Keep at It, Get Stronger

"Kakashi has been stubborn since he was little. I'm afraid he..."

Sakumo let out a long sigh.

Obito's heart tightened.

Had Sakumo already realized something?

A wave of helplessness washed over him.

He genuinely liked the gentle man before him, and he wanted to do something for him.

But right now, Obito had no influence and barely any strength.

All he could do, it seemed, was sigh to himself.

Obito looked Sakumo straight in the eye and said earnestly,

"White Fang, please take care of yourself. Don't give up."

Sakumo chuckled and said nothing more.

After practicing with Obito a little longer, he led him out of the training room.

In the living room.

Kakashi had just finished cleaning the kitchen and sat down on the sofa for a rest.

Then Sakumo came in and said,

"Son, it's time for little Obito to go. See him home, will you?"

Kakashi sighed inwardly.

He stood up, his face calm, and nodded.

"Of course, Father."

As he left, Obito said goodbye to Sakumo with a heavy heart.

"Goodbye, White Fang. Thank you for having me today."

The moonlight was pale, and a cold wind cut through the night.

The street that bustled with traffic by day was deserted at night.

The two boys' footsteps were the only sounds in the darkness.

Kakashi glanced at Obito beside him. In the end, he couldn't help asking,

"What did my father... say to you?"

Obito thought for a moment, then shrugged.

"He said you're too distant and need to make more friends. He asked me to look after you."

Kakashi gave a cold snort.

That did sound like his father. Besides, Obito probably wasn't smart enough to lie.

What on earth was his father thinking?!

He didn't need that idiot Obito looking after him!

Kakashi grumbled furiously in his head, but said nothing aloud.

Silence settled between them again.

Before long, they reached Obito's home.

Obito waved goodbye as naturally as could be.

"See you, Kakashi."

Kakashi gave a slight nod in reply.

Then he walked away without looking back.

Obito pursed his lips and muttered,

"Tch. What a cold guy."

He shook his head and called into the house,

"Grandmother, I'm home!"

Early the next morning.

Before the neighbor's rooster had even crowed, Obito climbed out of bed.

When there was no school, Obito never slept in.

"Hmm. What should I do today?"

As Obito wrestled with the question, the system presented him with three options.

[Option 1: No woman in your heart, and your draw becomes divine. Practice Iaijutsu ten thousand times. Completion reward: Iaijutsu (Proficient).]

[Option 2: Why practice swordsmanship? You're wasting time, just like Kakashi playing with eyeballs. Go play... Wouldn't spending time with Rin be better? Completion reward: Little Bird +0.1 cm.]

[Option 3: Women? Swordsmanship? I'm interested in neither. I just want to laze around at home. Completion reward: 0.01 Kaka Chakra.]

"Whew... Option three is out. I, Obito, rise with the rooster and never stop striving. Do I look like someone with no ambition?"

"Option two is tempting, but 0.1 cm? Is that 0.1 cm what I, Obito, lack? What I lack is..."

"Ahem. Anyway, if I want to get stronger fast, option one suits me best."

Obito made up his mind at once.

"Option one it is. I'll start practicing after breakfast!"

Grandmother was still asleep.

Obito ate some bread and drank a carton of milk.

Then he picked up Shadow Elegance, brimming with enthusiasm.

Following the techniques Sakumo had taught him, he began practicing Iaijutsu.

"Hasagi!"

"Death is like the wind—always by my side!"

"This blade grows fiercer with every strike... Uh, wait. Am I practicing with a sword?"

Two hours later.

Panting hard, Obito sheathed Shadow Elegance and collapsed onto the floor.

His arms felt as heavy as lead. He couldn't lift them at all.

Well.

For reasons he'd rather not explain, his voice was a little hoarse too.

"Man... Two hours, and I haven't even done a hundred."

"How long is ten thousand going to take me?!"

He sighed and groaned.

He felt burdened by pressures no one his age should have to bear.

Then again, looking at it another way, it wasn't so bad.

He was still young, after all.

He didn't need those two arms for anything special just yet.

The week's vacation flew by.

Obito went nowhere. He stayed home and practiced until he was miserable.

Seven days! Did anyone know what those seven days had been like for him?!

He'd nearly rubbed the skin off his hands, worked his shoulders into an ache, and worn his elbows so stiff they could barely rotate!

Yet despite all that hard work, he hadn't even reached a fifth of the target.

"Whew. That's enough for today."

Obito sighed and set Shadow Elegance down with trembling hands.

Then he dragged himself over to the bed and flopped onto it.

I've got school tomorrow. Better get to sleep early.

Just then, another set of choices appeared before his eyes.

[Option 1: Stay up all night and gain boundless power... or run yourself into the ground. Grind away, young man! Completion reward: Double your progress on the current task (Iaijutsu).]

[Option 2: Pretend you didn't see option one. Completion reward: Vision -1.]

Oh, come on!

So this is what it means to have a choice that isn't really a choice?

Obito shot upright like a dying man jolting awake and shouted that he could do it.

"I can do it!"

Grandmother's faint voice came from outside the room.

"Obito..."

Obito answered sheepishly,

"Sorry, Grandmother. Sorry! Please go back to sleep."

He raised his arm and picked up Shadow Elegance with a feeble grip.

Then he started another round of grinding.

The next morning.

With dark circles under both eyes, Obito trudged toward school, looking remarkably like a certain celebrity athlete.

"I'm so sleepy!"

"But with the doubled progress, I'm almost at four thousand now... Is this the joy of grinding all night?"

Yawning nonstop, he entered the classroom.

The moment he reached his seat, he slumped onto his desk and fell asleep.

"Snore... snore..."

He had no idea how much time passed.

A little girl's soft voice sounded by his ear.

"Obito, Teacher Kisuke is here. Wake up."

Obito rubbed his eyes and sat up, still groggy. His mind was blank.

Who am I? Where am I? Why am I so handsome...?

Kisuke Urahara strode briskly into the classroom.

Holding a report card high, he stood at the front of the room with a beaming smile.

"Class, I have good news for you."

He paused for effect before continuing.

"Our class average this time... ranked first in the year!"

The children cheered right on cue.

"Woohoo!"

Nagano Nami called out,

"Teacher Kisuke, when are you treating us to a big meal?"

Kisuke scratched his head, looking puzzled.

"A big meal? What big meal?"

The classroom erupted in jeers.

"Boooo!"

Even Kisuke's thick skin couldn't save him. He was mortified.

He really had planned to treat the children to a meal.

Unfortunately, his wife had flatly refused to fund it.

He did have a little money stashed away... but nowhere near enough.