Afternoon had arrived, signaling the start of the academy's weekly practical session.
Excitement buzzed through the playground as the young ninja assembled. Compared to the monotony of classroom lectures, hands-on practice was far more thrilling.
The first exercise was shuriken practice.
The instructor hauled out a set of targets from the storeroom and, with a genial smile, waved over Kakashi from the crowd.
"Kakashi, why don't you demonstrate for everyone?"
No matter the world, the teacher's favorite was always the top student. (Of course, us slackers are pretty lovable too!)
Kakashi gave a small nod, hands tucked casually in his pockets, and stepped forward. He stopped in front of the target, his silver hair catching the breeze as he moved.
The children watched intently, but Kakashi's movements were too quick to follow. By the time they realized he had thrown the shuriken, several blades were already embedded in the bullseyes.
Silence hung in the air for a moment before the girls erupted into cheers.
"Ahhh! Kakashi is so cool!"
Among the shouts, Obito glanced around nervously.
Good. Rin wasn't screaming like the others. I knew it—Rin isn't the type to be shallow.
But where is she?
He scanned the crowd and froze.
Rin had somehow ended up beside Kakashi, holding out a flask with a warm smile.
"Kakashi-kun, are you tired? Have some warm water."
"... Damn it!"
The boys, including Obito, collectively bristled with anger.
A freckled boy muttered bitterly, "That bastard Kakashi stole all the attention. How are the rest of us supposed to stand out?"
Obito nodded in agreement. "Exactly! Why don't you go punch him and get back at him for all of us?"
He puffed out his chest confidently. "Just watch. I might not be great with shuriken, but when it comes to sparring, I'll teach that showoff a lesson he won't forget!"
Obito sighed. Deep down, he knew Kakashi hadn't shown off at all—he was just naturally more talented.
And better looking.
Before the debate could continue, a lone voice piped up from the boys' group.
"But don't you guys think Kakashi is seriously cool?"
Silence.
Thirty seconds later, a green-clad, bowl-cut boy had been ceremoniously kicked out of their conversation group.
The instructor called each student by name for their turn at the shuriken targets.
Unsurprisingly, Kakashi's flawless performance had stolen the show. The other students' throws ranged from passable to mediocre.
Finally, the instructor sighed and called, "Last up… Uchiha Obito."
Obito strode forward with exaggerated confidence, his walk practically screaming, Don't mess with me. He hurled his shuriken without even looking at the target and turned to leave, shoulders squared like a hero walking away from an explosion.
The playground erupted into laughter.
"Ha! Not a single one hit the target!"
"This guy keeps yapping about wanting to be Hokage, but the Uchiha Clan must be full of clowns if he's their best!"
"He's nothing compared to Kakashi! Honestly, Kakashi should be Hokage instead!"
Obito pretended not to hear, nonchalantly cleaning out his ears.
They don't get it. In Konoha, the true powerhouses are always the underdogs.
Only those who start from nothing unlock the most overpowered moves later!
The second exercise was sparring.
The boys were practically vibrating with energy, all eyes locked on Kakashi. While no one had ever beaten him, his sparring style was controlled and precise. He never hurt anyone unnecessarily, which made him a safe opponent.
The instructor stepped into the center of the field, smiling at the eager students.
"Pick your opponents. Who wants to go first?"
Before the sentence was even finished, a prompt appeared before Obito:
[Option 1: Challenge Kakashi and defeat him. As a proud Uchiha, I thrive under pressure—there's no one in my league! Reward: Priority in choosing a spouse.]
[Option 2: Challenge Might Guy and last ten minutes without losing. Youth waits for no one! Seize this chance for a fiery clash of ideals! Reward: Taijutsu enhancement (Genin level).]
[Option 3: Challenge Nohara Rin and beat her senseless. Who needs to fight guys? Beating up your crush is where it's at! Reward: Killer Instinct Aura. (The stronger your love, the harder you hit.)]
Obito froze.
What the hell? Option three?! That reward… pass.
That's better suited for Itachi. I'm not signing up for the abuse-your-wife club.
As for Option 1… Yeah, right. No way I can take down Kakashi right now.
Weighing his choices, Option 2 seemed the most realistic.
With a determined look, Obito stepped forward. "I'll go first, Sensei. I challenge Might Guy!"
A hush fell over the group.
Unlike Kakashi, who sparred with restraint, Guy always gave it his all. His blows were devastating, and no one had ever dared challenge him directly.
Even the instructor hesitated. Was this going to turn into a teaching accident?
"You're sure about this, Obito?"
Obito nodded firmly. "I'm sure, Sensei."
The instructor waved the others back. "Everyone, give them space."
In the clearing, Obito faced Guy.
As Guy stepped closer, Obito felt a growing pressure, like standing in the path of an oncoming storm.
"Uh… Guy, buddy, could you maybe—"
"You can count on me, Obito! I'll go all out!" Guy declared, his eyes blazing with passion.
Obito's face twitched. That's not what I meant.
The two raised their hands in the sign of confrontation. The moment their hands dropped, the match began.
Guy shot forward like a blur, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
Obito yelped, scrambling to dodge, but Guy was faster. With a low pivot and a powerful spin, he lashed out with a brutal back kick.
WHAM!
The force of the kick sent Obito sprawling. He lay on the ground, groaning incomprehensibly.
"Do you want to continue, Obito?" Guy asked, his stance steady and concerned.
Obito staggered to his feet, gritting his teeth. "Continue!"
WHAM!
Once again, Obito was sent flying.
He stood, dusted himself off, and shouted, "Continue!"
And so it went.
Again.
And again.
Each blow was relentless, yet Obito refused to stay down.
The crowd's laughter gradually faded.
The sight of Obito—beaten, bruised, but unyielding—began to stir something in them.
"Since when did Obito get this gutsy?" Nagano muttered, his expression conflicted.
Rin clutched her hands tightly, worry written across her face. Obito-kun, why won't you give up? You'll hurt yourself like this!
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