A Test of Skill

The day had been productive, and as Haruto finished his shopping, he felt a quiet satisfaction settle over him. His new clothes fit perfectly, his mind was clearer, and he felt ready to face whatever the week would bring. But rather than heading back to his small room right away, Haruto decided to take a walk through the village, letting his thoughts drift as he reviewed the lessons he'd studied earlier.

As he wandered down one of the quieter streets, he spotted two familiar faces up ahead—Obito Uchiha and Rin Nohara. They were walking together, talking animatedly about something. Haruto couldn't help but smirk. Knowing Obito, it was probably about training, or more specifically, about Kakashi.

Sure enough, as Haruto drew closer, he caught bits of their conversation.

"…I'm telling you, Rin, this time I'm going to beat him!" Obito declared with his usual fiery determination. Rin smiled softly, clearly used to hearing this kind of talk from Obito, but there was a hint of warmth in her eyes that said she admired his persistence.

Rin noticed Haruto approaching first and waved. "Haruto! Are you busy?"

Haruto shook his head as he came up to them. "Not really. Just finished shopping."

"We're on our way to meet Kakashi," Obito said, his eyes bright with excitement. "He's at the training grounds, and we're going to spar. Want to come?"

Haruto hesitated for only a moment. Sparring with Kakashi was always a challenge, and while he had other plans, the idea of testing himself against the Academy's top student was too tempting to pass up.

"Sure," Haruto said with a shrug. "I'll join you."