Chapter 28

Chapter 28

*Cough, cough…*

Gai, recalling this awkward moment, cleared his throat a few times and quietly explained:

"Rock-paper-scissors. Kakashi kept throwing rock, so I figured out his pattern and threw paper once to win."

That was really a heart-pounding match, practically handing victory to Gai.

Nice one, Kakashi.

Haneda didn't expect Gai, the innocent fool, to understand why Kakashi deliberately let him win, so he just nodded and agreed:

"Alright, shall we continue our shuriken match from last time?"

"No way! Haneda! I know my shuriken skills are poor, so I'm going to challenge you with my strongest skill. After all, that's what youth is about!!"

"Then what do you suggest? Taijutsu?"

Gai nodded: "Yes, Taijutsu. I've been training hard for a week, and my Taijutsu has greatly improved. This time, I'll defeat you with my strongest skill!"

Haneda hesitated for a moment, then finally shook his head and said, "This… probably won't work. Let's do it tomorrow, alright?"

Hearing this, Gai immediately became disappointed.

He had set a rule for himself that he wouldn't challenge Haneda unless he had completed 5000 mountain-climbing exercises.

Now, with Haneda's refusal, his self-imposed discipline broke, and he could only resume proper training the next day.

"R-Really tomorrow, Haneda?"

Gai clung to Haneda's leg, crying pitifully.

This sight sent a chill down Haneda's spine.

But for the sake of learning the Eight Gates, he tolerated it.

After all, it was just a shadow clone, not his real body...

Off to the side, Obito couldn't stand it any longer. Gai clinging to Haneda just because Haneda wouldn't accept his challenge — what kind of person was this?!

And also, why did Gai get away with clinging to Haneda when he got kicked off the bed the last time he tried it?!

"Stupid watermelon head! Get your filthy hands off!!" Obito shouted, irritated.

"Who are you? Haneda's friend?" Gai looked up at Obito, confused.

He felt that Obito looked familiar, but couldn't recall who he was.

"Damn watermelon head! I haven't even dealt with you for ambushing me last time, and now you've forgotten me?!!"

Obito's fiery temper flared up, and he swung a punch at Gai, but Gai caught it easily.

"Who are you? Why are you so worked up? Do you know me?"

Gai's barrage of questions only made Obito angrier.

Already annoyed by Gai's persistence with Haneda, Obito couldn't tolerate being belittled by this watermelon head. Did Gai think Uchiha Obito was someone to mess with?!!

"I don't care what challenge you want with Haneda, but now I find you super annoying. I'm going to beat you up!"

Obito raised his thumb and pointed it downward in a gesture of disdain.

Upon hearing Obito's challenge, Gai enthusiastically gave him a thumbs-up:

"Alright, I can see your youthful fighting spirit, Haneda's friend!"

"You idiot!! I'm Uchiha Obito, the future man whose face will be carved on the Hokage Rock. Remember that name!!"

"Got it, Uchiha Runtu, let's begin!"

"It's Obito, you moron! I'm going to punch your watermelon head off!!"

Obito, no longer as agitated as before, quickly grabbed three shurikens from his pouch and threw them.

Though his accuracy wasn't great, the attack effectively limited Gai's movement.

At the same time, Obito took out a kunai, holding it in a reverse grip, and charged at Gai.

"Take this, you watermelon head!"

Obito channeled all his chakra into the kunai, greatly increasing its power.

He knew his skills weren't great, so he planned to settle the fight with one decisive blow.

Seeing this, Gai got excited too.

"Alright, Uchiha Runtu, I acknowledge your fighting spirit!"

"Let me greet your youthful climax with my strongest move!"

"Konoha Whirlwind!!"

As he spoke, Gai leaped into the air, gathering all his strength into his right leg!

Witnessing this, everyone in the training field couldn't help but look over.

Was Gai really aiming to kill Obito with that kick?

"Kakashi, those two losers…" Kakashi, who had been secretly observing from the shadows, quickly ran over, ready to intervene.

The teacher in the training field did the same.

One kid was using a kunai, the other was about to deliver a powerful kick — both of them completely reckless. The outcome was obvious.

*Sigh* "That fool, Obito… Well, no choice…"

Haneda rubbed his temples and stood up, feeling helpless.

He hadn't expected these two to be so irrational.

At the moment when the two were about to clash, Haneda jumped in between them.

He pushed Obito away with his left hand while countering Gai's kick with a Konoha Whirlwind of his own.

But he had overestimated the stamina of his shadow clone, which had been in class all day, and underestimated Gai's current strength…

*Bang!*

Haneda's figure was knocked to the ground, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

"What the heck? Why did Haneda jump in and then vanish?!"

"Haneda!! Damn watermelon head, what did you do?!!"

Just as Obito angrily charged Gai with his kunai, Kakashi stopped him.

"Calm down, Obito, that was just a shadow clone. The real Haneda is probably…"

Kakashi trailed off.

He had a good idea where Haneda was, but to keep his friend's secret, he didn't say it out loud.

Especially since the teacher was nearby.

"Kakashi, you know where Haneda is, don't you?" The teacher asked with a stern expression.

Haneda skipping class or asking for leave wasn't anything new, but when he did show up, it was just a shadow clone. This was getting ridiculous…

"Sorry, I don't know, sensei." Kakashi shook his head, silently resolving to keep Haneda's secret.

But flatly refusing the teacher wasn't good, so Kakashi added:

"Haneda will explain everything to you personally."

…

Before moving, the Uchiha clan's district was quite close to the Ninja Academy, about a 20-minute walk.

Haneda arrived quickly, taking only 10 minutes.

In the office, the teacher was lecturing Gai and Obito, ruler in hand.

Haneda knocked on the door and entered.

"Sorry, teacher. I caught a cold last night and wasn't feeling well."

Seeing Haneda's "sincere apology but no intention to change" expression, the teacher could only sigh inwardly.

But there wasn't much he could do.

Haneda was one of the top students in his class, and in fact, one of the most outstanding students in the Academy's history.

But…

Why does Haneda always use the same excuse every time something happens?

Couldn't he come up with a new one, at least to humor the teacher?

The teacher sighed deeply in his heart and said:

"Haneda, as your teacher, I sometimes wonder if there's anything left I can teach you."

"Every time I reflect on this, I feel like I've failed. I feel ashamed for my teaching career…"

Seeing this, Haneda quickly said, "It's not like that, teacher. I think you're doing a great job."

"That's right, sensei! I also think you're teaching us really well!"

"Haneda and Runtu are right, sensei! You're definitely the best teacher I've ever had!"

Obito and Gai chimed in.

One ranked second to last, and the other two ranked third from last. The three biggest slackers in the class were all here…

And none of them ever really paid attention in class, either sleeping or goofing off.

The teacher couldn't help but twitch a little at the corner of his mouth.

If any of these three even paid a little attention in class, maybe he'd believe their words.

Whatever, I'll report this to the Third Hokage…

Whether these geniuses stay or leave isn't for me to decide.

In the end, the teacher didn't say much, just gave Haneda, Gai, and Obito a few words of advice before letting them go.

…

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