"Hahahahaha..."
At the sight, thunderous laughter erupted all around.
Hearing the laughter, Obito flushed bright red, looking like an overinflated chili pepper as his teeth ground audibly.
He had not lied. His skills really had not been this poor when he practiced shuriken throwing in the clan grounds before. He just did not know why every single throw had missed today.
"All right, Obito, I know you didn't perform at your best today, okay? Be good and go wait over there. Next, Uchiha Gen."
After speaking softly to Obito Uchiha as though coaxing a child, Sarutobi Ichino resumed calling names.
Holding the roster, Sarutobi Ichino turned his gaze to Uchiha Gen.
In the shuriken assessment, aside from the outlier Obito Uchiha, almost every Uchiha ninja could earn full marks.
So all he needed to watch was Uchiha Gen's proficiency in coating them with chakra.
Uchiha Gen stepped forward and picked up the specially made training shuriken at the side.
Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack! Clack!
With a flick of his hand, five shuriken flew out at once. Several crisp sounds rang out, followed by five dull thuds as all five shuriken lodged firmly in the wooden target.
All five were aligned in parallel, with nearly identical spacing between each one.
Shuriken throwing?
The Uchiha held absolute authority in that field. Well, except for Obito.
Just as I thought, Obito was the exception.
Looking at the shuriken in the wooden target, Sarutobi Ichino nodded knowingly. He glanced at Obito Uchiha, whose face practically said, "Why can he do it?" and could not help the corners of his mouth lifting.
So it wasn't a problem with my teaching ability.
"Uchiha Gen, full marks in both categories. Next, Asuma Sarutobi."
"Six points for shuriken throwing, three for chakra coating. Next, Hyuga Hui."
"What the hell? This Uchiha guy is such a show-off. If he can get full marks, why doesn't he graduate early like that guy Kakashi? Hah, just what you'd expect from an Uchiha. Disgusting."
After hearing his scores, Asuma Sarutobi could not help curling his lips and speaking with a disgruntled expression.
Having his own scores announced right after someone earned full marks in both categories grated on Asuma Sarutobi no matter how he listened to it.
Asuma Sarutobi spoke extremely loudly, making no attempt to conceal his words.
As a result, most of the people on the training ground turned their attention to Uchiha Gen.
"You bastard, what's that supposed to mean? Looking for trouble? If you want a fight, I'll fight you! Your great lord Obito happens to have a belly full of anger right now!"
Yet before Uchiha Gen showed any reaction, Obito Uchiha, who had still been questioning his life at the side, strode up to Asuma Sarutobi, grabbed his collar, and snarled.
"Pah, a dead-last like you? Go play with your shuriken, you zero!"
With his collar clutched in Obito's hand, Asuma Sarutobi spat and snapped back, his face full of disdain.
"Has anyone ever told you that you're really quite stupid? Though I suppose it doesn't matter. With your status as the Hokage's son, you could live well even if you were an idiot."
With no intention of relying on anyone else, Uchiha Gen walked forward and pulled Obito Uchiha away, then looked at Asuma Sarutobi's defiant expression and spoke mildly.
"Bastard! Do you have a death wish?!"
At those words, Asuma Sarutobi, who hated being called the Hokage's son more than anything, immediately flew into a rage. Ignoring the collar Obito Uchiha had damaged, he pointed at Uchiha Gen and shouted furiously.
"Heh."
Uchiha Gen merely gave a quiet chuckle. Ignoring Asuma Sarutobi, whose entire face had turned red with anger, he looked at Sarutobi Ichino, who had already come up behind Asuma Sarutobi with a dark expression.
"Asuma, you certainly know how to cause trouble."
Smiling, Sarutobi Ichino reached out and pressed a hand onto Asuma Sarutobi's shoulder, enunciating each word with a smile.
"S-Second Uncle."
"During school hours, address me by my position. Asuma Sarutobi, for disrupting class discipline, you will stay after school to clean the toilets! Now, class will continue. Anyone who dares cause any more trouble will stay and clean the toilets too."
Sarutobi Ichino reached out to smooth Asuma Sarutobi's collar, then looked at Obito Uchiha as he spoke sternly.
Just say it. Why are you looking at me...?
Feeling somewhat unnerved by the stare, Obito Uchiha gave an awkward smile.
After school, Uchiha Gen had not been home long when someone knocked on his door. He opened it to find a familiar face.
Wearing a genial smile, the visitor reached out and handed him a bulging envelope.
"Gen, here's your living allowance for this month. If it isn't enough, remember to come find me at the orphanage. You're at an age when you're growing, so don't pinch pennies, understand?"
Uchiha Gen took the envelope. His name and the amount were written on it, and the amount... was quite substantial.
"Thank you, Brother Kōka. Don't worry, I won't let myself go hungry."
Uchiha Ganghuo smiled and nodded at that, left him with, "I still have to deliver living allowances to the others," and vanished on the spot with the Body Flicker Technique.
Uchiha Ganghuo was the biological son of the director of the Uchiha's own orphanage. On the director's orders, he specifically delivered living allowances to the children who had left the orphanage to live independently.
Uchiha Gen generally saw him only once a month, and they rarely exchanged more than a few words when they met. Still, Uchiha Ganghuo treated these children very gently.
It was worth mentioning that Uchiha Ganghuo possessed the Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
After Uchiha Ganghuo left, Uchiha Gen went back inside and opened the envelope. It was stuffed with a thick stack of banknotes: ten thousand ryo, no small sum.
The Uchiha Clan always provided the best treatment for the orphans within the clan.
After all, nearly ninety percent of Uchiha orphans were descendants of heroes and... children of old friends.
Then, check in.
[Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the skill-Trick Room.] [Trick Room: Upon use, rewrites the rules governing action order across the entire field. When moves have the same priority, slower targets act first instead, reversing the normal speed-based action order. Lasts five turns. Using the move again ends the room's effect.]
Hmm, I actually got something?!
Hearing the skill description ring out beside his ears, Uchiha Gen froze briefly before a trace of delight rose on his face.
To break through the ranks of all that cola and instant noodles-Hajifa, you bastard, I acknowledge you!
Before you continue