Chapter 29 — The Alarm That Hadn't Sounded in Ten Years
"Opening the Gate of Life!"
The veins on Might Guy's forehead bulged as a violent surge of green chakra burst from his body, rolling outward like a storm.
"The Third Gate—open!"
Obuya's expression twisted in shock the moment he heard those words.
"Obito's in trouble," Minato Namikaze said, his tone turning grave.
"The Third Gate—the Gate of Life—is the final safe threshold of the Eight Gates. Once it's opened, his speed will reach a level that's almost impossible to follow. In Obito's current condition, even with the Sharingan, he won't be able to keep up. This Might Guy… he's a true taijutsu prodigy."
Minato watched the battlefield intently, a trace of awe in his eyes.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"
Obito completed his hand seals in one fluid motion. Flames burst from his mouth like a scatter of blazing bullets, fanning out in all directions as they shot toward Guy.
Each fireball was guided by chakra, shifting midair and locking onto its target, making them incredibly difficult to evade.
Whoosh!
With the Third Gate open, Might Guy vanished from sight in an instant.
Everyone had clearly seen Obito complete his jutsu first, with Guy only reacting afterward. And yet, in the blink of an eye, Guy's upward spinning kick struck Obito squarely under the chin before the flames could fully close in.
Obito was sent hurtling into the air.
A length of bandage shot out like a living serpent, wrapping tightly around him mid-flight.
Before he could even react, a powerful force yanked him downward—and in the next moment, a leg as solid as iron slammed into him, launching his body violently across the arena.
Though Obito's Sharingan managed to track Guy's movements, the speed gap was overwhelming. His eyes could follow—but his body simply couldn't respond in time.
The outcome of the match was already decided.
Obuya let out a quiet sigh. Obito's luck had run out this time—he had encountered someone like Might Guy, a pure taijutsu specialist who completely countered him. Against anyone else, Obito's recent growth might have been enough to put up a real fight.
Might Guy didn't press the attack.
Obito was already too injured to continue. No matter how unwilling he felt, he could only accept defeat.
Obuya leapt onto the stage and helped him back to the second tier.
Rin stood nearby, lips parted slightly, unsure of what to say.
Seeing Obito's bloodied face and torn lips, Obuya gently patted his shoulder.
"Obito, don't let this get to you. No one wins every fight."
"But… I've never won."
Obito lowered his head, his shoulders trembling faintly.
For a moment, Obuya didn't know how to respond.
His thoughts drifted to the future of the ninja world—how the Obito of another timeline had risen to terrifying heights.
Setting aside the Mangekyō Sharingan he had yet to awaken, Obuya knew that Obito's eventual strength had been shaped by one man: the infamous schemer, Uchiha Madara.
Later, Obito's body would be reconstructed using the cells of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, granting him overwhelming power.
But Obuya had no intention of letting him walk that path.
Looking at Obito, head lowered in defeat, Obuya thought silently, Obito… you'll become strong. Even without that encounter, even without Madara… you still have me.
Now that he possessed the ability of Human Modification, strengthening the body itself was no longer impossible.
Of course, none of this could be said out loud. Those thoughts remained buried deep within him.
The individual matches of the Chūnin Exams continued in an orderly fashion.
Before long, it was Kakashi's turn.
Whether by coincidence or design, his opponent was none other than Might Guy—the same opponent who had just defeated Obito.
From the very beginning, the battle escalated into a fierce clash.
One was a prodigy of taijutsu. The other, a prodigy of ninjutsu.
Though neither possessed the overwhelming reputation of Uchiha Shisui, both stood at the very peak of their generation.
After more than ten minutes of intense combat, Might Guy once again opened the Eight Gates.
At the same time, Kakashi unveiled his self-developed technique—Lightning Release: Chidori—its piercing chirp echoing across the arena as it made its stunning debut.
The clash dragged on for nearly half an hour, pushing both fighters to their limits. In the end, Might Guy collapsed from the strain of forcing open the Eight Gates, his body no longer able to continue.
Kakashi secured victory through endurance—but not without cost. His body was covered in wounds, his breathing heavy and uneven.
Several more matches followed.
At last, the examiner called out Rin's name.
[Nohara Rin vs. Mitarashi Anko]
Obuya's brows immediately drew together.
The name alone brought a certain figure to mind—her teacher, Orochimaru.
At this time, Orochimaru was likely somewhere within Konoha, buried in his own experiments.
"Rin," Obuya said seriously, "you're a medical ninja. There's no need to push yourself too far just to win. If it turns dangerous, withdraw. Don't fight recklessly."
He understood her well. Beneath her gentle demeanor was a stubborn resolve that refused to back down easily.
Rin puffed out her cheeks, clearly dissatisfied. "Hmph. Are you underestimating me? Anko might be strong, but I'm not weak either. Just watch."
Not wanting to be doubted, she leapt onto the stage without hesitation.
Her taijutsu was solid, but not exceptional. From the moment the fight began, her close-range exchanges with Anko placed her at a disadvantage.
Mitarashi Anko's techniques were unsettling, clearly influenced by Orochimaru. In particular, her Hidden Shadow Snake Hands—snakes bursting from her sleeves and striking without warning—was enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
Fortunately, Rin had trained in the Chakra Scalpel, giving her at least some means to defend herself.
Even so, Anko's wide range of snake-based techniques steadily forced Rin backward, cutting off her options one by one. In the end, she had no choice but to concede.
After the match, Rin's disappointment was evident. But with encouragement from Obuya and Minato, she gradually regained her composure.
The remaining matches continued for another hour before finally coming to an end.
With that, the Chūnin Exams concluded—and the most anticipated moment arrived: the announcement of those promoted.
Obuya, having remained undefeated—even defeating Uchiha Shisui—was naturally promoted to Chūnin without question.
The other members of Team 7 also advanced, just as expected.
As for Rin, despite her loss, her role as a medical ninja earned her recognition, and she too was promoted—much to her delight.
Only Obito was left behind.
In the team battle, a single mistake had led to his elimination.
In his match against Might Guy, while he had performed well, it was clear that he relied too heavily on the Sharingan. His fundamentals—both in ninjutsu and taijutsu—still needed refinement, ultimately costing him his chance at promotion.
Though disappointed, Obito accepted the result.
However, just as the examiners finished announcing the promotions, a sharp, piercing alarm suddenly rang out from beyond the arena.
"What's that?"
"That's Konoha's alert bell!"
"What? I heard it hasn't rung in over ten years—why now?"
"Could it have been triggered by mistake?"
Confused murmurs spread through the crowd. After so many years of peace, the thought of danger—or even war—hadn't truly crossed anyone's mind.