The Useless White Fang

Nagano Nami attacked without any technique or strategy.

Kakashi shook his head slightly.

Forget it. Time to end this.

He hadn't won with a single blow earlier. That was more than enough consideration for Nami's pride.

Kakashi tilted his head, letting Nami's fist sail past.

Then he drove a straight punch forward and knocked Nami to the ground.

He had judged the force of that punch carefully.

It was just enough to put Nami down without causing any real injury.

Nami stumbled to the ground, looking dazed.

He seemed unable to accept that he had lost.

Seeing this,

Kakashi stepped forward and offered Nami a hand.

The girls erupted again.

"Ah, Kakashi's such a gentleman! I'm in love!"

"He's strong, handsome, and so polite... That's my husband for you!"

"Oh, get lost. Calling him your husband every chance you get? How shallow... He's my husband, okay?"

"Girls, let's not fight over a boy... You can all leave Kakashi to me. Hehe."

"Draw your blades, rivals! We'll settle this in a match!"

Obito listened from the sidelines, dumbfounded.

Whoa!

Girls in this world grow up way too fast.

Damn, I just had a bold idea!

Not sure whether it'd land me in jail in the Naruto world, though...

Just as Obito's thoughts wandered off,

an angry shout snapped him back.

"Cut the act! I don't need your fake sympathy!"

Nami slapped Kakashi's hand away and sprang to his feet.

One girl murmured in confusion,

"What's gotten into Nami today? Why's he treating Kakashi like that?"

Another girl sounded indignant.

"Exactly. Kakashi was clearly going easy on him the whole time."

"And now he's offering to make peace, but Nami's yelling at him? What's his problem?"

Even the teacher had seen enough.

"Nami, the match is over. Shake your classmate's hand and make up."

Nami had lost all reason.

Why?

Why were the teacher and everyone else taking that guy's side?!

His eyes bloodshot, he pointed at Kakashi and snarled,

"I can't stand that holier-than-thou look on your face!"

"What's the son of the useless White Fang got to be so proud of?!"

Obito's heart jolted.

He looked around.

Some people looked bewildered, with no idea what Nami meant.

But others wore strange expressions. They clearly knew something.

Obito noticed something else.

Those people all had some connection to ninja through their families.

Don't tell me...

An unpleasant thought crossed his mind.

Had word of the White Fang's failed mission

already spread through the ninja community?

This could turn ugly.

Rumors were like fires that started from nothing, then burned ever brighter.

They wouldn't die down until they had consumed that tragic hero.

As Obito wrestled with that thought,

the teacher's face darkened, and he spoke coldly.

"Enough, Nagano Nami!"

"You lost. Attacking your classmate personally will only make everyone look down on you."

Nami didn't stop.

"Teacher, what gives you the right to stop me?"

As if afraid anyone nearby might miss the White Fang's "glorious deeds,"

he raised his voice and addressed the crowd.

"The useless White Fang abandoned his mission to save a friend, causing the village enormous losses."

"As a member of Konoha, I have the right to condemn what he did."

"He dragged everyone down for his own selfish reasons. If that doesn't make him useless, what does?"

Kakashi began to tremble.

His eyes turned savage, like those of a beast ready to devour someone.

He wanted to teach Nami a lesson.

But remembering his father's warning, he forced down his anger.

Seeing Kakashi hold it all in,

Nami let out a satisfied breath. His mood had never been better.

Weren't you always so calm, so unbothered by praise or insult?

Always acting like you were the best there was?

Why stop now?

You're the son of a useless man like that. What do you have to be so smug about?

Then Nami noticed something else.

The girls who usually admired Kakashi now looked at him differently.

It felt wonderful!

Rin looked toward that lonely figure with concern.

"Kakashi..."

Guy wanted to say something in Kakashi's defense.

But words failed him, and he couldn't get a single one out.

The teacher gave a long sigh.

Sakumo had devoted half his life to the village.

And in the end,

some young brat had the nerve to judge him. It was...

A chill entered the teacher's eyes.

Nagano Nami, is it?

As long as I'm teaching here, you can forget about graduating.

"To think Kakashi's father actually... Don't you think?"

"Yeah, it really is..."

As the talk around him began to change,

Obito shook his head in disappointment.

He understood now why someone as brilliant as the White Fang had taken his own life.

Words could be terrifying...

His gaze at Nami grew steadily colder.

He lost because he wasn't good enough, and now he's stirring up this crap.

Damn it!

I'm done putting up with him. I'm taking him down!

Nami, meanwhile, was grinning as he indulged in his fantasies.

Kakashi would be a loser from now on. No one would like him anymore, right?

And who would the girls admire instead? Wasn't it obvious?

Naturally, it would be the great—

"Take this!"

A figure burst from the crowd.

A flying kick sent Nami hurtling away.

Nami scrambled up from the ground and turned back in disbelief.

"Obito, have you lost your mind? You dare attack me?"

Obito spat on the ground in contempt.

"You're the one who's lost it. A useless loudmouth like you thinks he can judge the White Fang?"

"He was serving this village before you were even born!"

Nami was struck speechless.

"I... You...!"

Obito picked his nose.

"What about me? What about you?"

"Oh, I know what you're trying to say. You're not smart enough to understand me, are you?"

"Why don't we just have a fight then, how about that, dead sparrow?"

With that,

Obito formed the Seal of Confrontation and gave Nami a challenging look.

Nami's young face twisted with rage.

It was bad enough when Kakashi humiliated me. Now you want a turn, Obito? Fine, let's fight!

You're a dead-last orphan. What makes you think you can take me on?

Nami didn't even bother forming a seal.

He lunged straight at Obito with a vicious grin.

Kakashi watched, bewildered.

Too much had happened today.

Precocious as he was, he struggled to take it all in.

The teacher stood to one side.

He watched without interfering.

Obito probably couldn't beat Nami.

But what if he did?

After all, Obito was number one at the unexpected.

Perhaps he really could teach Nami a lesson he'd never forget.

The teacher looked at Obito with a glimmer of hope.

Obito.

This is the first time I've put such high hopes in you.

Can you surprise me?

Rin clutched her skirt in her small hands.

She knew how skilled Obito was.

Even at his best, he couldn't beat Nami.

And Guy had just spent ages pummeling him...

Obito, you're being too reckless!

But the way he stood up for Kakashi just now was kind of cool...

As everyone watched with their own thoughts,

Nami's fist came crashing down toward Obito.