Obito, Who Loved Being Late

Toru took the recommendation letter and found Kurenai and Asuma. The two of them had long been looking forward to the Chunin Exams as well.

The three of them went to register together and completed the process.

Soon, the day of the Chunin Exams arrived.

The first stage of the Chunin Exams was a written test, covering basic ninja knowledge and theoretical knowledge related to ninja missions.

The difficulty was moderate, so it was not difficult for Toru, Kurenai, and Asuma.

However, for the academic failure Uchiha Obito, it was like reading a heavenly book.

That was right. Team 7 was also participating in these Chunin Exams.

Since three people were required to participate in the Chunin Exams, Kakashi, who was already a Chunin, was forced to take the Chunin Exams again.

Toru noticed Obito scratching his head anxiously in the exam room.

Toru felt that this fellow clansman of his was still immature. He had already officially become a ninja, yet he was still the same as he had been at the Ninja Academy.

Even Might Guy, who had been the other half of the "crouching dragon and fledgling phoenix" duo with Obito at the Ninja Academy, had now become quite formidable. With Might Guy's persistent and hardworking nature, he had even caught up on his academic studies.

Inside the exam room, Hatake Kakashi was the first to finish, confidently handing in his paper and walking out.

Toru, who had already checked his paper countless times, handed his in as well, putting even greater pressure on the frantic Obito.

"Kakashi and Toru, those two guys finished so quickly, yet they didn't even help me." Obito silently complained that those two geniuses had not given a hand to a weakling like him.

Fortunately, a paper ball accurately rolled over from the front. Obito happily picked it up and discovered that Rin had thrown it over.

Obito was deeply moved, once again realizing how wonderful Rin was.

That afternoon, after the written test ended, the results were posted.

Toru, Kurenai, and Asuma all passed without surprise.

Rin and Kakashi had also passed, while Obito's score was near the bottom. He had passed as a reserve candidate.

"Awesome!" Obito jumped up excitedly.

Kakashi leaned against the wall with his arms folded and mocked, "A reserve pass. Just what I'd expect from Obito."

"What did you say?!" Obito immediately shouted angrily.

Rin stepped between them to mediate. "All right, stop arguing."

The three members of Team 8 beside them had long grown accustomed to Team 7 acting like this.

Toru felt that without Rin, this team would have fallen apart sooner or later.

"Now is not the time to celebrate. All successful candidates are to proceed immediately to the designated classroom. The briefing for the second exam is about to begin."

A stern-faced ninja came before them to announce the briefing for the second exam.

He was the proctor for the second exam.

"The second exam will take place in three days. This time, it will test practical skills. You must use all the taijutsu and ninjutsu you have learned to earn your qualification."

"This exam will be a team battle between classes."

Upon hearing the news, Obito and Kakashi of Team 7 started bickering again.

"Kakashi, don't hold me back!"

"I'll return those exact words to you."

The two looked ready to start arguing again.

Rin persuaded them again, "That's enough, you two."

When Rin saw that Obito had even stood up, she shot him a glare. Obito immediately backed down.

"Why is their relationship still like this?" Asuma asked Toru.

Toru shrugged. "No idea. I'm used to it anyway."

After speaking, Toru looked toward Obito.

"This guy... he really never grows up."

Three days later.

The exam arrived as scheduled.

This exam was held at Konoha's Forty-Fourth Training Ground, better known as the Forest of Death.

In a clearing within the Forest of Death hung a banner reading "Second Chunin Exam Class Battle." Beyond the clearing stood towering ancient trees that reached into the clouds.

Classes would face off in pairs, and whether they advanced would be determined by their overall performance.

Team 8 had drawn no ordinary opponent: a class personally instructed by one of the Three Ninja, Orochimaru.

Mitarashi Anko, Hyuga Tetsu, and Akamon Manabu.

Anko was Kurenai's best friend. The two being drawn into the same group to decide a victor was a kind of fateful arrangement.

On the field, the two groups stood facing one another.

Anko held a kunai and warned, "Kurenai, I won't hold back, so be careful."

Kurenai wore an equally serious expression. "I won't hold back either. You be careful too."

Toru used the Six Eyes to observe his opponents.

Mitarashi Anko was at Chunin level. Her strength was about equal to Kurenai's, but she was weaker than Asuma.

Hyuga Tetsu was roughly on Anko's level, while Akamon Manabu was somewhat weaker than Anko.

"Orochimaru's disciples aren't much after all."

Toru made his assessment inwardly, unaware that among the three, only Anko had earned Orochimaru's recognition. The other two were merely subordinates.

From beginning to end, Toru had never included himself in the comparison.

Because Toru's strength had long surpassed the scope of his peers.

The battle was on the verge of breaking out.

Kurenai faced Anko, Toru faced Hyuga Tetsu, and Asuma faced Manabu.

The groups clashed. Fearing friendly fire, neither side used large-scale ninjutsu.

Anko guarded against Kurenai's genjutsu as she fought her, leaving Kurenai unable to find an opening. The battle fell into a stalemate.

From the very start, Toru easily suppressed Hyuga Tetsu.

Asuma also suppressed Manabu.

Before long, Toru sent Hyuga Tetsu flying with a single Leaf Hurricane, crushing him through sheer taijutsu.

Immediately afterward, Asuma swung a heavy punch into Manabu's abdomen, robbing him of his ability to fight.

Seeing this, Anko tried to put up a desperate resistance and used the ninjutsu Orochimaru had taught her.

Shadow Snake Hands!

Anko summoned two winding snakes intertwined around each other and sent them at Kurenai.

But Kurenai was no pushover. She immediately formed a Rasengan and destroyed both snakes in one strike.

At the same time, Toru had already appeared behind Anko with a kunai in hand, wrapping an arm around her neck and pressing the kunai against her fair skin.

"Kurenai, you've gotten so strong." Anko raised her hands in surrender while praising her.

Kurenai smiled slightly and looked at Toru behind Anko. "It's thanks to Toru's help."

Toru then let go and said, "It was mainly because Kurenai took things seriously."

Seeing the two acting so in sync, Anko teased, "You two have made quite a bit of progress since graduating from the academy."

Kurenai's pretty face flushed slightly as she chided her, "Anko!"

Anko burst into laughter.

The result of this battle was obvious. All members of Team 8 advanced.

The cameras on the field were connected to a monitoring room.

Inside the monitoring room, Sarutobi Hiruzen, dressed in Hokage robes and wearing a Hokage hat, praised, "Shikaku, your instruction truly works. Uchiha Toru and Yuhi Kurenai have both become outstanding ninjas, and you have trained my disappointing son quite well too."

Standing behind the Hokage, Shikaku modestly said, "It was all their own effort. My instruction played only a small part."

Sarutobi Hiruzen said no more about the matter and instead asked another proctor behind him, Namikaze Minato, "Hatake Kakashi will be participating too, correct?"

"Yes, he's in the next match," Minato replied with a smile.

"Oh, I'm looking forward to it," Sarutobi Hiruzen said.

By then, Toru had already left the exam grounds.

It was currently afternoon, and there was still some time before dinner, so the three of them went home separately and planned to hold a celebration feast that evening.

As Toru walked down the road, he suddenly spotted a familiar figure.

Uchiha Obito was running down the street, clearly rushing toward the exam grounds.

However, when Obito saw an elderly man carrying a heavy pack, he stopped without the slightest hesitation and chose to help the old man carry it to the hospital.

"It's already getting late. Obito will probably be late again." Toru shook his head slightly. "But Obito really is kind. Such a personality is rare among the Uchiha, and even in Konoha."

Toru suddenly thought of the principle behind the Sharingan.

For someone as kind as him, if he encountered a drastic change, the shift in his emotional center might be even more intense.

Toru suddenly foresaw Obito's future potential and the tragic fate that might await him.

"If possible, it would be better if you never awakened the Sharingan."

Toru sighed inwardly.