Chapter 8 — Results
This was the day the results were announced.
A dense crowd had already gathered in front of the bulletin board, students pressing forward from all sides, craning their necks and calling out names as they searched for the results.
Obuya and the others pushed their way through the crowd with some effort, finally managing to squeeze close enough to read the posted list.
"Rin, there—your name."
Obuya's eyes quickly locked onto the three familiar characters: Nohara Rin.
Obito burst into laughter. "Ha! Rin passed, just like I said!"
But the next instant, his expression twisted.
"What? That's impossible! That bastard Kakashi's name is here too?!"
Before he could react further, a voice sounded from behind him.
"I passed. That's only natural."
Kakashi had already walked up at some point. Seeing his name on the list, his usually indifferent eyes showed a faint trace of satisfaction.
"Don't get so full of yourself!" Obito snapped, his temper flaring. "This is just the written test. You'll see my name on there too!"
"Then I'll be waiting," Kakashi replied flatly, completely unfazed.
"Obuya, look—your name is here too! You passed!"
Rin grabbed Obuya's arm, unable to hide her excitement.
At the exact moment Obuya confirmed his name, the system's voice sounded in his mind:
[Ninja Exam Side Quest Completed: +20 Demon Points]
[Fruit Abilities 'Barrier: Human Reassembly' and 'Cardiac Shock' upgraded to Level 2]
"My abilities… leveled up."
A surge of excitement rose in Obuya's chest.
Without drawing attention, he activated the demon mark and checked his updated Ability Attributes.
The changes were immediately clear.
Barrier: Human Reassembly—its range had increased significantly. Previously, even at full charge, it could only extend to about fifteen meters. Now, it had doubled to thirty.
A wider barrier meant greater control over the battlefield. More space to manipulate, more room to suppress opponents, and more freedom to act.
But what truly caught his attention was Cardiac Shock.
Cardiac Shock Level 2: Under a high-frequency voltage of one million volts, the electric current undergoes a qualitative transformation, evolving into a semi-spiritual form, greatly enhancing its destructive power.
Obuya's gaze sharpened.
At Level 1, it had already been enough to incapacitate Kirito in a single strike. Now, at Level 2, its lethality had increased even further. If used without restraint, it might be enough to destroy an opponent instantly from within.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
"How… how is this possible?! I didn't pass?!"
Obito's voice rang out, filled with disbelief.
Obuya turned sharply.
"That shouldn't be possible. Our answers were the same… how could you fail?"
Obito's face turned pale as he muttered to himself.
"When I was copying at the end… I noticed there was one extra answer, but I couldn't find where to put it. I was rushing, so I just ignored it. Could it be…"
Obuya's expression became slightly strange.
"When I copied, there wasn't any extra answer. Each question matched one answer. You probably filled one answer twice, which threw everything off afterward."
Obito froze, his face losing all color.
"Idiot."
Kakashi shot him a sideways glance, his tone merciless.
Rin quickly stepped forward, placing a hand on Obito's shoulder. "It's okay, Obito. You just missed it this time. There will be other chances."
Obito lowered his head, too dejected to even argue back.
"Eh? Obito, look!"
Rin suddenly exclaimed.
At that moment, another ninja stepped forward and posted an additional notice on the board. It contained three names—one of them was Uchiha Obito.
"A supplementary list! Obito, you made it—you passed too!"
Rin raised her hands in excitement.
Obito's gloom vanished instantly, replaced by a wide grin. "Hahaha! I knew I passed!"
"Supplementary candidate," Kakashi said dryly.
Obito immediately bristled. "Kakashi, the next stage is team combat. Don't drag Rin and me down."
"I was about to say the same to you," Kakashi replied calmly.
"Hey, enough already," Rin said, stepping between them to stop another argument from breaking out.
At that moment, a middle-aged ninja stepped forward and addressed the group.
"All genin who have passed will have seven days to prepare. After seven days, the preliminary team matches and final individual rounds will begin. Those who perform exceptionally will be promoted to chūnin."
As soon as he finished speaking, Obuya's system activated again:
[Demon Mission Side Quest]: Participate in the Chūnin Exam, defeat your opponents, and advance to chūnin
[Mission Difficulty]: High
[Mission Reward]: Based on performance; full victory grants +40 Demon Points
[Failure Penalty]: None
"A new mission… becoming a chūnin."
Obuya's expression shifted slightly.
Previously, without the Level 2 enhancements, he would have had little confidence. But now, things were different.
"My abilities are powerful, but my physical strength and combat experience are still lacking compared to Kakashi and the others," he thought. "These seven days will be crucial."
While he was still considering his next steps, the same middle-aged ninja approached him directly.
"You're Obuya, correct?" the man asked, his tone neutral.
Obuya nodded. "Yes."
"Come with me. The Hokage wants to see you."
"The Hokage?"
Obuya's heart skipped a beat.
"The current Hokage is Sarutobi Hiruzen… why would he want to see me? Is it because of my abilities?" he wondered.
"Obuya, the Hokage wants to meet you? That's amazing!" Rin said excitedly. "He must be planning to officially recognize you as a Konoha ninja. Go quickly!"
Obuya gave a small nod. "Understood. Please lead the way."
As he followed the ninja away, Kakashi watched from behind, a faint trace of curiosity appearing on his face.
"Rin… are you saying this Obuya is joining Konoha?" he asked.
Rin nodded firmly. "Kakashi, don't underestimate him. He's incredibly skilled and has a rare Kekkei Genkai. I saw it myself—he took down Kirito in one move, cut off his limbs, and reattached them instantly. Everyone was shocked."
Kakashi's expression shifted slightly, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes.
Obito rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I heard about that too. Kirito got it pretty bad—his limbs were completely reversed. I saw it from a distance… it was terrifying."
"His father's been looking for a medical ninja to fix it," Obito added. "But someone capable of reattaching limbs like that? Those are rare. It won't be easy."
Kakashi nodded faintly. "If that's true… then the Hokage made the right decision. Letting someone like that join another village would be dangerous."