After deciding to become stronger, Rin packed her schoolbag, placed her notebook inside, and left the house.
Just then, a flustered figure came running toward her from a distance and stopped in front of her a moment later.
It was…
Obito.
Obito stood with his hands on his hips, panting heavily.
“I finally made it, Rin. Sorry I’m late.”
Rin said with a hint of reproach, “Obito, what happened was only yesterday. You should still be resting in the hospital.”
Obito scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.
“Rin, didn’t I say that we’d start going to school together?”
“Besides, I’ve almost completely recovered, and I even had a wonderful dream… Hahaha… I really wish that dream had been real.”
When Obito mentioned the dream, a faint blush quickly appeared on Rin’s small face.
Remembering her vow to ignore Obito for a week, she immediately turned her head away and started walking on her own.
Obito froze, having no idea what Rin was upset about.
He called out in a panic, “Rin, wait for me!” Then he quickly caught up with her.
However, Rin was still sulking and refused to say a single word to him.
Obito felt his heart shatter into pieces.
Even the beautiful dream from earlier no longer seemed quite so beautiful.
He cautiously moved closer to Rin and asked:
“Rin, did I do something to upset you?”
Rin merely snorted.
“Obito, everything about you upsets me. How could you… How could you do something like that?”
After saying that, she stomped away angrily, leaving Obito frozen in place.
Obito murmured sadly to himself, “What did I do? It’s over. I really did something wrong, and now even Rin is ignoring me.”
“What… What am I supposed to do?”
Seeing this, Rin’s heart softened again.
Remembering the pain Obito had experienced only yesterday after losing his grandmother, her steps involuntarily slowed, and she turned back toward him.
“Forget it. Let’s go together. I’ll forgive you this time.”
Obito immediately beamed.
Rin’s face grew even redder.
How could she possibly tell him that he had kissed her in a dream?
Besides, even if she told him, it had been Obito’s dream, and she was the one who had guided it.
What could she possibly say?
She could only stomp her foot and continue walking.
“Obito, you need to listen carefully in class so you can become Hokage in the future. How can someone become Hokage without even knowing what the Ninja Academy teaches?”
Obito quickly caught up and said awkwardly, “But the teacher’s lectures are just too boring sometimes. I fall asleep without even realizing it.”
Rin didn’t know what to do with him and could only say, “Even if you find the lessons boring, you still have to listen. Allowing a boy like you to become Hokage would be completely irresponsible to the position itself.”
Obito agreed, but Rin’s words went in one ear and out the other.
While she wasn’t looking, he quietly took her hand again…
The two innocent children, each lost in their own thoughts, walked hand in hand toward the Ninja Academy.
The morning classroom lesson was once again taught by their chūnin instructor, Inaka Tsuki.
He explained the basic principles behind the Three Basic Techniques and demonstrated a camouflage trick that barely counted as ninjutsu, using a patterned cloth to blend into the wall.
Obito had promised to behave before school, but he still slept soundly while the teacher explained the principles behind the techniques.
Only when the teacher began demonstrating a technique that Obito probably considered useful for playing pranks did he wake up, suddenly full of energy.
Rin saw everything and could only take more detailed notes so that Obito could copy them later…
In the afternoon, it was time for the outdoor lesson, which was taught by another chūnin instructor, Kiyono Shuji.
Today’s main lesson covered basic knowledge of ninja tools and beginner throwing techniques.
Kiyono Shuji led the students to the Ninja Academy’s training ground, stopped in front of a target, and took out several different ninja tools.
The most basic ones were kunai and shuriken, but there were also senbon and several other types of ninja tools.
For some reason, Rin felt an unusual sense of familiarity as she listened to the teacher explain each tool.
Although she rarely handled them, she was already familiar with every ninja tool he introduced.
She even felt that the teacher’s explanation was far too basic.
Rin suddenly trembled as she remembered the reward she had received from the notebook that morning.
[My knowledge of ninja tools increased, and I gained extensive experience in shurikenjutsu.]
The amount of experience she had received was even greater than she had expected.
She had a vague feeling that, as long as the target wasn’t too far away, she could make every shuriken hit the bull’s-eye.
At that moment, the teacher finished explaining the key principles, and it was time for the practical demonstration.
He called Kakashi, the student with the best academic performance in the class, handed him the three shuriken he had prepared, and pointed toward the nearby target.
“Kakashi, demonstrate the technique for the other students.”
“No problem, Instructor Shuji.”
Kiyono Shuji nodded, opened the assessment sheet, and took his position near the target.
Kakashi took a deep breath and stepped forward.
Holding three shuriken between the fingers of his right hand, he carefully aimed at the target.
Then he sharply swung his arm.
The three shuriken spun through the air in a triangular formation, producing a series of whistling sounds.
Finally…
“Thunk!” “Thunk!” “Thunk!”
One of the three shuriken struck the bull’s-eye, while the other two landed neatly beside it.
The nearby students immediately erupted in cheers and applause.
“Wow! Kakashi’s shurikenjutsu is amazing.”
“Yeah! When will I be able to reach that level? My father makes me practice at home too.”
“How could that be the same? Kakashi’s father is Konoha’s White Fang. Even my parents sound respectful whenever they mention Lord White Fang. Of course Kakashi is amazing after receiving his guidance.”
Kakashi narrowed his eyes slightly, enjoying the praise from his classmates.
However, when one of them attributed his skill to the White Fang’s guidance, a faint trace of dissatisfaction appeared on his face.
After watching the entire demonstration, Kiyono Shuji said with great satisfaction, “Your release was steady, and one shuriken struck the bull’s-eye. Kakashi, full marks.”
With that, he picked up his pen and recorded the result on the assessment sheet.
Among the crowd, only Obito Uchiha remained unconvinced.
He looked at Kakashi’s show-off attitude, pouted, and said to Rin beside him, “It doesn’t look that difficult, does it? He only hit the bull’s-eye. Rin, true shurikenjutsu isn’t just about accuracy. You can even make the shuriken curve through the air. I’ve seen it before.”
Rin nodded and quietly murmured, “Mm.” She didn’t doubt Obito’s words in the slightest.
Among the shuriken-throwing techniques she had obtained, there were indeed several methods for making a shuriken’s trajectory curve.
Obito hadn’t deliberately lowered his voice, so many of the surrounding students heard him.
Genma Shiranui, with a senbon clenched between his teeth and his hands in his pockets, said indifferently, “Obito Uchiha, I’ve never seen this curved shuriken technique you’re talking about. If you’re so capable, why don’t you demonstrate it for us?”
Obito immediately became defiant.
“Fine, I will. I’m not afraid!”
Their chūnin instructor, Kiyono Shuji, also heard the exchange between Obito and Genma.
He immediately said, “All right, Obito. Get ready. You’re next.”
It really helps the fic grow!