Stop Hitting Me

Near the edge of the woods.

Kakashi and Rin were still standing where they had been, looking thoroughly exasperated.

Obito and Baoguo's voices carried through the woods from far away.

Knowing Obito as well as they did, Kakashi and Rin naturally realized that his playful streak had flared up again, and he was using Hokoku Shimura for his own amusement.

"Kakashi, come on. Let's hurry after them and take a look before Obito really causes trouble."

Rin called to Kakashi, then hurried along the trail in pursuit of Obito.

"Right." Kakashi nodded and followed her.

Midori Nara paced in place, unsure whether she should chase after Baoguo and Mizuki or simply withdraw from the exam.

In the end, she followed Kakashi and Rin. "Hey! Wait for me..."

Elsewhere, Obito was chasing Baoguo, amusing himself by terrorizing him.

Baoguo was scared out of his wits, falling to the ground over and over, yet still desperately trying to escape.

Obito finally felt a flicker of pity at the miserable sight and decided to stop toying with him.

Bam!!!

Obito picked up speed, raised his foot, and drove it into Baoguo's back.

"Aah!!"

Baoguo screamed, stumbled, and fell to the ground.

Still, he was one of the outstanding talents among the Shimura Clan's younger generation.

The moment he fell, he did not waste time crying out in pain.

Instead, he rolled to his feet and took the opening stance of the Lightning Five-Strike Whip, preparing to strike back at Obito behind him.

But the instant he turned, his eyes met Obito's red gaze.

"Sharingan!"

As the tomoe spun, the Sharingan's genjutsu took effect.

Baoguo's eyes immediately went blank. He stood there stupidly, drool trickling from the corner of his mouth.

"Speak! Tell me everything that led to you being locked up a year ago!"

Obito gave Baoguo the order coldly.

Baoguo nodded woodenly, then opened his mouth and answered like an idiot:

"Yes... I was locked up because Uncle Danzo told me to take some responsibility for Root and help settle a few things down."

"What things, exactly?" Obito asked with a frown.

"I don't know. Uncle Danzo didn't tell me. He only said that once I got out, he'd give me some advanced ninjutsu and would even teach me personally..."

Upon hearing that, Obito knew he would get nothing more out of questioning Baoguo.

Danzo really had covered all his bases. He had not revealed a single detail about the attempt on Obito's life to Baoguo.

Even so, Baoguo's account alone was enough to prove that Danzo had indeed sent the assassins.

Baoguo had nothing to do with it.

The claim that Obito and Baoguo had a grudge, and that Baoguo had ordered Root operatives to kill Obito, was complete nonsense.

It was merely an excuse Danzo had concocted on the spot to evade responsibility.

Obito had every reason to believe that, given the Third Hokage's power and position at the time, he could not possibly have missed the crux of the matter.

Obito's suspicions had been right all along. The Third Hokage and that old bastard Danzo had been working in tandem.

"Heh... They really are a pair of shameless old bastards."

Obito gave a cold laugh.

And they still expected me to join the Anbu?

The Third Hokage did not treat others sincerely himself, so how could he expect Obito to serve him willingly and wholeheartedly?

It was better to stay far away from someone like that and have nothing to do with him.

Seeing that he could get nothing more out of Baoguo, Obito stopped questioning him.

He searched Baoguo and found the scroll he had been issued upon entering.

Baoguo had an Earth Scroll, the same as Obito's.

But Obito took his scroll anyway. He had no intention of leaving it with this shameless bastard.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Without holding back, Obito rained punches and kicks on Baoguo, venting his pent-up resentment on him.

Baoguo snapped out of the genjutsu after the first heavy punch.

But he could not fight back against Obito at all. He could only lie on the ground and scream, his howls carrying far into the distance.

"Aaaah!"

"Stop! Stop it! Please, stop hitting me! Don't hit me anymore!!"

"Aah! Ooh!"

Behind them, the exam participants who had followed to enjoy the spectacle saw Baoguo's miserable state, his face swollen and bruised, his mouth and eyes knocked askew.

Their faces scrunched up involuntarily, and they shook their heads with repeated sighs.

"That's brutal. Obito Uchiha is a complete maniac. He's already taken the guy's scroll, and he's still beating him that badly."

"Enough. Let's get out of here. Can't you see he's on a rampage? He might beat us up too..."

Having seen enough of the spectacle, they decided to leave.

One by one, the watching participants slipped behind the trees and quietly retreated.

They had no desire to provoke this Obito Uchiha.

If Obito Uchiha turned his attention to them and beat them up as well, watching the show would hardly have been worth it.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Just then, figures leaped along the branches behind Obito and came to a stop at his back.

It was Kakashi and Rin, who had caught up with him.

Farther behind, Midori Nara was supporting Mizuki as they slowly made their way over.

Mizuki had been groaning nonstop in his weakened state, but the moment Obito came into view, he was too frightened to take another step. He clung to a tree trunk and refused to come any closer.

Seeing how badly Baoguo had been beaten, Kakashi remarked, "You really don't hold back, do you?"

Obito snorted. "A beating is letting him off easy. That's what he gets for helping that old bastard Danzo do his dirty work."

Naturally, Kakashi and Rin knew about the Danzo Obito was referring to.

The three spent every day together. Aside from the things Obito had to keep secret, Kakashi and Rin knew about pretty much everything he had been through.

Rin stepped forward and pulled Obito back. "All right! That's enough, Obito. Stop messing around."

Obito leaned closer to Rin, gazed into her large eyes, and chuckled. "Rin, you're not mad at me anymore?"

With Obito's face so close to hers, Rin immediately blushed. A little embarrassed and annoyed, she pushed his shoulder.

She gave a soft huff. "Who said I was mad at you? You really are shameless."

Obito knew the little girl had probably calmed down by now.

Although he had barely tried to coax her, he could still tell from her mood.