"Shouldn't I be the one asking that question, Nohara Rin-san?"Qingsi replied lightly, finishing packing his books into a cloth bag. He slung it diagonally across his shoulder and walked toward the door.
As he glanced outside, he caught a glimpse of Kakashi already disappearing into the crowd, his figure melting into Konoha's afternoon bustle.
Obito stood not far from the school gate, clearly waiting for someone.
"Didn't we agree that I'd help teach you ninjutsu?"Rin said, catching up to him.
"I see,"Qingsi nodded politely.
Whether Rin had stayed behind to help him or simply because Kakashi had already left early was unimportant. The love triangle between Rin, Obito, and Kakashi had always been tangled and messy.
Qingsi already knew Rin had feelings for Kakashi—evident from the fact she had once gifted him a unique medical pouch that included a hand-sewn charm.And Obito… well, his affection for Rin was no secret either.The tragedy was that Kakashi and Obito were friends.
"Let's go, then.""Mm."Rin nodded and followed Qingsi outside.
Kakashi's silhouette had long vanished. Obito was the only one lingering at the gate.
"Rin, you're really gonna teach this guy ninjutsu?"Obito asked, frowning.
He didn't like the idea of Rin being alone with Qingsi. A chance like this should have been his.
"Seijiro-kun came to Konoha all by himself. We should help him,"Rin said gently.
"Alright…"Obito muttered, unable to refute her kind reasoning.
Still, he shamelessly tagged along as they made their way to a training ground.
Konoha had over fifty training fields, each designed for different types of practice—taijutsu, ninjutsu, genjutsu, and more. Some even doubled as exam sites during events like the Chunin Exams.
Though they weren't officially genin yet, the three of them were already considered candidate ninjas. Once their names were entered in the Ninja Academy, they were allowed to use these facilities.
Training Ground Three.
"Looks like it's empty. Perfect,"Rin said, scanning the area.
She cleared her throat, then added with a hint of teasing:
"Obito, pay attention. You won't pass the graduation exam if you keep slacking."
"Yeah, yeah, I got it,"Obito replied, scratching the back of his head.
In truth, his Three Basic Techniques—Transformation, Substitution, and Clone—were… lacking, to put it kindly.
No wonder people called him the class dunce.
"But I'm definitely better than him,"he added quickly, jabbing a thumb at Qingsi.
Obito was still confident. He had grown up in the village and received structured training.How could some kid from the Land of Lightning, barely able to refine chakra, outperform him?
He'd also heard stories from his grandmother about Uchiha Seiji.Many in the clan were watching him with suspicion.
And Obito had personal reasons, too—his parents had died in the war against the Land of Lightning. The wounds of the last conflict hadn't healed yet.
To Obito, being a ninja wasn't glorious. It was dancing on the edge of a blade, never knowing if you'd live to see tomorrow.
"Obito,"Rin frowned."Don't say that. It's rude to a classmate."
"It's fine,"Qingsi interjected calmly."Please go ahead, Nohara Rin-san."
He ignored Obito. Whether or not Obito was already being manipulated by Uchiha Madara remained uncertain.
Qingsi had no interest in gambling. He just wanted time—time to grow stronger.
Carrying the Uchiha name in Konoha meant carrying original sin.
The massacre at Itachi's hands. Danzo's obsession with the Sharingan. These were things he'd eventually have to face.
And time was not on his side.The Third Ninja War would soon erupt—forcing even children into combat with kunai in hand.
"Alright,"Rin began,"Before you learn any ninjutsu, you need to master chakra control. We'll start with tree climbing."
In the original manga, Kakashi had explained this to Team 7 during the Land of Waves arc, but Rin's version was far more detailed.
Qingsi listened attentively, asking questions whenever he didn't understand something.
"You gather just the right amount of chakra on the soles of your feet,"Rin explained,"Too little and you fall. Too much and the bark breaks."
To demonstrate, she removed her shoes, revealing pale, neatly aligned toes like crescents. Her feet touched the tree as she showed Qingsi where the chakra should be concentrated for optimal balance.
Afterward, she slid her shoes back on, made the Ram (Wei) seal with her thumbs interlocked—left over right—and casually walked up the thick tree trunk.
Qingsi looked up and saw her nearly reach the canopy.
She turned and waved down at them.
"Your turn!"
"Piece of cake!"Obito exclaimed, mimicking her hand signs.
He guided chakra to his feet and stepped onto the trunk. Finding he didn't immediately fall, he gained confidence and continued upward.
"Haha, I've got it!"he beamed——and then promptly fell.
"You were distracted,"Rin said, shaking her head.
Obito groaned, rubbing his back as he stood.
"Your turn, Qingsi-san."
"Alright."
Qingsi nodded and stepped forward.
He attempted it——and fell after barely a meter.
Still, he was unfazed and began a second attempt.
Seeing this, Obito immediately restarted his own practice.
"I really should've listened better in class…"
Two hours passed.
Golden sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting long shadows and flickering beams of warmth onto the training field.
Rin's expression shifted from focused to surprised.
Qingsi was improving rapidly.
At first glance, his progress might not seem incredible, but next to Obito, the difference was stark.
Obito had started at two meters and barely improved to three and a half.
But Qingsi?He was already at five meters—nearing the canopy Rin had reached earlier.
Suddenly, a chime echoed in Qingsi's mind.
"You have unlocked the entry: [Muscle Memory (White)]."