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Chapter 336: Predicting Each Other's Moves
Chapter 336: Predicting Each Other's Moves
After a week of constant training, three questions kept popping into Obito's mind: "Where did I come from?", "Who am I?", and "Where am I going?".
It wasn't that Obito wanted to give up being a ninja and become a philosopher, but pondering these questions seemed much easier than tackling the tests Might Guy kept assigning.
Obito's current limit was solving ten questions a day; any more than that, and he would just scribble nonsense.
While his breathing technique was improving, even on his best day yesterday, he had received fifteen questions, which meant that no matter how hard he worked, he couldn't clear the day's debt. The surplus questions would only keep piling up.
"So, this is the life of a Chunin, huh? Is there a Genin exam? I'd like to take the exam to become a Genin again." Obito felt that being a Genin wasn't so bad.
"There's no such exam, Obito. What are you thinking about?" Haruno Rin found Obito's words amusing and couldn't help but chuckle.
Exams were always for upgrading; there was no such thing as a downgrade exam.
Obito looked at Haruno with a gloomy expression. She was the only disciple of Might Guy who didn't have to go through the grueling test-taking training.
And because it was Haruno, if it were anyone else, Obito would definitely try to drag them into the water with him.
"Anyway, Guy-sensei hasn't restricted the time you need to finish them, so you can take your time," Haruno said gently, trying to comfort him.
"You wouldn't understand this kind of pain, Rin," Obito sighed.
Although there was no time limit, Obito felt a headache coming on just thinking about the nearly hundred questions he owed.
Obito didn't even have the energy to compare himself with Kakashi anymore. His only goal now was to master the constant breathing technique and put an end to this torturous test-taking special training.
Not only Obito but Might Guy was also exhausted. He and Obito were truly brothers in suffering when it came to theory; this kind of training was a brutal battering of their bodies and minds.
Their bodies were tired from maintaining the breathing technique, and when they returned, they had to solve questions, which exhausted their minds.
Under this dual torment, they trained with unprecedented focus. At this moment, they yearned for progress, eager to escape their misery.
Another week passed, and Obito was the first to successfully maintain the breathing technique throughout the entire training session. The other disciples also quickly reached the standard.
"Is this torture finally over? These painful days!" Obito clenched his fists, his face filled with excitement, even more so than when he became a Chunin.
"Successfully completing such arduous training will make our youth even more vibrant!" Might Guy gave himself a thumbs-up.
"Still a little short," Kakashi breathed out lightly, feeling that the gap between him and the transparent world was now only as thin as a piece of paper, but it was a tough piece of paper, not easily punctured.
"We can't relax yet. We need to spend more time training," said Genma, who had been feeling a constant sense of crisis since the Chunin Exams.
Might Guy adjusted his glasses and smiled gently. "Ending? No, the second stage of training is just beginning."
If he was going to put his disciples through hellish training, he wouldn't let them off the hook so easily. This time, he wanted them to reach the Proficient level in the breathing technique to enhance their self-protection capabilities.
Each level of the breathing technique represented a qualitative improvement. Once they reached the Proficient level and mastered the constant breathing technique, it would be like Obito and the others had gained a permanent enhancement buff, and their training efficiency would also increase.
"The goal of the second stage is to maintain the breathing technique even while sleeping."
Upon hearing Might Guy's words, Obito froze, thinking he must have misheard. But when he saw the confused looks on the others' faces, he knew he hadn't.
"How can we maintain the breathing technique when we're asleep and unconscious?" Obito asked, perplexed.
In Obito's mind, the breathing technique was essentially a ninjutsu, a very special one at that. How could he use ninjutsu while sleeping?
"Can you breathe while you sleep?" Might Guy didn't directly answer Obito's question but asked another in return.
"Of course. If I don't breathe, I'll die," Obito replied immediately.
Even with his limited knowledge, he knew this much.
"If you can breathe, why can't you use the breathing technique?" Might Guy asked casually.
Following this line of thought, Obito couldn't find any flaws in the logic.
"You can use your shadow clones to supervise yourselves. If you fall asleep without maintaining the breathing technique, the shadow clone will strike and wake you up."
"To prevent situations where your hands won't come down, you can exchange shadow clones with each other, letting your partner's shadow clone supervise you. Additionally, each time you're woken up, you'll have to solve four questions," Might Guy explained the specific rules.
By the time Might Guy finished explaining, Obito's forehead was covered in cold sweat. Despite Might Guy's gentle smile and the warm weather, Obito felt a chill run through him.
It was as if he had already glimpsed the difficult days ahead. In the previous stage, although the training and tests were exhausting, the moment they lay down in bed was still comfortable. But the second stage was different; they had to train even while sleeping, or they wouldn't get a good night's rest.
"Could it be that Guy-sensei is too disappointed in our progress with the breathing technique?" Kakashi couldn't help but question himself, given the harshness of the training.
On the first night of the second stage, Obito lay comfortably in bed, ready to fall asleep, when he noticed Kakashi's shadow clone sitting in the room. He immediately recalled the breathing technique they were supposed to maintain.
"I must not give Kakashi any opportunity to take advantage. Who knows what he might do," Obito thought to himself, suddenly becoming alert. He kept reminding himself to maintain the breathing technique.
However, it was inevitable to encounter some setbacks the first time. Even though Obito had mentally prepared himself before sleeping, he ended up dreaming about a date with Haruno Rin in a sea of flowers, and in his excitement, he forgot all about maintaining the breathing technique.
"Rin, I..." In his dream, Obito's eyes sparkled as he looked at the shy Haruno Rin.
Just as Obito was about to hold her delicate hand, a sharp hand blade struck his chest. The flower-filled dream vanished, and he found himself back in his dark bedroom, facing a masked and expressionless Kakashi, still in the striking pose.
"Damn it! I was so close!" Obito glared at Kakashi, feeling the rage burn within him. He wished he could use his Flame Jutsu to scorch the Kakashi before him.
"Four questions," the shadow clone of Kakashi said indifferently.
Hearing the word "questions," Obito instantly calmed down and realized he was still in the midst of his training.
"Breathing technique, breathing technique, must not stop the breathing technique," Obito silently chanted to himself, reinforcing the reminder.
Before falling asleep again, Obito mentally cheered on his shadow clone.
"Come on, my other self, don't let Kakashi have it easy!"
While his own struggles were uncomfortable, seeing his comrades succeed was even more difficult.
For Obito, the worst news was probably that Kakashi's training was going smoothly, and he hadn't been awakened by his shadow clone.
However, Obito was overestimating Kakashi. Even he wouldn't be able to perfectly execute the breathing technique under such intense training conditions on the first try, otherwise, the punishment set by Mu Yue would be meaningless.
"The Ninja Academy should completely abolish theoretical exams! They are detrimental to our ninjas!" An adult version of Obito, wearing the Holy Robe and a straw hat, proposed his reform ideas for the Ninja Academy in a meeting room.
Sitting next to him, an adult Kakashi sighed. Being the fire shadow's assistant was exhausting. He had to handle all sorts of important matters and find ways to stop the fire shadow from making impulsive decisions.
Bang!
Obito's shadow clone noticed that Kakashi's breathing rhythm was becoming erratic and immediately struck, landing a punch on Kakashi.
"Thank me, main body. I just avenged you," Obito's shadow clone said with a proud smile.
Although he couldn't know what happened to his main body, he knew himself well enough. His main body would definitely be on the receiving end of a beating from Kakashi's shadow clone.
"Kakashi, how about I give you a break? Let me give you some slack so you can rest a bit more," Obito's shadow clone suggested with a mischievous smile.
"No need," Kakashi replied after a long exhale.
Although the training was arduous, it wasn't without purpose. Through this, he could gain the power to protect his comrades.
Kakashi also knew that Obito wouldn't truly go easy on him. He was just mouthing off, and if Kakashi agreed, Obito would surely mock him further.
Kakashi quickly adjusted his breathing and fell asleep again. However, before drifting off, he couldn't help but recall the strange dream he had earlier.
"If that guy were to become the fire shadow, he might actually do something like that," Kakashi thought, a slight smile playing on his lips as he remembered Obito's foolish behavior in the dream.
Kakashi wouldn't put it past Obito to do something like that, given his reputation for scoring in the single digits on theory exams and his ability to study until he became dizzy and incoherent—the very picture of a bookworm.
However, Kakashi quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought. With the way Obito was now, becoming the fire shadow was out of the question.
Currently, the general consensus in Konoha was that the Fourth Fire Shadow would be chosen from among the Sannin. Many supported Jiraiya, Tsunade, or Orochimaru to take on the role.
Kakashi thought that the Fourth Fire Shadow was unlikely to be from their generation, and the Fifth Fire Shadow would definitely not be him. For the Fifth, he believed it would either be Minato or Mu Yue.
Even by the time of the Sixth Fire Shadow, Kakashi didn't think Obito stood a chance. Compared to Obito, Genma was a more suitable candidate for the role. While Obito had the strength, becoming the fire shadow required more than just power; there couldn't be any shortcomings in other aspects as well.
Kakashi felt that with some effort, he himself might have a better chance than Obito. However, he didn't have any aspirations for the position.
As Kakashi fell asleep, he continued to ponder the possibility of Obito becoming the fire shadow while maintaining the breathing technique.
That night, none of Mu Yue's four disciples were able to have a peaceful, uninterrupted sleep.
PS: 8k words today. A small request for monthly votes.
(End of Chapter)
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