"Dead last? Do you call using this kind of Great Fireball at nine years old 'dead last'?"
Uchiha Tekka listened to their words with a very complicated mood. Who could have imagined that in the year Obito graduated, he suddenly exploded with talent, transforming from the bottom of the class to a top contender for first place.
He also understood that these Uchihas didn't know about Obito's abilities. After all, who pays attention to school matters after graduation, and besides Shisui, it seemed like Obito didn't have any other Uchiha friends, only mingling with people outside the clan.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Uchiha Inabi quickly formed hand seals to gather a large amount of Chakra and spat out a Great Fireball about the same size as Obito's.
Boom!!
The two giant Great Fireballs collided with explosive force, turning the nearby ground charcoal black, while the huge noise drew out all the Uchihas from inside the house.
"This Uchiha Obito is not just good; he seems to have a strong talent for Fire Release." Uchiha Fugaku said, surprised.
He originally intended to see Shisui's performance, but ended up being pleasantly surprised by Obito.
"Indeed, this kind of talent is rare even among our Uchiha clan." Uchiha Yashiro agreed, noting that when he was nine, he could not produce such a Great Fireball.
Uchiha Fugaku decided to reward Obito with a B-level Fire Release Ninjutsu once the event was over.
After canceling out Obito's Great Fireball, Uchiha Inabi took the initiative to attack, charging at Obito. In his judgment, Taijutsu should be Obito's weak point.
At only nine years old, it's likely Obito spent so much time perfecting his Ninjutsu that he didn't have time for Taijutsu training.
"A bit slow; does he have some strategy?" Obito speculated that Uchiha Inabi might be feigning weakness as a tactic.
Given Uchiha Inabi's previous demeanor of a senior guiding a junior, Obito believed his strength would be considerable, yet Uchiha Inabi's current speed was only on par with Obito's normal breathing rhythm.
"Breath of Flame, Full Concentration Breathing!" Obito concentrated his breathing, enhancing his physical abilities further.
Unable to figure it out, he decided to go all out and adapt on the fly.
Whoosh!
Obito concentrated his Chakra to his feet, bursting with speed towards Uchiha Inabi and swiftly delivering a Tornado Kick.
Obito had learned a bit of the Tornado Series Taijutsu, and frequently battling Might Guy had made him quite proficient.
"What speed!" Uchiha Inabi only felt Obito's figure flash before he appeared right beside him.
Bam!
Uchiha Inabi, unable to react in time, was kicked four meters away and crashed hard onto the ground.
Lying on the ground, Uchiha Inabi was utterly confused, his mind blank as he thought to himself, "Who am I, where am I, what am I supposed to do?"
"Ninjutsu at such a high proficiency and Taijutsu so strong, did he start training the moment he was born?" Uchiha Inabi felt extremely frustrated inside.
Not just Uchiha Inabi, even Obito was bewildered.
"I haven't improved much in Taijutsu and Breathing Technique recently, yet how did he fall so easily?" Obito scratched his head, looking at Uchiha Inabi, who lay four meters away.
The surrounding Uchihas were even more surprised. Although they didn't recognize Obito, they were familiar with Uchiha Inabi.
Uchiha Inabi, after becoming a Genin, had never missed an exchange meeting, and always challenged older Uchihas, making him a well-known young expert among the Uchiha younger generation.
"When did our clan produce such a genius? He looks no more than ten, yet Inabi was defeated so easily."
"Seems like his name is Uchiha Obito."
"Uchiha Obito, isn't that..."
Initially, it was the loud noise from the ninjutsu clash that caught attention. As more people started discussing, the volume increased until all the Uchihas inside came out, eventually memorizing the name Uchiha Obito and marking him as a genius.
"His strength is actually stronger than Inabi's brother; has he improved again?" Seeing the result of the Taijutsu clash, Uchiha Tekka found it hard to believe.
To think that Uchiha Inabi was the ninja he admired and strived to become.
"Maybe Brother Inabi was careless, after all, it was his first time facing Obito." Uchiha Tekka comforted himself, then continued to watch the battle as Uchiha Inabi got back up.
Uchiha Inabi's thoughts mirrored those of Uchiha Tekka. He admitted that Obito's Taijutsu was indeed strong, but the ease with which he was defeated largely stemmed from underestimation.
"I can't treat him like a junior anymore; I must regard him as a ninja on the same level." Uchiha Inabi took a deep breath, showing a cautious expression.
Uchiha Inabi now viewed Obito as an equal opponent, while Obito, after two clashes, concluded that Uchiha Inabi was considerably weaker.
All that earlier stuff wasn't strategy; it was just plain amateur hour.
Once he realized this, Obito charged straight in, leveraging his Full Concentration Breathing to engage Uchiha Inabi in close combat.
This time, Uchiha Inabi was extremely serious and cautious, but it couldn't compensate for the disparity in strength between him and Obito.
With a bang, Uchiha Inabi was once again knocked down by Obito.
"Fire Release: Impatiens Fire Jutsu!" Finding Taijutsu impossible to contend with, Uchiha Inabi switched to Ninjutsu.
"Fire Release: Impatiens Claw Red!"
The fireballs fused with shuriken had more power than ordinary Impatiens Fire, canceling out Uchiha Inabi's Impatiens Fire while the high-temperature shuriken left cuts on him.
"He actually mastered this technique!" Uchiha Inabi realized he had underestimated Obito, who not only surpassed his Taijutsu but also his Ninjutsu.
Seizing the opportunity, Obito pinned Uchiha Inabi down, holding a kunai to his neck.
"Does this count as a win for me?" Obito asked, looking relaxed.
He felt he had easily secured the Advanced Fire Release Ninjutsu, considering Uchiha Inabi hadn't even used his Sharingan. Earlier, he was pondering what to do if Uchiha Inabi activated it.
"Uchiha Obito wins." Uchiha Tekka finally declared the result, his expression nearly indescribable, filled with surprise, sadness, and confusion.
Lying on the ground, Uchiha Inabi felt equally complex. Initially, he intended to mentor a junior, only to receive a harsh lesson himself.
"Are you okay? Want me to take you to the hospital for a check?" Obito asked, extending a hand to Uchiha Inabi, looking concerned.
He had a favorable impression of Uchiha Inabi, who had helped him secure an Advanced Fire Release Ninjutsu so easily.
Grasping Obito's hand, Uchiha Inabi stood up and replied, "No need for that trouble; it's just a scratch. I'll be fine after a rest."
After speaking, Uchiha Inabi headed back inside, needing some quiet time.
"Inabi brother." Uchiha Tekka patted Uchiha Inabi's shoulder, understanding the feeling too well, having been defeated by Obito in front of disbelieving classmates before.
Obito's battle surprised most people; besides Shisui, no one expected him to defeat Uchiha Inabi.
"Who would have thought his Taijutsu was as impressive as his Ninjutsu." Uchiha Yashiro sighed.
He originally intended for Obito to become the next Uchiha Inabi, but Obito already surpassed Uchiha Inabi's strength.
"We should allocate more resources to Uchiha Obito and cultivate a sense of family belonging." Uchiha Fugaku thought aloud.
Uchiha Fugaku now viewed Obito with great optimism, considering he didn't have Obito's current strength at nine.
Uchiha Yashiro nodded; nurturing such a genius as Obito was naturally warranted, envisioning him as a reliable asset in ten years.
After defeating Uchiha Inabi, curious Uchihas approached Obito, mostly asking about his training.
Obito answered all he could, meeting many young Uchiha ninjas in the process.