The next morning, before the sun had fully risen, Obito arrived at the small training ground behind his house.
The air was cold enough to bite, damp with morning dew. He took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and then began his first workout session in this world.
He started with stretching. Forward bends and side stretches. He did all the important ones for a good couple of minutes before breaking into a light jog around the field.
Once he felt like the stiffness in his muscles had loosened up a bit, he stopped to catch his breath and then switched to sprinting.
He ran in short bursts, pushing his legs as fast as they could go, resting for short moments to catch his breath every few laps, then forcing himself to continue. By the time he stopped, his thighs were filled with a tight burning sensation, and his lungs felt like they were about to break apart.
At this point, Obito wanted nothing more than to drop to the ground and lie down. And the next moment, he did drop to the ground, but instead of lying down, he started doing push-ups. Then squats, and then planks.
His arms trembled, his core screamed, but he held on as long as he could. When his arms finally gave out, he rolled onto his back and stared at the sky.
Clouds drifted lazily overhead.
He could hear his heart pounding in his chest.
The past month had made him realize the importance of a strong body. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a foundation of a shinobi. Even if one ignored the bonus to chakra reserves, a weak body meant slower hand seals, weaker strikes, and slower reaction speed.
Taijutsu, kenjutsu, and the utilization of ninja tools—all demanded strength. Technique alone was useless if the arms behind a kunai were weak, or the legs behind a dodge too slow.
On a battlefield, that kind of weakness was a sure way to get one killed. So as soon as his situation had stabilized a bit, the first thing that came to mind was strengthening his body.
He wasn't some expert, but in his past life he had been a regular at the gym. Drawing on that experience, he made a workout routine for himself, one that was light enough for his six-year-old body to bear, but demanding enough to steadily strengthen his physique.
Although a ninja's body strengthened by chakra was tougher than a normal person's, he was still a child. Pushing too hard now could stunt his growth.
What he needed now wasn't to brute-force it, but to lay a solid foundation that could aid in his growth, achieving the effect of one plus one greater than two.
After catching some rest, he got back on his feet and began the next part of his training.
Taijutsu.
He planted his feet and started throwing straight punches into the air. There wasn't much power behind them, but he wasn't aiming for power yet. He focused on stance and balance more, making sure his movements didn't fall apart halfway through.
Then came kicks. The low ones came easily, but his legs wobbled as he aimed higher. He gritted his teeth and kept going anyway.
Rubbing his aching thighs, he moved on to blocks and footwork. Raising his arms. Shifting his weight. Stepping aside, over and over, drilling the movements until they felt less awkward.
These were all the basic taijutsu forms the instructors taught to the first years in the academy. They were plain and boring but fundamentals every shinobi had to start from.
And honestly, for someone like him who barely knew how to throw a proper punch, they were even more important.
By the time he finished, his clothes were soaking with sweat, and every inch of his body ached.
He dragged himself back inside and went straight for the bath. Warm water poured over him, washing away sweat and easing the soreness in his limbs.
For a brief moment, he allowed himself the comfort of simply standing there with his eyes closed.
After drying off and changing into fresh clothes, a familiar voice called out from downstairs.
"Obito! Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming, Grandma," he replied.
At the table, the smell of freshly steamed rice and grilled fish greeted him. He sat across from his grandmother and clasped his hands, saying loudly,
"Thank you for the food."
"Such a polite child," she smiled as she served rice into his bowl.
When the meal was done, Obito slung his small bag over his shoulder, fastening his ninja pouch at his hip.
His grandmother fussed over his collar at the door before finally letting him go.
...
The Uchiha clan compound was already awake. As he made his way to the main street, Obito saw a group of children chasing after each other, their laughter echoing through the compound.
Elderly clan members swept the front steps of their homes; some familiar with him smiled at him as he walked past. Obito returned the greeting with a polite nod.
The rift between the Uchiha and Konoha's higher-ups hadn't yet accelerated to the point it would after the Nine-Tails Rebellion, so the clan still lived in the heart of Konoha, close to the administrative district.
Obito eventually left through the main gate, stepping into the bustling streets of Konoha. They were even more lively than the Uchiha compound.
Shop owners were opening their shutters, and villagers moved about with baskets and bundles in their hands. He also saw a few shinobi dressed in chūnin vests heading toward the Hokage Building.
As he walked down the busy street that led to the academy, his eyes coincidentally drifted to the roadside.
An old granny was standing there. She was slightly bent forward, both hands gripping a large basket at her feet.
It looked heavy, filled with vegetables and firewood, and her hands trembled every time she tried to lift it. She had to stop after every few steps just to catch her breath.
Obito paused in his steps, immediately recognizing the woman as Grandma Akito, who set up a grilled vegetable stall not far away.
It wasn't surprising, to be honest. Obito was familiar with almost half of the old grannies living in Konoha, having helped them once or twice in passing. Though recalling those memories even made him a bit puzzled.
Whenever Obito went out, he always seemed to run into old grannies struggling with something. Sometimes it was carrying stuff, sometimes it was fixing things, and sometimes it was guiding those with bad memory to their home.
It happened so often that it almost felt like divine intervention. Once he even helped a grandma cross a road.
There were no motor vehicles in this world. How could someone even struggle to cross a road?!
Original Obito was clearly a dumbass!
The question was, should he help her?
If he did, he would definitely have to make a run to the Academy afterward. Though if he had to choose, he wanted to arrive a bit earlier. He hadn't been to the academy for more than a month, after all.
Obito glanced around. People passed by the granny without paying much attention to her, which made him hesitate a bit.
After a long struggle, he decided to leave. She would be able to drag the basket to her stall eventually. His help would only save her some time.
He took a step forward.
Then another.
But just then, his eyes met hers. Those tired and helpless eyes seemed to stir something in his chest.
He looked at her lonely figure dragging the basket, then let out a long sigh and turned back, quietly approaching her.
"Do you need help with something, Grandma?" he asked politely.
The old lady looked up, her expression turning surprised. Then a smile appeared on her face.
"Oh, it's Obito," she said warmly. "It's alright. I can manage on my own. You should hurry to the Academy, or you might get late."
Hearing that, Obito felt a faint sense of guilt for his earlier hesitation.
He patted his chest, flashing her a reassuring smile. "Don't underestimate me, Grandma. I might be young, but I'm still a ninja. I run quite fast. Even if I help you, I can make it to the Academy on time."
The old lady looked at him for a moment, then nodded with a gentle smile.
He naturally picked up the basket. It was heavier than it looked, but nothing he couldn't handle. He walked beside her, matching her slow pace, until they reached a small stall nearby.
After placing the basket down, she thanked him repeatedly. Before he could refuse, she pressed a small candy into his hand.
"For helping an old woman," she said kindly.
Obito accepted it and smiled. "Thank you."
He unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth as he turned away.
"It's a bit too sweet," he muttered, and then, without hesitation, broke into a light jog toward the Academy.