Chapter 45: The Stunning Giant Fireball

"Obito, it's your turn," Nohara Rin reminded gently.

Obito nodded and quickly stepped onto the stage.

"Obito, good luck!" Rin clenched her fists, cheering him on.

"Obito, this time, it's your chance to face Kakashi. Show everyone the results of your hard work," Might Guy added enthusiastically.

As someone who trained alongside Obito under Mukyō, Guy was well aware of his efforts.

"Don't embarrass yourself by losing before I even get my turn," Kakashi remarked coolly, in his own way of offering encouragement.

The effect was immediate. Obito spun around and retorted, "No way! Just wait and see!"

"Another young Uchiha? How rare. I wonder what kind of performance he'll bring us," the host mused. It seemed the extra funding was indeed effective, as this competition had attracted two Uchihas already.

"Obito is competing, huh? That's unlucky for him," Asuma commented, already cringing on his friend's behalf.

"I've known Obito for over three years. I know his skill level. While he's learned the Great Fireball Jutsu, his proficiency is mediocre at best."

"He's participating too?" Uchiha Tetsuka frowned, sensing his 8,000 ryō prize money might not be as secure as he'd thought.

"But maybe the judges, who seem pretty average, won't recognize the superiority of the Dragon Fire Technique," Tetsuka reassured himself.

Although the Dragon Fire Technique was a B-rank fire release and harder to master than the Great Fireball Jutsu, its visual impact wasn't as striking.

"Uchiha Obito, what jutsu will you perform?" the host asked as per tradition.

"I'll be demonstrating Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu," Obito responded confidently.

"So, another Great Fireball Jutsu? Are all Uchiha prodigies masters of this technique? Impressive, truly befitting of a noble clan. Let's see how Uchiha Obito performs!" The host backed away to a safe distance.

Great Fireball Jutsu was a large-scale, destructive technique, so safety precautions were necessary.

"Could it be that he's mastered both the Dragon Fire Technique and the Great Fireball Jutsu at high proficiency?" Tetsuka wondered, though he found it hard to believe.

Shisui, maybe—but Obito? He was once considered the lowest-ranked among the Uchihas.

Standing on stage, Obito glanced at the crowd below. From this vantage point, he could see everyone clearly.

Rin was smiling warmly, cheering him on.

Might Guy was flashing his dazzling white teeth with a thumbs-up.

Kakashi was watching the stage intently.

Shisui seemed to silently encourage him with his presence.

Asuma wore a sympathetic expression.

And Mukyō...

"Eh? Mukyō-sensei!" Obito's face lit up with surprise and delight. His only regret today had been that Mukyō couldn't attend due to tutoring obligations.

Obito held deep gratitude toward Mukyō. He was the one who helped Obito shed his reputation as the lowest-ranked Uchiha, defeat Uchiha Tetsuka to become second in the class, and finally pass his once-failing theoretical exams.

The confidence that allowed him to stand here today was directly tied to Mukyō's guidance.

Noticing Obito's gaze, Mukyō smiled and waved at him.

"I can't let everyone cheering for me down," Obito thought. He took a deep breath and entered a state of intense focus.

He couldn't forget his past defeats, but this time, he wanted to win it all.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

Obito formed seals with practiced precision, channeling a significant amount of chakra into his throat, transforming it through nature manipulation before releasing it in an instant.

Whoosh, whoosh!

Fierce flames erupted from Obito's mouth, quickly forming a massive, bright orange fireball that expanded rapidly. By the time it stabilized, it stood a towering four meters tall—three times Obito's own height.

"This... this isn't something a ninja academy student should be capable of!" one of the judges exclaimed, his face pale with shock.

Another judge rubbed his eyes, as if doubting what he was seeing.

"Uchiha Obito's Great Fireball Jutsu is truly extraordinary, even leaving the judges in awe!" The host, while surprised, continued his commentary.

In his five years as a host, he had never seen a Great Fireball of this magnitude, especially not from an academy student.

"This level of skill... impossible!" Tetsuka felt as though he were trapped in a genjutsu.

He'd rather believe this was an illusion than accept that Obito could produce such a stunning Great Fireball while also mastering the Dragon Fire Technique.

If Obito had been this skilled before, there would've been no need for strategy during their previous match. He could've simply overpowered him with this technique alone.

"This is Obito's Great Fireball?" Asuma rubbed his eyes, struggling to believe what he was witnessing.

"Sensei, hit me. I think I'm caught in a genjutsu," Asuma requested.

Mukyō obliged, flicking Asuma's forehead with two fingers.

"Ow!" Asuma yelped, clutching his head. Seeing Obito still on stage with the massive fireball behind him, his jaw dropped in disbelief.

He could accept being defeated by Shisui, a prodigy possibly even more gifted than Kakashi.

But Obito? This was his childhood friend, whose abilities he thought he knew.

"What's with this house-sized Great Fireball? Was he hiding his true skills all along?"

For the first time, Asuma began questioning his own abilities.

"Even Obito has such talent. Am I really that weak?" He resolved to train harder, fearing he'd fall behind not just his father but his peers too.

"This level of mastery in the Great Fireball... no wonder he was so confident," Kakashi remarked.

Seeing the technique, Kakashi realized Obito's growth had been immense—so much so that it puzzled him.

Typically, such rapid improvement only occurred after graduation, during intensive training.

"10 points, 10 points, 10 points—Uchiha Obito scores a perfect 30! He has secured first place!" the host announced excitedly.

All the judges had awarded Obito full marks, a rare occurrence in such competitions.

"Did he use some sort of trick?" Hinata Himoto, who had activated his Byakugan, analyzed Obito's technique. While visually impressive, the fireball wasn't as overwhelming as it appeared.

Himoto, there to accompany a friend, was convinced that Obito would win this time. However, he didn't think Obito could beat him in the upcoming semester exams—he'd ensure Obito couldn't even activate his jutsu.

"The host said you've already secured first place, Obito. You're amazing!" Rin praised as Obito returned to their group.

"Hehe." Obito couldn't help but grin foolishly.

"Don't get ahead of yourself. When it's my turn, they might break protocol and give me an even higher score," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

As if on cue, the host called, "Next, we have our fifth contestant, Hatake Kakashi!"

(Chapter End)

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