"That was awesome!"
A voice broke through the stunned silence, followed quickly by another, then several more.
"Did you see that?"
"Obito… he actually beat Asuma without using any ninjutsu."
"I couldn't even tell which one was real and which one was the clone. How did he figure it out so fast?"
"He didn't even give Asuma a chance to breathe!"
"Serves him right. I've been fed up with him for a long time now."
The chatter spread rapidly through the training grounds, growing louder with every passing second. Some voices were filled with disbelief, others with excitement, and a few with barely concealed satisfaction. Yet no one could deny one thing, Obito had gotten strong.
From this instant, he had completely grown out of his past shadow as a dead last.
Obito stood in the ring for a moment, listening to the chatter around him then calmly walked toward the edge of the ring.
Infact, whether he admitted or not, he was also slightly surprised by today's events.
First Raido, then Hayate Gekko and at last Asuma. Any of them were students who were considered above average in the class, and yet now, he had defeated all of them in a single day.
Althought he knew he had grown a lot in the past month, he had never fought anyone seriously aside from Kakashi and Gai.
Testing his progress and defeating opponents he couldnt even touch a month ago filled him with a profound feeling and gave him an idea of where he stood among his peers.
He walked out of the ring and headed straight toward where Kakashi and Gai were waiting.
Gai was staring at him intently, his eyes practically glowing.
"That was an incredible battle, Obito!" he exclaimed. "To defeat Asuma without using ninjutsu, relying purely on taijutsu—what a splendid display of youth! I almost couldn't stop myself from rushing in and joining you!"
Obito's eyebrow twitched.
If Gai really had rushed in, Uncle dai would probably have been summoned by Mitsula-sensei the very next morning.
Unlike Gai's explosive enthusiasm, Kakashi was calm as unusual.
"You ended it too fast," he said. "If you know the Three Body Ninjutsu, this would've been a good chance to use them in real combat."
Obito showed a hint of regret. "I thought about it at first. But once the spar started, my body just… moved on its own. It was like an—"
"Instinct," Kakashi finished, raising an eyebrow.
Obito nodded.
Kakashi nodded back. "That's your battle instincts manifesting. It happens after repeated exposure to real fights. Your body reacts before your mind, choosing what it thinks is the most optimal solution."
He paused, then continued, "It's usually a good sign. It means you're improving. But if you don't learn to control it, it can be dangerous."
Obito frowned slightly. "Dangerous?"
"What would you have done," Kakashi asked calmly, "if that clone had actually been Asuma himself?"
"I knew at a glance it was a clone," Obito replied. "Its flaws were too obvious."
"And what if Asuma did that deliberately?"
The words landed heavily.
Obito fell silent.
If that had been the case, then the one being carried to the infirmary wouldn't have been Asuma.
"Let's spar after school," Kakashi said suddenly. "Ninjutsu allowed. I want to see where you stand with the Three Body Ninjutsu."
Obito blinked. "How would that help with the combat instincts?"
He tapped his temple lightly. "Its simple. What you need to do is register ninjutsu into those instincts. Make your body recognize them as valid solutions too."
Obito's eyes widened slightly.
That… actually made sense.
He nodded. "Alright."
Not just because of the instincts—but because he wanted to know the answer to another question as well.
How far was he from Kakashi, really? Taijutsu wasn't worth comparing. Without the Sharingan, he had no chance there. But ninjutsu?
He shouldn't be that far behind.
"Hey! I want in too!" Gai suddenly slammed a fist into his palm. " Let us burn our youth together in a passionate three-way duel!"
"…Absolutely not," Kakashi said flatly.
Obito smiled.
Soon after, the instructor returned alone. He glanced in Obito's direction for a brief moment, his expression unreadable, then clapped his hands and signaled for the assessments to resume.
Several matches followed in quick succession. Most students performed much as they usually did during practical lessons, with just kunai replacing fists though they were not as skilled with it.
No one pulled out shuriken the way Asuma had, not confident they could land a hit on a moving target—and a missed throw could easily turn dangerous.
What drew Obito's attention was Rin nohara's spar because she paired with none other than Kurenai!
First it was him and Asuma and then Rin and Kurenai. Was this divine intervention at play?!
The two were almost equally matched in taijutsu skill. In the end, Rin tripped kurenai with a faint and then took her in a chokehold from behin, securing a win.
Another match followed, then another.
After another spar ended, the instructor checked his clipboard, then raised his voice.
"Next match."
"Kakashi Hatake and… Maito Gai. Step forward."
A ripple passed through the students.
"Another exciting match!"
"This should be good."
Gai froze for half a second—then his entire body seemed to ignite.
"Yes!" he shouted, sprinting forward. "At last! The destined clash of rivals! Kakashi, prepare yourself!"
"…Troublesome." Kakashi let out a tired sigh and finally pulled his hands from his pockets, following after him.
He finally pulled his hands from his pockets and followed after Gai at an unhurried pace.
Obito, left behind near the edge of the ring, narrowed his eyes instinctively.
He couldn't tell whether this pairing had also been arranged behind the scenes—or if this time, it was nothing more than coincidence.
....
Soon, the two boys stood facing each other.
Gai struck a pose, showing his pearly white teeth. "Kakashi, my eternal rival! Let us settle today's outcome with the purest contest of youth!"
"…It's just an assessment," Kakashi replied flatly.
The instructor raised his hand.
"Begin."
Gai moved first. He vanished in a burst of speed, closing the distance in an instant, his fist advancing straight toward Kakashi's face.
Kakashi shifted half a step to the side, causing Gai's punch to hit empty air, but despite his charge, Gai wasn't swept forward by his moment, instead His body twisted smoothly, channeling the momentum into a spinning backfist that swept toward Kakashi's head.
Kakashi's expression showed a faint crack as he ducked, the strike passing just above his silver hair, then stepped backward, creating some distance.
Gai grinned, clearly delighted. "Yes! That reaction—excellent, Kakashi!"
Gai leapt back, flipping cleanly through the air and landing in a crouch, eyes blazing.
He charged again, this time varying his rhythm. A low kick forced Kakashi to hop back, followed immediately by a straight punch aimed at his chest.
Kakashi raised his forearm and blocked, boots skidding slightly as he absorbed the impact.
'He's arm strenght is more than before.' he noted.
Gai pressed the advantage, launching into a rapid combination—punch, kick, elbow—each strike driven by pure taijutsu, sharp and disciplined.
Kakashi retreated under the pressure, parrying and dodging in quick succession. He could feel it now: Gai wasn't just swinging wildly. His movements were clean, his timing improving with every exchange.
Then Kakashi slipped.
Just a half-step too slow.
Gai's fist grazed his shoulder, forcing Kakashi to twist away.
A murmur rose from the crowd.
"He landed a hit!"
Obito leaned forward slightly.
Gai pressed the advantage, his strikes growing heavier, faster. Sweat dripped down his face, but his grin only widened.
"FEEL IT, KAKASHI!" he shouted. "THE POWER OF YOUTH IN FULL BLOOM!"
Kakashi steadied himself, dusting off his sleeve.
"…You're loud."
Then he moved.
He slipped inside Gai's next punch, twisted his wrist, and redirected the force. At the same time, Kakashi suddenly dropped low, sweeping his leg in a wide arc.
Gai leapt over it instinctively.
The moment his feet left the ground, Kakashi struck.
He stepped in and drove a short punch into Gai's midsection, knocking the air from his lungs and sending him stumbling backward.
"Oof—!"
Gai skidded several steps before regaining his balance, one hand pressed to his stomach. Then he straightened, laughter bubbling up despite the pain.
"Magnificent! To counter like that in the middle of retreat—truly youthful!"
Kakashi exhaled slowly, rolling his shoulder once.
"You talk too much," he said flatly.
They moved again.
This time, Kakashi initiated.
He dashed forward, feinting high before snapping a kick toward Gai's knee. Gai blocked with his shin, but Kakashi immediately followed up with a palm strike that forced him back.
The two exchanged blows in rapid succession—block, strike, dodge—neither gaining a clear advantage.
They were evenly matched.
At least, for now.
Gai suddenly slid backward and formed a quick hand seal.
"Body Flicker!"
In a blur, he vanished in a blur of speed—then reappeared behind Kakashi, already mid-strike.
Kakashi felt the shift in air and twisted just in time. Gai's punch clipped his sleeve instead of his ribs.
"So fast…!" someone whispered.
Kakashi clicked his tongue.
'So he's using it too.'
He formed his own seal.
Another blur.
The two reappeared almost simultaneously, facing each other from opposite ends of the ring, dust settling around their feet.
For a brief moment, neither moved.
Then—
The instructor raised his hand sharply.
"That's enough."
Both boys froze.
Gai straightened immediately, breathing hard but smiling brightly. Kakashi relaxed, hands dropping to his sides.
The crowd buzzed with excitement, voices overlapping.
"That was intense."
"They're evenly matched!"
"I couldn't even follow their movements!"
The instructor nodded once. "A draw."
Gai clenched his fist. "Excellent! Kakashi, our rivalry burns brighter than ever!"
"…Yeah," Kakashi replied, already turning away. "Whatever you say."
From the sidelines, Obito watched silently.
No tricks. No setups.
Just two prodigies clashing head-on.
...
A/N: I decided to give this story another chance. These were all the chapters I had in my drafts. If there no response even after this, I don't think I'd be able to muster up the motivation to continue this.