Iketani Isamu finally met the outstanding student of his class and smiled, saying:
"Obito is a student in my class, and he's quite strong. Before the special training, he was already second in his grade in the fourth year. I wonder how much he'll improve after Teacher Mokgetsu's special training."
"I have seen Uchiha Obito's battles, and he is indeed very powerful," a teacher nearby acknowledged.
"Uchiha Obito is indeed strong, but his opponent is even stronger. Although Asuma only graduated as a Genin this year, he basically maintained first place in his grade before graduation," said Kimura Sugihito.
He witnessed Obito's steady rise from the bottom, but he still didn't see much hope for Obito because Asuma was the son of the Third Hokage after all.
Obito once got second place in his grade, but Asuma consistently held first place for years.
Iketani Isamu had to nod in agreement; normally, the odds are indeed more in Asuma's favor.
Teachers who had taught Asuma started to praise his performance in school, almost comparing him to Shisui and Kakashi.
The Third Hokage still had a smiling expression, but in his heart, he didn't take the teachers' compliments too seriously. How could he not know his own son's level?
Asuma's performance wasn't bad, but comparing him to Shisui and Kakashi was unrealistic.
The Third Hokage stopped focusing on the teachers' discussions and turned his attention to the battle that was about to begin.
He still cared about his son's battle.
"Obito, how are you feeling today?" Asuma asked while forming the Seal of Opposition.
"Great, I slept really well last night. What's up? Even if your father is here, I won't hold back on you," Obito replied while forming the seal.
"Who needs you to hold back? Make sure to go all out next," Asuma responded.
Although it's tough to win against Obito in a battle, it allows him to showcase his full abilities.
Because currently, he and Obito were similar types of ninjas, both having decent Fire Release, Taijutsu, and other skills.
Last time, he lost to Obito, who wasn't at his peak, due to carelessness and was caught off guard by Obito's improved Taijutsu.
"The battle begins!" Seeing the two ready, Mokgetsu shouted.
Whoosh!
The two simultaneously disappeared from their original spots using Instant Body Jutsu, shurikens falling all over where they had stood.
The shurikens missed, and the two charged at each other again, engaging in close combat.
They seemed evenly matched, exchanging blows without a clear advantage.
Sarutobi Hiruzen nodded in approval as he watched Asuma's performance, noting that Asuma's Taijutsu had made significant improvements compared to before, now resembling a competent ninja more closely.
Seeing that Obito held his ground in the Taijutsu exchange, Kimura Sugihito showed a surprised expression and said, "Uchiha Obito has improved again!"
In the last grade exam, Obito excelled in Body Technique, and now his close-combat skills had improved as well.
Very soon, something even more surprising to Kimura Sugihito happened—Asuma gradually began to fall behind!
Obito's mastery of Soru was faster than ordinary Instant Body Jutsu, so whenever Asuma showed the slightest flaw, Obito would seize the opportunity.
Mokgetsu had to admit that the localized version of Soru was indeed an excellent Instant Body technique, despite its high energy consumption and tendency to fatigue quickly. However, those weren't the flaws of Soru, but rather the user's deficiencies. As long as your body was strong enough, there wouldn't be an issue.
Fortunately, Asuma's battle experience was richer than Obito's, preventing Obito from further extending his advantage.
Unable to determine a winner in Taijutsu, the two separated after a kick exchange and quickly formed seals.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" Obito gathered a large amount of chakra, transforming it into flames, and spewed a huge fireball in Asuma's direction.
"Fire Release: Great Flame Jutsu!" Asuma also gathered chakra and spewed fierce flames in Obito's direction.
The two columns of flame clashed, each trying to overwhelm the other.
But ultimately, Obito's massive fireball proved superior, steadily pressing towards Asuma.
Despite Asuma's efforts to gather chakra, he couldn't counteract Obito's Great Fireball and had to dodge.
Whoosh!
Obito seized this opportunity to use the faster Soru to attack Asuma again as he evaded the Great Fireball.
"It's over," Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head, already knowing the result of this battle.
In his eyes, Asuma made too many avoidable mistakes in this battle. When at a speed disadvantage, he shouldn't have continued to fight stubbornly but should have calmly thought of a strategy. Resorting to a Fire Release clash with the Great Fireball was a crucial mistake.
If Sarutobi Hiruzen were at Asuma's level now, he had over a hundred ways to defeat Obito.
However, Sarutobi Hiruzen also didn't just see the flaws. Asuma did make noticeable progress. If it had been the old Asuma, he would have lost during the Taijutsu phase.
As Sarutobi Hiruzen predicted, Asuma, unable to withstand Obito's fierce attacks despite his efforts, ultimately couldn't stop Obito's onslaught.
"Uchiha Obito wins!"
"How is this possible? Asuma actually lost..." The teachers were dumbfounded, feeling quite embarrassed. They were just praising Asuma moments ago, only for him to lose to a current student. It was a complete slap in the face.
"Uchiha Obito is impressive. If he keeps it up, he can become an excellent ninja in the future," the Third Hokage said, smiling.
"The Third Hokage is right. I have high hopes for Obito as well," Iketani Isamu instantly became more assertive.
"Number 21 Ebisu versus Number 22 Shiranui Genma, prepare for battle."
Hearing the name Ebisu, the teachers were reminded of the unforgettable sight they witnessed in Group C not long ago.
"Isn't he the most creative student?" a Chunin Teacher teased the homeroom teacher of Class Six, Year Four.
The Third Hokage also showed interest, looking towards the battleground, curious to see what was special about Ebisu, who led the development.
Feeling the gaze of many onlookers, Ebisu was a bit excited, thinking if he performed well this time, his ninja path would be smooth sailing.
Although not as strong as Shiranui Genma, Ebisu tried his best to showcase everything he'd mastered, ultimately losing narrowly.
Ebisu's battle left many teachers somewhat disappointed. It wasn't that the battle wasn't exciting, but rather it wasn't quite what they imagined.
The homeroom teacher of Class Six, Year Four, quietly slipped out of the group of teachers, grimacing as they sought out Ebisu for a lecture.
Ebisu felt a bit confused, he lost, but he thought his performance wasn't bad.
Besides, he and Shiranui Genma were classmates, and he had often lost to Genma in the past, so losing wasn't unexpected.
The Third Hokage and the many teachers stayed at the training ground until all battles were over.
They spent more time in Group A, but also went to see other groups.
The teachers were increasingly astonished as they watched, because among the specially trained students, many were their former students, and after just over a month, their strength had developed to a nearly unrecognizable level.