The enemy moved to attack without hesitation.
The moment the Hatake clone lunged forward, Minato instinctively prepared to intercept. However, after observing the clone's awkward movements—clumsy and less skilled than a ninja academy student—he decided otherwise. Instead, he stayed back, guarding Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, ready to step in if things escalated unexpectedly.
Kakashi's sharp eyes followed the Hatake clone. He didn't even consider attacking something so weak, yet as he prepared to move, Obito, always impulsive, charged ahead of him.
"Idiot, don't rush!" Kakashi muttered under his breath, already predicting disaster.
"Don't worry! I'll protect Rin-chan!" Obito yelled, brandishing a kunai as he blocked the incoming fist blade of the Hatake clone. But just as he smirked with satisfaction, a chill ran down his spine.
Something's wrong.
The next second, the Hatake clone disappeared in a puff of green smoke, replaced by a piece of wood. Obito barely had time to process what happened when a voice behind him sent shivers down his back:
"The ultimate Konoha secret technique... No Diarrhea for Three Years!"
The Hatake clone crouched behind Obito, sealing hand signs complete, poised to deliver a soul-shaking E-rank taijutsu move. Combined with the cold gleam of the fist blade on the back of its hand, the attack seemed absurdly intimidating.
Obito's face paled in terror. "No! This can't be happening!" He realized too late that in his rush to attack, he had left himself wide open. Standing there wasn't his shadow clone but his real body!
If this move landed... he wouldn't be able to show his face to Rin ever again!
Just as Obito braced himself for humiliation, Kakashi appeared in a flash. With a swift kick, he knocked Obito out of the danger zone, saving him from the dreaded technique.
"You idiot," Kakashi scolded, rolling his eyes. "If you keep acting like this, don't even bother showing up for the Chunin Exams."
Though Obito was thankful, embarrassment and frustration burned in his eyes. Meanwhile, Kakashi's attention turned to the Hatake clone. His expression was serious.
"This guy..." Kakashi muttered, narrowing his eyes. "He has a filthy mind."
The sheer psychological threat of such an embarrassing move rivaled that of an A-rank ninjutsu.
Obito got up, brushed himself off, and glared at the clone. "Thanks, Kakashi," he said grudgingly before turning his anger toward the enemy. "But I've got this!"
He raised his hands in a flurry of seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
With a roar, Obito unleashed a massive three-meter-wide fireball, engulfing the area where the Hatake clone stood. However, this flashy ninjutsu wasn't enough. From within the flames, several shuriken flew out, spinning toward Obito, followed closely by the Hatake clone charging in with its fist blades.
"I've been waiting for you!" Obito shouted, dodging the shuriken and rushing forward with his kunai.
This time, Obito fought with focus. The brief exchange earlier had revealed the clone's weakness: its lack of physical strength. With that in mind, Obito pressed the attack, his movements sharp and decisive.
The clash was brief but one-sided. In just a few exchanges, Obito kneed the Hatake clone to the ground, then pinned it down with practiced ease.
"Who are you? Why are you in Konoha?" Obito demanded, delivering a hard punch to the clone's chest.
Minato, Kakashi, and Rin approached, standing by to support Obito as they waited for the clone's response.
The Hatake clone smirked, a sinister glint in its eyes.
"Heh... you think you've won?"
To their shock, the clone dissolved into shadow, seeping into the ground. From the safety of the shadows, its taunting voice echoed:
"This is far from over."
More clones began to emerge from the surrounding shadows, each identical to the first. Every time one was struck down, another appeared in its place, ready to fight again.
Meanwhile, far away, another Hatake clone—going by the name "Might Sasuke"—had infiltrated the Might family's passionate youth group. Pretending to be a distant relative, the clone was now enthusiastically running laps around Konoha with Might Guy and Might Dai. Elsewhere, another clone had earned a series of beatings from the temperamental Asuma Sarutobi.
Back at the Uchiha compound, the real Hokage enjoyed a leisurely stroll, basking in the beauty of the Uchiha sisters as he passed by. His day was one of pure relaxation and indulgence.
By the time he reached the training ground to meet Uchiha Xiaonan, Hokage casually wetted a few strands of hair with saliva and sighed dramatically.
When he began throwing shuriken, his initial intention was to practice just enough to appear busy. But as the minutes passed, something primal stirred within him. Driven by a desire to excel, Hokage found himself immersed in the training.
Ten meters away, the shuriken hit the target six or seven times out of ten. It wasn't genius-level precision, but it was a respectable effort.
"Hey, Hokage! You're working hard!"
Startled by the familiar voice, Hokage turned, but it was too late. Uchiha Xiaonan was already behind him, ruffling his hair with both hands until it was an untamed mess.
"Teacher Xiaonan!" Hokage groaned, puffing out his cheeks in frustration as he adjusted his hairstyle. "For someone as handsome as you, your aesthetics are the worst!"
Then, with a smirk, Hokage delivered a verbal jab. "By the way... you haven't found a partner yet, have you?"
The words hit like a ton of bricks.
Uchiha Xiaonan froze, his smile disappearing. Though the day was warm, he felt as if he were naked in a freezing winter.
"You... haven't found a partner yet... have you?" Hokage's words echoed mercilessly in Xiaonan's mind, leaving him standing there, utterly defeated.