Chapter 11 — The Quiet Victory
The field was chaos.
Shouts, the clash of wooden kunai, and the thump of running feet echoed through the damp air.
Kakashi and Obito were still locked in their petty war, trading blows while Rin tried — and failed — to get them to focus.
Akira stayed near their flag, crouched low, tracking movements through his Byakugan's hidden vision.
The Hyūga girl just moved into striking distance of our flag… perfect.
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He slipped a smooth stone from his sleeve — one he'd picked up before the match — and flicked it toward a bush a few meters away.
The sound drew the girl's attention, and she veered toward it, thinking someone was hiding there.
In that brief moment, the civilian boy guarding the flag stepped forward to block her… and Akira slipped around the other side of the field, moving like he was just "trying to help."
With Obito distracted by Kakashi, and the rest of Team B chasing Rin, Akira strolled right past their unguarded flag and plucked it from the stand.
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When the whistle blew, everyone turned to see Akira holding the flag with an almost apologetic smile.
"Team A wins," the instructor said.
Obito froze, looking between Akira and Kakashi like the universe had betrayed him.
Kakashi's single visible eye narrowed slightly. "You didn't even break a sweat."
Akira tilted his head. "Guess I was just… in the right place at the right time."
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From the tree line, a masked Root operative had been watching all morning.
At first, Akira's movements seemed suspiciously precise — but the way he framed his win as pure chance made the operative reassess.
Not worth reporting, they decided, turning away. Just another lucky clan brat.
Akira's lips curled faintly once they were gone.
That's right. Forget about me. For now.
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