V.1-C.13│Developments III│

Rin was having the strangest of years within her short life of five years. She was a year older now, and soon those that wished to try and pass the academy test to graduate and become genin was coming up.

That aside, she was a little confused when Kakashi didn't come in for a few days, with a few rumors going around about how his father was currently in the hospital after a rather harsh mission.

Kakashi did come back however, and it was like as if nothing had happened. Even stranger still, it seemed like Kakashi was now much more closer to the boy known as Obito Uchiha.

She thought. 'How is that possible!? They hardly even knew of each other...?' Her confusion was prominent.

She had been keeping an open eye on Obito for a long time now, even when she noticed that he seemed to not really do anything but still get high enough marks to put him in the same league as Kakashi.

Watching Obito sleep and sleep was sort of an interesting experience, if only a little boring. After all, it was much more interesting to learn things within the academy, right?

'Yeah... Even I can admit that maybe all of this can be boring.' While Rin didn't know of everything within the academic system, what she did know is that sometimes she got bored as well.

Everyone does.

But that didn't mean she would instantly switch up and become like Obito. No, she would continue to be the diligent and hard working girl that she is.

"Today's lesson will be on the history of out Village." The teacher said, as while history may seem boring, it is through history that they may learn from past mistakes.

Or they just be further indoctrinated into the shinobi system of said Village. Either way, there was some sort of benefit underneath all of the boring lessons that the teachers like to teach when it came to the history of their village.

The classroom bemoaned a bit at having to sit through this, but otherwise didn't put up much resistance.

During the Warring States Period, ninja were organized into small mercenary clans that knew nothing but battle.

The two strongest of these clans were the Senju and the Uchiha, who had warred against each other for their entire histories.

Eventually, intending to end the constant bloodshed, Hashirama Senju used his position as leader of his clan to broker a truce with the Uchiha clan through their leader, his childhood friend Madara Uchiha.

Thus the Senju, the Uchiha, and their respective affiliated clans formed the first shinobi village.

Konohagakure, a name invented by Madara himself. Other villages would soon start forming, following Konoha's example and essentially ending the Warring States Period.

Hashirama used his Wood Release abilities to produce much of the village's infrastructure. This ability and his ideals were two of the reasons he was chosen to become the village's leader, the Hokage.

Madara, however, feared that the Senju would oppress his clan and attempted to gather support to overthrow Hashirama.

No Uchiha would help, forcing him to take on Hashirama by himself. Madara was ultimately defeated at what would be called the Valley of the End and he was believed to have died. As a result of the battle, Konoha came into possession of the Nine-Tails.

To contain its enormous power, the village began its trend of sealing the beast within the Uzumaki, a clan that the Senju and thus the rest of Konoha had close ties with.

Rin was interested in these legendary figures, and so too were the rest of the class as well. Who knew that history may be a subject that could interest those within.

The foundation of Konoha was important.

Students are taught a core curriculum of reading, writing, mathematics, science, geography, etc.

These lessons are typically framed in a ninja-context, and in fact are learned at all in order to facilitate later instruction in tactics and strategy.

Students learn the Shinobi Rules, how to strengthen their minds and bodies, and receive special lectures from veteran shinobi.

They are taken through the handling of ninja weapons and tools, like shuriken and kunai, learning how to throw and wield them through target practice, as well as instructed on the basics of trap-setting.

Academy students are also taught about chakra and how to use it, hand seals. Shinobi classes can be broken into the basic levels of, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.

Girls must attend kunoichi classes, where they are taught about other cultures and how skills such as flower arranging will help them to blend in during an infiltration mission.

This is a sum of things that everyone does or learns.

Listening to the history lesson, Rin turned her eyes back towards Obito and was surprised to see that he was wide awake this time.

"Madara Uchiha..." The teacher continued speaking of this individual a bit more and his history in relation to the village.

It was especially at this point that Rin saw some sort of interest peak in Obito. '... What is he thinking about? Why is he awake now...?' Rin was confused, but she would definitely not down the way Obito seemed to be looking somewhere else.

Past the teacher and further ahead at the mention of said persons name. Madara Uchiha. 'I think I need to look into this person myself.' Rin decided.

After the class was over, there was one last announcement the teacher was to make. "All right! Before everyone leaves, there is someone that should be congratulated..." Some murmurs are heard as everyone was trying to guess what was going on.

"Kakashi Hatake, you may step forward." Kakashi did just as was said, stepping forward and facing the teacher. "Today, I'm proud to announce that you are no longer a part of the academy. Congratulations, Kakashi Hatake, for you are now a genin." The teacher handed Kakashi his Konoha headband, and the class exploded.

Not exploded-exploded, but the noise level had increased as everyone was freaking out even if they had suspicions about this happening.

For someone to graduate this early was not unheard of, but the last time someone had graduated at this age was done before. However, what was unprecedented was the fact that Kakashi is five and would be advancing past the academy level.

The previous record holders were the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya all having completed the academy at age six.

After this, everyone started to pile on outside, and Rin was about to be the first to congratulate Kakashi for finishing so early, but she was beaten to it by none other than Obito Uchiha. She overheard their conversation.

"Good job, Kakashi." Obito said as he held out his hand towards Kakashi.

Kakashi had now fastened the headband onto himself, on his head. "Thank you." Rin couldn't believe her eyes, as Kakashi seemed to smile an eye smile at Obito before shaking his hand.

It was as if they were friends all of a sudden. "No. No need to thank me. I did nothing." Obito seemed embarrassed by Kakashi's gratitude.

"But, I should thank you much more than this. Without you, I wouldn't be able to make it this far-" Kakashi was surprised by Obito's actions next, and so was Rin.

"Stop-stop-stop! Stop right there!" Obito now had his hand around Kakashi's face mask, that covered his mouth, stopping Kakashi from saying anything more. "That should be a secret, remember? There are many eyes and ears that would like to listen in." Obito pointed his eyes in Rin's direction.

Kakashi seemed to understand, before nodding his head.

While Rin was now fuming at the assumption that she was someone like that. 'I-I-I am not!' She thought to herself, but kept her annoyance to herself, only glaring at Obito now.

"Anyway, thank you. I was surprised that you haven't graduated yourself." Rin still continued to listen to their conversation.

Laughing, Obito replied. "I'm not as talented as you. I still need a few more years yet before I'm ready." Rin thought Obito was hiding something, but Kakashi seemed to not mind, or even notice this fact.

"Right. I should head to the hospital... I will tell my father you said hi." Kakashi said.

"Yes. Do that for me." Obito nodded his head with a smile on his face, and even before Rin had a chance to congratulate Kakashi, he was gone.

Pouting, Rin was now left speechless. "No eavesdropping." Obito came in front of her as he said this.

"Y-You-..." She didn't know how to respond now, but she wanted to get some revenge. Narrowing her eyes, Rin would make sure to know everything she can about Obito, just so that she may get him in some way.

"Anyway. It looked like you had something to say...? Did you want to congratulate Kakashi as well? I'm sorry, but he wanted to see his father right away. I'm sure you can understand why he wishes to share his accomplishments with him." Obito explained, which did manage to calm her down a bit.

But she still blamed Obito for getting in her way. "... Whatever..." She was usually very sweet and friendly, but for some reason, Obito just seemed to rub her the wrong way. "Why don't you go to your girlfriend, Kurenai Yuhi was her name, I think."

"G-Girlfriend!? I think you are mistaken there! Kurenai is my friend!" Obito seemed to straighten up a bit at the mention of said girl.

Sighing, she thought Obito was a bit dense for not being able to clearly see the interest the older girl had in him. 'Maybe even she doesn't know of it herself?' Rin thought, looking into Obito's red eyes.

'Why does she even like him, anyway?' She again thought as she stared into his eyes for an uncomfortably long time.

"Eh... Rin? Are you there?" Obito's voice woke her up.

"N-Nothing! Never mind! I wasn't looking!" She blushed as she exclaimed, before turning around and reprimanding herself a bit. "I need to go now! Bye!" She abruptly cut off anything Obito would've tried to say and got out of dodge.

Embarrassed as she was, she left, leaving Obito to wonder. 'Just what was that all about...?'

[]

A young boy was seen face to face with two Konoha ninja in front of him.

He has fair skin a strong jawline, a somewhat large nose, and black hair. He is most noticeable for his thick eyebrows, and he has bushy hair reaching his chin.

He wears a green jumpsuit, orange striped leg warmers, and the standard Konoha flak jacket, which he normally leaves unzipped. His jumpsuit was sleeveless and he wore a scarf around his neck.

"Don't talk about my father like that!" This young boy was known as Might Guy, and the two ninja in front of him had mocked his father.

Guy is the son of Might Duy, who was known throughout Konoha as the 'Eternal Genin.'

Duy was not bothered by this moniker and instead was grateful that other people cared enough to know him at all.

Duy encouraged this same kind of optimism in Guy, as well as his belief that one always has youth and that they could both become taijutsu masters through diligent training.

Guy did his best to embody his father's teachings, but had doubts that Duy's words were devoid of meaning.

He nevertheless loved his father and fought others when they called Duy the 'Eternal Genin' mockingly.

"You are the 'Eternal Genin's' son? You must be as bad as he is." One of the two said, prompting the two of them to laugh at the joke made at Guy's fathers expense.

Clenching his fists, Guy was prepared to fight these two with all he had, but he was stopped but an individual he had no idea about. "I don't think that was very nice of the two of you." It was a boy around his age, and his eyes were red with three tomoe in each.

"Yeah? And who are you? An Uchiha..." The two seemed to hesitate a bit at seeing his eyes, but they then remembered the difference in their age and rank. "What's a brat like you going to do?"

"Nothing." The spiky, black haired, and red eyed kid replied, stumping everyone here.

Especially Guy, whom wanted to already go ahead and fight these two in front of him, even if they are more powerful he would defeat them. "If you are going to do nothing, then let me go." Guy shrugged the other boy's hand off of himself, before turning his attention to the offenders.

"You two are going down!" But Guy was stopped again before anything more could happen, as the two in front of him just started to turn around and leave, which confused him at first before he turned around to face the other boy.

"That names Obito Uchiha. You may not have heard of me, or you may have. It doesn't matter. What does matter, is that fighting just anyone because they disrespect you or your loved ones isn't going to solve anything." The now Obito identified himself to the boy.

"Oh yeah!? Then what should I do!? Everyone mocks my father as the 'Eternal Genin,' but they don't seem to understand anything!" It would seem that Guy was a bit emotional in this exchange.

"You would have lost against those two." Obito immediately shut down Guy. "They would've beaten you up so badly, that you probably would've been sent to the hospital. Does that sound nice?"

"... I don't care. And you don't know what would've happened." Guy was frustrated.

"No, I don't. Anything could've happened, but trying to resolve this conflict with your fists probably wouldn't have helped you much, or your father." Obito replied. "Trying to beat them up would change nothing. However, if you became stronger them in spite of your reputation or your fathers reputation, what could they say then?"

"It doesn't matter if someone remains Genin their entire lives. The rank of a shinobi is not what matters. It is what they are willing to do, what they do-do and it is through these actions can you find what you are able to protect." Obito approached Guy as he was looking at Obito with a strange look.

"What you should protect."

"I'm not sure I quite understand..." Guy was a bit lost with all of this talk mumbo jumbo.

Sighing, Obito thought about whether he was like this or not when he was younger as well. 'Well, am I not younger again...?' Shaking his head, Obito continued. "Remember this, don't be upset by loss and instead remember that victory is achieved by defending things that are important."

Obito left Guy there with that, leaving Guy to just contemplate what had happened. "Uh... I think I get it." Nodding his head, Guy had a renewed sense of vigor as he went home that day to talk with his father about his strange new friend.

Obito Uchiha.