.

He froze staring at Obito like he saw a ghost.

"Obito never left us, he never died, he just couldn't come back.

I thought I could keep him from being harmed while gaining Intel on the enemy but…

Sigh.

It's all my fault they're dead, I'm sorry…"

"Ryuu, how long have you known?!"

"We need to talk."

Ryuu sat down and told them everything about Obito and him, since that time Madara took them but he didn't tell them too much for their own good.

"So, you've been alive all this time, but you couldn't come back?" Obito nodded.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I couldn't have. I only told Rin because she was already in the middle of it, and by the time I remembered everything else, Minato-sensei and Kushina-sensei…" Obito explained.

Ryuu stood up.

"I'll leave you all to catch up, I'm sure I'm the last face you want to see now, besides, Naruto is awake." Ryuu left.

"Uwaaa! Uwaah!"

Naruto cried from the other room.

"There there, Naruto, I'm here now."

Ryuu picked him up and rocked him to sleep.

'Naruto wasn't sleeping… such a stubborn child already.

I swear it's easier to fight off thousands of enemies.'

Ryuu tried getting him to sleep for the next 20 minutes until he heard the door open.

"You're doing it wrong," Ichika said as she gently picked Naruto up from him.

"I still haven't checked on Rikuto.

He was close to Kushina, ever since they were kids, but now…" Ryuu clenched his fist.

'It's all my fault. I can't help but think… if I never knew they were going to die, would I have done things differently? Maybe I wouldn't have gone training, and instead, I would've protected them…'

Ryuu wondered while he stared at the ground.

Ichika put Naruto back in his bed and covered him.

"Hey, you know, one day you're going to have one." Ryuu froze up and started sweating, he got flustered.

"Right, we- I mean I will… someday.

I'm not talking about doing that with you I mean that would be crazy, you know!

Not that you aren't good looking I'm sure there are plenty of other guys who want that… with you…

But it's just that I'm not one of them but it's not like I would never ever because I'm sure you'll find someone who has great kids with you but I just meant that both of us will have kids…

With our partners…

Sigh…"

Ryuu dropped his head depressingly.

'Real smooth, Ryuu, real smooth.'

Ichika shyly chuckled and blushed.

"There's no need to get so depressed all the time." Ichika picked him up.

"You're right," Ryuu said as he stood up.

Ryuu slapped himself shocking Ichika.

"Damn it! How could I forget?!"

Ryuu walked toward Naruto and used his Sharingan to enter his mindscape.

"Hey, Kurama, are you alright in here?!"

Kurama was locked up inside a cage.

"You've finally remembered to visit me."

Ryuu nodded.

"That girl can use wood release, right?"

"She's really amazing, right?"

Kurama scoffed.

"She only defeated me because I didn't expect her to use wood release."

Ryuu held in his laugh.

"Kurama, don't tell me you feel… humiliated!

Ahahaha!"

Ryuu laughed so hard he fell to the ground with tears in his eyes.

"Oi Brat! Watch your mouth!"

Kurama's sudden burst of anger spooked Ryuu.

"I forgot you had such a sensitive ego."

"Sensitive ego?!" Kurama attacked Ryuu and Ryuu laughed as he was grabbed by Kurama, and pulled into his cage.

"You've really been getting disrespectful these days!" Ryuu wiped his tears.

"Oh come on Kurama, it's just a joke, you know." Kurama put Ryuu down.

A one-sided smile appeared on Kurama's face.

"Hey, how comes you're not rabid anymore?"

"I was never rabid, I was just in pain. Madara Uchiha placed a seal that constantly tortured me, but…

After Minato and Kushina sealed half of me into this brat, the seal dispersed."

"Give me a moment, Kurama."

Ryuu left his mindscape and appeared beside Ichika.

He took out a scroll and infused chakra into his fingertips.

Ryuu placed his fingers on Naruto's belly.

"I hope I don't do this again."

Ryuu twisted, and the seal dispersed.

"You're free again, Kurama."

"Ryuu, you still trust me after what I did?" Kurama spoke through a mental link.

"Of course, I promised you I'll free you one day plus, you'll get to see my peaceful world. Besides, I think you'll like Naruto."

"Hmph, you still remember, huh?"

"Absolutely!"

"Alright then…" Kurama disconnected the mental link.

He closed his eyes and folded his arms on the ground as he thought.

'This child just never gives up…

I'll give this boy a chance, it better be worth it.'

Ryuu left the room with Ichika, he had placed multiple seals around Naruto, just in case someone would attack him.

Ryuu walked back to Kakashi and the rest.

"Obito, I'll bring you back after dad becomes the next Hokage."

"Sakumo-sama is the next Hokage?" Obito asked.

"Well, of course, he's an exceptional shinobi, you know.

Just don't spread the word yet.

Not that you can…"

Obito nodded.

"Rin, I hope to see you soon."

Kakashi tilted his head towards Obito and Rin, and Ryuu knew what he meant.

"You know, I could take you two to my dimension, that is, if you want.

You can catch up and stuff.

Obito isn't allowed to roam around the village and my dimension has a replica of the village so this is good too, you know."

Obito and Rin glanced at each other and nodded.

"Alright." They said.

Ryuu teleported them to his dimension, and left.

"You need anything, tell Nobu and he'll tell me."

Ryuu said before leaving.

Kakashi was waiting for him.

"Ryuu, from now on, no more secrets, alright?" Ryuu nodded.

"Well, I have more secrets, I'll tell you later, it'll take some time to tell you but we have time right?"

Ryuu held his fist out.

"Right." Kakashi returned the fist bump with a smile.

"Well, I'm going to check on Rikuto."

Ryuu said before teleporting to Rikuto's House.

"Rikuto?" He was on his couch, facing upwards, while Nakamura slept next to him.

"I couldn't save her," Rikuto muttered.

"Neither could I..."

Ryuu sat on the seat across from him.

"When the nine tails attacked, I was back at my cave, I was making something for Kushina. A gift for her son, but when I came back…

They were already dead.

The village was in ruins, and you were knocked out.

I'm sorry Ryuu.

I should've been here as soon as Minato told me you went to Shikkotsu forest with Ichika."

"No, it's not your fault Rikuto, I know you would've saved them if you could.

Besides, I will bring them back, I promise."

"You'll bring them back?"

"I promised Minato and Kushina."

"I know you will."

The two brothers sat silently with the wolf.

The next day in the afternoon, the village held a funeral for Minato, Kushina, and all the lives that were lost during the nine tails incident.

Everyone attended, Ryuu stood next to Rikuto while Kakashi stood next to Guy.

Lord third spoke.

"Minato, and Kushina.

Both of you gave your lives to protect the hidden leaf village.

And to safeguard its future as well."

Ryuu opened his eyes and tears fell from them.

He clenched his fist tightly as he remembered all the good times he had with them and how he'd never experience them again.

'I'll bring you all back… I promise.'

Ryuu said to himself.

Obito watched from afar, feeling regret and sorrow.

'I brought him back.

I brought Obito back, Minato.

Are you happy?' Ryuu frowned thinking about them.

After the ceremony, Kakashi, Rin, Obito, and Ryuu stayed there, staring at Minato and Kushina's grave.

Ryuu touched Kakashi's shoulder.

"Come talk to me after this. I'm investigating something." Ryuu whispered to Kakashi.

"I'll also leave, I can't be seen here," Obito said before he teleported away.

"Whatever he says, you must agree and from now on we'll meet in vigilance, he might suspect you to tell me everything, don't ask who." Kakashi nodded at Ryuu's words.

"Where will you be?"

"I'll be with Itachi, I promised to show him one of my own created ninjutsu. Let's meet up on my training grounds after that."

Kakashi nodded and Ryuu teleported using Kamui.