Obito's Jealousy

"Mr. Umino Iruka, can't we do more actual combat training? We're becoming ninja, not running for our lives."

Many of the students complained bitterly.

Compared to plain, unremarkable physical training, they preferred one-on-one fights.

At least then, they could earn everyone else's cheers.

"Hey, Kakashi, it's time for my favorite part again!"

Might Guy flashed his gleaming white teeth and gave a thumbs-up.

"Want to have a blazing clash of youth with me?"

"..."

Kakashi wore a scarf and glanced at Might Guy's green bodysuit.

Seeing Might Guy strike strange poses from time to time, he only wanted to wash his eyes out.

He had no idea why his father, Hatake Sakumo, had warned him that Might Guy would surely become a worthy opponent someday. Right now, he only found it ridiculous.

"If you don't start running, you'll fall behind."

Kakashi started running.

"Kakashi, here I come!"

Might Guy immediately caught up with Kakashi.

"Kakashi is as handsome as ever."

Many of the girls watched Kakashi run, feeling less tired just by looking at him.

Rin Nohara also secretly watched Kakashi, trying her best to keep up with his pace.

"Can you keep up?"

Kakashi asked flatly.

"I can."

Rin Nohara nodded.

Obito was at the very back. Seeing Rin chatting with Kakashi as though no one else existed, he gritted his teeth and sped up, running ahead to block Rin's view.

"Kakashi, aren't you running too slowly?"

Obito put on a relaxed expression.

"Idiot."

Kakashi only found Obito foolish. They had only run a few laps, yet Obito had suddenly disrupted his own rhythm to match everyone else's pace.

Later on, he would inevitably run out of Physical Energy.

Kakashi shook his head and continued running forward.

"That's... Kiyoshi Uchiha."

Kakashi's gaze sharpened.

While chatting with the others, he turned around and suddenly found that Kiyoshi had already made it into the leading group.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Kakashi felt that Kiyoshi seemed to be running more easily the longer he went.

For the remaining laps, Kakashi kept observing Kiyoshi.

In the end, even after finishing, Kiyoshi had barely broken a sweat.

While everyone else panted heavily and rested, Kiyoshi took out a small notebook and read it.

This performance caught Umino Iruka's attention.

Then he remembered Kiyoshi's background.

"The Land of Lightning."

He recalled those Kumogakure ninja famed for their Nintaijutsu.

It was only natural for Kiyoshi to have better Physical Energy than the others.

Neither the Senju Clan nor the Uzumaki Clan was as famous for Nintaijutsu as the ninja of the Land of Lightning.

"Aren't you tired?"

Kakashi came over and asked.

He was curious how someone as slender as Kiyoshi could possess such endurance in long-distance running.

"I'm fine."

Kiyoshi took a drink from the water bottle he had prepared in advance. With Chakra, ninja were much stronger than ordinary people, and long-distance running was no exception.

After taking a sip, Kiyoshi looked at Kakashi.

This was the genius who had developed the S-rank ninjutsu Lightning Cutter at the age of twelve.

The Sharingan Obito had given Kakashi had instead hindered his growth.

In the official novel Kakashi Hiden: Lightning in the Icy Sky, after Hatake Kakashi lost his Sharingan, he soon developed a new Lightning Release ninjutsu that did not rely on the Sharingan and could be activated without hand seals.

It was Purple Lightning, a replacement for Lightning Cutter.

"Kakashi, aren't you even more outstanding?"

Kakashi ranked first overall in their year, so naturally, Physical Energy was not one of his weak points.

"Kiyoshi, so you're one of those who burn with the flames of youth too!"

Might Guy ran over, his bowl-cut hair swaying in the wind.

"No, I'm just training."

Kiyoshi pointed at his slender body, then paused before saying,

"If I become a ninja in the future, this alone won't be enough."

"That's true."

Might Guy nodded in agreement.

Beneath his bodysuit, Might Guy had long since built a powerful physique.

Kiyoshi really did need more training.

"Kiyoshi is so hardworking."

Rin Nohara wiped away her sweat and walked over.

A thin sheen of sweat glistened across Rin Nohara's fair skin, lending it a touch of softness.

"My posture should have looked cool enough, right?"

Having disrupted his pace earlier to block Kakashi from Rin Nohara's sight, Obito was exhausted during the final few laps.

Everyone else had finished running, leaving only him still on the track.

With weak, dragging steps, he finally completed the last lap.

He looked around for Rin Nohara.

As long as Rin Nohara could see how hard he had worked, being tired was worth it.

"Rin..."

Obito spotted Rin Nohara's back to his left. He had only taken a few steps toward her, intending to greet her, when he saw several people standing in front of her.

Might Guy was automatically ignored.

There was his archrival, Kakashi.

And that annoying guy from the Land of Lightning.

"Rin Nohara, can I trouble you to teach me ninjutsu again today? I already have a basic understanding of tree-climbing training, and I want to learn an E-rank ninjutsu as soon as possible."

Hearing this, Kakashi looked at Rin Nohara in confusion.

Yesterday, his father had needed him at home, so he had left earlier than usual.

So Rin Nohara had taught this transfer student how to climb trees yesterday?

Kakashi thought to himself.

"Of course. That way, Kiyoshi can adapt to the training here sooner."

Rin Nohara nodded.

In front of Kakashi, she naturally had to show her gentle and kind side.

Their conversation reached Obito's ears.

"Why is it that guy again?"

Obito stopped walking and clenched his fists.

He barely had any time alone with Rin. Most of the time, it was Kakashi, Rin, and himself together.

Yesterday, he had only joined them after shamelessly forcing his way in.

If he had not joined them, wouldn't they have been alone together?

His grandmother had told him that Kiyoshi's parents had died on the battlefield long ago.

And at that time, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Fire had been at war.

That guy was from the Land of Lightning too.

And he was always hanging around Rin.

Obito could tolerate other things, but when it came to Rin Nohara, he could not.

As for Kakashi, he more or less acknowledged Kakashi's strength and regarded him as both a romantic rival and a good classmate.

But why was a newcomer attracting Rin's attention too?

"What's wrong, Obito?"

Asuma Sarutobi sucked on a lollipop and noticed that Obito did not look well.

"Nothing."

Obito waved his hand.

Seeing that, Asuma Sarutobi did not press the matter.

He and Obito were not particularly close. He had only asked casually.

"So it's Rin."

Following Obito's gaze, Asuma Sarutobi immediately understood why he was acting this way.

Obito was always fawning over Rin, and the whole class could see what was going on.

"Tch."

Asuma Sarutobi did not think much of Obito's bootlicking behavior. How could a grown man be so pathetic?

He headed in another direction with a smile and said,

"Kurenai, are you tired? I have some candy here..."