"It's Obito's turn," Nohara Rin whispered, her hands clasped nervously.
Obito nodded once, inhaled, and walked onto the stage with uncharacteristic focus.
"Obito, knock it out of the park," Rin called softly.
"Obito! Show Kakashi the full power of your youth!" Might Guy pumped a fist, radiant as always.
Kakashi didn't bother raising his voice. "Don't lose before I get my turn."
Obito spun around. "Impossible. Wait and see."
Even the host brightened. "Another young Uchiha! Rare to see two in a row. Let's hope this one brings something special!"
Asuma winced. "He's going after that? The guy before him had a fireball as tall as a person. This is… kind of cruel."
Up ahead, Uchiha Tetsuka frowned. "He's participating too…?"For the first time, doubt flickered.Maybe 8,000 ryō wasn't guaranteed.
But the judges probably can't even recognize the Great Dragon Fire…Its visuals weren't as dramatic as a full Great Fireball, so perhaps…
"Uchiha Obito, what ninjutsu will you be performing?" the host asked cheerfully.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu," Obito declared with total confidence.
"Ahh, another Great Fireball! Truly, the Uchiha clan lives up to its name. Everyone, let's welcome him!"
This is it.Obito stood at the center, looking down at the sea of faces.
He saw Rin.Guy.Kakashi.Shisui.Asuma.
And—
"Teacher… Mu Yue?!"Obito's eyes widened.
Hanyū Yuuma smiled up at him, calm and proud.
Obito swallowed hard. Mu Yue was the reason he stood here — the reason today mattered.
If Mu Yue could see him win first place… that would be enough.
I won't disappoint anyone who believes in me.
Obito pressed his palms together, shoulders tightening.
"Fire Release—!"
Chakra surged into his throat, dense and blazing.
"Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Whooooooosh!!!
An eruption of fire roared from Obito's mouth, blooming into an orange-red sphere that swelled…
…and swelled…
…and swelled.
Four meters tall.Towering over the stage.A wall of flame fit for a chūnin exam arena, not a children's competition.
The entire street recoiled.
"What—what is THAT!?" one of the judges shrieked.
"This can't be an academy-level fireball!" another yelled, gripping the railing.
"This is insane!" the host cried. "Uchiha Obito has produced a fireball that breaks the scale of this competition!"
Tetsuka staggered.He stared, stunned, at the inferno.
No way… this has to be genjutsu. It has to.He wanted so badly to believe that.
Asuma rubbed his eyes. "Teacher… hit me. I think I'm hallucinating."
Mu Yue flicked him on the forehead.
"Ow!"
No illusion.Obito's fireball still towered over the stage.
Asuma stared, hollow. "I… I'm finished. Even Obito passed me? What am I doing with my life?"
Kakashi gazed quietly at the flames, mind racing.This wasn't luck.This was growth — explosive, unreasonable growth.
Obito lowered his hands, chest heaving, fire fading.
Silence fell.
Then—
"Ten points!""Ten points!""Ten points!!"
The judges were unanimous.
"Uchiha Obito has earned a total of thirty points—a flawless perfect score! First place is secured!"
The crowd roared.
Among them, Iketani Isamu activated his Byakugan.The veins around his temples shifted as chakra illuminated his vision.
"…Form manipulation," he murmured.Impressive, but not as lethal as it looked.Still—His conclusion was simple:
Obito won this round, beyond doubt.
Rin rushed over. "That was amazing, Obito!"
"Hehe…" His grin nearly split his face.
Kakashi stepped forward. "Don't celebrate yet. They might just give me more than full marks."
Right then the host shouted:
"Now, please welcome contestant number five—Hatake Kakashi!"
The crowd exploded again.
The real match was about to begin.