Chiba observed the scene with a wry smile playing on his lips. Now he understood why Kushina hadn't intervened.
As he watched Hirohiko walk back with a blank expression, his face as unreadable as a poker card, Chiba only raised his eyebrows slightly. 'Hirohiko, this is... utterly disappointing!' he thought. It was rare for Hirohiko to show such eagerness, and yet...
"It hurts..." Obito Uchiha whimpered, cradling his left arm as he sat on the ground. He stared at Hirohiko's retreating back, his face etched with a mixture of pain and discouragement. 'Is this truly the level of a seven-year-old genius with an awakened Sharingan? Can I ever hope to surpass someone like him?'
"Obito, are you alright?" Rin approached, her voice laced with concern as she knelt to examine his injuries.
Lost in the depths of his defeat, Obito offered no response. The fight had been a complete loss for him; he had barely caught a glimpse of his opponent before being thrown to the ground. By the time he'd realized what was happening, his arm was dislocated, and there was no need to continue the match.
Kakashi stood before Obito, covering his face with one hand. His tone was filled with exasperation as he said, "Idiot, you're from the Uchiha clan too. Don't you understand the difference between those with the Sharingan activated and those without?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Kakashi was taken aback by the look of utter defeat in Obito's eyes. With a sigh, he extended his hand towards his fallen teammate. "Can you stand up?"
Hearing Kakashi's words and seeing his outstretched hand, Obito hesitated for a moment. Suddenly, he winced in pain as a loud "click" resonated through the air. Rin had reset his dislocated arm. She offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Obito."
The jolt of pain snapped Obito out of his dejected state. He looked from Kakashi to Rin, and a small smile slowly spread across his face. Reaching out, he grasped Kakashi's hand, allowing his teammate to pull him to his feet. The three of them huddled together, a united front once more.
Minato watched his students from a distance, a slight smile gracing his features. For Obito, the outcome of the training didn't matter as much as the spirit he displayed. That was truly invaluable.
Meanwhile, Hirohiko approached Chiba, his thoughts racing. 'Indeed, he is the only one I aim to surpass!' Stopping in front of Chiba, Hirohiko's gaze was intense and unwavering.
Chiba blinked, puzzled by the sudden confrontation. "What's wrong, Hirohiko?"
Hirohiko's eyes flickered with determination as he declared, "I won't lose again in the Chunin Exam."
"I won't lose to you again either!" Yukina stepped forward, her voice filled with earnest resolve.
Chiba looked from Hirohiko to Yukina, his mind struggling to process their words. Were they... targeting him? Aiming to surpass him? The notion seemed almost unbelievable.
During their time at the Ninja Academy, Chiba had indeed defeated both Hirohiko and Yukina, but he'd never taken those victories too seriously. His impression of them had always been that of hardworking geniuses who never gave up. In fact, there were times when Chiba himself had felt like giving up or slacking off, but witnessing their determination had always reignited his competitive spirit, pushing him to persist in his rigorous daily training.
He had never viewed them as defeated opponents, having almost forgotten about their encounters at the academy. The realization that they had been actively pursuing him all this time caught him off guard.
Was this the kind of rivalry among friends often depicted in anime? The thought brought a smile to Chiba's face. "I won't lose either!" he voiced the words aloud with quiet confidence.
In his heart, he felt a warm sense of camaraderie blossoming.
"Well then," Kushina Uzumaki said, placing one hand on Chiba's head and the other on Hirohiko's as she approached the trio, "starting tomorrow, I'll be training you separately. It won't be easy, so prepare yourselves!"
Looking at Kushina Uzumaki's smile, Chiba, Yukina, and Hirohiko couldn't help but beam in response. However, Chiba's gaze drifted towards Team Minato. Kakashi sighed and shrugged, while Obito was heatedly arguing about something, clearly upset. Rin Nohara, ever the peacemaker, smiled at them encouragingly.
'Did Obito propose this battle to make Kakashi feel less guilty for losing their Chunin exam opportunity?' Chiba wondered. 'Indeed, this is the world of Naruto.'
He turned his attention back to Yukina, Hirohiko, and their teacher, Kushina Uzumaki. 'Time to think of another excuse for a barbecue!' The smile on Chiba's face widened, revealing his white teeth.
"Oh... Hirohiko, this is your kunai," Chiba said suddenly, remembering the weapon he'd been holding. He handed it to Hirohiko, who nodded in acknowledgment and tucked it into the ninja pouch at his waist.
Kushina Uzumaki glanced at the trio and announced, "Well, although we've won the Chunin exam qualification, our training will continue. Everyone, take an hour's rest, and then we'll meet at the usual spot!"
"Yes!" The trio responded in unison.
With that, the team dispersed. Chiba and the others went their separate ways, each lost in their own thoughts about the challenges that lay ahead.
At the same time, Minato Namikaze dismissed his team. Amid Obito's continued complaints, they too slowly departed. Homura set off to report the match's outcome to the Third Hokage, his expression one of disbelief as he left. He was likely still struggling to grasp the fact that Chiba had defeated Kakashi.
When everyone had gone, only Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki remained. They slowly approached each other, the tension between them palpable.
As they drew near, Kushina Uzumaki suddenly stretched out her hand and said, "According to our agreement, you lose. Hand it over!"
Minato Namikaze looked at Kushina Uzumaki, a mixture of amusement and resignation in his eyes. He reached into his ninja pouch and produced a special kunai. Its three-pronged head gleamed in the sunlight, and a string of intricate runes adorned the hilt. It was none other than the Fourth Hokage's Flying Thunder God Kunai.
Kushina Uzumaki's demeanor softened as she took the Flying Thunder God Kunai into her hands, a smile playing on her lips. In front of her loved one, her usual fiery temperament mellowed into something gentler, more intimate.
Minato Namikaze's face bore only a smile, unfazed by the outcome of their private wager. This bet had been proposed by Kushina Uzumaki on the day the Chunin exam was announced: if Chiba won, Minato Namikaze would give Kushina Uzumaki a Flying Thunder God Kunai.
"Minato, thank you," Kushina Uzumaki said, her smile deepening as she expressed her gratitude.
"No, thank you," Minato replied. "I may have lost the bet, but you've trained excellent disciples. Not just Chiba, but Hirohiko as well."
Kushina Uzumaki shook her head, her gaze fixed on the kunai in her hand. She remained silent, lost in thought.
"It's almost time for dinner," Minato Namikaze said, breaking the silence. "You've been working hard lately. What do you feel like eating?"
Kushina Uzumaki's expression brightened instantly. "Ichiraku Ramen," she answered without hesitation.
"Well, you really do love ramen," Minato Namikaze chuckled, reaching out to gently pat her head.
Hand in hand, the couple set off together, their steps in perfect sync as they headed toward their favorite ramen shop.