The Competition Begins (Please Keep Reading)

Evening, Uchiha Clan Compound.

"Obito, don't eat so fast. Be careful not to choke."

Hearing his grandmother's words, Obito slowed down his eating a little and explained, "Grandmother, a friend asked me to go out and hang around."

"Which friend? Is it Little Rin?" Obito's grandmother asked with a smile.

Since Nohara Rin often came to play with Obito, his grandmother knew her as well.

"Yeah, but there are others too," Obito replied as he ate.

The Youth Ninjutsu Tournament was starting tomorrow. He had trained seriously all day today, and it had exhausted him.

Perhaps because he and Kakashi would be rivals again tomorrow, Nohara Rin had invited them out that evening to relax.

Since Kakashi would be there too, Obito had invited Might Guy along.

"I'm full." After finishing his meal, Obito wiped his mouth and hurriedly got ready to head out.

Obito's grandmother followed him to the entrance and said with a chuckle, "Do your best, Obito. I still want to see my great-grandchild."

Obito nearly stumbled flat onto the floor. Turning around with a red face, he shouted, "Grandmother, I'm still in school!"

Though he did have such thoughts in his heart, they were far too young right now.

They had agreed to meet on a street in the southern part of the Main City Area.

When Obito arrived, he found that the other three were already there. He was the last one.

"I ran into an old grandmother who needed help on the way, so I was a little late," Obito explained.

"You really do run into grandmothers easily. It's like this every time," Kakashi said, finding it rather absurd.

"I don't know why either, but when you see a grandmother who needs help, you can't just ignore her, can you?" Obito felt wronged, since he really had helped an old grandmother on the way.

"Alright, it's fine. Obito is probably just too kind, with eyes especially good at spotting people who need help," Nohara Rin said gently with a smile as she walked between them with her hands behind her back.

With that little incident resolved, the four of them walked down the street together.

"There are so many people. How about it, Kakashi? Want to compete and see who can get through the crowd faster?" Might Guy asked as he looked at the densely packed street.

"I respectfully decline." Kakashi refused decisively, leaving Might Guy not the slightest room for hope. This kind of challenge was far too stupid.

"There's an event being held on these streets today, so lots of people came," Nohara Rin explained.

Then Nohara Rin led the three of them to the event area. Vendors filled the entire street, lights shone brightly everywhere, and people in yukata walked along in groups.

"Look, these goldfish are so cute." Nohara Rin spotted a goldfish-scooping stall and smiled as she waved to everyone.

"Little miss, want to give it a try? One net only costs ten ryo," the stall owner tempted her.

"Ten ryo..." Nohara Rin looked thoughtful. Ten ryo was nothing, but one net might not be enough. These paper nets tore far too easily.

"I'll try." Obito volunteered, stepping forward and handing the owner payment for one net.

Obito immediately set his sights on the most active and prettiest fish. After scooping at it two or three times, though, he hadn't caught the fish, while the net had already torn.

"Again!" Obito was not discouraged and tried once more, but still failed.

By the ninth attempt, Nohara Rin stopped Obito herself. "Let's forget it. We should go look around somewhere else."

Eighty ryo was enough to buy a bowl of ramen.

"But I've already tried so many times. I'm more skilled than before now, so wouldn't stopping be a huge loss?" Obito said hesitantly.

"I'll give it a try too." Having never played before, Might Guy rolled up his sleeves, preparing to use all his strength to catch a fish in one go.

Snap. The stick with the paper net tied to it broke outright.

"Let me do it," Kakashi said calmly. He handed the owner ten ryo and casually scooped up a goldfish in one try.

"Here." Kakashi handed the packaged fish from the owner to Nohara Rin.

Nohara Rin smiled happily. "Thank you, Kakashi."

Then she added, "And thank you too, Obito and Guy."

Obito, who had been wearing a miserable expression, instantly broke into a foolish grin as well.

After that, the four of them played all over the place, throwing Shuriken at targets, identifying the real body among clones...

Only after the number of pedestrians on the street had gradually dwindled did they prepare to buy takoyaki and head home.

"Kakashi, just wait and see tomorrow. I'll definitely take first place this time." Obito did not forget to make a bold declaration even as he took a bite of takoyaki.

"If you want the first-place prize, I can give it to you after I win it." Kakashi was surprisingly aggressive at the moment.

Their exchange of threats got Might Guy's blood pumping. If there were a youth taijutsu tournament, he would definitely invite Kakashi to have a proper match.

The next day was Sunday, so there was no school.

The competition would begin in the afternoon, and Obito spent the morning doing his final training.

The Youth Ninjutsu Tournament was held on a Shopping Street in Konoha's Main City Area.

Obito had heard that an elderly ninja shop owner had organized it to encourage Ninja Academy students. Later, seeing that it could draw crowds, everyone chipped in to hold it, and it had been held every year since.

"Obito, which Ninjutsu are you planning to use in the competition this time?" Nohara Rin asked.

"The Great Fireball Technique." Obito did not keep her guessing and told Nohara Rin directly.

"You're not using the Great Dragon Fire Technique you used during the Practical Exam?" Nohara Rin asked, somewhat puzzled.

The last time Obito had lost to Kakashi, he had used the Great Fireball Technique. Out of a full score of thirty, he had scored nine points lower than Kakashi.

"This time is different from last time. My Great Fireball Technique is really strong now!" Obito wore a confident expression. He believed his Great Fireball would absolutely stun everyone present.

"Mm, then I'll be looking forward to your performance." Nohara Rin smiled gently.

"Obito, do your best. As my eternal rival, that man won't be so easy to defeat," Might Guy said with his arms crossed, putting on an unfathomable expression.

"Do you want me to leave?" Kakashi, who had been silent at the side, finally spoke.

Why were they discussing how to beat him right in front of him?

"Kakashi, what Ninjutsu are you planning to use?" Nohara Rin immediately asked with a smile.

"I haven't decided. I'll just use something when the time comes. Maybe Earth Release: Mud Wall," Kakashi said after thinking for a moment.

He was not showing off, because he had mastered quite a few Ninjutsu. He really could use anything he wanted in this kind of competition.

Obito looked around and spotted quite a few familiar faces from the Ninja Academy, as well as two ninjas wearing forehead protectors.

"There are quite a lot more people than last time," Obito said, recalling the previous competition.

"Because the rewards have increased. This time, first place gets not only an exquisite silver-plated kunai, but also a prize of Eight Thousand Ryo," Nohara Rin said.

"Eight Thousand Ryo!" Obito's eyes widened, and he became even more determined to take first place.

That was Eight Thousand Ryo. Whether he wanted to treat Rin to a meal or buy her gifts, he would have plenty to spare.

"The competition begins. Please have Contestant No.1 come onstage and perform."