"The match is over. The winner is Koeda Kyoichi!"
Uzumaki Kushina announced the end of the spar loudly and decisively.
She had seen it clearly.
Kyoichi's fist was already pressed against Obito's chest. If he had exerted even a little force, punching straight through Obito's chest would have been no challenge at all. After all, Obito had not mastered any defensive ninjutsu like Kyoichi's. His body was still nothing more than flesh and blood, while a fist reinforced by hardening techniques was powerful enough to shatter massive slabs of granite.
It was only because Kyoichi remembered that this was merely a spar.
Otherwise, Obito's life would not have been spared.
Even though she was serving as the referee, Kushina knew full well that Kyoichi's sudden burst of speed just now had been terrifyingly fast. If she herself were fighting Kyoichi, she might still have some confidence in blocking that sudden attack, but saving Obito from Kyoichi's fist… that would have been beyond her ability.
Her expression grew solemn as a result.
At the same time, she began to reflect on her own recklessness and arrogance. She had clearly known that Minato already regarded Koeda Kyoichi as a potential threat, yet she had still arrogantly volunteered to act as referee for this spar between Kyoichi and Obito. Fortunately, Kyoichi had shown restraint. Otherwise, another serious incident would have erupted today.
"Koeda Kyoichi, thank you for showing mercy."
Uzumaki Kushina offered Kyoichi her thanks.
Whether personally or officially,
She did not want to see anything happen to Obito.
"It was just a spar to begin with."
Kyoichi did not feel that his restraint was something worth being thanked for.
"…Then consider this a favor I owe you."
After a few seconds of thought, Kushina continued, "In the future, as long as it doesn't violate my principles, I can help you once."
Kyoichi raised an eyebrow.
After thinking for two seconds, he did not refuse Kushina's favor.
If nothing unexpected happened,
Before long, Uzumaki Kushina would become the Hokage's wife. A favor from her was quite valuable.
"Obito, are you alright?"
At that moment,
Rin Nohara had already rushed to Obito's side and, without a word, began checking him over.
This instantly made Obito, who had been feeling extremely dejected and dispirited, flush bright red. Breathing in the faint scent of disinfectant that clung to the girl, not only did he feel no discomfort, he became even more flustered, so nervous that he completely forgot he had just lost to Kyoichi again.
He stammered anxiously, "I-I'm fine! I'm totally fine!"
"That's good. That's good."
Rin finished a quick examination.
Finding no problems, she finally let out a long sigh of relief.
Then, she noticed the gazes everyone was directing at them and belatedly realized that she and Obito were standing a little too close. Her pale face instantly turned red, her ears burning just as brightly, and she hurriedly stepped back in a fluster.
Watching the blushing boy and girl, a smile couldn't help but appear on Uzumaki Kushina's face.
However, at that very moment—
"How useless. Do the Uchiha only know how to turn on their own comrades?"
From the edge of the training ground,
An unpleasant voice rang out.
A trace of displeasure appeared on Kushina's face as she followed the sound with her gaze, spotting a black-clad boy walking toward the field.
"…Sarutobi Asuma."
Her brows knit together.
Kushina recognized the suddenly appearing boy. Sarutobi Asuma, the Hokage's youngest son. He was a classmate of Kakashi, Obito, and Rin at the Ninja Academy, and that was precisely why she found the situation troublesome.
She remembered that today was the funeral of the Hokage's eldest son, Sarutobi Takeo.
If she were not pregnant,
She would have gone with Minato to attend Sarutobi Takeo's funeral, even though she had only met him a few times. Seeing the hatred and fury written all over Sarutobi Asuma's face, she immediately realized that trouble had arrived.
"Asuma, what are you talking about?"
Obito still hadn't quite processed what was happening.
Rin Nohara, however, regained her composure first and glared unhappily at Sarutobi Asuma, her former Academy classmate.
"I'm just stating a well-known fact. Right now… who in Konoha doesn't know that the Uchiha only ever stab their own people in the back?"
Asuma spoke, his cold gaze never leaving Obito.
"Asuma, you—"
"Rin, let me handle this."
Obito finally pulled himself free from the swirl of shyness, excitement, and panic. He reached out to stop Rin, who was about to argue with Asuma, and took two steps forward to meet Asuma's blade-like stare.
"Asuma, don't generalize so blindly. And the truth behind this incident still has many unknowns. The investigation isn't even finished yet. It's better not to say things like this that deliberately stir up conflict."
These words,
Made Uzumaki Kushina, who had been about to intervene, pause. She looked at Obito with pleasant surprise.
Obito had truly grown a lot.
In the past, if Obito had heard something like what Sarutobi Asuma just said, he would have been provoked instantly, fists flying as he charged forward to argue. Now, however, he was able to speak calmly and rationally with Asuma.
That kind of growth was genuinely surprising.
Among Minato's three students, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin, Obito was the one Kushina had scolded the most. Yet among the three, he was actually the one she liked best. She cherished Obito's kindness, integrity, warmth, and his never-give-up attitude.
Seeing Obito's growth,
Uzumaki Kushina felt truly happy.
"Obito, stop spouting that hypocritical nonsense! My big brother was obviously killed by you Uchiha!"
Sarutobi Asuma completely lost control of his emotions and roared at Obito.
"…"
Obito fell silent.
These past days, he had endured countless strange looks. People no longer looked at him like a comrade, but like something dangerous. He had thought about rushing up to explain to them, to tell them that the Uchiha clan was absolutely not a clan that only preyed on its own!
In fact,
He really had tried to do exactly that.
But the result was that those people were unwilling to stay and listen to his explanations at all. They scattered like they were avoiding filth, steering clear of every Uchiha.
If villagers who merely believed rumors were unwilling to listen to him,
How could Sarutobi Asuma, who had lost his brother, possibly listen?
Explanations were useless.
The Sarutobi Asuma of now simply could not hear them.
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