Chunin registration

"You tell the same lie every time. Can't you come up with a different excuse next time?"

Kakashi launched into a round of complaints.

"Who says I'm lying? Kakashi, you're seriously heartless."

Obito immediately felt aggrieved. It's not my fault an old lady spawns at every intersection.

Kakashi and Obito bickered almost every day.

Rin and Minato had long since gotten used to it.

"Obito, that's enough. I believe you." Rin tugged at Obito's arm with a helpless smile, her eyes narrowing.

Obito chuckled. As expected, sweet, kind Rin is the one who treats me best.

Minato stepped forward then, placing a hand on each boy's head, and said with a smile:

"Stop fooling around, both of you. Quiet down. I've got some good news to announce."

Obito and Kakashi were both left speechless.

Doesn't Minato-sensei know how rude it is to mess up someone else's hair?

Anticipation appeared on Rin's face. "Minato-sensei, what's the good news?"

Minato pulled three forms from the ninja tool pouch behind him and held them out to the three of them.

He said calmly, "This year's Chunin Ninja Exams will begin soon. I brought you the registration forms."

"I know Kakashi and Obito's abilities have long since surpassed Chunin level."

"Rin shouldn't have too much trouble with this exam either."

"So I imagine all of you should be able to pass without any problems."

The Chunin Ninja Exams were generally held once every three years.

By that schedule, it was indeed time for them to take the exams this year.

Just as Minato had said, Obito and Kakashi's abilities had long since surpassed Chunin level.

An exam like this posed no real difficulty for either of them.

Over the past year or so, Rin had also been influenced by Kakashi and Obito and trained diligently.

Her chances of passing the Chunin Ninja Exams should have been quite good too.

Rin studied the form carefully, confusion appearing on her small face, then looked at Minato and asked:

"Minato-sensei, didn't Kakashi pass the Chunin Ninja Exams a long time ago? Why does he have to take them again?"

Minato said, "Here's the thing. Konoha's Chunin Ninja Exams require a three-person team to participate together. You can't enter if you're missing a member."

"To support you and Obito, Kakashi will also take these Chunin Ninja Exams as a member of Team 7."

Obito patted Kakashi on the shoulder. "Congratulations, young man. You get to retake the exam."

Kakashi rolled his eyes. "You're seriously boring. Don't come to me with this pointless nonsense."

Obito shook his head and complained to Minato, "Minato-sensei, just look at him. He's so cold. How is a team like this supposed to work together and pass the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Minato naturally knew that Obito and Kakashi were just fooling around.

Over the past year or so, Kakashi had indeed changed considerably from the cold boy he used to be.

At the very least, Kakashi's attitude toward the other three members of Team 7 had changed a great deal.

Despite how often Kakashi bickered with Obito, they spent every day together, and their relationship was actually quite good.

Minato shook his head. "Stop messing around, you two. Hurry up and fill out the forms properly. I'll hand them to Lord Third, and then you can take some time off."

Rin asked, "Time off? Minato-sensei, do you mean we won't have to carry out any more ninja missions in the days before the Chunin Ninja Exams?"

Minato nodded. "Of course. I have faith in your abilities. Isn't Obito always complaining that low-rank missions are dull and tedious? Starting today, you won't have to do them."

Obito wasn't the only one pleased by the news.

Kakashi and Rin felt the same way.

After all, missions like picking up trash, babysitting, and harvesting watermelons were basically just chores and farmwork.

They really were boring.

They would have been better off spending that time training and improving their abilities.

But those missions were part of the process, so they had no choice but to carry them out.

Obito took out a pen and quickly filled in his registration details.

Suddenly, as though he had remembered something, Obito muttered inwardly:

I wonder if copying Minato-sensei now would get me anything good?

Over the past year or so, Obito had used his copying ability on Kakashi and Minato many times.

It was worth mentioning that the system's copying ability was extremely powerful.

It could copy not only Ninjutsu, but chakra attributes as well.

Most of what Obito had copied from Kakashi had been Lightning Release chakra attribute points.

However, like his Sharingan's eye power value, these Lightning Release chakra attribute points were copied in increments.

[Lightning Release chakra: (115/200)]

Those 115 points represented the Lightning Release chakra attribute Obito currently possessed.

Once he copied enough to reach 200 points, Obito would be able to use a third release besides Fire Release and Earth Release: Lightning Release.

Obito checked the remaining copying attempts on the system panel. He still had three.

Without hesitation, he used one on Minato.

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have copied Minato Namikaze's Ninjutsu: Shadow Clone Technique.]

Shadow Clone? Not bad, but I'm more interested in Flying Thunder God.

Obito nodded in satisfaction and used his copying ability on Minato again.

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have copied Minato Namikaze's Ninjutsu: Rasengan.]

[Ding! Congratulations, host. You have copied a small amount of Minato Namikaze's earth-nature chakra. Earth-nature chakra +10.]

Earth-nature chakra?

Obito looked utterly baffled. I already have earth-nature chakra. Why give me this...?

Still, obtaining the Shadow Clone Technique and Rasengan left Obito fairly satisfied.

"All right! You're all dismissed! I'll be going now!" Minato had already collected the completed forms.

"Goodbye, Minato-sensei." Obito and Rin waved together.

Kakashi also gave an impassive nod.

Minato activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and vanished instantly.

"Kakashi, Rin, let's find somewhere to train," Obito said, looking at the two beside him.

Kakashi glanced at Obito and shook his head. "No. You two can train together. I need to keep developing my new technique. I can't let you know about it."

Obito rolled his eyes at that.

Isn't that stupid new technique of yours just Chidori? What's there to hide?

I've known about it for ages. I just haven't exposed you.

After saying that, Kakashi walked off with effortless nonchalance, without waiting for either of them to reply.

Obito turned to Rin. "Rin, let's go, then."

Rin smiled, her eyes narrowing. "Sorry, Obito! I can't train with you either. I need to go back and help at the shop today."

Obito immediately felt dejected and sighed. "Even you won't keep me company."

Rin stepped closer and reached up to pinch Obito's cheek. "Obito, don't say that. It's not that I don't want to train with you. Mom needs to go to the hospital today, so I have to go back and look after things. See you."

Seemingly realizing that her gesture had been a little too intimate, Rin quickly withdrew her hand.

A blush spread across her small face, and she turned and jogged away.

Watching Rin leave, Obito smiled.

She's such a funny little girl. She flirted with me, then got so embarrassed herself that she ran away.