Running into Baoguo again

Might Guy realized that he really ought to become lifelong best buddies with Kakashi instead.

It was as though some unseen force was guiding him, urging him to seek out Kakashi for a lifelong rivalry.

Seeing that Kakashi, whom he had chosen as his best buddy, had been left speechless with anger by Obito, he sprang into action.

Might Guy hurried forward and gave Kakashi a friendly pat on the shoulder to comfort him.

Might Guy raised a thumb, his gleaming white teeth flashing with golden light:

"Kakashi, it's all right. You still have me. I'll always be your very best friend."

Kakashi gave Might Guy a cold look. "I never agreed to be your friend. Please stop getting carried away."

Might Guy looked as though he had been struck by lightning. He clutched his head, tears streaming down his face. "NO! Damn you, Kakashi! Why do you have to be so heartless?"

Watching from the sidelines, Obito shook his head and sighed. It seemed that if Might Guy wanted to pursue Kakashi...

No, if Might Guy wanted to become Kakashi's closest friend, he would have to put in a lot more effort.

Yet as Obito laughed and chatted with his arm around Kurenai, he forgot to consider Rin Nohara's feelings behind him.

Rin Nohara quietly stepped back a few paces. Looking at Obito and Kurenai's backs, she shook her head, a flicker of hurt and loneliness passing through her eyes.

While they were chatting away, three tall ninja taking part in the exam were furtively scanning their surroundings nearby, constantly sizing things up.

All three stood around six feet tall and appeared to be about twenty years old.

They were clearly among those who had taken the Chunin assessment several times without passing.

"It looks like this year's candidates include someone with the Hyuga's Byakugan, as well as someone with the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan."

"That's right. Lord Raikage has had us working undercover for years to seize the Hyuga's Byakugan and the Uchiha's Sharingan. This time, we won't fail."

"Don't get careless. Let's wait until we're inside the exam grounds. That's the only place we can act without being discovered."

Soon, the ninja serving as chief examiner for the second round arrived and began explaining its rules to the candidates.

The general setup was the same as in the original story.

Each three-person team would be issued one scroll.

There were two types: the Heaven Scroll and the Earth Scroll.

After entering the Forest of Death, they had to obtain both a "Heaven" and an "Earth" scroll.

Only once all three members of a team successfully reached the Central Tower in the Forest of Death could they proceed to the matches in the third round.

Although there were no restrictions on how they seized the scrolls, and any method was permitted, there was a limit in practice.

Since this was an internal Konoha assessment, nobody would actually kill anyone. At most, they would probably inflict serious injuries.

That was the biggest difference between Konoha's internal assessment and the exams where ninja from neighboring villages came to Konoha to participate.

Besides, there weren't many candidates taking part.

Once they reached the Central Tower, the winners of the one-on-one matches would qualify as Chunin.

They were at war, so everything was kept as simple as possible.

Most of those who passed the Chunin Ninja Exams would be sent onto the battlefield to reinforce the front lines.

"Kids! The second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams begins now! You can stay inside for no more than three days."

"If you haven't obtained both scrolls and reached the Central Tower by this time on the third day, you'll be eliminated and have to wait for the next Chunin assessment."

As the chief examiner finished speaking, things began moving.

The ninja in green flak jackets waiting around the perimeter stepped forward, each leading a team of candidates toward a different entrance along the edge of the Forest of Death to begin the exam.

The main reason for splitting everyone up and having them enter from different locations was to prevent fighting from breaking out as soon as they entered.

Otherwise, the whole point of surviving in the Forest of Death would be lost.

As for why they had been given three full days, that was because the Forest of Death covered such a vast area.

Finding opponents, seizing their scrolls, and then safely reaching the Central Tower would take quite some time.

Creeeak...

The large iron gate in the wire fence swung open.

Obito, Kakashi, and Rin walked into the Forest of Death side by side.

Kakashi asked, "Should we come up with a battle plan?"

"No need, right? Those guys aren't any threat to us. We can just stroll right in." Obito shook his head.

Kakashi was speechless for a moment. "That may be true, but if anyone else hears you say that, you'll have everyone up in arms."

As they talked, the three of them entered the woods.

Ever since they had been outside, Rin had barely spoken. She simply walked with her head lowered, as though something was weighing on her mind.

Naturally, Obito had noticed all of this.

He had also realized that the young girl might be feeling jealous over what was going on between him and Kurenai.

After all, Obito and Rin had maintained a good relationship over the past year or so.

And Obito could tell that Rin had feelings for him.

"Rin, are you thirsty? Want some water?"

Hoping to cheer Rin up a little, Obito chose a rather awkward conversation starter.

Rin shook her head. "I'm not thirsty. Drink it yourself."

Obito continued with another clueless question. "Not thirsty, huh? Then do you want a rice ball to get some energy back?"

"No, Obito. I don't feel like talking right now. Stop bothering me."

Rin gave Obito a look tinged with complicated emotions, then turned and walked over to the other side, leaving Kakashi between them.

Obito felt helpless. The young girl was upset.

But with Kakashi there, he couldn't go too far in trying to comfort her.

Rustle, rustle, rustle...

Suddenly, a dense patch of bushes ahead began to shake.

Kakashi's expression sharpened with vigilance, and he reached back to grip the hilt of the short sword on his back. "Careful. Something's wrong."

Rin and Obito quickly stopped as well, drawing kunai from their ninja tool pouches.

Without another word, Obito flicked his hand and hurled his kunai toward the bushes.

The kunai's blade sliced through branches and plunged into the undergrowth.

But a few seconds before it reached its target, three figures had already darted out of the bushes. Holding kunai, they watched Obito's team warily.

All three were familiar faces: Mizuki, Hokoku Shimura, and Midori Nara.

At the sight of them, Obito couldn't help letting out a mocking laugh:

"Oh! I was wondering who it was. Isn't this the Shimura Clan's little young master Baoguo, and Mizuki the bootlicker?"

Ever since Obito had defeated him, Hokoku Shimura had held a grudge.

But when he later sent his family's subordinates to bully Obito, they had been beaten up instead.

And after even three elite ninja from Root had died at Obito's hands, things changed.

Hokoku Shimura had become genuinely afraid of Obito and had never dared provoke him again.

Baoguo watched Obito warily, his eyes full of panic. "Obito Uchiha, what do you want? Don't forget the exam rules. You can't kill anyone."