At Training Ground 16, Makoto was conducting the roll call before the exam.
Since the entire Ninja Academy was holding the test simultaneously—and the practical exam required a lot of space—the school field obviously couldn't accommodate everyone. So the students were sent directly to various training grounds for the exam.
After confirming that all examinees had arrived, Makoto and Kimura Sugito announced the start of the drawing of lots.
The rules for the practical exam were simple.
Students would draw numbers according to the class roster. Their number would determine their opponent.
No. 1 vs No. 2
No. 3 vs No. 4
And so on.
"I got Number 1! Rin, what number did you get?" Obito Uchiha excitedly asked as soon as he finished drawing.
"I'm Number 10," Nohara Rin replied. "That means you'll be fighting in the very first match."
"It doesn't matter which round it is. I'm going to win anyway," Obito said confidently.
After training with Makoto for a full month, Obito felt like he had been improving every single day. The current version of him had already left his past self far behind.
After asking Rin, Obito went to check Might Guy 's number.
"Forty," Guy answered.
"Then we'll probably only meet in the final round," Obito said, surprised that their numbers were so far apart.
"Don't lose before you face me, Obito!" Guy said with a thumbs-up.
"That's what I should be saying. I'm an Uchiha, after all," Obito replied.
He couldn't tell if Guy was joking or serious, but it sounded oddly provocative.
"Where do you two get all that confidence from?" a nearby classmate complained.
Two Dead Last students talking like they were destined to meet at the top sounded ridiculous.
"The first match will begin shortly. Examinee No. 1: Obito Uchiha vs Examinee No. 2: Uchiha Tekka."
Makoto glanced at the time and officially announced the start of the exam.
Obito didn't bother arguing with the classmates mocking him. Instead, he quickly walked to the square arena marked by white lines.
Uchiha Tekka also stepped into the arena and looked at Obito.
Although they were both from the Uchiha clan, the same class, and the same age, they had barely spoken before.
There was no dramatic backstory.
They simply weren't interested in each other.
Tekka thought Obito was a bit foolish—weak, always late, and hardly worthy of the Uchiha name.
Obito, meanwhile, felt Tekka looked too cold and difficult to approach.
"Two Uchiha fighting each other. This should be interesting."
Someone in the crowd almost burst out laughing.
After all, if both fighters came from the same clan, whoever lost would be embarrassed.
"What's interesting about that? Obviously Uchiha Tekka will win. It's not like Obito Uchiha is going to win," another student said dismissively.
"You know Tekka has been first place in class for both second and third year. The only time he wasn't was when Kakashi Hatake outperformed him in first year."
"And Obito? His theory exams never pass, and his combat skills are just average. How could he beat Tekka?"
The onlooker who had been amused paused.
That argument made sense.
Tekka was a textbook example of an elite Uchiha student—excellent in both theory and combat. Aside from the prodigy Kakashi, no one in their class had beaten him.
Expecting Obito Uchiha—the clan's notorious Dead Last—to defeat someone like Tekka seemed unrealistic.
"Obito, be careful," Rin said worriedly.
She felt his luck was terrible.
With Obito's current strength, he shouldn't be eliminated immediately.
But facing someone like Uchiha Tekka, a long-time top student, she only hoped Obito wouldn't push himself too hard and get injured.
Emotionally, she wanted Obito to win.
But realistically, there was still a clear gap in strength.
"Almost everyone doubts him… but that just makes victory even more exhilarating!" Might Guy said with a bright smile, arms crossed.
Unlike everyone else—
He believed Obito would win.
The commotion in Class 2 even attracted attention from nearby fourth-year classes.
Several students wandered over to watch.
The practical exam rules were relatively loose—as long as students stayed within the training ground, they could move around.
But when many of them realized it was Obito vs Tekka, they quickly lost interest.
After years of exams together, everyone knew who the strong students were.
Tekka fighting Obito?
That sounded like a complete mismatch.
Only a few people stayed behind to watch Tekka's performance.
The two stood facing each other and formed the Seal of Confrontation.
This was a required procedure in Ninja Academy combat training—signaling the start of the fight.
After the battle ended, they would form the Seal of Reconciliation, symbolizing that they were still comrades.
"Begin!"
As soon as Makoto gave the command—
Tekka instantly drew three shuriken from his ninja pouch and threw them toward Obito, targeting his head, torso, and legs.
At the same time, Tekka rushed forward at full speed.
Obito responded immediately, throwing three shuriken of his own.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
All six shuriken collided midair and fell to the ground.
"The Uchiha clan's shuriken techniques are indeed impressive," Kimura commented.
"Even someone with relatively ordinary talent like Obito still has excellent throwing accuracy."
Intercepting shuriken with shuriken required exceptional precision.
Because the battlefield was small, Tekka quickly closed the distance and threw a right hook.
Obito showed no fear and countered with his own punch.
The two immediately entered close combat, exchanging blows as dust rose from the ground.
The fight was surprisingly intense.
"Huh? Since when was Obito Uchiha this good at taijutsu?" one spectator said in shock.
The supposed Dead Last of the Uchiha clan was actually holding his own against Tekka.
Students from other classes were surprised.
But the students from their own class looked even more shocked—like they had just seen a ghost.
Wasn't the usual outcome supposed to be Tekka kicking Obito away in seconds?
"Obito has really gotten a lot stronger…" Rin said softly, her mouth slightly open in disbelief.
She had always thought Obito was just acting tough like before.
But this time—
He really had improved.
"Obito Uchiha is still slightly weaker," Kimura said, shaking his head.
As a Chūnin, he could see more than the students.
"Yes, his taijutsu still needs improvement," Makoto agreed.
After all, they had only trained for one month.
There was no way to improve everything in such a short time.
During this month, Obito had mainly focused on Fire Release ninjutsu. Under Makoto's guidance, his chakra nature transformation had improved greatly.
Just as Kimura predicted, Obito gradually began to lose ground.
"See? I told you Obito couldn't beat Tekka," one of the earlier critics said with relief.
If Obito had actually won, it would have made his earlier judgment look foolish.
Still…
Maybe they should stop calling Obito the Uchiha Dead Last.
With this performance, that nickname was starting to feel inaccurate.
Suddenly, Obito seized an opportunity.
Using the force of Tekka's punch, he jumped backward, widening the distance between them.
Then he quickly began forming hand seals.
After all—
He hadn't spent a whole month practicing Fire Release just to exchange punches with Tekka.
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