Twelve-year-old Uchiha Obito can already be considered a relatively accomplished ninja.
During his time at the Ninja Academy, he frequently received the top grades in the school's practical exams.
During graduation internship, he completed an astounding S-level mission, leaving teachers and students in awe.
Less than a year after graduation, he participated in the Chunin Examination and successfully advanced to Chunin, gaining a certain level of fame in Konoha Village due to his excellent performance.
During this time, he undertook various dangerous missions, some of which were as exciting as ninja novels.
The mission to protect a princess eventually turned into a grand battle against rebellious forces intent on betrayal; unfortunately, the princess didn't act like a princess and had a bad temper.
There was also the investigation of the Minister of Loulan, discovering a conspiratorial mind, once again saving a country.
During that mission, he even encountered the unbelievable situation of time travel, receiving some troubling intelligence.
Following this was his journey with Mokgetsu to the East Coast battlefield of the Land of Fire, alongside Mokgetsu opposing the invasion from The Hidden Mist Village.
On the battlefield, Obito's formidable strength further increased his reputation, not just among Konoha Ninja, but also with many Hidden Mist Ninja who knew of him.
Relying on considerable merit earned in battle, Obito became a Jonin at the mere age of ten.
Obito also participated in a Martial Arts Tournament that gathered a multitude of geniuses from the Ninja World, even though he was second and not first, with Nagato being several years older than him.
Many Konoha Ninja and residents call him Konoha's super genius, and some elders from the Uchiha Clan say he is the future of the Uchiha Clan.
Obito liked being praised, but he never truly took these people to heart.
Because these people only appeared after he became strong, there was only one person who appeared before he was strong, and it was precisely this person who helped him become the genius others see.
Before his fourth year, Obito's nickname at the Ninja Academy was "Uchiha Clan's underachiever", a headache for teachers and looked down upon by some as a failure.
Despite some of Obito's grades not being that terrible, it couldn't compare against the excellent grades of other Uchiha, resulting in an obvious gap.
Within the Uchiha Clan, although no one specifically called Obito an underachiever, no peers interacted with him, and he lived as an outsider in the Uchiha Clan Land.
Truthfully, Obito didn't particularly care about these things; Uchiha Clan peers didn't play with him, but he didn't want to play with those Uchiha either, as he had other friends.
However, Obito was actually unwilling to be an underachiever; he had his own dream and wanted to become the Hokage.
As the village leader, how could the Hokage be an underachiever? Surely, you'd think it should be the most outstanding ninja.
The turning point came during the first semester of fourth year.
Obito still remembers every detail of that afternoon, because it truly was the beginning of a life akin to a dream.
He was very grateful to Iketani Isamu, for if Iketani hadn't needed Mokgetsu to fill in for a lecture, Obito wouldn't have met Mokgetsu, wouldn't have received the chance for remedial classes, and might not have become Mokgetsu's disciple.
Mokgetsu's teaching seemed magical; under his guidance, Obito's strength quickly improved, and even his theoretical scores rose, from failing to passing and eventually reaching average levels.
Just like that, Obito broke free from the ranks of underachievers, becoming a genius.
However, Mokgetsu's assistance to Obito did not stop there.
When Obito was discouraged, Mokgetsu was the first to notice and console him.
When Obito wanted to participate in the junior Ninjutsu competition for recognition, Mokgetsu crafted a special training plan just for him.
On his birthday, Mokgetsu not only forged a Kunai by hand to gift to him but also went to various countries to capture the scenic photos he wished to see.
Obito had more than one teacher, but in terms of mentors, only Mokgetsu, the omnipotent Sage Mokgetsu in Obito's heart, held the title.
Indeed, in Obito's heart, Mokgetsu was like the figure of the Six Paths Sage, accomplishing things nobody could.
Otherwise, how could a Chunin teacher like Mokgetsu possess such powerful abilities, transforming Obito from an underachiever to a genius? How could Mokgetsu develop so many mighty Secret Techniques at such a young age?
But when Obito saw blood spurting from Mokgetsu's body after the blue long blade had fallen, reality seemed to cruelly declare that an omnipotent ninja did not exist, and even the perceived omnipotence of sage Mokgetsu was a falsehood — Mokgetsu Sage could be killed.
"Impossible!" Obito immediately rejected this conclusion.
"Sage Mokgetsu is omnipotent, he cannot die..."
"The true falsehood is in this world!"
Large teardrops continuously fell from Obito's blood-red Three Tomoe, akin to an unending spring from some myth that never dries out.
Suddenly, Obito lost sense of everyone around him; Mokgetsu vanished, Kakashi and Shisui disappeared, the enemies were gone too, and he couldn't feel anything, as if alone on a desolate earth.
At this moment, Obito's eyes felt a burning sensation — was it due to the tears? Why was he crying? Mokgetsu Sage hadn't died!
Uncontrollably, Obito's Chakra flowed around his eyes, his perception gradually returned, Mokgetsu's body appeared, Kakashi and others resumed their presence, and the black-robed Uchiha emerged.