https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-40-The-Ninja-of-Seven-Attributes/12557752/
Chapter 39: A Test of Speed and Perception
Chapter 39: A Test of Speed and Perception
Obito was feeling agitated. Without Kakashi's participation, there was no point in him achieving first place.
What Obito wanted was to defeat Kakashi in front of Rin, avenging his past humiliation, and claiming the top spot. Without Kakashi, even if he won, Obito knew he wouldn't be truly happy.
His obsession with coming first in the Genin Tournament stemmed entirely from Kakashi.
Years ago, in front of Rin, Kakashi had dominated the competition, crushing Obito with a resounding victory that left him embarrassed and humiliated.
Obito had never forgotten that incident, but until now, he had never possessed the strength to turn the tables.
Now that he had the power to surpass everyone, he realized that his rival had moved beyond his reach, and it frustrated him immensely.
"No, I have to get Kakashi to join the tournament!" The more Obito thought about it, the more convinced he became that the tournament wouldn't be the same without Kakashi.
"We can ask Kakashi about it after school," Rin suggested.
"I can come with you. It's been a while since the three of us hung out together," added Kakashi.
Although the three of them shared a close bond, their paths had diverged since Kakashi's graduation, and their opportunities to meet had become scarce.
As students, Rin and Obito had their daily classes, while Kakashi, now a ninja, was often away on missions.
"Alright," Obito nodded, appreciating Rin's idea.
Before the end of the school day, Obito asked Mu Yue for a day off. He planned to skip his usual visit to her after school and deal with the matter concerning Kakashi first.
As soon as classes ended, Rin and Obito made their way directly to Kakashi's house.
Kakashi's home was located not in the main district but in the suburbs adjacent to it. While it lacked the hustle and bustle of the main area, it offered a respite from the crowds.
Both Rin and Obito had visited Kakashi's home before and had even been invited inside for meals.
As they approached, a large flat-roofed house with a slanted roof came into view, confirming their destination.
Fortune smiled upon them that day, as Kakashi happened to be free from missions. When Rin and Obito arrived, they found him training in the courtyard.
Kakashi wielded a silver-white chakra short blade, effortlessly slicing through the head and limbs of a straw-made training dummy with a few swift strikes.
Noticing his friends' arrival, Kakashi gently exhaled, sheathing his blade across his back. "What brings you here?" he inquired.
"It's been a while since we last hung out together. We missed you, so we thought we'd come and see you," Rin explained with a smile.
Obito, however, was less subtle in his approach. "Kakashi, the Genin Tournament is about to begin. Are you going to sign up?" he asked bluntly.
"The Genin Tournament?" Kakashi pondered for a moment, recalling it as a mundane competition he had once participated in during his student days to pass the time.
"No, I'm not interested," Kakashi replied nonchalantly.
In his eyes, such tournaments were mere child's play, with the first-place prize being nothing more than a slightly more elaborate kunai.
Even back in ninja school, he had only joined out of boredom, and now, as a chunin, he had even less incentive.
Obito's face fell at Kakashi's decisive refusal. "Why not? You participated before," he persisted, his heart yearning for Kakashi to change his mind.
"Back then, I was still a student at the ninja school. Now I'm a chunin," Kakashi said, pointing to the forehead protector he wore.
Obito sensed that Kakashi was hinting at something—back then, they were both students, but now...
"So what if I'm a chunin? There's no age limit," Obito continued, determined to persuade him.
"Must I spell it out? I simply have no interest in these childish games," Kakashi retorted bluntly, seeing Obito's persistence.
Obito's face reddened with frustration. How dare Kakashi call it a childish game! It was the Genin Tournament!
"I'm participating too, Kakashi. Are you afraid of losing to me?" Obito shot back, his patience wearing thin.
The embarrassing truth caused Obito's face to flush with embarrassment once more.
"Don't get too cocky, Kakashi. I'm not the same as I was before," Obito said, hands on his hips, indicating that he had changed since their previous encounters.
Kakashi gave him a once-over, taking in his goggles and tracksuit, the goofy smile on his face, and his hands on his hips. That foolishness hadn't changed a bit.
"Can't say I see it," Kakashi replied honestly.
"You jerk!" Obito couldn't hold back his anger any longer.
"You two," Rin chuckled, covering her mouth as she watched the familiar scene unfold before her. "It's been a while since we've seen each other, and yet you're still the same as always."
This was a scene that had played out countless times in front of her.
Obito loved to challenge Kakashi, but he always ended up on the losing end.
Obito took a deep breath, momentarily calming himself down. Suddenly, he thought of his teacher, Mu Yue.
"What would Teacher Mu Yue do in this situation?" Obito wondered aloud.
To motivate him to train harder, Mu Yue would make him solve an extra math problem for every time he was hit during training. Although the training was difficult, the math problems were even more painful, so he chose the lesser of two evils and trained harder to reduce the number of hits he took.
"Choosing the lesser of two evils..." Obito's eyes lit up as he had a sudden idea.
"Kakashi, you said I can't beat you, but are you brave enough to bet on it?" Obito challenged with a smile.
Kakashi's expression remained unchanged as he replied, "Are you betting on who comes first in the tournament? Do you think I'll fall for such an obvious trick?"
He would rather spend his time reading than participate in such a meaningless competition.
"Of course not," Obito said. "Since you think you're so great, how about we test whether your eyesight is better than my hand speed?"
"If I win, not only will I drop the topic of the tournament, but I'll also treat you to ramen five times. If I lose, all I have to do is participate in the tournament."
As long as Kakashi didn't agree to this, he would keep pestering him to join the Chunin Exams, and Kakashi would eventually agree to this simpler and quicker contest.
Kakashi didn't give an immediate answer. Instead, he asked, "What are the specifics of the contest?"
Obito plucked a leaf from a tree next to Kakashi's house and placed it in his palm. "It's simple," he explained. "I'll quickly switch the leaf between my left and right hands, and then you guess which hand the leaf is in at the end. Easy, right?"
Kakashi thought about it for a moment. He knew that Obito's hand speed couldn't possibly be faster than his Sharingan. So, he agreed without hesitation.
He understood Obito's stubborn nature, and if he didn't agree, Obito might pester him all night.
It was better to use this simple contest to show Obito the gap between their abilities.
Obito pushed his hand speed to the limit, frantically switching the leaf between his left and right hands for about five minutes before stopping.
"Right hand," Kakashi said, pointing directly at Obito's right hand, which held the leaf.
"I can't believe you had the nerve to challenge me to this," Kakashi said, sounding a little disappointed.
He had expected Obito's hand speed to be faster, but it seemed that the leaf had never left his field of vision.
Hearing Kakashi's words, Obito unexpectedly laughed out loud and asked, "Kakashi, are you sure it's this hand? Once you confirm, you can't change your answer."
"Are you trying to trick me? It's the right hand. Go on, show me," Kakashi said, unmoved by Obito's laughter. He believed that Obito was just bluffing.
"Alright, I'll open my hand then." Obito slowly opened his right hand.
(End of Chapter)
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