https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-42-Mu-Yue-s-Interest-in-Sealing-Jutsu/12557754/
Chapter 43: The Games Begin
Chapter 43: The Games Begin
In the evening, at the Uchiha clan's compound...
"Obito, slow down. Don't eat so fast or you might choke," cautioned Obito's grandmother.
Hearing his grandmother's words, Obito slowed down his frantic rice shoveling and replied, "Grandma, I have a friend waiting for me to go out and play."
"Which friend? Is it Rin?" Obito's grandmother asked with a smile.
As Wildflower Rin often came to play with Obito, his grandmother was familiar with her.
"Yeah, but there are others too," Obito replied between mouthfuls.
The Youth Ninja Tournament was about to start tomorrow, and he had trained hard all day, exhausting himself.
Perhaps because he and Kakashi were going to be rivals again tomorrow, Wildflower Rin had invited them out to relax and hang out this evening.
And since Kakashi was coming, Obito had also invited Might Guy along.
"I'm done eating," Obito announced, wiping his mouth and rushing to get ready to leave.
His grandmother followed him to the entrance, a smile still on her face. "Good luck, Obito. I look forward to having great-grandchildren one day."
Obito nearly tumbled to the ground in surprise. Turning red, he shouted back, "Grandma, I'm still in school!"
While he did have such thoughts, he was still very young.
The group had agreed to meet on the southern end of the main street in the central district.
When Obito arrived, he found that the other three were already there, making him the last one.
"I ran into an elderly lady who needed help along the way, so I'm a bit late," Obito explained.
"You sure meet a lot of old ladies. This happens every time," Kakashi remarked, finding the coincidence a bit far-fetched.
"I don't know either, but I can't just ignore someone who needs help," Obito said, feeling a little wronged as he had genuinely assisted the elderly lady.
"Alright, it's fine now. Obito is just too kind and has a keen eye for those in need," Wildflower Rin interjected, walking between the two with her hands behind her back and a gentle smile on her face.
With this little incident resolved, the four of them continued walking down the street.
"There are so many people here," Might Guy exclaimed, looking at the dense crowd filling the street. "Kakashi, how about we race to see who can get through the crowd faster?"
"I refuse," Kakashi declined immediately, leaving no room for Might Guy's fantasy to take root. Such a challenge was simply foolish.
"There's an event happening on this side of town today, so a lot of people have come out," Wildflower Rin explained.
She then led the trio to the event venue, where the entire street was lined with vendors, bright lanterns, and people in yukata strolling together.
"Look at that cute goldfish!" Wildflower Rin exclaimed as she spotted a goldfish scooping game. She waved excitedly at the others.
"Little miss, would you like to give it a try? It's just ten ryo for a net," the stall owner tempted.
"Ten ryo, huh..." Wildflower Rin pondered, ten ryo wasn't much, but one net might not be enough. These paper nets tore easily.
"I'll give it a shot," Obito volunteered, stepping forward and handing the owner money for a net.
Obito set his sights on the most active and attractive fish in the tank. After a few attempts, the fish remained elusive, and the net was torn.
"Again!" Undeterred, Obito tried once more but to no avail.
It wasn't until his ninth attempt that Wildflower Rin physically stopped him, saying, "Let's just go somewhere else."
Eighty ryo could buy a bowl of ramen.
"But I've tried so many times already, and I'm getting better at it. It would be a waste to stop now," Obito protested.
"Let me try," Kakashi said calmly, handing the owner ten Ryo and effortlessly scooping up a goldfish with his net.
"Here you go." Kakashi handed the packaged fish to Wildflower Rin.
"Thank you, Kakashi," Wildflower Rin said with a happy smile.
She then added, "And thank you too, Deidara and Guy."
Deidara, who had been frowning, suddenly broke into a goofy smile.
The four of them then wandered around, playing games like throwing shuriken at targets and guessing each other's clones...
As the streets gradually emptied of pedestrians, they decided to buy some takoyaki before heading home.
"Kakashi, just you wait and see. I'm definitely going to be the winner this time," Deidara said between mouthfuls of takoyaki, not forgetting to issue a challenge.
"If you want the first-place reward, I can get it for you after I win," Kakashi retorted, his tone carrying a hint of aggression.
Their exchange fired up Might Guy, and he wished there was a Youth Taijutsu Tournament so he could invite Kakashi for a good match.
...
The next day was a Sunday, so there was no school.
The Youth Ninja Tournament was scheduled to start in the afternoon, and Deidara spent the morning engaged in his final training session.
The tournament was held on a commercial street in the main district of Konoha.
According to Deidara, it was initiated by an elderly ninja shop owner to encourage students from the Ninja Academy. Over time, others joined in, seeing it as an opportunity to attract more people, and it became an annual event.
"What jutsu are you planning to use for the competition this time, Deidara?" Wildflower Rin asked.
"The Fireball Jutsu," Deidara answered without hesitation, choosing to be direct with her.
"Why not the Fire Dragon Jutsu that you used during the practical exam?" Wildflower Rin asked, puzzled by his choice.
The last time Deidara lost to Kakashi, he had used the Fireball Jutsu and scored a perfect 30, falling nine points short of Kakashi's score.
"This time is different. My Fireball Jutsu is much stronger now!" Deidara exuded confidence, certain that his improved jutsu would astonish everyone.
"Alright, I'm looking forward to your performance then," Wildflower Rin said with a gentle smile.
"Good luck, Deidara. As your rival, let me tell you that defeating that man won't be easy," Might Guy said, his arms crossed and a mysterious smile on his face.
"Do you want me to leave?" Kakashi, who had been silent until now, spoke up.
It seemed they were discussing how to beat him right in front of him.
"Kakashi, what jutsu are you planning to use?" Wildflower Rin asked with a smile, turning the conversation to him.
"I haven't decided yet. I'll probably use the Earth Style Wall Jutsu, or maybe something else," Kakashi replied after a moment's thought.
He wasn't showing off; he simply had a wide array of jutsu at his disposal, so it was easy for him to be nonchalant about the competition.
Deidara looked around and spotted several familiar faces from the Ninja Academy, as well as two ninjas wearing forehead protectors.
"There are a lot more people here than last time," Deidara remarked, recalling the previous tournament.
"Probably because the rewards have increased. This time, the first-place winner will receive not only a finely crafted silver kunai but also a prize of eight thousand Ryo," Wildflower Rin explained.
"Eight thousand Ryo!" Deidara exclaimed, his eyes widening. He was now even more determined to claim that top spot.
Eight thousand Ryo was a substantial sum, whether he wanted to treat Wildflower Rin to a meal or buy her a gift.
"Let the competition begin! Please welcome the first contestant to the stage!"
(End of Chapter)
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