Chapter 223: Everyone's Changes
"I'm back!"
Might Guy shouted with full energy as he reached his doorstep.
"Welcome home! Did you have a youthful day today?" Maito Dai asked, hearing his son's lively voice.
"Of course!" Guy grinned and gave a thumbs up. "I completed all my recovery training perfectly today!"
"Hahaha! As expected of my son!" Dai laughed proudly. "Come quickly and eat. To help you recover faster, I've prepared a feast for you."
Guy walked over curiously. The dining table was filled with various meats and a steaming bowl of medicinal soup brewed from precious herbs.
"This must've cost a lot," Guy said, a bit worried. He could tell that this meal might be worth an entire month's expenses.
"Nothing is more important than a strong and healthy body. Now that I'm a Chunin, I can earn more. Eat as much as you want, my boy," Dai said warmly.
His situation had indeed improved. Before, he was only a Genin with a poor reputation, so missions were scarce. But now, having proven his strength and been promoted to Chunin, Hiruzen had personally allowed him to take on solo B-Rank missions and below.
A B-Rank mission's commission ranged from eighty thousand to two hundred thousand ryo, depending on difficulty.
"I won't let you down, Father!" Guy said with determination, then began eating with great enthusiasm.
Though Dai's cooking couldn't compare to Mugetsu's, which could almost make one hallucinate from flavor, it was still the taste Guy cherished most.
Near the end, Guy alternated between spoonfuls of soup and bites of meat. Finally, with two satisfied burps, he cleared every dish on the table.
"Oh, right—my mission payment came in today. I don't have anything to spend it on, so here, Dad. You can use it," Guy said, handing over one hundred and ten thousand ryo.
"Guy, you're far too considerate… You must have suffered a lot before," Dai said, his voice soft with emotion.
He had always felt a little guilty. Unlike other ninja parents, he could provide his son with very little. The only technique he could pass down was the Eight Gates—a forbidden art known for its danger.
"I don't think it was suffering," Guy said with a smile. "Things are getting better, aren't they?"
"Yes! Youth is all about looking forward!" Dai replied, laughing as his spirits lifted.
"This mission's success was thanks to both you and Mugetsu-sensei's Eight Gates," Guy said proudly. "It gave me the strength to protect my comrades."
"It was just a normal C-Rank mission, but we ran into a group of strong Cloud Ninja. I opened the Second Gate and, together with my team, we defeated a Jonin!"
"You defeated a Jonin?" Dai's eyes widened in astonishment. "That's impressive, even if it was a team effort."
Jonin were the elite of every village—ninja promoted through merit, strength, and leadership.
"I'm proud of you, my son!" Dai said, tears of joy welling up as he pulled Guy into a hug.
He had always believed in Guy's potential, but seeing him grow so quickly into a capable shinobi moved him deeply. He himself had never defeated a Jonin before.
"It's all thanks to you and Mugetsu-sensei. Without your guidance, I wouldn't have this strength," Guy said sincerely.
"No, the credit goes mostly to you—and to Mugetsu-sensei's exceptional teaching. I only contributed a little," Dai said, shaking his head.
He knew full well that Guy's progress came from his own relentless training and Mugetsu's dedicated mentorship.
"Guy, if you ever have the chance, you must repay Mugetsu-sensei's kindness. Youth should also mean loyalty and righteousness," Dai said firmly.
"Of course! I'll never forget what Mugetsu-sensei has done for me!" Guy said, eyes brimming with tears.
He still remembered those days when he was considered the "dead last." Without Mugetsu's help, he never would have come this far.
...
After dinner, Obito went to Rin's house to invite her out to play.
"Hello, Uncle, Auntie!" Obito greeted cheerfully as he stepped inside.
"Oh, it's little Obito," Rin's father said with a smile. "Are you here to play with Rin? I'll call her down."
Rin's family was already familiar with the boy who often came over to see her.
"Rin, little Obito is here to play with you. Come down quickly!"
Hearing her parents' voices, Rin hurried down the stairs.
"I heard there's some kind of event happening in the village. Rin, do you want to go together?" Obito asked with a grin.
"Sure. You must be tired after your last mission, so it'll be good for you to relax," Rin said with a gentle smile.
"Let's invite Kakashi and Guy too. Maybe they'll want to join us," Rin added.
Obito wanted to say they wouldn't, but what came out instead was, "Okay, let's go ask them."
Their first stop was Might Guy's house.
"Play? You guys have fun. I need to finish my recovery training," Guy said seriously, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Then I wish you a speedy recovery, Guy," Rin said softly.
"Thanks for the support!" Guy replied enthusiastically, giving her a thumbs up before returning to his training.
"How about we just go play now? Kakashi's probably training too," Obito said quickly, trying to take the opportunity.
"Obito, that's not good. How can you know what they think if you don't even ask?" Rin chuckled, waving her finger at him teasingly.
When Obito looked at her, he found himself momentarily speechless—her eyes were so deep and clear that his heart began to race.
"Obito? What are you staring at?" Rin asked, leaning in curiously.
Her face grew closer, and Obito's pulse quickened. The moment he could see his reflection in her eyes, he snapped out of it, stepping back hurriedly with a flushed face.
"Too close! Rin, why did you suddenly get so close?"
"It's because you were spacing out and not listening to me," Rin said with her hands on her hips, a playful smile curling her lips.
Finally, the two headed to Kakashi's house.
When they arrived, Kakashi was in the yard, training to sharpen his reaction speed.
"See? I told you Kakashi would be training. Rin, let's just go," Obito muttered, eyes gleaming.
"Since we're already here, we can't leave without even asking," Rin said helplessly.
Kakashi noticed them, paused his practice, and asked, "What's wrong? Did something happen?"
"Didn't you just come back from a tiring mission? I thought we could all relax together and play some games," Rin suggested cheerfully.
Kakashi was about to refuse—he wanted to keep working on his Thunderclap Flash—but before he could answer, Obito interrupted.
"Kakashi, I know you're going to train anyway. We won't bother you. Let's go, Rin," Obito said, pretending to understand him perfectly.
But that only made Kakashi change his mind. Since Obito clearly didn't want him there, Kakashi decided he would go.
"Then let's go play together," Kakashi said calmly.
"Rin, did you hear that? Kakashi refused!" Obito quickly said, pretending not to have heard properly.
Rin mimicked Mugetsu's usual gesture—bringing her index and middle fingers together—and lightly tapped Obito's forehead.
"Obito, you should listen carefully. Where did Kakashi refuse? He agreed."
"Huh?" Obito blinked in disbelief. Based on Kakashi's habits, this was completely unexpected.
"Kakashi, are you sure you want to stop training and come with us?" Obito asked again, suspicious.
"I'm sure. Didn't Mugetsu-sensei say that training should always be balanced with rest?" Kakashi replied matter-of-factly.
Seeing Obito's expression twist in frustration made Kakashi feel oddly satisfied. The sting of his earlier defeat suddenly felt lighter.
"Don't train properly, and you deserve to lose to me," Obito muttered under his breath as they walked.
He had been hoping for some time alone with Rin, but now that chance was gone.
The group soon arrived at the lively festival street.
Still irritated, Obito made it his mission to ensure one thing: I can be uncomfortable, but Kakashi absolutely cannot be comfortable.
At a goldfish scooping stall, the three decided to compete to see who could catch the most fish.
At first, they all played seriously. But when Obito noticed Rin watching how Kakashi scooped his fish, his jealousy flared. From that moment on, wherever Kakashi moved, Obito followed—just to block him.
If Mugetsu hadn't forbidden him from using the Sharingan outside of missions, Obito might've activated it just to win the goldfish game.
Because of Obito's interference, Kakashi, who was initially leading, ended up falling behind—and Rin ultimately won.
Next, they tried the Shuriken target practice stall where prizes were given for high scores.
Obito used the Uchiha's signature throwing technique, deflecting Kakashi's Shuriken while ensuring his own hit the target.
Sensing Obito's competitiveness, Kakashi didn't hold back either. His accuracy was impressive, and soon both their throws were clashing mid-air—causing neither to hit.
"You two… why do you have to compete even when playing games?" Rin sighed with an exasperated smile.
"Mugetsu-sensei said that a little competition helps us grow stronger," Obito said proudly.
"That's true," Kakashi agreed, his tone casual but his smirk noticeable.
After that, Obito and Kakashi competed in nearly everything they came across, from food stalls to games, turning the festival into a personal battleground.
Watching them bicker and challenge each other over and over, Rin couldn't help but smile.
"It really is as Mugetsu-sensei said—they're enjoying it," she murmured softly, amused by their unspoken rivalry and genuine camaraderie.
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