The next morning, before dawn had fully broken, Obito arrived at the small training ground behind his house.
The air was crisp and cool, carrying the scent of dew. He drew a steady breath, then began… stretching.
Forward bends, side stretches, and arm pulls across his chest. Then, as he felt his stiff muscles loosen up a bit, he started jogging around the clearing to train his stamina.
After several rounds, he took a rest for a minute to catch his breath and then switched to sprinting.
He ran in short bursts, as fast as his short legs could carry him, taking a rest every few laps.
As he felt his thighs start burning and his lungs start aching, he dropped onto the grass and started doing push-ups, squats, and then planks, his small frame shaking with every movement.
When his arms finally gave out, he rolled onto his back, staring up at the morning sky.
The clouds drifted lazily overhead as his heartbeat pounded in his ears.
The body was the foundation of a shinobi. A weak body meant slower hand seals, weaker strikes, and dulled reactions. On the battlefield, that was the difference between life and death.
Taijutsu, kenjutsu, and the utilization of ninja tools—all demanded strength. Technique alone was useless if the arms behind a kunai were weak, or the legs behind a dodge too slow.
So as soon as his situation had stabilized to some extent, he had decided on training his body and physical skills.
He wasn't an expert, but in his past life he had been a regular at the gym. Drawing on that experience, he had crafted a training routine for himself. It was light enough for his six-year-old body to bear, yet demanding enough to steadily strengthen his physique.
A ninja's body, strengthened by chakra, was naturally tougher than a normal person's. But he was still a child. Pushing too hard now could stunt his growth.
What he needed now wasn't to brute-force it, but to lay a solid foundation that could aid in his growth, achieving the effect of one plus one greater than two.
Once his breathing steadied, he rose to his feet. Then, recalling the basic taijutsu taught in the academy, he began practicing it.
As the name suggested, it was really basic—just straight punches, simple kicks, blocks, and dodges. Nothing flashy, but fundamentals every shinobi needed.
For him, who didn't even know how to properly throw a punch, they were worth drilling.
He began by planting his feet in the training ground and throwing straight punches.
They naturally didn't carry much power, but he focused more on refining the form.
After punches came kicks. The low ones came easily, but his legs wobbled as he aimed higher. Grimacing, he forced himself to repeat the motion again and again.
Rubbing his aching thighs, he moved on to blocks and footwork—raising his arms, shifting weight, stepping to the side.
He knew real combat would be fast and merciless, but he hoped that by repeated practice, these actions would slowly transform into habits.
By the time he finished, his clothes were drenched in sweat and his whole body ached from fatigue.
Dragging his tired body back inside, he went straight for the bath. Warm water poured over him, easing the burn of fatigue.
For a brief moment, he allowed himself the comfort of simply standing there with his eyes closed.
Afterward, he dried off and changed into fresh clothes.
"Obito! Breakfast is ready!"
"Coming!" he answered quickly.
At the table, the smell of freshly steamed rice and grilled fish greeted him. He sat opposite his grandmother, bowing his head.
"Thank you for the food."
"Such a polite child," she said with a smile, ladling soup into his bowl.
When the meal was done, Obito slung his small bag over his shoulder, fastening his ninja pouch at his hip.
His grandmother fussed over his collar at the door before finally letting him go.
The Uchiha clan compound was already awake. As he made his way to the main street, Obito saw a group of children chasing after each other, their laughter echoing through the compound.
Elderly clan members swept the front steps of their homes; some familiar with him smiled at him as he walked past. Obito returned the greeting with a polite nod.
The rift between the Uchiha and Konoha's higher-ups hadn't yet accelerated to the point it would after the Nine-Tails Rebellion. So the clan still lived in the heart of Konoha, close to the administrative district.
Obito eventually left through the main gate, the bustling noise of Konoha swelling around him.
The streets were even more lively than the Uchiha compound—civilians strolling around, vendors calling out wares, shinobi hurrying toward missions.
Before long, the tall silhouette of the Ninja Academy came into view. Its gates were gigantic, made entirely of iron, and gleamed faintly under the sunlight.
Obito paused just outside, watching the crowd pour through the gates for a moment before following along.
"Obito!"
As he was browsing through his memory for the way to his classroom, a voice called out sharply from behind.
He turned instinctively and saw a brown-haired girl with purple stripes on her face standing not far away from him, with one hand over her mouth, her eyes widened in shock.
"Rin Nohara?" The name of the girl appeared in Obito's mind.
Rin ran toward him and looked at him for a moment before breathing a sigh of relief.
"It really is you, Obito," she said, a bright smile spreading across her face. "I was starting to think you'd never come back!"
Obito met her gaze and smiled. "Why? Did you miss me that much?"
Rin puffed her cheeks, caught between laughter and exasperation. "Of course I did! You were gone for a whole month, and no one knew what was going on. I went to your house so many times, but your grandmother kept saying you needed rest." Her voice softened as she looked down. "I wanted to see you, but… I didn't want to make things worse."
Obito's tone lightened. "Sorry about that. Guess I made you worry for nothing. I just… wasn't feeling myself for a while. But I'm fine now. Better than fine, actually."
Rin tilted her head. "You look okay, but… are you really? You don't have to pretend with me, you know."
Obito's chest tightened. Did this kid catch onto something?
He quickly dismissed the thought. Even if she had, it didn't matter.
He knew she had visited—quite a few times, actually—and it was he who told his grandmother to turn her away. He was still digesting his memories then and didn't want anyone to notice anything unusual about him.
He later realized he had been worrying for nothing. Even if someone thought he had changed somewhat, they wouldn't attribute it to something as ridiculous as reincarnation.
After all, Obito was just six years old. His personality hadn't even fully formed yet, and at his age, some changes in personality weren't anything unusual.
Even his grandma, who had the most contact with him, didn't find anything unusual about his behavior. But it could also be that she did notice the change and simply didn't care, as long as her grandson was alright.
So he had decided not to deliberately act like the old Obito anymore. He'd just boast a little and be kind to the elderly from time to time, and that would be enough.
"Really, Rin. I promise. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't ready," he said reassuringly.
For a moment, she searched his face—then smiled brightly again. "Alright. But if you push yourself too hard, don't expect me not to scold you."
Obito laughed. "Deal. I'll keep that in mind."
As they walked toward the classroom together, Rin filled him in on everything he'd missed.
"You should've seen everyone! Kakashi's been improving like crazy. The instructors say he's already at genin level in some things. Everyone talks about him all the time." She glanced at Obito apologetically. "But it's really good that you're back. Things felt… quieter without you around."
"Thanks, Rin. I'll show you I'm a changed person now. I'll catch up to Kakashi in no time," Obito boasted shamelessly.
Rin, ever concerned, asked about his health again and again, and he had to reassure her multiple times that he was fine. She even offered to lend him her notes and tutor him privately if he needed help catching up. She was a really kind girl.
By the time they reached their classroom, the corridors were already buzzing with students. The moment Obito slid the door open, dozens of eyes turned his way.