"Damn it, how can this still be a win?" Initially, seeing Might Guy use the Konoha Dragon God, Obito was already opening the champagne for Guy, but Kakashi managed to pull out an even stronger slash at the last moment.
Moreover, Kakashi collapsed just a fraction later than Might Guy; he was clearly at his limit too.
Listening to Hiruko announce the battle's result, Obito felt quite uncomfortable. Seeing Nohara Rin smile yet show a worried expression while looking at Kakashi below made him feel even worse.
In his mind, it should have been him standing down there.
"I must quickly master the Breath of Flame Chakra Mode, and then we'll see if he can withstand my Fire Release!" At this moment, Obito was full of motivation to cultivate, wishing to stay up all night to enhance his strength, and then defeat Kakashi in front of Nohara Rin.
"Those two are really strong," Asuma sighed. The two of them fought with a level of skill not usually seen in the Chunin Examination.
Those who had previously undergone special training with Might Guy were even more shocked. Many of them were Guy's classmates and had witnessed his journey from being at the bottom of the class to first place and now second in the Chunin Examination.
During special training, they could still see the gap between themselves and Might Guy. Now, that gap had widened to the point that they had no idea how many years of cultivation it would take to reach Might Guy's current strength.
"Guy, today your youth burned to its peak! I am proud of you!" Might Duy gave Might Guy a thumbs-up, tears of emotion streaming down his face.
Even though Might Guy lost the final match, Might Duy did not think his efforts were in vain.
On the contrary, this Chunin Examination brought Guy fame, showing many Konoha Ninja that there was a Taijutsu Ninja like Might Guy who could defeat numerous geniuses using only Taijutsu.
Even in losing, Might Guy only lost in the very last second, after everyone had reached their limits.
As a father, Might Duy sincerely hoped his child would come first, but he did not think coming second was shameful because second had already surpassed countless ninjas. As long as Guy continues to work hard and surpass the first, that's enough.
In fact, Might Guy's rapid growth had already far exceeded Might Duy's expectations, participating in the Chunin Examination and becoming second at only nine years old.
"Guy, if you keep this up, you'll definitely achieve your goal!" Might Duy decided to prepare a grand feast to celebrate.
The audience buzzed with discussion about the recent battle, both fighters' performances were outstanding and unexpected.
"Letting Kakashi train with Minato was indeed a wise decision," Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled as he spoke to Minato standing behind him.
Today, Kakashi was exceptionally brilliant, even more so than during his time at the Ninja Academy.
At the Academy, he only outshone the students of Konoha; during the Chunin Examination, he faced outstanding ninjas from other Great Ninja Villages, making his first place particularly valuable.
Kakashi's performance greatly exceeded Sarutobi Hiruzen's expectations. He initially only wanted Kakashi to step out of his shadow, but now not only had Kakashi done so, he had emerged as a butterfly, experiencing a wave of transformation.
Through these exams, Sarutobi Hiruzen seemed to see the next White Fang of Konoha.
"I didn't do much; Kakashi's excellence is primarily due to Mokgetsu. When I became the instructor, Kakashi's inner shadows were already mostly healed by Mokgetsu, and Mokgetsu was in charge of the core cultivation teachings," Minato explained, shaking his head.
Minato would never claim credit for what wasn't his; Kakashi's current achievements were not especially due to him.
Initially, Minato worried about how to instruct Kakashi, but upon taking over, he found that Mokgetsu had already gotten Kakashi on track. Apart from speaking a bit less, Kakashi was normal in all aspects.
In terms of ninja training, Kakashi primarily focused on Breathing Technique and Lightning Release and Earth Release. Minato admittedly didn't understand Breathing Technique, had only a little knowledge of Lightning Release, and couldn't do Earth Release at all.
For newcomers like Obito and Nohara Rin, Minato could teach them about ninja tasks and how to handle different scenarios. Kakashi, having been a ninja for several years, left little for Minato to teach.
Of course, to say there was no influence whatsoever wouldn't be accurate either. Minato just felt Mokgetsu played a more significant role than he did.
"I see, but Minato, don't underestimate yourself. They seem to like you quite a bit, and with Obito's personality, if there was a big gap between you and Mokgetsu, he would have complained to me by now," Sarutobi Hiruzen mused thoughtfully, then laughed.
Since Minato said so, it must be true that Mokgetsu had played a crucial role. Minato was modest but not so much that he would attribute all credit to others.
"Mokgetsu indeed has unique skills in education, which extends beyond large class teachings," Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded inwardly.
This was one reason Sarutobi Hiruzen had previously refused Danzo's request.
Minato, who could rapidly dispatch enemies on the battlefield, was still in the village, so there was no way they would send away someone with unique skills like Mokgetsu.
"What did it feel like having your own students face off in the finals? Did you predict Kakashi would win?" Jiraiya curiously asked Mokgetsu.
The outstanding performances of Obito and the others had earned Jiraiya's recognition of Mokgetsu's teaching skills, comparable to his own.