Obito wiped river water off his face, panting."Teacher Hanyū Yuuma… how long did I last this time?"He genuinely felt like he'd survived an hour.
"You did well," Yuuma said calmly. "Twenty minutes."
"Eh!? Only twenty?" Obito sagged.Balancing chakra on raging water while dodging Water Release attacks made time stretch like torture.
"You've cleared the chakra-control phase," Yuuma continued. "Now you can begin Nature Change training."
"Finally!" Obito's body moved on reflex toward the river—then froze as Yuuma's words sank in.He pumped his fist, triumphant. "I'm done with water-walking! I've been drinking river water every day—I swear I'm starting to like the taste."
Shisui and Might Guy stared. Obito coughed, regaining dignity.
"Want to keep practicing?" Yuuma teased.
Obito panicked. "Nope! I avoid rivers now. I see water—I run."
"We have fourteen days left before the competition," Obito muttered, serious again. "I need Fire Style proficiency and Nature Change both."
"There's enough time," Yuuma assured him. His voice was steady—like someone who had already calculated every stat and outcome.
A shadow clone returned carrying a wooden barrel. Yuuma opened it and handed Obito an egg-sized piece of ice.
"First step," Yuuma said. "Hold the ice. Infuse chakra. Change its nature. Melt it."
Nature Change training—difficult, advanced, and absolutely unforgiving.
Burning leaves was the traditional method, but Yuuma knew Obito would torch his own hands.Ice, however, melted safely.
"So cold—!" Obito gasped, clutching the ice.
"Then don't waste time."Yuuma flicked his forehead with two fingers.
Obito yelped and quickly guided chakra into his palm.
"Remember the properties of fire," Yuuma instructed. "Heat. Combustion. Burn."
Obito repeated the words in his head like a mantra.
Two minutes later, water streamed down his palm.
"Teacher! It's melting!"
"Try another." Yuuma handed him a second piece.
Obito held it barehanded.It melted almost the same as before.
"Your body has heat," Yuuma said, rubbing his forehead. "Ice melts by itself."
"Oh. Right…" Obito scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Again," Yuuma said.
He raised a head-sized ice block—and in the next instant:
Zzzzt—!!A burst of red chakra heat blasted from his palm.
The ice evaporated instantly into drifting steam.
Obito stared, stunned.So that was the standard?
He clenched his fists, whispering, "High temperature… burn…"
Hours passed.By noon, Obito's hands were numb, pale, wrinkled—soaked in cold water and chakra exhaustion.
"…River water isn't that bad, actually," he muttered weakly.This training was more brutal than falling into the river ten times.
Yuuma finally clapped his hands. "Break time. Eat."
He handed everyone a lunch box.
Guy opened his first—A golden glow spilled out.
"Teacher Yuuma… the rice is glowing." Guy's soul left his body.
"It's the sun reflecting," Yuuma said with a faint smile.
Guy took one bite—then began inhaling food like a starving beast.
"Delicious! This is youth itself!"
[System Notice: Critical Reward Granted — Chakra +100]
Obito blinked. "Training hit him harder than I thought…"
He opened his own box—simple stir-fry.One bite, and—
His pupils dilated.Flavor exploded through him like a Rank-Up notification.
Then—
SPICY.
A volcanic heat ignited in his mouth.For a moment, Obito swore he was standing on the lip of an erupting crater, the air around him shimmering with blistering fire.