"Whoa, now that is a big deal."
Upon seeing the boy at the entrance to the training ground, Yun Kong's jaw dropped wide enough to fit two eggs.
The boy had jet-black hair and wore the distinctive attire marking him as a member of the Uchiha clan. Coupled with his reckless, slightly foolish demeanor, Yun Kong immediately recognized him: one of the future big bosses, a powerhouse who would eventually ignite the Fourth Shinobi World War—Uchiha Obito.
Of course, right now, he was just a socially awkward, ordinary guy. But that was exactly Yun Kong's opportunity; once this guy becomes powerful, wealthy, and handsome, what chance would a commoner like him have?
If it weren't for the presence of the Third Hokage and the others, Yun Kong would have rushed over to pledge brotherhood with Obito right there.
"I'm sorry for being late!" Obito, true to his nature, stood before the hundreds of eyes in the training field and apologized loudly, unfazed by the attention. However, anyone could tell that his apology was half-hearted at best; even Obito probably knew it was just an excuse.
"Hmm," the Third Hokage cleared his throat, suppressing his frustration and feigning an indifferent expression.
In the meantime, Yun Kong discreetly signaled Obito to come over.
Now was not the time to hold Obito accountable but to restore order and focus back on the Third Hokage's address.
Initially uncertain of what to do, Obito hesitated under the gaze of the entire field. But luck seemed to favor him, as he happened to spot Yun Kong's gesture, prompting him to quickly slip through the crowd and stand by Yun Kong.
Yun Kong had already made room beside him, leaving just enough space for Obito to squeeze in.
The others watching might have assumed Yun Kong and Obito were old friends, oblivious to Yun Kong's ulterior motives.
"This guy's a future boss," Yun Kong thought. "Getting in his good graces now might just keep me alive, even if he goes off the rails in the future!"
Of course, Yun Kong seemed to forget that in the world of the Hokage, more than a few people sought to kill their friends—like Orochimaru on the platform or Sasuke in the future.
"Thanks," Obito murmured softly as he took his place, barely expressing his gratitude.
"How about some real thanks? A thousand ryo, or serve me for life?" Yun Kong whispered back.
Obito wavered slightly. "What's going on with the world? Did I oversleep? Isn't he supposed to just say 'you're welcome' modestly?"
But before he could dwell on it, the Third Hokage's righteous address captured his attention again, extolling the benefits of loyalty, wealth, status, and even the promise of a beautiful wife.
Or as a more modern saying would put it: "Stick with me, and soon you'll get promoted, earn a raise, become a manager, a CEO, marry a rich, beautiful partner, and reach the peak of life."
These promises meant little to Yun Kong. With the experience of two lifetimes, his youthful ambition was long gone. His goal now was simply survival and, if possible, a comfortable life enjoying the pleasures he missed before.
The sunlight was bright, the spring breeze gentle, like the hand of a sixteen-year-old girl. A day like this was perfect for lounging in a rocking chair, sipping some sake, ideally with a young attendant by his side. Now that was the good life.
But why was it so noisy? Oh, right, the opening ceremony. Was the Third Hokage really still talking? How long had it been? Maybe the old guy had hit menopause?
Wait, why does my head feel so heavy? Yun Kong suddenly felt dizzy, like the world was spinning, before snapping back to alertness.
To his horror, he realized he was slowly but surely falling backward. "Damn, the sun was too nice, and I accidentally dozed off! Now what? With the Third Hokage watching, my future, my dreams of a peaceful life, could be gone in an instant if he decides to throw me on the battlefield as cannon fodder."
A series of thoughts flashed through Yun Kong's mind. Reflexively, he reached out in front of him as he started to fall.
He was lucky; Obito was standing right in front of him.
"Yes, all I need is a single point of contact, and I'll be balanced again."
But fate wasn't on Yun Kong's side today. The sun's warmth seemed to lull not just him, but Obito as well. Even though Yun Kong managed to grab onto him, Obito, lost in a sleepy daze, toppled like a pillar onto Yun Kong.
One after another, they fell like a line of dominos, Yun Kong collapsing onto the boy behind him, who, just as drowsy, helplessly gave in to the momentum.
It was almost comical. Yun Kong's sleepy stumble had set off a chain reaction, resulting in his entire row collapsing backward. Thankfully, Yun Kong was positioned somewhere in the middle; otherwise, if it had started from the very front, a few alert souls at the end might have noticed and stopped it. If that happened, wouldn't it make him look downright incompetent?
With such a blunder, everyone who fell was understandably annoyed—except, of course, for the drowsy Yun Kong himself. Sure, they'd all been a bit sleepy, but to doze off right in front of the Third Hokage, the distinguished leader of the Hidden Leaf Village, and during one of his important speeches no less… it was truly embarrassing.
Embarrassment, however, was just the beginning. Their main concern was the impression they had just left on the Hokage, the very person who held the reins of their futures.
One by one, starting from the last in line, each boy turned with a furious glare at the one who had toppled him. This hostile stare was then passed along, each boy directing his wrath toward the one in front, until it finally landed on the boy right behind Yun Kong. Naturally, that boy turned to Yun Kong, his face brimming with anger.
Yun Kong quickly turned, putting on a look of indignation as he glared at Obito, even though he was fully aware of what had happened. These sleepy-eyed boys hadn't seen who had actually fallen first.
"Sorry, Obito, but it's every man for himself," Yun Kong thought, shamelessly shifting the blame.
Obito, bewildered but instinctively responding to the look, turned forward with a scowl—his gaze landing directly on Kakashi.
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