Chapter 54 : Training Team Obito!!

The next day, around noon.

Uchiha Sogetsu walked slowly toward the Konoha training ground in the forested area behind the village.

The previous night, Obito had come to him unexpectedly. He probably heard something from Minato about the upcoming Chunin Exams and asked Sogetsu to help him train.

Initially, Uchiha Sogetsu had planned to refuse.

For one, he didn't really like Obito all that much. And two, he thought it would be a waste of time to train him. He'd rather spend his time at Konoha Hospital to meet a few patients and complete his system's tasks.

But Obito had been persistent, practically begging for training, so Sogetsu eventually gave in.

Train? Not exactly. Sogetsu wasn't sure how to train people—he could only fight them. Since Obito wanted it, Sogetsu decided to use the opportunity to stretch his muscles a bit.

Soon, he arrived at the Konoha training ground.

Nohara Rin, Uchiha Obito, and Kakashi, with his head bandaged, had already been waiting for a while.

"You're late, Brother Sogetsu!" Uchiha Obito scowled at him with a hint of annoyance. "Didn't I tell you yesterday that we'd start in the morning? It's noon!"

"Sorry, Obito, something came up," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a smile, but he wasn't actually sorry. "Anyway, I'm here now. Besides, you don't really need to start early to train."

"What do you mean, 'you don't need to start early'?" Obito's straightforward nature made him instantly defiant, especially with his crush standing nearby. He frowned and stood up straight, trying to look tough. "Brother Sogetsu, don't underestimate us!"

"That's exactly what I mean," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a light smile. He scanned the faces of the three and then calmly said, "Before we start, I should clarify something. Although Obito asked me to train you all, I'm not really the best person for it. The only thing I can actually teach you is..."

Uchiha Sogetsu narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of mischief in his gaze. "My training methods are quite unique," he said, his voice calm but with an undercurrent of intensity. "I hope you're ready for it."

Kakashi, his head still bandaged, felt a shiver of unease run down his spine. He had seen that look before, and it never meant anything good.

Obito, on the other hand, seemed confused, scratching the back of his neck. The weather wasn't cold, but he suddenly felt a chill. "What kind of training is it?" he asked, his voice uncertain.

"Don't worry, Mr. Sogetsu!" chirped Nohara Rin, her innocence evident in her earnest expression. "We'll do our best! No matter what kind of training you give us, we'll persevere!"

"Excellent," Uchiha Sogetsu replied with a nod, his eyes lingering on the determined young kunoichi. "I like children with courage."

The sense of unease grew stronger in Kakashi's mind, and he glanced sideways at Obito, who still looked eager and confident. It was too late to back out now, but he couldn't help but feel that this training was going to be far more challenging than they'd expected.

"The training is straightforward," Sogetsu said, raising one finger. "Before the sun sets, you must inflict an injury on me—any injury—using any means necessary."

"Hah! That's it? Easy!" Obito exclaimed, puffing out his chest. "Brother Sogetsu, you're underestimating me!"

But before Obito could finish his bravado-filled declaration, he was suddenly launched into the air like a cannonball, slamming into a tree with a loud thud. He stuck to the trunk for a few moments before sliding down with a groan, his limbs spread out awkwardly.

The unexpected attack left Obito stunned and in pain. It took a moment for him to realize what had happened, and when he did, the agony hit him like a ton of bricks. He nearly lost his breakfast, his stomach churning from the shock.

"Oh, I forgot to mention one thing," Sogetsu said, stretching his legs casually. He glanced at the dumbfounded Nohara Rin and Kakashi, his smile unnervingly gentle. "Training starts now."

As soon as the words left Sogetsu's lips, Kakashi's instincts kicked in. He quickly grabbed Nohara Rin, who was still in shock, and dashed into the nearby forest, chakra exploding from his feet as they disappeared into the trees.

"A clever move."

Uchiha Sogetsu adjusted his glasses and narrowed his eyes slightly. "When facing an opponent you can't defeat, you hide your presence and wait for the right moment to strike. He's a smart ninja."

"Agh! That really hurts!" Obito clutched his stomach, grimacing in pain, and looked at Sogetsu in shock. "Brother Sogetsu, isn't this supposed to be training? Why'd you attack me by surprise?"

"Sneak attack? Obito, what do you think this is? You think ninja battles are just games?"

Sogetsu slowly walked toward him. "No, ninja battles are about life and death. If you don't get that, maybe you should reconsider being a ninja."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Obito muttered, clearly annoyed but starting to understand the rules. He pulled out a kunai and gritted his teeth. "Fine, I'll treat you like an enemy, okay?"

Boom!

Dust swirled around Obito's feet as he charged forward.

"Rushing in head-on?" Sogetsu showed no emotion, waiting to see what Obito was planning.

When he got within ten meters, Obito suddenly stopped and dropped a smoke bomb. Thick yellow smoke spread out, obscuring his form.

Buzz buzz—

A shuriken spun out from the dense smoke.

Sogetsu didn't even need to look; he threw a few shurikens backward, perfectly intercepting the incoming attack.

But then, through the smoke, more than a dozen flaming bursts, like flowers blooming, shot toward him.

"Using smoke to conceal ninjutsu... clever, but..."

Sogetsu watched the incoming attack and smirked. "This tactic only reveals your position!"

The Phoenix Sage Fire jutsu hit where Sogetsu stood, exploding into a burst of fire and sparks.

But to Obito's surprise, Sogetsu disappeared, replaced by a puff of smoke.

"That's a shadow clone!" Kakashi, hidden in the darkness, felt his pupils constrict as he noticed the deception.

Obito also realized he had been duped, but before he could reposition himself, he felt a chill on his back, sending shivers up his spine.

Boom!

A heavy fist landed squarely on Obito's face.

The force of the punch sent Obito crashing to the ground, hitting it hard, rendering his mind blank for a moment.

Uchiha Sogetsu wasn't finished. With a smirk on his lips, he reared back his fist, slowly gathering more strength. "You need to remember this lesson," he said with a dangerous edge in his voice.

Boom!

Another punch, even more powerful, drove Obito half an inch into the ground. Dust and debris were kicked up into the air, swirling around, while the nearby trees trembled, causing leaves to rain down. The sheer force of the attack was staggering.

"Obito!" Nohara Rin couldn't watch anymore and rushed out from her hiding spot, disregarding the risk of exposing herself. "Mr. Sogetsu, please—"

But her plea was cut short when Uchiha Sogetsu's gaze locked onto hers.

"Gotcha!" 

His eyes, usually calm, were now filled with a chilling bloodlust.

"Aaah!"

Nohara Rin froze in fear, unable to move under his intense gaze.

Uchiha Sogetsu felt no pity. He stamped his foot, releasing a burst of violent chakra that shattered the ground beneath him. He moved with the speed of a wild beast, leaving afterimages in his wake as he lunged directly at the petrified Nohara Rin.

Obito, who had been lost in thought, suddenly snapped back to reality when he saw the girl he cherished get punched square in the face.

**Crack!**

The punch was so powerful that even Obito, who was several meters away, heard the distinct sound of bone breaking beneath the force of the blow.

With blood spewing from his mouth, Uchiha Sogetsu twisted at the waist, summoning all his strength to unleash another brutal Konoha whirlwind kick at Rin, who was still in mid-air.

**Boom!**

The sharp pain from the impact to her abdomen caused Rin's mind to go blank momentarily. The next moment, her body shot through the air like a cannonball, leaving a half-meter-wide gash in the turf-covered training ground where she landed.

Kakashi, hidden in the shadows nearby, suddenly sensed a familiar feeling in the air.

Yes, this was the same technique that had beaten him senseless before. It was exactly the same!

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