The Hokage Competitors Are the Late Duo

The next morning, on the streets of Konohagakure.

"Oh no, oh no, oh no!"

A black figure burst out of an alley, startling several cats basking in the sun by the roadside into scattering. One of them even puffed up its fur, let out a "meow," and scrambled up a nearby utility pole.

Obito Uchiha, five years old, a man destined to become Hokage, was currently facing the biggest crisis of his life.

He was going to be late for school.

"I'm so dead," Obito wailed as he sprinted, "Teacher Ibuki already scolded me yesterday. If I'm late again today, I'm completely finished."

Then, the image of Teacher Ibuki's face, black as the bottom of a pot, flashed in his mind.

And that jerk Asuma, if he was late today, he'd definitely be laughed at by him.

Obito gritted his teeth, his short legs pumping furiously.

Ahead, an old woman with white hair was bent over, struggling to pick up scattered vegetables and fruits from the ground. It looked like her basket had overturned, and tomatoes, cucumbers, and apples had rolled everywhere.

Obito's steps faltered. He looked at the old woman, then at the road ahead. The gates of the Ninja Academy were still far away.

The sun had already risen high.

"Damn it," Obito gritted his teeth and braked sharply. "Grandma, let me help you."

The old woman looked up and saw a little boy, sweating profusely, squatting down and quickly putting the vegetables on the ground back into the basket.

"Oh, thank you, child."

"It's nothing, it's nothing," Obito said, stuffing the last tomato into the basket. He stood up and was about to run. "Grandma, I have to go, I'm going to be late."

"Wait, here, this is for you." The old woman took a red apple from her basket and put it into his hand. "Thank you for your help, good child."

Obito stared at the apple in his hand, stunned for a moment.

"Thank you, Grandma!"

Then he turned and ran, his legs pumping again.

But time waits for no one, and the sun climbed higher and higher.

Obito's heart grew colder and colder.

It's over, it's over, it's really over this time!

Then, Obito saw a figure ahead.

Red Top, Yellow Shorts, carrying a Schoolbag, was walking slowly.

Obito's face instantly fell.

No way...

"Shin Nohara!" Obito let out a mournful cry, his sprinting speed increasing a few notches.

Hearing the shout, Shin-chan turned his head, raised his hand, and revealed his signature Bright Smile: "Obito, good morning."

His tone and demeanor made it seem as if they had met by chance in a park, not as if they were racing against time on the way to school.

Obito rushed to his front, panting like an ox: "We're going to be late, hurry up and run!"

Shin-chan blinked: "Late? But the sun has just risen."

"The sun rose long ago, you woke up too late!"

"But I left at the same time yesterday too."

"Then you were late yesterday too!!!"

Shin-chan tilted his head, thought for a moment, and nodded: "It seems so."

"Stop thinking, hurry up and run." Obito grabbed Shin-chan and charged forward.

Finally, the gate of the Ninja Academy appeared in sight.

"Quick, quick!" Obito desperately accelerated, "There's still hope."

Pulled by him, Shin-chan felt like he was about to fly.

The two of them rushed through the school gate, through the corridor, and to the classroom door.

Everyone in the classroom turned their heads, looking at the two panting figures at the doorway.

Asuma was the first to laugh, his mouth splitting wide.

Teacher Ibuki stood on the podium, having just put down his chalk. He looked at the two panting figures at the doorway, his eye twitching.

"Shin Nohara, Obito Uchiha."

"Here." The two responded simultaneously.

"What time is it now?"

Obito lowered his head: "Eight ten."

"When did the school bell ring?"

"Eight o'clock."

"How late are you?"

Obito's voice grew softer, as small as a mosquito's buzz: "Ten minutes."

Teacher Ibuki took a deep breath, then his gaze fell on Shin-chan.

"Shin Nohara."

"Here."

"You said yesterday you'd come earlier today. What happened?"

Shin-chan blinked: "What happened is, I'm still late."

"..."

Someone in the classroom couldn't hold back a laugh and quickly covered their mouth.

Teacher Ibuki's eyebrows twitched. He took another deep breath, trying to calm his tone: "Yesterday's homework? Your thoughts on the Will of Fire, three hundred characters."

Shin-chan's eyes lit up: "I wrote it, I wrote it."

He then pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

Teacher Ibuki took the paper, unfolded it, and his expression completely froze.

The paper was filled with writing.

But it was only one sentence.

The Will of Fire is not eating Chinjao.

The Will of Fire is not eating Chinjao.

The Will of Fire is not eating Chinjao.

A full thirty lines.

Every single line was the same.

Teacher Ibuki's hands were trembling.

"Shin Nohara."

"Here."

"What is this?"

"My thoughts on the Will of Fire," Shin-chan blinked his eyes. "I wrote thirty sentences, ten characters each, totaling three hundred characters."

Teacher Ibuki's forehead twitched with a cross, suppressing his anger. "I said three hundred characters, not thirty identical sentences! This isn't a reflection at all!"

"But Teacher, you said over three hundred characters yesterday, you didn't say I couldn't write the same thing," Shin-chan blinked his eyes. "Are thirty sentences not okay?"

Teacher Ibuki's mouth twitched.

"And," Shin-chan continued, "what I wrote is the truth. The Will of Fire is not eating green peppers. To protect myself from not eating green peppers, to protect others who don't eat green peppers..."

"Enough!"

Teacher Ibuki slammed the paper onto the podium, making the entire classroom shake.

Everyone shrunk their necks.

Shin-chan also shrunk his neck.

"Shin Nohara," Teacher Ibuki pointed a finger outside the door. "Go out and stand as punishment."

Shin-chan blinked his eyes. "Stand as punishment?"

"Yes, until the end of the first class."

Shin-chan looked outside, then at Teacher Ibuki, and mumbled softly, "But it's so boring outside..."

"Get out!"

Obito stood nearby, watching this scene. He could only shrink his neck, trying to lower his presence, and prayed inwardly: Don't look at me, don't look at me, don't look at me...

Shin-chan sighed and slowly walked towards the door. When he reached it, he looked back at Obito.

"Obito, aren't you coming?"

Obito's heart skipped a beat.

Teacher Ibuki's gaze fell on him.

"Obito Uchiha."

"Here."

"You're also late."

Obito lowered his head.

"Go out and stand as punishment together."

Obito dejectedly walked to the door and stood side-by-side with Shin-chan.

The classroom door closed behind them, and the hallway fell silent.

Teacher Ibuki stood on the podium, his chest heaving.

He looked at the paper filled with "The Will of Fire is not eating green peppers" and suddenly felt like a failed teacher.