Obito's Advance

Nebula Kotetsu asked with concern, "Rin, you seem a little distracted. Are you tired?"

"If you are, you can head home first. I can learn Medical Ninjutsu tomorrow."

"I'm fine." Rin Nohara answered briskly. "I was just thinking about something else."

"Nebula, let's get started. If you have any questions, you can ask me. Once I've answered them, I'll explain the rest."

"Okay." Nebula Kotetsu told her about how he had practiced suturing the day before. "I bought two chickens and brought them home..."

He left out the system and the Mystical Palm Technique, only describing how he had cut open and sutured the chickens. Rin Nohara listened patiently, explaining the key points of suturing to him from time to time.

Nebula Kotetsu also occasionally asked questions that went beyond the lesson.

The night grew deeper.

When the system displayed a notification that the date was complete, Nebula Kotetsu asked a few more questions, then suggested they continue next time.

Although he relied mainly on his looks to pursue girls, he also understood the simple wisdom of taking things one step at a time.

If he moved too fast, the next morning would only leave her feeling awkward. Better to stop while they were ahead, leave her with something to look forward to, and save what they hadn't finished saying for next time.

As he walked Rin Nohara home, something was happening elsewhere.

Obito Uchiha was undertaking a major mission.

After walking Rin Nohara home from school, he hurriedly finished dinner, then grabbed his backpack, some paper, and a pen and headed into Konoha's streets.

First, he opened his notebook.

It contained a long list of names and addresses, all painstakingly gathered with the help of his male classmates during school.

The notebook held not only names and addresses but also a carefully organized route, laying out his entire evening's work in clear order.

"Let's see. First is... a graduate from the class above me, Rika Riko, 32 Konoha Street."

"Dead-last's early ex-girlfriend."

That's right, the list contained information about Nebula Kotetsu's ex-girlfriends.

At Obito Uchiha's urging, the boys had all helped recall and inquire about them, gathering the names and addresses of more than twenty women.

And that was only the tip of the iceberg when it came to Nebula Kotetsu's ex-girlfriend alliance.

Looking at the names in his notebook, Obito Uchiha pictured Nebula Kotetsu's "evil" face.

He muttered angrily, "Damn Nebula Kotetsu."

"Today, I'm going to expose everything you've done."

"I'll make Rin see your true colors, you scumbag!"

Ten minutes later.

Obito Uchiha hurried to 32 Konoha Street.

Trying to contain his excitement, he knocked gently on the door.

"Knock, knock!"

"Is Rika-senpai home?"

"Rika-senpai?"

He was in luck. Not long after he called out, the door opened.

A woman a little older than him, slender and alluring, opened the door and gave Obito Uchiha a puzzled look.

"Who are you?"

"What do you want?"

Obito Uchiha introduced himself. "Hello, senpai. I'm Obito Uchiha, from the Ninja Academy. I'd like to ask you about something."

"From the Uchiha Clan?" Rika Riko furrowed her brow slightly.

The name didn't inspire much confidence among the people of Konoha. Still, seeing that he was only a student, she patiently asked, "What is it?"

Obito Uchiha said, "It's like this, senpai."

"I heard from someone that you used to be Nebula Kotetsu's girlfriend?"

Rika Riko's expression immediately turned cold. She gave a curt "Mm."

Obito Uchiha didn't notice her cold reaction. Instead, thrilled that he'd found the right person, he went on, "You've broken up now, right?"

Rika Riko's face darkened.

"What are you trying to ask?"

Obito Uchiha had been waiting for her to say that. He immediately asked the question he'd prepared in advance. "Rika-senpai."

"Could you tell me how terribly he treated you back then? Did he use you and then dump you? Sweet-talk you?"

"Please, I need more information."

A sharp glint flashed in Rika Riko's eyes.

It was a subject she had never wanted to bring up.

A year earlier, during graduation season,

she had been the one to break up with Nebula Kotetsu.

It was also one of the decisions she regretted most in her life.

Countless nights, she had tossed and turned.

She missed the tenderness she had lost.

She had even gone to Nebula Kotetsu, hoping they could get back together, but he had refused.

It had become a scar in her heart.

She had almost gotten used to it after all this time, and now some brat had come along, bringing up the very thing she couldn't bear to discuss.

"Senpai? Senpai?"

"Do you remember now?"

"Please tell me! I'll make sure to expose his despicable behavior!"

Rika Riko clenched her teeth and balled her delicate fist. A moment later, she couldn't hold back any longer and swung at him.

"Thump!" "Ow! Senpai, what was that for?"

Caught completely off guard, Obito Uchiha ended up with a black eye.

The door slammed shut in his face. "Bang!"

"Get lost!"

Obito Uchiha was on the verge of tears.

Faced with the tightly shut door, he could only rub his eye and trudge back.

"What was that about?"

"Who hits someone just because they don't like what he said?"

"So this is the kind of girlfriend Nebula Kotetsu had? She's nothing like Rin."

After grumbling for a while, Obito Uchiha began to reflect on his own behavior.

Had he said something wrong?

A moment later, he realized.

Maybe he should have been more tactful and avoided hitting a sore spot.

"Right, be tactful!"

"Then she'll definitely be willing to give me proof that Nebula Kotetsu is a scoundrel."

Encouraging himself, Obito Uchiha followed the order he'd planned in his notebook and went to the second address.

"Knock, knock!"

"Hello, is Mrs. Fujita home?"

Before long, a young married woman opened the door, eyeing Obito Uchiha warily.

"You are...?"

"Hello, I'm Obito Uchiha."

"I'm graduating from the Ninja Academy soon."

"Mrs. Fujita, here's the thing."

"I have an awkward question I'd like to ask you."

The young woman looked Obito Uchiha up and down. His unusual outfit and unremarkable appearance did little to interest her, and her tone was quite cool.

"You can ask. But you'd better think carefully about whether you should be asking that question. Otherwise, I might get angry, little boy."

Obito Uchiha couldn't help feeling a little indignant.

What did she mean, little boy?

I'm about the same age as your ex, Nebula Kotetsu... Oh, right! Nebula Kotetsu is two years older than me, and much taller and bigger, too.

Never mind, then.

I'll ask one question and leave. No point wasting time talking to you.

"Mrs. Fujita, lately I've heard a lot of women say that Nebula Kotetsu deceived them and played with their feelings."

"I also happened to hear that you spent some time with him. I wanted to ask, is there anything you'd like to tell everyone about that despicable Nebula Kotetsu?"