Obito's Late Arrival

"Kurenai, what's going on?"

He was anxious—completely anxious. Sarutobi Asuma hurriedly asked.

Yuhi Kurenai blinked, unable to understand why he was reacting so intensely.

They had not known each other for long, and being young and unaware, she had only ever treated him as a friend.

She had no idea how devastating her words had been—enough to make Sarutobi Asuma turn dark on the spot and become a clown.

"It's like this."

Yuhi Kurenai briefly explained what had happened.

After listening, Sarutobi Asuma trembled all over with rage in broad daylight.

The culprit was actually that old man of his?

He was a rebellious teenager now and did not want to live in Sarutobi Hiruzen's shadow, so the two of them did not get along very well.

"Asuma?"

Yuhi Kurenai spotted something odd and asked, "Why is your face so red?"

"Ah, it's nothing."

Sarutobi Asuma steadied himself, put on a smile, and said.

"We'll be late soon. Let's go."

Yuhi Kurenai did not think much of it and walked ahead.

Sarutobi Asuma followed behind her, his peripheral vision drifting toward Hikawa.

The corner of Hikawa's mouth twitched slightly.

Sarutobi Asuma had been staring at him the entire way, reminding him of a meme.

I'll stalk you forever... forever and ever...jpg.

"Asuma, I'm taking Hikawa to the teacher's office. Go back to the classroom first."

Once they arrived at the Ninja Academy, Yuhi Kurenai spoke.

"I can take him there!"

Sarutobi Asuma volunteered eagerly.

"No."

Yuhi Kurenai refused. "This is a task my father gave me."

"But..."

Sarutobi Asuma still wanted to argue, but Yuhi Kurenai had already taken Hikawa down another path.

No!

Watching the two of them leave, he subconsciously raised a hand.

That damned brat Hikawa!

Sarutobi Asuma's face was filled with grief and indignation.

The teachers' office.

Hikawa handed his admission notice to a young ninja.

According to Yuhi Kurenai's introduction, his name was Yamamoto Eiichiro, an ordinary chunin.

"Hikawa, welcome to Year 1 Class A."

Eiichiro closed the admission notice and said with a broad smile.

As a student personally approved by Sarutobi Hiruzen, he had no choice but to take him seriously.

"Thank you, sir."

Hikawa greeted him politely.

Eiichiro nodded slightly.

It seemed he was not a troublesome student.

"Kurenai, you can leave first."

Eiichiro explained, "I'll take Hikawa to the classroom."

"Alright."

Yuhi Kurenai gave Hikawa a meaningful look, then left without lingering.

"These are the first-year textbooks."

Eiichiro picked up a stack of books from the desk and said.

Hikawa counted them. There were seven books in total.

The top book was titled "Explanation of Chakra Concepts and Refinement Techniques."

"There are still a few minutes before class. Feel free to look around."

Eiichirō reminded him with a smile.

"Mm."

Since there wasn't much time, Hikawa briefly skimmed through the catalog.

"Ninja Tool Throwing," "Will of Fire," "Ninja Rules," "Konoha History," and so on—it had practically everything.

Hikawa remembered that experts in his previous life had analyzed the written portion of the Chunin Exams and found questions on English, chemistry, physics, and more.

Although graduating as a genin theoretically only required mastery of the Three Body Technique, the Ninja Academy actually taught quite a lot.

Ring ring ring.

The class bell rang.

"Let's go."

Eiichirō picked up a book and headed outside.

Hikawa hurriedly followed.

They soon arrived at First Year Class A.

Eiichirō walked up to the podium.

Hikawa waited by the door, but quite a few people had already noticed him, their curious gazes sizing him up.

Some of the girls even had green glints in their eyes, as though they would swallow him whole the next second.

Hikawa spotted Hatake Kakashi at a glance.

With that head of white hair and that strange mask, he was impossible to miss.

In the original work, he had graduated at five, become a chunin at six, and a jonin at thirteen—an absolute genius ninja.

In the future, he would become the disciple of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, as well as the team leader of Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke.

The seat to Hatake Kakashi's left was empty, while a little girl sat to his right. If nothing unexpected happened, she was Rin Nohara.

Her features were equally distinctive: short brown hair, a gentle face, and two purple markings on her cheeks.

The empty seat should belong to Obito Uchiha.

This future great villain, now like a rising sun, was currently a careless dead last.

"Ahhh!"

Just then, a Beast Senpai-esque scream rang out.

Hikawa instinctively turned his head and saw a little boy about his age.

He wore a sports jacket and sunglasses, his face flushed red as he charged forward with all his strength.

"Move!"

The little boy spotted him and hurriedly shouted.

Hikawa took a step back.

The little boy dashed into the classroom in a blur.

He tried to stop, but he had been moving too fast and had to brake several times before finally crashing to the floor in a sprawling fall.

"You're late again, Obito."

Eiichirō shook his head and said.

"Sorry, sensei."

Obito Uchiha climbed to his feet and explained, "I was delayed helping an old lady cross the street."

"Try a different excuse next time."

Eiichirō said helplessly.

"I'm telling the truth!"

Obito Uchiha hurriedly defended himself.

"Go back to your seat."

Eiichirō naturally didn't believe him.

Who helped old ladies cross the street every single day?

"Rin."

Obito Uchiha sat down and called out to Rin Nohara.

"Good morning, Obito."

Rin Nohara said softly.

"Hehe."

Obito Uchiha immediately broke into a foolish grin.

"Before class begins, there's something I need to announce."

Eiichirō tapped the lectern and spoke.

The room immediately fell quiet. The sharper students had already guessed it had something to do with Hikawa.

"Starting today, Hikawa will be attending class with us. Everyone, welcome him!"

After saying that, Eiichirō began to clap.

Applause filled the classroom, though some did not join in—Sarutobi Asuma, for example.

Watching Yuhi Kurenai clapping excitedly not far away, he felt his eyes sting with jealousy. I'm so jealous.

"This new student is pretty good-looking."

A little girl with short black hair sitting behind Rin Nohara couldn't help but comment.

"Rin, what do you think?"

Obito Uchiha looked alert.

Rin Nohara noticed his expression and hesitated for a moment.

She did think Hikawa was good-looking, but if she said so, Obito Uchiha would definitely be unhappy.

"Looks are useless. What matters is strength."

Hatake Kakashi said coolly.

"You smug bastard!"

The word "strength" struck a nerve with Obito Uchiha. "Once I awaken my eyes, I'll beat you until you're on your knees!"

He had always believed that Rin Nohara paid more attention to Hatake Kakashi because Kakashi was stronger.

"I think Kakashi is right!"

The energetic young man in a green jumpsuit sitting in the front row suddenly turned around, flashed his pearly white teeth, and gave a thumbs-up.

"Alright, now let Hikawa introduce himself."

Eiichirō raised a hand, cutting off their conversation.