"What kind of gift will they prepare for me?" Obito couldn't help but think during the lunch break.
There was less than a week until his birthday, and he felt that Mokgetsu, Rin, and the others should have already prepared gifts for him.
"Guy's gift is probably going to be a tight-fitting workout suit," Obito speculated.
It's not that he thinks Might Guy doesn't put effort into gifts and just gives everyone tight suits; Obito feels that Might Guy just loves them too much.
He has never seen Might Guy wear any other type of clothing, and he suspects that Might Guy's wardrobe is filled with only that style of clothes.
Because he likes them himself, he wants to recommend them to friends too. Obito can understand this feeling.
But if Might Guy really gives him one, Obito would certainly just keep it as a collection instead of wearing it.
He understands Might Guy's feelings, but he cannot accept Might Guy's unique taste. Wearing such an outfit, Kakashi would surely laugh him to death.
"For Rin, it should be something hand-made," Obito recollected the gifts Nohara Rin had given to Shisui and Might Guy.
Nohara Rin made a handmade craft for Shisui and painted a picture for Might Guy.
Actually, Obito felt that if Nohara Rin painted the time they spent together yesterday, it would be great—as long as she doesn't include Kakashi in the picture, only him and Nohara Rin.
"Shisui and Kakashi should be practical with their gifts," he remembered last time Guy's birthday when Shisui gave him a workout tool, and Kakashi straightforwardly gave a Cultivation Elixir.
Although the Cultivation Elixir is valuable, Obito feels that he'd rather receive a tight-fitting suit like from Guy, because the Cultivation Elixir would be consumed and gone; he still prefers gifts that can be kept.
"I wonder what Teacher Mokgetsu will give me," Obito couldn't help but show an expectant expression.
If he had to say what he's most looking forward to, it would definitely be Mokgetsu's gift.
Obito feels that Mokgetsu puts so much thought into each student's birthday gift. For Shisui's gift, he personally learned forging and bought precious materials to craft a short blade.
On Might Guy's birthday, he helped Might Guy's father get promoted to Chunin, and the gift was a Taijutsu Scroll created together with Guy's father.
"Hehe, when the time comes, will Teacher Mokgetsu just say he's the reincarnation of the Six Paths Sage, and then tell me that I can definitely become Hokage..."
Thinking about it, Obito couldn't resist dreaming a somewhat unrealistic dream.
"Obito, what are you thinking about, you're smiling so happily."
Nohara Rin's voice pulled Obito back to reality.
"It's nothing, really. It's just that my birthday is coming up, I can eat cake, I'm feeling very happy," Obito answered with a chuckle.
"It is indeed nice to celebrate a birthday, everyone gathers happily," Nohara Rin sat beside Obito, hugging her knees, slightly looked up at the sky, and said with a smile.
"Rin, do you think there's something wrong with my smile?" Obito thought of Kakashi's previous ridicule and asked Nohara Rin.
"There's nothing wrong! Obito, your smile is very unique, it looks very kind," Nohara Rin replied with a soft laugh.
With Rin's praise, Obito immediately dismissed Kakashi's words as baseless slander; in his eyes, Nohara Rin's words hold more authority than Kakashi's.
"Haha, Rin, your smile is also very unique, it looks very gentle," Obito couldn't stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.
"I think everyone's smiles are nice, unlike that faceless guy Kakashi, who can't manage himself and keeps ridiculing others." While complimenting everyone, Obito didn't forget to take a jab at Kakashi.
Kakashi, preparing to consult Mokgetsu about something, happened to hear Obito's slander, and stopped to say blandly: "I was just speaking the truth."
"I think you're just jealous of my kind smile." With Rin's compliments, Obito felt full of confidence.
"Heh." Kakashi let out two cold laughs and said nothing.
"Look at you wearing that mask all day long, definitely lacking confidence in your own face." Because Kakashi ruined his and Rin's private moment yesterday, Obito showed his aggressive side.
"That's why I'm a Chunin, and you're not even an official ninja. Hiding one's true face is a basic ninja skill." Kakashi attacked Obito from an identity standpoint.
"There aren't any enemies here, so why hide, and so what if you're a Chunin, you still can't beat me." In the end, Obito showed a proud grin.
Kakashi's eyebrows twitched, knowing this day would come since Obito beat him.
"The ninja level measures not just strength, but also knowledge mastery, intelligence gathering ability, trap-setting skills. With your current level, without teammates, you wouldn't pass the first written test of the Chunin Examination." Kakashi thought for a moment and said.
Since he couldn't win in combat, he would overwhelm Obito with his rich theoretical knowledge.
"I'm not even an official ninja, why bother telling me this? Anyway, I'm just better than you." Obito capitalized on this weakness and attacked fiercely.
Kakashi was speechless.
"I need to train hard and win back soon," Kakashi thought internally.
This was something he could no longer tolerate; regaining victory sooner would mean less suffering.
With that in mind, Kakashi ignored Obito and went to find Mokgetsu to seek help with problems in cultivating the Breath of Thunder.
Although it was break time, Mokgetsu wouldn't stop diligent students wanting to train. He explained all of Kakashi's issues and demonstrated them.
After being guided by Mokgetsu, images quickly formed in Kakashi's mind, and he understood most of it instantly.
"So that's it," Kakashi showed a sudden realization.
"When you encounter problems, don't think of solving them alone. Whether it's about cultivation or anything else, feel free to ask me," Mokgetsu said with a warm smile.
"Yes, thank you for your guidance," Kakashi nodded in gratitude, then began practicing the Breath of Thunder.
Mokgetsu glanced at Kakashi's Breath of Thunder proficiency, which was progressing well, already over sixty points.
Since his enlightenment during the battle with the Jonin last time, Kakashi's Breath of Thunder has been advancing rapidly. If this continues, he might break Obito's Breathing Technique beginner record.
"Lightning Release, Earth Release, Swordsmanship and Breathing Technique," Mokgetsu thought about Kakashi's development focus.
In the original story, Kakashi was known as the Copy Ninja for replicating over a thousand Ninjutsu due to the Sharingan. He certainly doesn't want Kakashi to take that path.
In Mokgetsu's understanding, mastering ten Ninjutsu is better than learning a thousand superficial ones.
Not that he really means just learning ten, it's a metaphor, suggesting that rather than learning indiscriminately, one should study systematically and deeply—he himself being an exception to this rule.