Teacher Ikeda, who stood beside Naoya Inoue, addressed the older students.
"We're changing the rules a little for this entrance test. We have a newly enrolled student here, your new junior, who wants to challenge you. So, who would like to be his opponent?"
After the teacher finished, a stir ran through the older students, but they soon fell silent again. Not one of them wanted to be Kōki's opponent. Winning would bring no glory, and losing would be even more humiliating.
Teacher Ikeda looked at the silent students and shook his head helplessly.
"Since none of you are willing, I'll have to pick someone. Hmm... Obito, come out and spar with your junior."
"What? Why me, sir? I don't want to fight some little brat!"
A boy with spiky hair and brown goggles shouted, waving his arms and stamping his feet.
"Why you? You came dead last in class last term. If you don't do it, who will?"
The other students burst into cheerful laughter, while Obito's face flushed at Teacher Ikeda's words.
"Sir, I'm no dead last! I'm a member of the Uchiha Clan! Once I awaken my Sharingan, I'll definitely become an outstanding ninja!"
"Yes, yes. So, Obito Uchiha, our future outstanding ninja, are you going or not?"
Under Teacher Ikeda's smiling gaze, Obito shuddered and could only agree helplessly.
"Good. Since Obito has agreed, both participants, please stand here." Teacher Ikeda stood in the middle of the training ground and pointed at the open space in front of him with his right hand.
Once Kōki Itō and Obito Uchiha stood on either side of him, he continued, "The two of you will now fight. Form the Seal of Confrontation."
After forming the seal, Obito looked at the little brat before him and spoke arrogantly.
"Junior, my name is Obito Uchiha, and I'm the man who'll become Hokage someday. Don't cry when you lose!"
"Senior, my name is Kōki Itō, and I'm the man who'll surpass the Hokage someday. So don't feel embarrassed when you lose." Kōki Itō answered Obito's provocation expressionlessly.
"Damn it, you little brat, you're saying that on purpose, aren't you? I say I'll become Hokage, and you say you'll surpass the Hokage. And that dead-fish-eyed look reminds me of someone I hate."
Hearing Obito's words, Kōki, who knew the original story well, understood who he meant, so he deliberately provoked Obito in a voice only the two of them could hear.
"Senior, could the person you hate be your romantic rival? I imagine someone your age must have a girl he likes. But I'm guessing the girl you like doesn't like you, and likes the person you hate instead."
After hearing Kōki's words, the corner of Obito's mouth twitched slightly, and he felt as though a knife had stabbed him in the heart.
"You're an even more annoying brat! And Rin would never like that bastard!"
"All right, Obito Uchiha versus Kōki Itō. Ready... begin!"
Teacher Ikeda's command from between them interrupted Kōki's plan to keep teasing Obito.
At the command to begin, Obito reacted swiftly and charged at Kōki. His right hand swept over his thigh pouch, and a sharp kunai appeared in his hand. Looking confident, he declared, "Ninja tactical lesson number one: taijutsu."
Obito swung his kunai, slashing at Kōki's body, but Kōki refused to back down. He drew a kunai from his own thigh pouch and blocked Obito's attacks.
Sparks flew in all directions as their kunai clashed, but neither paid them any mind. Even as their blades collided, they did not forget to attack each other with kicks. Both moved faster and faster, until the new students watching from the sidelines could no longer follow their movements or make out the individual actions.
The older students, meanwhile, were rather surprised.
"That kid's only seven, isn't he? I never thought he'd be able to trade blows evenly with Obito without losing out in strength, either. They're completely deadlocked."
The new students might not have been able to tell much from the fight, but those nearing graduation understood it very clearly.
In a contest of ninja taijutsu, the most important factors were the two sides' speed and strength. When their taijutsu skills were roughly equal, whichever side had a slight edge in speed and strength could more easily force an opening in the other.
The side that exposed an opening would fall at a disadvantage, and on a battlefield, that opening could even cost them their life.
Damn it, how is this kid so strong? It feels like blocking his attacks takes even more stamina. At this rate, I might not hold out.
During the fierce exchange of attacks and blocks, sweat covered Obito's face, and he felt he was nearing his limit. Every time he blocked Kōki's kunai, his arm felt as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer. Kōki, in contrast, blocked Obito's attacks with ease, looking entirely unstrained.
While Obito was still wondering why Kōki was so strong, his wrist finally failed to withstand Kōki's attack, and the kunai was knocked from his hand. His heart lurched. This is bad.
Kōki showed no mercy when he saw the opening. He stamped his foot hard, his speed increasing sharply as he rushed at Obito.
Seeing Kōki charging toward him so quickly, Obito panicked. He failed to push off properly with his left foot to leap backward, and his foot slipped, throwing him completely off balance. All his weak points lay exposed before Kōki.
The sight reminded Kōki of a move Kakashi had used on Naruto Uzumaki. He immediately changed direction and swiftly moved behind Obito, crouching slightly and forming the Tiger seal with both hands. He struck at the most vulnerable spot on Obito's backside, smiling as he said, "Watch out, senior. Ultimate ninja taijutsu technique-Thousand Years of Death!"
Obito had never expected Kōki to attack such an embarrassing place. Struck in his weak point by such a powerful ultimate taijutsu technique, his face instantly flushed red, and his entire body went rigid.
The intense pain from that spot made his legs buckle. He dropped to his knees, his bottom sticking high into the air involuntarily. Unable to utter a single word, he could not stop the tears from spilling out of his eyes.
"Obito, how are you? Can you still hold on?"
Seeing Obito's expression of unbearable agony, Teacher Ikeda, who was refereeing from the side, felt the corner of his eye twitch. He crouched beside Obito and spoke with a touch of exasperation at his failure to do better.
"If you can't, we can have someone else take over."
"No, sir, I haven't lost yet! I won't give up! I'm going to teach this damn brat a proper lesson!"
After recovering for a while, Obito spoke through gritted teeth. He absolutely would not let this kid off so easily.
Seeing Obito shakily get to his feet, Teacher Ikeda could only say, "All right. Since Obito hasn't given up, then the match-"
Kōki, too, felt considerable admiration at the sight of Obito standing again. He could still get up after such a powerful attack. As expected of the future mastermind boss who could destroy the Shinobi World.
"Then round two begins now, Senior Obito. Ninja tactical lesson number two-ninjutsu."
Before Obito could say anything, Kōki rapidly formed hand seals. "Snake, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A huge fireball burst from Kōki's mouth and hurtled straight toward Obito. Obito refused to back down. Fire Style techniques were the Uchiha Clan's specialty, and the Great Fireball Technique was a ninjutsu he could not have been more familiar with.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
The fireball he spat out was just as large as Kōki's. The two fireballs collided between them and merged into one enormous ball of flame. It shifted toward Obito one moment, then toward Kōki the next, while waves of air heated by the flames roared toward the surrounding spectators. The two ninjutsu cast a bright red glow over the faces of those watching.
"I never expected this little brat to have mastered ninjutsu too, let alone Obito's specialty, the Great Fireball Technique. Even its power is on par with Obito's."
"Yeah. Who'd have thought someone so young could be so strong? Judging by the taijutsu and ninjutsu he's already mastered, he's clearly at genin level."
"A seven-year-old genin. He definitely deserves to be called a genius."
While the students on the sidelines were discussing them, the standoff on the field changed.
In the end, Kōki had more chakra, and the fireball was finally pushed toward Obito.
Obito did not panic as he watched the fireball rush toward him. He had already decided which way to dodge such a straightforward attack.
He pushed off hard with both feet and leaped to the right.
But he failed to notice that Kōki had long since vanished from behind the fireball. Just as Obito was feeling pleased about easily dodging the Great Fireball's attack, an arm suddenly thrust out of the ground and seized his ankle.
As Obito saw his foot being grabbed, a single thought flashed through his mind. I'm finished.
Kōki's voice came from underground. "Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation Technique!" In an instant, Kōki dragged Obito's entire body into the earth, leaving only his goggle-clad head aboveground.
"Senior Obito, it's over."
Kōki looked at Obito, with only his head showing, and spoke regretfully.
"No, it isn't! Let me out! I haven't lost yet!" Obito shook his head, thoroughly unconvinced.
"Damn brat, don't think this means you've won! As long as I'm conscious, I won't admit defeat!"
"Oh, you've reminded me of something, Senior Obito."
Watching Kōki approach with a smile full of ill intent, Obito felt his scalp turn cold. But unwilling to lose his bravado, he kept talking tough. "You conceited brat! Let me out if you've got the guts! I'll fight you again, and I'll definitely make you pay!"
Looking at Obito, who still talked tough with nothing but his head exposed, Kōki was not angry. He kept smiling.
"Let's talk about that once you can get out yourself, senior. Besides, have you forgotten ninja tactical lesson number three-genjutsu? Behold my physical genjutsu."
Kōki delivered a direct blow to Obito's head.
The critical hit knocked Obito unconscious on the spot, leaving him unable to get up again.
Looking at the unconscious Obito and Kōki standing unharmed beside him, Teacher Ikeda immediately swept his arm out and loudly announced, "The match is over! The winner is the new student, Kōki Itō!"