Chapter 56: Obito
The Library
Nohara Rin looked up and saw Gōenji sitting across from her with a stack of books in his arms. When he noticed her looking at him, he smiled back.
That smile looks exactly like Obito's!
Rin couldn't help thinking so.
He likes reading too?
I wonder what he's studying.
Could it be that, like me, he feels his abilities aren't good enough and wants to study and improve so he can better support his teammates?
The battlefield had become increasingly chaotic, and her teammates were getting injured far too often. So when her team returned to the village, Rin had deliberately come to the library to study medical ninjutsu.
She knew there was still a considerable gap between herself and Obito and Kakashi. She wanted to improve her medical ninjutsu so she could better support them.
After returning Rin's smile, Gōenji lowered his head and continued reading.
The only sound filling the library was the quiet rustling of turning pages.
Even after the entire afternoon had passed, he was still sitting there reading.
Then, while Gōenji was completely absorbed in his book, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Rin! I've finally found you! Let's go get some barbecue!"
Gōenji looked up.
A familiar figure stood before him.
He wore a jacket bearing the Uchiha crest and a pair of tinted goggles on his forehead. His face carried a bright, sunny smile, and there was even a faint flush on his cheeks, as though he felt a little embarrassed speaking to Rin.
Uchiha Obito.
Gōenji recognized him immediately, even though they hadn't seen each other for two years.
He had read the original story, after all.
Compared with two years ago, Obito had clearly grown considerably.
Two years ago, he had been immature—much like Gōenji himself.
Even now, despite having experienced the battlefield, he still had a boyish air about him.
That was Uchiha Obito.
An exceptionally cheerful boy.
"Sure. We should invite Kakashi too," Rin said with a smile as she closed her book.
Obito's expression immediately darkened.
Why does Kakashi have to come?
But he was too embarrassed to refuse.
That annoying guy.
"Yo, isn't that Obito? Long time no see. Have you been helping old ladies cross the street lately?"
Gōenji found Obito's expression amusing.
Still, completely ignoring one of his own clansmen—especially someone around the same age—would be a little too rude.
Obito finally noticed Gōenji.
He stared at him, narrowing his eyes slightly.
Then realization slowly dawned on him.
"It's you... You... What was your name again?"
Gōenji stared at him in silence.
"...I'm your clansman. Did you really forget me?"
He deliberately put on an extremely serious expression, raising his nose slightly and adopting the arrogant air traditionally associated with the Uchiha.
Rin, sitting nearby, was startled.
So this is Uchiha arrogance!
She had heard about it before, but this was her first time seeing it in person.
Obito looked awkward.
He narrowed his eyes again and pointed at himself.
"You... you're from my clan?"
"Uchiha Gōenji. Remember that name. If you forget it the next time we meet, don't blame me if I beat you up."
Gōenji closed his book and teased him.
This is way too much fun.
"Gōenji..."
Several fragments of memory flashed through Obito's mind.
Finally, he gave an awkward laugh.
"Ha... ha... haha! So you're Gōenji. Long time no see."
He still has absolutely no idea who I am.
Gōenji was speechless.
The Obito of this era really wasn't very reliable.
It wasn't particularly surprising, though.
After all, they weren't even in the same year at the Academy.
"Hmm... Do you want to eat with us?" Rin asked, noticing Obito's awkwardness. "It's getting late, and you'll probably be heading home for dinner soon anyway. Let's eat together. It'll give us a chance to get to know each other."
No... Don't...
Obito screamed internally.
This wasn't what he had planned.
Kakashi alone was already annoying enough.
Now there was an annoying Uchiha clan member on top of him.
And Obito knew exactly how troublesome his own family could be.
Gōenji would definitely refuse.
He might even look down on them and say something hurtful.
If that happened, Rin would be put in an awkward position.
And since Gōenji was also an Uchiha, Obito would inevitably get dragged into it.
That would definitely lower his standing in Rin's eyes.
A series of increasingly ridiculous scenarios flashed through Obito's mind.
He could almost see it happening already.
It's coming.
It's definitely coming.
His eyes remained fixed on Gōenji's lips.
He could practically imagine the harsh words that were about to come out of them—words so painful that Rin would probably want to crawl into a hole.
She would be incredibly embarrassed.
Gōenji's lips moved.
"Of course. I was just getting hungry anyway. It'll be a good chance to talk with Obito. It's been a while. I wonder if you've improved recently."
The words hit Obito like a blow.
The brightness in his eyes instantly disappeared.
What...?
Is this really my clansman?
Could he be some spy pretending to be an Uchiha?
Obito raged internally.
But when he saw the Uchiha crest on his own clothes, he suppressed his complaints.
"Hmph. Don't talk to me like you're some senior. I'm pretty strong now. I've already completed some very impressive missions."
"Oh? Really? I've never heard about them."
Gōenji smiled.
Obito's face immediately filled with irritation.
"Damn it! They were S-rank missions! They're extremely impressive, okay?!"
"Hmm..."
Rin hesitated.
"Obito, that's because our teacher, Minato-sensei, is very strong..."
She swallowed the rest of her sentence.
Obito immediately wilted.
But since Rin was the one who had said it, he could only turn his gaze toward Gōenji.
Gōenji was looking at him with a faint smile.
Obito's anger flared again.
"I participated in them too!"
"Yes, yes, yes. Very impressive."
Gōenji nodded solemnly.
"I've only completed three S-rank missions while personally leading my team. Compared with Minato-senpai's team, I still have a long way to go."
Obito's mouth fell open.
His jaw nearly hit the floor.
"You... you're bragging, right?"
Three S-rank missions.
And he had personally led the team.
"Of course not. Unlike you, I'm already a jōnin, so naturally I have to lead a team."
Gōenji sighed.
"Of course, compared with Minato-senpai, I'm still far behind."
Obito could practically taste the arrogance in those words.
Does he seriously have to compare himself to the teacher every time?!
He felt as though the entire generation were leaving him behind.
Damn it! How is he already a jōnin? I'd never even heard about him before!
"Haha, Gōenji-senpai really is amazing. Let's go eat."
Rin was feeling awkward too.
So this person was a jōnin as well.
Just like Kakashi.
And he was so young.
The three of them left the library and walked onto the streets of Konoha.
"By the way, Obito, do you know where Kakashi is?" Rin asked.
Obito was still staring at Gōenji.
But after hearing Rin's question, he answered,
"He probably went to train. That training freak only has one thing in his eyes—missions, missions, and more missions..."
Gōenji fell silent after hearing that.
At his current age, Kakashi should already have become a jōnin.
Gōenji didn't know how strong he was, though.
Perhaps he wasn't quite as powerful as the Kakashi of his memories yet.
Thinking about Kakashi's current circumstances reminded Gōenji of what he had seen in his previous life.
Kakashi's performance during this period hadn't exactly been spectacular.
But reality couldn't possibly be that simple.
Anyone who became a jōnin had to possess the qualities necessary to become one.
Even if Kakashi's promotion had been influenced by the war, he still had to possess genuine ability.
"Huh?"
Rin suddenly looked ahead.
"Isn't that Kakashi? Why isn't he training? Why did he come out?"