The Uchiha Clan Withdraws from School

The next day, Obito arrived at the Ninja Academy without being late for once.

"Eh? Obito, you actually weren't late today?" Rin Nohara's eyes widened, her face full of surprise. She looked at Obito Uchiha standing at the classroom door, her tone carrying a hint of disbelief.

"I got here early." Obito forced out a faint smile, his tone tinged with bitterness. Even seeing Rin Nohara could not lift the heaviness in his heart.

"What happened?" Kakashi keenly noticed that something was wrong with Obito's mood and immediately asked in a low voice. His gaze remained fixed on Obito, as though trying to see through his heart.

Obito had no intention of keeping it secret, and he wanted Kakashi's advice as well. So, he said with a bitter smile, "Uchiha Chuan withdrew from school. Our clan decided that all the students would withdraw with him."

"What? Uchiha Chuan is withdrawing from school? And all the Uchiha students are withdrawing too?" The classroom immediately erupted at Obito's words. Everyone who heard them was stunned and hurried over.

"So that huge cry for help from Uchiha Chuan the other day really meant something serious happened?" someone murmured, sounding speculative.

"My dad told me not to spend so much time around the Uchiha anymore, especially Uchiha Chuan," one student said quietly, sounding uneasy.

"My dad said the same thing," another student echoed, his face full of conflicted emotions.

Many students began discussing the matter in shock. They found that their fathers had told them not to play with Uchiha Chuan, yet in the end, Uchiha Chuan was the one who no longer wanted to play with them. The contrast made them feel rather uncomfortable.

"Hmph, it's good that all those evil Uchiha are withdrawing. The village won't stop functioning without the Uchiha." Asuma Sarutobi sneered disdainfully. He stood on the other side of the classroom with his arms folded, his face full of mockery.

Over the past few days, he had often seen his father return home looking troubled, cursing, "Those evil Uchiha, that damned Uchiha Chuan." Clearly, the one who had suffered that day had not been Uchiha Chuan, but his own father.

Although Asuma did not entirely agree with his father, his father was the Hokage and the strongest person in his heart. Only Kakashi's father, the White Fang of the Leaf, could compare to him. Therefore, Asuma felt deeply displeased and furious that Uchiha Chuan had caused even his father to suffer a loss.

Especially since he himself had suffered at Uchiha Chuan's hands too.

As soon as Asuma spoke, the classroom fell silent. Everyone looked at Obito, waiting for his response.

Obito silently looked at Asuma for a moment, and suddenly understood why the Uchiha were all withdrawing from school. At least the Uchiha had given him a choice, but Asuma apparently had not. Everyone's circumstances were different. How could they all be lumped together just because they were Uchiha?

Still, if they all withdrew, he would no longer be able to attend class with Rin. But if he did not withdraw with them, the pride of an Uchiha would not allow it.

He was an outlier among the Uchiha, yet also one of the Uchiha who most longed to awaken his Sharingan. After all, Uchiha with awakened Sharingan were really cool.

"Rin, if I withdraw from school, can I still come play with you?" Obito turned to look at Rin Nohara, his tone full of expectation.

"Of course." Rin Nohara smiled gently, her tone carrying quiet resolve. Although she realized Obito might be withdrawing from school, she still agreed sweetly. Just as she had always believed that Obito could become Hokage.

"Thank you, Rin." A faint smile finally appeared on Obito's face, and the heaviness in his heart eased slightly.

"Hey, Obito Uchiha, what do you mean? Are you withdrawing too?" Only then did Asuma react, his tone filled with anger. He strode up to Obito, cold hostility flashing in his eyes.

Obito did not answer. He merely gave Asuma a deep look before turning and leaving the classroom.

"Obito!" Rin Nohara watched his retreating back, worry flashing through her eyes.

"Class is about to start. Go back to your seats." After a brief silence, Kakashi spoke and dispersed the crowd. His tone was calm, but carried an unquestionable authority.

"Kakashi, are you supporting the Uchiha too?" Seeing this, Asuma grew even angrier. He turned and stared coldly at Kakashi, his tone accusatory.

"No. I just can't really judge it," Kakashi said flatly, sounding somewhat helpless. "After all, both you and Obito are my friends."

"Damn it, those evil Uchiha really did infect you too." Asuma became somewhat extreme, his tone full of anger. Having grown up influenced by such views, refusing to take either the village's side or the Uchiha's side already counted as favoring the Uchiha in his eyes.

Kakashi said nothing more and silently returned to his seat. He looked out the window, his heart filled with complicated emotions.

Even Obito had chosen to withdraw. Before long, Shitaka Sarutobi's office was practically trampled flat.

"Shitaka Sarutobi, my Uchiha Mion is withdrawing from school!"

"My Uchiha Tianling is withdrawing too!"

"My Uchiha Aotian as well!"

Inside Shitaka Sarutobi's office, members of the Uchiha Clan streamed in one after another, their voices urgent and resolute. They held withdrawal forms in their hands, their faces full of determination.

"Withdraw, withdraw! All of you can withdraw!" Shitaka Sarutobi sat behind his desk, his face carrying arrogance and disdain. With a wave of his hand, he said impatiently, "Didn't you want to withdraw? Take them and get your brats out of here!"

As he spoke, he handed the withdrawal forms to the Uchiha Clan members, his face full of mocking smiles. With the Third Hokage's permission, what did he have to fear? If the Uchiha wanted to withdraw, then let them withdraw. He wanted to see what tricks they could pull!

And so, including Obito Uchiha, every member of the Uchiha Clan withdrew from the Konoha Ninja Academy. The Uchiha Clan members held their withdrawal forms, their faces full of delight. Anyone who wanted to bully the Uchiha had another thing coming.