Chapter 225: Chunin Is Not as Good as an Intern
"What kind of gifts will they prepare for me?" Obito couldn't help but wonder during his lunch break.
His birthday was less than a week away, and he was certain that Mugetsu, Rin, and the others must have already prepared their gifts.
"Guy's gift will probably be a tracksuit," Obito guessed.
It wasn't that he thought Guy was careless and just gave everyone the same thing—it was simply that Guy loved tracksuits too much. Obito had never seen him wear anything else, and he suspected Guy's entire wardrobe was filled with nothing but that style.
Obito could understand the feeling of wanting to share something you liked with your friends.
Still, if Guy really did give him one, Obito decided he'd treasure it rather than wear it. He respected Guy's passion—but he couldn't share his taste. Wearing something like that would give Kakashi endless material to laugh at.
"As for Rin, it'll probably be something she made herself," Obito said to himself, remembering the gifts Rin had given before.
She had made a handcrafted ornament for Shisui and a painting for Guy. Obito secretly hoped that she'd draw something similar for him—maybe a picture of the two of them from their outing yesterday. As long as she didn't include Kakashi.
"Shisui and Kakashi will definitely give me something practical," he thought, recalling how Shisui had gifted Guy training equipment while Kakashi had given him a cultivation elixir.
Although the elixir was valuable, Obito didn't think it was as good as a tracksuit—it would be used up quickly, while something tangible could be kept forever.
"I wonder what kind of gift Teacher Mugetsu will give me…" Obito couldn't help but smile in anticipation.
If there was one gift he looked forward to the most, it was Mugetsu's. Every time, his teacher put genuine thought and effort into his students' birthdays.
For Shisui, he had personally learned forging and crafted a short blade from rare materials. For Guy, he had helped his father get promoted to Chunin and gifted them a Taijutsu scroll they created together.
"Hehe, maybe Teacher Mugetsu will suddenly say he's the reincarnation of the Sage of Six Paths and tell me I'll definitely become Hokage…"
As he imagined the scene, Obito couldn't help but grin widely.
"Obito, what are you thinking about? You're smiling so happily," Rin's voice called out, pulling him back to reality.
"Nothing much, just thinking that my birthday's coming soon—and that means cake!" Obito replied with a laugh.
"Having a birthday is really nice. Everyone gathers, has fun, and celebrates together," Rin said softly, sitting beside him and hugging her knees as she looked up at the sky with a gentle smile.
"Rin, do you think there's something wrong with my smile?" Obito asked suddenly, remembering Kakashi's teasing from before.
"There's nothing wrong at all, Obito. Your smile has its own charm—it looks kind," Rin replied with a bright expression.
Her words immediately erased all of Kakashi's insults from Obito's mind. To him, Rin's opinion mattered far more than Kakashi's.
"Haha, then your smile has its own style too. It looks really gentle," Obito said, his grin widening. "Unlike that Kakashi guy, who hides his face and still dares to mock others."
While praising Rin, Obito made sure to take another jab at Kakashi.
Unfortunately for him, Kakashi had just arrived to ask Mugetsu something and overheard his remark. He stopped and said coolly, "I'm just telling the truth."
"I think you're just jealous of my kind smile," Obito shot back confidently, emboldened by Rin's compliment.
"Heh." Kakashi gave a dry chuckle without saying more.
"Look at you, always wearing a mask. You must not be confident in your own face," Obito continued, clearly still annoyed about Kakashi interrupting him and Rin the day before.
"That's why I'm a Chunin and you're still an intern," Kakashi replied calmly. "Hiding one's true face is a basic skill for a shinobi."
"There are no enemies here, so why hide? And what about being a Chunin? You still can't beat me," Obito said smugly.
Kakashi's eyebrow twitched. He knew this day would come—the day Obito would throw that victory in his face.
"Rank isn't just about strength. It also depends on knowledge, strategy, and understanding traps and information networks," Kakashi retorted. "With your level, you wouldn't even pass the written exam of the Chunin Exams without your teammates helping you."
"I'm not even a full-fledged ninja yet, so what's the point of talking about that? All I know is I'm stronger than you," Obito countered, grinning.
Kakashi fell silent.
"I have to train harder and win it back," Kakashi thought to himself. The frustration burned deeply. He couldn't stand the idea of losing to Obito—not for long.
Ignoring Obito's gloating, he turned and went to find Mugetsu to ask about the problems he'd encountered while practicing Lightning Breathing.
Even though it was supposed to be a break day, Mugetsu never refused his students when they showed initiative. He listened carefully to Kakashi's questions and demonstrated the techniques in person.
As Kakashi watched, a clear understanding formed in his mind.
"So that's it," Kakashi murmured, eyes lighting up.
"When you encounter difficulties, don't try to solve them all on your own. Whether it's training or other matters, you can always ask me," Mugetsu said gently.
"Understood. Thank you for your guidance," Kakashi said with gratitude before resuming his practice.
Mugetsu glanced at his Lightning Breathing proficiency. It had grown considerably—already past sixty points.
Ever since Kakashi's moment of insight during his battle with the Jonin, his progress had accelerated dramatically. At this rate, he might even surpass Obito's record for mastering Breathing Techniques.
"Lightning Release, Earth Release, swordsmanship, and Breathing Technique," Mugetsu thought to himself.
In the original timeline, Kakashi became famous as the Copy Ninja, mastering countless jutsu with his Sharingan. But Mugetsu didn't want that future for him.
In his view, learning a thousand jutsu wasn't as valuable as mastering ten to perfection.
It wasn't about limiting knowledge, but about focusing mastery—quality over quantity. Unless one had a unique advantage like his own, spreading oneself too thin was a waste.
That was the path he intended to guide Kakashi toward.
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