40 War 5 (2/2)

While Rafi, although surrounded and attacked from multiple directions, dealt with each incoming attack skillfully. Because, by Rafi's prior training with Minamoto no Yorimitsu, he already mastered her Eternal Arm Mastery to a great extent. While his training with Artoria honed his instinct to be on par with the enhanced perception of Sage Mode. Thus, with the addition of his spatial technique, he could held his ground even with the addition of Hashirama and the others arriving shinobi.

However, even if Rafi was strong enough to fight them to a standstill, but it didn't last long either. As the drain on his doppelganger's chakra were massive, he finally went down after Naruto's Rasenshuriken shredded him. Though, he only really went down after he succeded gouged Obito' heart and stole Obito's Sharingan on Kakashi. As he surprised them by using Hiraishin technique at the last moment of his dying doppelganger.

His doppelganger then began to turn to a tree as his soul flew back to his original body. It was to Tsunade and Jiraiya's shock as they saw Rafi's soul came out from his supposed corpse. Because they recognized its similarity with Katou Dan's signature technique, the Ghost Transformation Technique. When they finally reacted to seal it, the soul had flown away with such speed that it was impossible to pursue anymore.

Obito, stunned at the turn of event, stared blankly at the gaping hole in his chest. He thought that it might be his fate to not be able accompanying Rin in this life. As before, it was Rin that left him first, while he survived. But now, it was his turn that left her first. Just as he felt a resignation over it, he remembered about a vial that Rafi gave him before. A wistful thinking appeared in his mind as he took the vial from his Kamui and began to drink it. After he drank a fourth of it, he felt an unusually high amount of heat at his wound, and stopped drinking it. When he looked at his wound, he could see his flesh were squirming around as his destroyed heart regenerated and his wound started to close rapidly.

Then after he confirmed his recovery, he flashed to Kakashi as he made Kakashi drank the vial. Though it was only few drops before Kakashi's eye started to regenerate. The other shinobi were surprised after they saw the effectiveness of medicine. However, they temporarily didn't enquire Obito about the vial as the war were still going on. Because Rafi concentrated most of White Zetsu in there, thus although they already killed many of White Zetsu, there were still many left that hid in the ground or among the forest. In addition, a new wave of Edo Tensei army appeared suddenly from below the ground, as Kabuto released them after witnessing Rafi's defeat.

.....

Meanwhile, in another place, near Akatsuki's hideout. Itachi, Sasuke and Izumi could be seen walking slowly as though looking for something.

”This is it. The one on Obito's report is located around here. Hm, what a strong illusion. Even with Mangekyo Sharingan, I still can't see through the illusion. Sasuke, let's do like we planned before.” Itachi was surprised at first as he couldn't find Akatsuki's new hideout, though he knew its rough location from Obito's report.

He then decided to just burn the area around it with Amaterasu, rather than slowly break the illusion with Sharingan. With Sasuke's help, both of them used Amaterasu in such a coordinated fashion that the fire quickly spread far and wide, engulfed a large area of the forest. Moments later, cracking sound could be heard as the space in front of them seemed was distorted. After that, they could began to see what was previously hidden by the illusion. Bit by bits, a gloomy hideout's entrance that could be said like a cave, could be seen rather far away from their standing place. After looking at each other, the three went to the hideout as fast as possible to deal with Kabuto and put an end to Edo Tensei Technique.

.....

Meanwhile, in Turtle Island. Rafi opened his eyes slowly after his soul was back to his body. As he remembered the battle, he could not helped chuckling slightly. He then looked at the sealed Madara beside him as his eyes changed to Rinnegan. However, after the mutation, his Rinnegan were white-coloured like his Byakugan, but with ripple patterns in it. Although it looked simple, but its abilities were enhanced by Byakugan, causing its effective range to be more far and wider than his original Rinnegan.

”Nah, it is time for your return, Madara.” Rafi started to use Rinne Rebirth on Madara as he was speaking. Not long after, Hashirama's Gracious Deity Gates were destroyed by a revived Madara, thus alerted Hashirama in Second Company's battlefield. Just as Madara wanted to attack Rafi, he felt Rafi threw some things on his direction.

”Here is your Rinnegan. However, if you want the Gedo Statue, just go to where Hashirama is. I will give it to you there. Don't you also want to enjoy battling Hashirama again? With the real flesh and blood now, hehehe.” Rafi only left that lines as he laughed strangely before he entered Avalon.

”...” Madara silently put his Rinnegan back to his eye sockets as he heard Rafi. He wondered how Rafi didn't die even after revived him.

And to his surprise, there was another true Rinnegan user beside him in the world. His suspicion on Hashirama's revival finally was answered after he saw Rafi's Rinnegan and his ability to not die after reviving him. Coupled with Rafi's battling skill that he witnessed previously, his fighting intent was aroused like a fiery volcano as he intended to try battling Rafi after he was unsealed. Unfortunately for him, Rafi chose to hide quickly after reviving him.

”HaHaHa, this is my real body. Real flesh and blood. Pity that he hides away quickly. Kuchiyose Summoning! Hm?” Though he was intrigued by him, but Madara didn't believe on Rafi's words that he could cut his connection to Gedo Statue. Because he believed his connection to it was strong enough, as he was its first summoner.

However, he was forced to believe it in the end, as even he couldn't summon Gedo Statue again after his attempt. Although he felt like he was manipulated by Rafi, after thinking it a bit, he decided to try having fun battling Hashirama again as he wanted to join the battlefield again. But with the excitement of his revived body now. Thus, he rushed to the place where he sensed Hashirama's chakra at quick speed.

.....

In Avalon, Rafi could be seen standing atop the Gedo Statue as he caressed it softly. As he knew that the Gedo Statue was a manifestation of Kaguya's body, he continuously sent his spiritual imprints and thoughts to it over times. After so long, he could feel the statue was responding and becoming more familiar to him, as he could feel a soul was currently slumbering inside it.

”Soon. Just a bit more, and I will be able to meet you, Kaguya.” He whispered softly as he looked at the statue tenderly.

While Artoria only sighed after seeing Rafi caressed the statue as though caressing a lover. Although she already knew the inside story from Rafi, she couldn't help to feel some jealousy to the statue. After shaking her head slightly, she decided to go to Illyasviel's room to talk about it and waited the war to end before going to their original plan of travelling around. As her travel with Illyasviel before only covered a small part of the world.