Obito, Nobody's Favorite

At Training Ground 16, Mu Yue was taking attendance before the exam.

Since the entire school was taking the exam together and practical combat required space, the school field obviously could not hold that many people, so the exam was held directly at the training grounds.

After confirming that all examinees had arrived, Mu Yue and Kimura Sanjin announced the start of the drawing.

The rules of the Practical Exam were simple. Students were called up according to the class roster to draw lots, and the numbers they drew determined their opponents. Number one fought number two, number three fought number four, and so on.

"I got number one. Rin, what number did you get?" Obito eagerly went to find Nohara Rin after drawing his lot.

"I got number ten. That means you're in the first match, Obito," Nohara Rin answered.

"It doesn't matter which match it is. I'll win no matter what." Obito was extremely confident. He believed everyone would be shocked by how strong he had become.

After training with Mu Yue for a month, Obito felt like he made new gains every day. The current him had left his former self from a month ago far behind.

After asking Nohara Rin, Obito went to ask Might Guy what number he had drawn.

"Forty," Might Guy answered.

"Then we'll probably only meet in the final match." Obito had not expected Might Guy's number to be the complete opposite of his.

"Don't lose before I do, Obito." Might Guy gave Obito a thumbs-up in encouragement.

"I should be the one saying that. I'm an Uchiha." Obito did not know whether Might Guy meant it or not, but it sounded awfully provocative.

"Where do you two get that confidence from?" a classmate beside them mocked. Since when were two dead lasts talking about meeting at the top?

"The first battle is about to begin. Examinee number one, Obito Uchiha, and examinee number two, Uchiha Tekka, please prepare to begin the exam." Mu Yue checked the time and officially announced the start of the exam.

Obito did not argue with those mocking him. He quickly walked into the square area marked by white lines and prepared for the exam.

Uchiha Tekka also quickly entered the examination area and exchanged a glance with Obito.

Though both were Uchiha, the same age, and classmates, they had barely spoken to each other.

There was no melodramatic history between them. They simply had no interest in each other.

Uchiha Tekka thought Obito was a little slow-witted, weak, and always late. He had never seen such a lousy Uchiha.

Obito thought Uchiha Tekka looked cold and difficult to get along with.

"Both sides are Uchiha. Now this is interesting." Some spectators were already struggling not to laugh.

They were from the same ninja clan. Whoever lost would be embarrassed.

"What's interesting about it? As if Uchiha Tekka could lose to Obito Uchiha." The person beside him thought this was a battle without any suspense.

"Uchiha Tekka has been first in the class throughout Second Grade and Third Grade, except for when Kakashi surpassed him in First Grade."

"And what level is Obito Uchiha at? He has never even passed the theory exams, and his practical performance is just average. How could he possibly beat Uchiha Tekka?"

The spectator thought about it and realized that was true. Uchiha Tekka could be called a model Uchiha ninja, outstanding in both practical combat and theory. Other than Kakashi, that freak who graduated in First Grade, no one in the class was his match.

Expecting Obito Uchiha, the dead last of the Uchiha Clan, to defeat an outstanding Uchiha like Uchiha Tekka was indeed asking too much.

"Be careful, Obito," Nohara Rin said worriedly.

She felt that Obito's luck was truly terrible.

With Obito's original strength, he might not have ranked near the top of the class, but he should not have been eliminated in the first round either.

But against a ruthless opponent like Uchiha Tekka, who had been first in the class for years, Nohara Rin only hoped Obito would not push himself too hard and get injured.

Emotionally, she supported Obito's victory, but in reality, there was an obvious gap in strength between them.

"Almost no one believes in him, but victory under these circumstances will be even more exhilarating!" Might Guy crossed his arms and wore a bright smile. Unlike the others, he believed Obito could win.

The commotion from Class 4-2 even stirred the curiosity of the other Fourth Grade classes nearby, and quite a few students came over to take a look.

The Practical Exam was relatively free-form. As long as students did not leave the training grounds, they could do as they pleased.

But when they saw that it was Obito against Tekka, many lost interest.

They were all in the same grade and had taken practical exams together for years. Everyone knew which students in each class were strong.

Uchiha Tekka against Obito Uchiha? Wasn't that just one-sided bullying? What was there to watch?

Only a few people who wanted to see Uchiha Tekka's strength stayed behind.

The two stood facing each other and formed the Seal of Confrontation.

This was a required procedure for battles at the Ninja Academy. It told the opponent that one was about to attack. After the fight, they had to form the Seal of Reconciliation as well, symbolizing that everyone was still good companions.

"Begin!" Seeing that both were ready, Mu Yue announced the start of the battle.

The instant Mu Yue finished speaking, Uchiha Tekka swiftly pulled out three shuriken from his Ninja Tool Pouch and hurled them at Obito, targeting his head, torso, and legs. Then he charged toward Obito at high speed.

Obito also casually took out three shuriken and flung them out.

The six shuriken collided, ringing with crisp metallic clanks before falling to the ground together.

"The Uchiha Clan's shuriken throwing is truly exceptional. Even an Uchiha with relatively ordinary talent like Obito Uchiha has impressive skill with shuriken," Kimura Sanjin commented.

Intercepting shuriken with shuriken required considerable accuracy.

Since the arena was not large, Uchiha Tekka quickly closed in on Obito and threw a swift right hook.

Obito was not afraid in the slightest. He clenched his fist and met the attack head-on, engaging Uchiha Tekka in close combat.

The two traded blows back and forth, kicking up dust across the arena as they fought fiercely.

"Huh? Obito Uchiha is actually this good at taijutsu?" Those who had come to watch were surprised.

Obito Uchiha, who had been called the dead last of the Uchiha Clan, was actually holding his own against Uchiha Tekka.

Even students from other classes were shocked, let alone their own classmates. The classmates looked as though they had seen a ghost.

Shouldn't Obito have been sent flying by one kick from Uchiha Tekka and instantly defeated?

"Obito really has become so much stronger." Nohara Rin's small mouth hung slightly open in disbelief.

She had always thought Obito was merely putting on a brave face like before. She had not expected him to have genuinely grown stronger this time.

"Obito Uchiha is still a little lacking," Kimura Sanjin said with a shake of his head. As a Chunin, he could see far more than the students.

"He is indeed a little behind in taijutsu," Mu Yue nodded.

After all, there had only been one month. How could Obito improve every aspect at once? Over the past month, Obito had mainly trained in Fire Release Ninjutsu. Under Mu Yue's guidance, his Nature Transformation had improved greatly compared to before.

Just as Kimura Sanjin had said, Obito gradually began to be pushed back.

"I told you, how could Obito Uchiha possibly be Uchiha Tekka's opponent?" The person who had mocked Obito earlier let out a sigh of relief.

If Obito defeated Uchiha Tekka, would that not make him look completely blind?

Still, he felt they should stop calling Obito the dead last of the Uchiha Clan in the future. Calling this level of performance dead last was a bit too ignorant of one's own limits.

Obito found an opening and used the force of Uchiha Tekka's punch to create some distance between them, then quickly began forming hand seals.

He had not trained Fire Release for so long just to trade punches passionately with Uchiha Tekka.

Don't think this chapter makes everyone stupid. It was because Obito acted so arrogantly that people mocked him.