Obito was the first to notice Kakashi:
"So it is you, Kakashi! You jerk—you haven't shown your face in the village for months, have you? What, being a chūnin makes you so great? You're back and you didn't even come say hi to me!"
"…Idiot."
Hatake Kakashi wore a dark-green Konoha flak jacket and a black mask. With his listless, dead-fish eyes, he gave Obito a flat glance, then shifted his gaze to Mikami Yuu, Rin, and the others, sizing them up.
"Everyone's here, right?"
"We can skip introductions—you all know me. I'm here on the Hokage's orders as a special examiner for this graduation test…"
"Examiner?"
Hearing that, Rin, Kurenai, and the others all froze.
This…
Everyone knew Kakashi had already been promoted to chūnin. But he was still a classmate from the same year—they'd enrolled together. Seeing a former classmate suddenly become an examiner felt… kind of weird.
Only Might Guy didn't care. He jumped out immediately.
"Oh! I get it!"
"So the exam is basically challenging you, right? Fine, Kakashi! My Leaf Whirlwind has been starving for this—let me go first!"
"Why you? I got here first!"
Obito wouldn't back down.
"…You two idiots, shut up! Let me finish!"
Kakashi barked, glancing toward the teaching building not far away. Then he opened a booklet and continued:
"This exam uses a free-for-all format. Each class will be divided into two large groups, and you'll fight an offense–defense battle around the platform in the center of the field. Time limit: fifteen minutes. Whoever controls the platform at the end wins. Ooki-sensei, Himura-sensei, and I will score you based on your performance in battle.
"During the match, you may use any means available, including the ninjutsu and secret techniques you've learned. If you face danger you truly can't withstand, we will step in and save you—but that also means you lose the right to continue competing…"
"Now, I'll read out the group assignments…"
…
Mikami Yuu didn't say anything. He only glanced with the corner of his eye in the direction Kakashi had just looked and faintly saw two figures standing on the teaching building's rooftop. They were backlit and far away, so he couldn't make them out.
Someone watching from afar at a time like this… was it Hiruzen?
Makes sense.
The Hokage would personally award the prize to first place in this graduation exam, so of course he would come watch.
And Mikami Yuu had already prepared himself to "stand out above the forest."
To be fair, he found this exam format pretty interesting. Who knew whether it was like this in the original story, or whether his presence had created a butterfly effect…
Soon,
the assignments were finished.
Mikami Yuu and Obito were placed on defense, while Rin was placed on offense.
Obito clearly hated being separated from Rin, but still cracked his knuckles and declared, "Rin, don't worry. I'll defeat everyone, take first place, win the Hokage's reward, and then give it to you!"
"…Wow. Thanks."
Rin pressed her lips together, then spoke earnestly: "Yuu-kun, Obito-kun—later I'll go all out and show what I've learned. I hope you won't hold back either."
"Okay."
Mikami Yuu nodded.
On the other side,
a few defense-side students who were close with each other were already huddling up, forming an alliance and discussing tactics:
"Hey, I've got a great idea!"
"Fifteen minutes is a long time. If we hard-defend from the start, the offense will wear us down fast. So why don't we give them the platform first? Let them get complacent. Arrogant troops lose—then we win for sure!"
"Brilliant! But I'd like to modify it. How about we all use Transformation Technique to turn into the Hokage? If they attack us, that's disrespecting the Hokage. If they don't attack us, it's basically an automatic surrender! What do you say?"
"…?"
"…."
Mikami Yuu was speechless.
Konoha's "geniuses" really were everywhere. If he had to hear any more of this idiotic nonsense, he'd stab his own ears deaf!
He carefully looked over both lineups.
It was obvious the teams weren't evenly balanced.
The offense side was noticeably stronger. They had Sarutobi Asuma and Hyūga Kamon—two kids from major clans—plus Might Guy, a taijutsu monster, and Nara Mayumi as the brains.
As a Nara, Mayumi's intellect was far beyond the average student. In written exams, Mikami Yuu had long held first place while second place was almost always Mayumi. Even though Mayumi was still young and couldn't craft truly sophisticated tactics, he was already more than capable in situations like this.
Meanwhile, on defense…
Obito, Kurenai, Ebisu,... Mizuki…
After scanning the list, Mikami Yuu realized he was basically the only real "thick thigh" on the team.
Strictly speaking, Obito and Kurenai were also from ninja families—Obito was even an Uchiha—but… this distribution felt suspicious. Was there some behind-the-scenes manipulation? Or was it because Mikami Yuu took first last time, so they paired him with weaker teammates to balance the overall strength?
Either way, Mikami Yuu didn't waste time thinking about team strategy. He simply kept his eyes on Asuma and Hyūga Kamon, quietly planning tactics in his head.
To win this battle, a clash with them was probably unavoidable—and he might even have to fight both at once.
In that case…
This was the perfect chance to measure these clan kids and see what level he'd truly reached.
Soon,
under the guidance of Teachers Ooki and Himura, the students entered the field through different entrances around the perimeter.
Mikami Yuu and his group went up onto the platform, looking down to observe the terrain.
Asuma's group spread out around the field.
After a brief silence,
a whistle sounded:
"The exam begins!"
"…Leaf Whirlwind!!!"
Might Guy burst forward first, covering dozens of meters in the blink of an eye. Near the dirt slope leading to the platform, he planted a step and leapt—like a spring-loaded machine—then whipped a spinning flying kick straight at a student standing there!
"Ah!!"
That student barely raised an arm to block before Guy's kick smashed into his chest—BANG—sending him flying away!
"Byakugan—activate!"
Hyūga Kamon also charged out from the crowd with two other students, heading straight for Mikami Yuu's position!
"…Obito, you go deal with Might Guy!"
Mikami Yuu spoke rapidly.
"Huh? Me?!"
Obito froze, his first instinct to argue.
But Kurenai, without a word, pulled out a kunai and charged toward Might Guy.
"I'll do it!"