"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question, Nohara Rin?"
Uchiha Seiji countered calmly as he packed his things into a cloth bag, slung it across his shoulder, and walked toward the door.
Looking outside, he could see Kakashi already in the distance, his figure fading into the crowd. Not far from the academy gate, Obito seemed to be waiting for someone.
"Didn't we agree that we would teach Seiji some ninjutsu?" Rin spoke up.
"I see."
Seiji gave a small nod. Whether Rin had stayed behind out of her own promise, or Kakashi had left because he had other matters to attend to, didn't stir any particular feeling in him.
The relationship among Rin, Obito, and Kakashi was a tangled mess—like a drama one would rather not get involved in. Rin clearly had feelings for Kakashi; after all, she had given him a unique medical pouch, complete with a protective charm she had sewn herself. But Obito liked Rin, and Kakashi and Obito were close friends.
"Then let's go."
"Alright."
Rin nodded and followed Seiji out.
By now, Kakashi had disappeared completely, swallowed by the bustling crowd.
"Rin, you're not seriously going to teach this guy ninjutsu, are you?" Obito muttered.
He couldn't stand the thought of Rin and Seiji being alone together. That sort of chance should belong to him.
"Seiji came to Konoha by himself. We should help each other."
"Fine."
Seeing how firm Rin was, Obito didn't argue further.
Still, he shamelessly trailed after the two of them until they reached one of the many training grounds.
Konoha had over fifty training fields for shinobi to practice and gain experience, each with different shapes and sizes. Sometimes they even served as exam venues—for example, the Chūnin Exams often used one of these fields.
Though Seiji, Rin, and Obito were still students, they were permitted to use the facilities. The moment their names were recorded in the academy register, they were considered provisional shinobi. Even if someone had to repeat a year, as long as they could eventually pass the exam and perform the three basic techniques, they could become genin.
They stopped at Training Ground Three.
"Looks like nobody's using it right now." Rin glanced around, relieved.
She cleared her throat lightly and said, "Obito, you need to pay attention too. At this rate, you won't pass the graduation exam."
"Heh, I know, Rin."
Obito scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish grin. His skill with the basic Three Techniques was… well, abysmal. Hence his reputation as the class dunce.
"But I'm still better than this guy." Obito jabbed a finger at Seiji.
He was brimming with confidence. No matter how poor his own results were, he had still received a formal education. Seiji, on the other hand, was a wild stray, someone who had only managed to refine chakra crudely—barely literate in shinobi arts. How could someone like that compare to him?
As an Uchiha, Obito had heard plenty about Uchiha Seiji from his grandmother. Now, the entire clan had its eyes on Seiji. Their impression of the Land of Lightning was far from favorable.
After all, the Second Hokage had died at the hands of the Cloud-nin, and the war with the Land of Lightning had ended only a few short years ago. The hatred was still fresh. Obito's own parents had been killed on the battlefield. Many other clansmen had shared the same fate.
Being a shinobi was never noble—it was like dancing on a knife's edge. No one knew if they would see tomorrow. They were mercenaries, nothing more.
"Obito."
Rin frowned slightly. Speaking like that to a classmate wasn't right.
"It's fine. Please begin, Nohara Rin."
Seiji spoke up, ignoring Obito entirely.
At this point, whether or not Obito was already under Uchiha Madara's watch was uncertain. Seiji had no intention of gambling. The only thing he wanted was to stay clear and earn himself more time to grow stronger.
To bear the Uchiha name in Konoha was to be born with sin. The night of Itachi's massacre, Danzō's lust for the Sharingan—these were threats Seiji would inevitably have to face.
And he didn't have much time left. Once they graduated, the Third Great Ninja War would erupt. It was said to be the bloodiest conflict in history—children barely old enough to hold kunai were thrown onto the battlefield.
"Alright then. To learn ninjutsu, the first step is tree-climbing practice." Rin began to explain the method.
In the original tale, Kakashi had taught this to Team 7 during the Land of Waves arc, but his explanation had been far less detailed than Rin's.
Seiji listened carefully, occasionally asking questions when he didn't understand something.
"Gather the right amount… guide the extracted chakra to your soles. That way, you'll generate an adhesive force beneath your feet."
To demonstrate, Rin removed her shoes, revealing pale feet with toes neatly lined like crescents and a faint flush to her soles. She explained where to focus chakra for maximum efficiency with minimal waste.
Then she slipped her shoes back on, formed the "Boar" hand seal—thumbs pressed together, left on top—and stepped onto the trunk of a thick tree. She walked upward as though it were level ground.
Seiji looked up. Rin climbed close to the canopy, then waved down to signal that it was their turn.
"That's easy!"
Obito immediately copied her hand seal. He'd learned this long ago in school. He refined a pool of chakra, guided it into his soles, and cautiously pressed one foot against the bark.
When he didn't fall, his confidence surged. He placed the other foot and began walking upward.
"Good thing I studied this," Obito thought smugly.
Then he turned his head, ready to watch Seiji struggle and embarrass himself in front of Rin.
But in the next instant—he lost focus and slipped, crashing to the ground.
"When controlling chakra, don't lose concentration," Rin chided gently, shaking her head.
Obito groaned, rubbing his back where he had landed hard. He forced himself to stand, gritting his teeth.
"Your turn, Seiji."
"Alright."
Seiji nodded and began.
On his first try, he fell—just like Obito. He managed only about a meter before losing his grip and sliding down.
Then he tried again.
Obito, unwilling to lose, immediately resumed his own practice. Only now did he realize how important chakra control was. He regretted not paying more attention during class.
Time passed quickly.
Two hours later, the forest was bathed in the glow of sunset. Shafts of golden light pierced through the canopy, scattering across the ground in brilliant fragments.
Rin's expression slowly shifted to one of surprise.
Because she had noticed—Seiji's rate of improvement was astonishing.
If he were alone, she might not have realized it. But with Obito as a comparison, the difference was obvious.
At first, Obito could manage two meters. By now, with effort, he had stretched that distance to three and a half.
But Seiji?
He had already reached five meters—just a few steps shy of the canopy itself.
Seiji listened silently as the familiar voice of the system echoed within his mind.
"You have comprehended the trait: [Muscle Memory (White)]."