"The crane tail dares to challenge Youyu, someone even more talented than Kakashi?"
"Who gave this guy the courage? Is he crazy?"
"Does he have a death wish?"
Many students muttered to themselves, stunned by Obito's boldness. They'd all been secretly relieved not to face Youyu in combat, keeping their heads down to avoid being chosen. Yet here was Obito, the lowest-ranked in the class, fearlessly stepping up.
For some, Obito's actions felt like a challenge to their own lack of courage, stirring a mix of irritation and shame. But they vented their frustration on Obito, muttering insults and mocking his impulsiveness.
Tanaka, observing Obito's unusual confidence, raised an eyebrow. As he looked at the boy, his mind flickered with concern.
Meanwhile, Youyu took another swig of his drink, murmuring something incomprehensible: "How can you ease worries? Only with Dukang!"
Everyone was used to Youyu's odd phrases by now, so his mumbling seemed normal, just another quirk of his drunken demeanor.
Obito, however, was livid. Seeing Youyu's casual attitude, his anger flared. What stung him even more was watching Rin let Youyu lean on her, her smile filled with admiration. Enraged, his eyes gleamed red, his Sharingan activated as he challenged Youyu, intent on proving himself.
"Uchiha Obito," Tanaka found Obito's name on the roster. Next to it was a single word… failed.
"In this test, Uchiha Obito has failed," Tanaka announced, marking his grade.
"Failed?! Why?!" Obito shouted, disbelief and frustration in his voice.
Tanaka's gaze remained steady as he explained, "What did you learn in theory class, Obito?" This challenge test was set up specifically for Youyu, a student whose skills far exceeded his peers. But rather than testing pure strength, it was meant to evaluate character and judgment.
Youyu's power was beyond that of a typical student, and anyone challenging him needed to weigh the risks. Recklessly rushing to fight an opponent like Youyu because of personal reasons was impulsive and could lead to fatal mistakes in a real mission. As shinobi, completing the mission was their top priority; acting on emotion was a sign of poor judgment. For these reasons, Obito's choice marked him as unfit, leading to a failing score.
Tanaka was about to clarify further when Youyu, having only heard half of Rin and Kurenai's explanation, interrupted with a smirk. "So that guy wants to challenge me, huh? It's been a while since I've had a good fight. What's your name, kid?"
Seeing Youyu about to draw his sword, Tanaka's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't even finished his instructions yet! He quickly shot a panicked glance at Rin and Kurenai, hoping they could calm Youyu down.
But Obito's determination only burned brighter. As the lowest-ranked in the Uchiha clan, and often seen as the clan's disappointment, he was used to being overlooked. However, facing both the ridicule of his classmates and the condescending look from Youyu pushed him to his limit. He wasn't about to back down, not today.