Chapter 97: Consult the All-Knowing Mukiyuki Sage

Group B had significantly more members than Group A, so by the time Obito arrived, Group B's combat tests were still ongoing.

Scanning through the crowd of students, Obito quickly found Nohara Rin.

Excitedly, he walked toward her with a bright smile and said, "Rin! You won't believe how amazing I was earlier. Even though Guy had the upper hand at first, I still managed to beat him!"

Hearing his voice, Rin turned around and asked curiously, "Has the exam for Group A already ended?"

"Yep, it's all over. I came in second place, losing only to Shisui," Obito eagerly shared, unable to contain his pride.

"You finally beat Guy! That shows how much progress you've made. You've never beaten him before in any of the combat exams back in school," Rin praised him warmly, genuinely happy for his progress.

Last semester, Obito's abilities had improved dramatically. He even defeated Uchiha Tetsuhi, who used to be the top student. However, Might Guy's equally rapid progress made him the biggest obstacle to Obito becoming number one in their class.

Though Obito had achieved second place in their grade multiple times, he had never once managed to claim first place in their class because of Guy.

"So you finally managed to win, huh? That means you've made incredible strides lately," Rin said, smiling gently.

"Heh, yeah. I had chances to win before too, but every time, I'd fall just a little short," Obito admitted, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. He was delighted to receive Rin's praise.

To be honest, Obito felt he was at a disadvantage in terms of raw strength during this fight. His victory had been mostly due to his battle strategy.

"By the way, how did you do, Rin? Did you make it into the top ten?" Obito asked.

"No, I didn't. It seems like everyone has gotten a lot stronger," Rin replied with a slight shake of her head.

Her practical combat skills placed her somewhere in the middle of Group B. Breaking into the top ten was a daunting challenge.

"Oh, I see. Well, how about I train you to get stronger?" Obito said eagerly, noticing Rin's slight disappointment.

"Sure!" Rin agreed with a smile, considering how much Obito had improved recently.

Obito led her to a quieter spot and began pondering what he could teach her.

Moves like Shave, Great Dragon Fire, or Leaf Whirlwind were off the table since Mukiyuki had taught them to him, and he couldn't pass them on without permission.

Then he remembered the Great Fireball Technique, which he had learned even before training with Mukiyuki.

"Why don't I teach you the Great Fireball Technique, Rin? It's a C-rank Fire Release technique, but it's really powerful," Obito suggested enthusiastically.

"First, you have to weave these hand signs," Obito demonstrated the hand seals for the technique swiftly.

"Then, you convert the chakra in your body into flames, and finally, you blow it out like you're inflating a balloon to create a big fireball," Obito explained, gesturing with his hands.

Rin tilted her head in confusion, unsure how to respond.

"Wait, you didn't understand that?" Obito scratched his head, feeling he had explained it pretty clearly. Maybe he had potential as a teacher?

"Okay, let me show you again. First, you do this, then that, and finally, like you're blowing a balloon!" Obito repeated his demonstration.

Rin didn't know whether to laugh or cry. It was obvious Obito genuinely wanted to help her learn the technique, but his explanation was far too abstract.

"Thanks for wanting to help, Obito, but I don't even know my chakra nature yet," Rin said with a helpless smile.

In the ninja world, everyone was born with an innate chakra nature. Mastering a technique that matched one's natural chakra attribute was much easier and faster.

"Oh, I see," Obito said, scratching his hair in disappointment. He felt bad that he couldn't help Rin improve.

He decided that during tonight's training session, he'd ask Mukiyuki how to help someone grow stronger. If anyone could solve this problem, it was the all-knowing Mukiyuki Sage.

With his plan to train Rin on hold, the two chatted casually until a commotion arose at the training ground.

"It's probably because the Group B exam has ended, and Mukiyuki-sensei is announcing the results," Rin speculated as she saw the crowd swarming the bulletin board.

"Let's go, Rin! Let's take a look too," Obito said enthusiastically, pulling her toward the bulletin board.

Even though he already knew his results, he was eager to see if anyone was impressed by his performance.

But when they arrived, to his surprise, the most-discussed topic wasn't about him or even Shisui, the first-place winner. Instead, it was about Ebisu, who had only joined Group A last week.

"You won't believe what happened during the Group C exam earlier. Two people used shadow clones to create 'refreshing big-sister clones' and distract their opponents!"

"Oh, I heard about that! But wasn't that technique invented by Ebisu, who just got promoted to Group A?"

"Yeah, that's right. He came up with it."

"I know him. He usually acts so proper. Who would've thought…?"

Listening to the gossip, Obito was utterly baffled. Why was everyone discussing Ebisu instead of the top performers from Group A?

And the more he listened, the more absurd it sounded. By the end, the rumor had turned into a story about how Ebisu had created "refreshing big-sister clones" during a fight to confuse his opponents.

Obito thought about asking Ebisu directly, but it seemed Ebisu had left immediately after the exams. Perhaps his poor performance in the first round had made him feel discouraged.

After the results were announced, Mukiyuki headed straight back to his home in the main district. Curiously, the system still didn't prompt him with any new notifications about the exams.

Once home, Mukiyuki began preparing Mystic Mapo Tofu.

The system's recipe for this dish differed from the traditional version in one major way: it called for soybeans.

Specifically, soybeans were used to create a "meat" substitute.

First, he soaked the soybeans in water and then boiled them in broth. After that, he pressed the soybeans into patties and seasoned them with a marinade to mimic the texture of meat. Finally, he quickly fried the patties to seal in the flavor.

These fried soybean patties were then added to the Mapo Tofu, enhancing its flavor and creating the signature Mystic Mapo Tofu.

When Mukiyuki finished cooking, he placed a lid over the serving dish to add an element of mystery.

Before long, Kushina and Minato arrived, knocking on the door.

As soon as they entered, they noticed the covered dish on the dining table.

"Why the lid? You don't usually do that," Kushina asked casually.

"Maybe to keep it warm? He did start cooking earlier than usual," Minato guessed.

"Stop speculating. Just lift the lid and see for yourselves," Mukiyuki said with a smile as he brought the remaining two dishes to the table.

"I'll do it!" Kushina stepped forward and eagerly lifted the lid.

plz support me if you can

patreon.com/AZOFFICIAL1

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/AZofficial

This fanfiction is 30-chapter ahead and also this fanfic is 30 chapters ahead there