Chapter 45: The Great Fireball That Stunned the Audience
"Obito, it's your turn," Nohara Rin reminded him.
Obito nodded and quickly walked onto the stage.
"Go, Obito!" Nohara Rin clenched her fists, cheering him on.
"Obito, this time it's your battle against Kakashi. Show all the results of your hard work," Might Guy also cheered for Obito.
They had trained together with Muyue, and he had seen Obito's efforts firsthand.
"Don't lose to someone else before I even get there," Kakashi said calmly, encouraging Obito in his own way.
Kakashi's encouragement had a significant effect. Obito immediately turned around and said, "Impossible! Just you wait and see!".
"Another young Uchiha! This is rare. I wonder what kind of exciting performance he'll bring us," the host exclaimed, sensing that the extra money they put in was paying off, with even two Uchiha showing up.
"Obito is also competing? He's a bit unlucky, with an Uchiha performing so well right before him. The comparison will be so awkward," Asuma already felt embarrassed for Obito.
He had known Obito for over three years and was very clear about his skill level. Although Obito had also learned the Great Fireball, his proficiency was quite average.
"He's also participating." Uchiha Tekka frowned when he saw Obito walk onto the stage, feeling that the eight thousand Ryo might not be a sure thing anymore.
"However, those judges are generally mediocre, so perhaps they won't recognize the true power of the Great Dragon Fire Jutsu," Uchiha Tekka considered another angle.
Although the Great Dragon Fire Jutsu was a B-rank Fire Release ninjutsu, a level harder to learn than the Great Fireball, in terms of visual effect, it wasn't as impressive as the Great Fireball.
"Contestant Uchiha Obito, what ninjutsu do you wish to perform?" the host asked as a matter of routine.
"I will be using Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu," Obito replied confidently.
"Also the Great Fireball Jutsu? Have all the young Uchiha mastered this ninjutsu? Truly a prestigious clan! Let's look forward to contestant Uchiha Obito's performance," the host said while stepping back.
A wide-range destructive ninjutsu like the Great Fireball required maintaining a safe distance.
"Could it be that he has a high proficiency in the Great Fireball even while mastering the Great Dragon Fire?" Uchiha Tekka felt it was somewhat unrealistic.
He would completely believe it if it were Shisui, but Obito was once called the Uchiha's dead-last.
Obito stood on the stage, looking at the audience not far below. From here, he could see everyone clearly.
Nohara Rin was smiling and cheering for him.
Might Guy gave him a thumbs-up, his white teeth sparkling.
Kakashi kept looking at the stage.
Shisui looked as if he was saying 'good luck'.
Asuma had a look of pity.
Muyue...
"Eh, Muyue-sensei!" Obito's face instantly lit up with surprise when he saw Muyue. His only regret today was that Muyue had to be a tutor and couldn't come to watch his competition.
Obito was very grateful to Muyue. Muyue had helped him get rid of the Uchiha dead-last title, allowed him to defeat Uchiha Tekka and become second in their class, and also helped him pass the theory exam, which he had never passed before.
His ability to stand there with confidence was also closely related to Muyue.
During those twenty days of special training, he wasn't the only one who worked hard. Muyue had gone to great lengths to enhance his strength, even improving ninjutsu.
If Muyue couldn't see his spectacular performance when he won first place, Obito felt it would be a great pity.
Noticing Obito's gaze, Muyue smiled and greeted him.
"I can't let down those who are cheering for me," Obito took a deep breath, entering an unprecedented serious state.
He could never forget the failure of that year. This time, he wanted to win everything.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Obito skillfully formed hand seals, a large amount of chakra gathered in his throat, transforming all the gathered chakra, and then instantly exhaling it.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
A series of fierce flames spewed from Obito's mouth, quickly forming an orange-red fireball that rapidly grew in size, finally reaching a height of four meters, almost three times Obito's current height.
"How can this possibly be a Fire Release ninjutsu that a ninja academy student can perform?!" one judge exclaimed, looking as if he had seen a ghost at the sight of the spectacular giant fireball.
Another judge rubbed his eyes, also looking incredibly surprised.
"Contestant Uchiha Obito's Great Fireball is at a level beyond ordinary people, even the judges are surprised!" the host exclaimed, not forgetting to commentate amidst his astonishment.
Having commentated for five years, this was the first time he had seen a Great Fireball of this caliber, especially when the caster was a ninja academy student.
"A Great Fireball of this level, how is that possible?!" Uchiha Tekka felt like he might have been caught in a genjutsu.
He would rather believe he was under a genjutsu than believe Obito could be so powerful with the Great Fireball while also mastering the Great Dragon Fire.
With such a powerful Great Fireball, Obito wouldn't have needed any tricks that day; he definitely wouldn't have been able to win in a direct clash.
"This is Obito's Great Fireball?" Asuma rubbed his eyes, feeling somewhat unreal.
"Sensei, hit me. I feel like I'm under genjutsu," Asuma said to Muyue.
Muyue satisfied Asuma's request, tapping Asuma's head with two fingers.
"Ow!" Asuma looked at Obito still on the stage, and the huge fireball in front of him, his mouth wide open, utterly shocked beyond words.
He accepted being defeated by Uchiha Shisui; Shisui was a genius possibly even more abnormal than Kakashi.
But Obito was his old friend; how could he not know his skill level?
What the heck was this Great Fireball almost the height of a house? He'd been secretly hiding his strength all this time, hadn't he?
"Even Obito has such strength. Am I actually really bad?" Asuma began to doubt his life.
He felt he needed to work harder, otherwise, he wouldn't even be able to surpass the Third Hokage, and he'd be considered low-level among his friends.
"A Great Fireball of this level, no wonder he was so confident before." Kakashi looked at Obito's Great Fireball and felt that Obito had made immense progress.
So immense that Kakashi was somewhat confused as to why Obito, who hadn't even graduated, had made such enormous progress.
Generally, the rapid growth period for strength only begins after graduation.
"Ten points, ten points, ten points! Contestant Uchiha Obito's total score is thirty points! He achieved a perfect score and has locked in first place early!" the host shouted excitedly.
All the judges gave Obito a perfect score, which was a very uncommon occurrence.
"Did he use some trickery..." Hyuga Hoemon, with his Byakugan activated, saw through the true nature of Obito's Great Fireball. It looked impressive, but in reality, it wasn't that exaggerated.
He had come with a friend, and it seemed now that first place would likely go to Obito.
However, Hyuga Hoemon didn't think Obito could defeat him in the next final exam, because he would make sure Obito couldn't use ninjutsu.
"The host even said he locked in first place early! Obito, you're amazing!" Nohara Rin praised Obito as he stepped off the stage.
"Hehe," Obito couldn't help but grin foolishly.
"Don't get happy too soon. When it's my turn, maybe they'll break the rules and give an even higher score," Kakashi warned Obito not to celebrate too early.
"Next, we invite contestant number five, Hatake Kakashi, to the stage to perform."
As soon as Kakashi finished speaking, the host called out Kakashi's name.