[NTU] [ARC-06-WAR] Chapter : 95 (Patreon)

"Senpai, are you sure this is okay?"

"Don't worry! It's just a genjutsu. He'll be fine after a few days of rest."

"But... tomorrow is Obito’s chuunin exam!"

Inside Ichiraku Ramen, Nohara Rin looked at Obito, who was sprawled across the table, with a concerned expression.

She turned to Toshiro, the one responsible. Earlier, when Obito asked Toshiro how to activate the Sharingan, Toshiro simply glanced at him, and a blood-red light flashed in his eyes, causing Obito to collapse onto the table. When Rin tried to check on Obito, Toshiro stopped her, asking her to wait.

Time passed, and as a medical ninja, Rin noticed the complexity of the genjutsu Obito was under. She realized he might end up in the hospital for a few days, which only deepened her worry.

"It seems like Senpai doesn't want Obito to take the Chuunin exam. Otherwise, why..."

Despite her suspicions, she trusted Toshiro as a senpai from the same clan, who wielded the same Sharingan that Obito often boasted about.

At the ramen stall, three people surrounded the unconscious Obito: Toshiro, Rin, and the ramen chef. With no other customers around, the chef tolerated their unusual presence.

Because Toshiro's genjutsu wasn't as advanced as the Tsukuyomi, which could manipulate time within the illusion, they waited for Obito to wake up.

"Rin!!!" Obito's sudden, deafening shout shattered the calm, causing pedestrians to glance over, alarmed. It wasn't just a shout; it was a terrifying scream that echoed down the street.

"Here it comes!" Toshiro, who had been waiting, activated his Sharingan to closely observe Obito's changes. Obito, now like a startled deer, jumped up, flipping the table and scattering dishes everywhere. His face twisted in rage, and his eyes bled slightly as they transformed into the Sharingan with two tomoes.

"He awakened the two tomoe!" Toshiro expected this, knowing the intensity of the genjutsu he had cast on Obito.

Obito's eyes spun rapidly. If Toshiro hadn't been using his Sharingan, he wouldn't have noticed the subtle changes.

'Could this guy awaken the Mangekyo in one go?' Toshiro wondered, knowing how unprecedented that would be.

Just as Obito's tomoe reached its limit, he suddenly froze, looking confused as he recognized Ichiraku Ramen. With the recent traumatic illusion still vivid in his mind, he mechanically repeated, "Genjutsu?"

"Obito! Are you okay?" Rin asked, relieved but curious about his experience with the illusion that had caused such a dramatic reaction.

Obito, still in shock, muttered, "It was just a genjutsu!" Finally realizing everything was fake, his emotions overwhelmed him. He hugged Rin tightly, burying his head in her chest, tears streaming down his face.

"It really scared me! I thought... I thought..." His voice choked with emotion, making Rin uncomfortable but empathetic.

Toshiro watched, amused, as Rin tried to comfort Obito while dealing with the embarrassment of having his head between her breasts in public.

"Alright, alright! You're about to become a chuunin and have finally awakened your Sharingan. There's no need to cry like this," Rin said, trying to calm Obito, who slowly realized the awkwardness of the situation.

FeeRing Rin's warmth and scent, Obito froze, suddenly aware of his surroundings and the onlookers.

"Ha! Is this brat really going to be a chuunin?" a passerby mocked.

"Seriously? A chuunin? He looks more like a crybaby!" another chimed in.

Obito felt humiliated, his confidence shaken despite his newly awakened Sharingan. His infatuation with Rin and the overwhelming emotions left him flustered, trying to regain his composure amidst the laughter and jeers.

To be honest, while Obito felt a bit embarrassed by the villagers' remarks, he was accustomed to ridicule from his classmates and didn't take it seriously. However, Rin's unusual behavior left him unsure of how to react. He feared she was angry with him.

"Ahem! Obito, how long are you going to hold her?" Toshiro interrupted with a dry cough after watching the scene unfold for a while. He suspected Obito might be doing it on purpose since he hadn't let go for so long.

"Oh... I'm sorry... I'm sorry," Obito stammered, quickly releasing his hold on Rin. His face turned red as he apologized profusely. His expression, tear-streaked and full of anxiety, conveyed his fear of Rin's anger convincingly.

As for the onlookers, their opinions didn't matter to Obito.

"I'm sorry about the scene, uncle," Rin apologized to Teuchi, trying to maintain her composure despite her clenched fists and barely controlled urge to flee. Growing up with Obito, she was used to him, but this public display was a first. She wished she could just disappear.

"Since you're okay now, I'll take my leave," Rin said, quickly escaping despite Obito's attempts to make her stay. She wished she had her sensei's ability to teleport home instantly and find a quiet place to recover from the embarrassment.

"What are you waiting for? Go after her!" Toshiro said to the confused Obito. "And don't forget to pay the bill!"

Toshiro then walked home, contemplating the effectiveness of using genjutsu to awaken the Sharingan. Obito's success made him wonder if he could do it too to awaken the Mangekyo, but he knew it wasn't simple and required careful planning after the war.

—

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Toshiro-nii, are you home?" Obito, now wearing a blue jacket and orange goggles, knocked on Toshiro’s door later that afternoon. He had clearly climbed over the wall.

"Hey, kid, don't you know disturbing someone's sleep is bad?" Toshiro, still tired from the day’s events, grumbled as he opened the door.

"Rin isn't mad at me," Obito began, though his expression turned glum as he recalled his earlier actions. "I... awakened the Sharingan. I was wondering if you had any advice."

Toshiro, not interested in Obito’s emotional turmoil, replied, "You should speak to Elder Hidechi. He teaches new clan members how to use the Sharingan."

However, as Toshiro tried to close the door, Obito added, "The elder is on the frontlines."

Toshiro paused, surprised. "Come in," he sighed. Realizing sleep was out of the question, he decided to help Obito. After all, he had played a part in Obito’s current situation.

Early in the morning on the third day, the newly promoted Jonin, Toshiro Uchiha, was preparing to head out. After two days of rest in Konoha, it was time to say goodbye to the village and return to the harsh battlefield.

"Uchiha Toshiro! Hokage-sama is looking for you!"

Just as he locked his house and stepped outside, a masked figure in a large cloak appeared before him.

"Understood," Toshiro replied.

The ANBU operative, directly under the Hokage, vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"Great, I just got promoted to Jonin, and I'm already being summoned," Toshiro muttered as he walked towards the Hokage Building. He knew he couldn't ignore an order from the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, what do you need from me?"

After a brief wait at the Hokage Building, Toshiro was ushered in to see the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. At this time, the Third Hokage was in his fifties, still in his prime, and full of vigor.

"Having been on the frontlines, Toshiro, you must be aware of the ongoing war between Konoha and the Land of Earth. What are your thoughts?"

Instead of getting straight to the point, the Third Hokage inquired about Toshiro's perspective on the frontlines.

'Thoughts? I've been nothing but cannon fodder, thrown into endless battles by our superiors. Who has time to think about strategy?'

"The situation is dire, especially after the Cloud Ninja joined the fray. The front lines have become increasingly precarious," Toshiro replied, feeling the weight of the Hokage's gaze. He had to come up with something, even if it was just the obvious truth.

Konoha was in a perilous state. The Iwa Ninja, emboldened by their success against the Sand Ninja, launched a fierce attack. Yet, despite being surrounded on all sides, Konoha's various ninja clans had managed to hold the line. The addition of the Cloud Ninja threatened to tip the balance, and the Water Country to the east was poised to exploit any weakness.

"Yes, the situation is becoming more difficult. We need to use special methods to try to end this war," the Third Hokage said, pulling out a scroll.

As Toshiro unfolded the scroll, his expression grew serious. He hadn't expected his first mission as a Jonin to involve the Kannabi Bridge operation.

In the world of ninjas, while seals had their uses, they weren't particularly effective in large-scale battles like the Ninja World War. Logistics still played a crucial role. Fortunately, his mission wasn't to destroy the Kannabi Bridge directly but to contain the Iwa Ninja.

"In order to end the war quickly, it's not just you. The entire Konoha frontline in the Land of Grass will be mobilized to ensure the success of this mission," the Third Hokage explained. Konoha was putting everything into this attack on Iwa Ninja’s logistics to sever their supply routes and force Onoki to admit defeat.

"Yes, I will complete this mission and contribute to peace," Toshiro vowed.

"To effectively play a containment role, I hope you and your team can infiltrate the Land of Earth, disrupt their logistics, and assassinate key personnel—anything that can draw significant Iwa Ninja attention," the Third Hokage continued.

'I knew it wasn't going to be that simple!'

Toshiro realized the enormity of the task. It wasn't just about containing some Iwa Ninja; it required deep infiltration and high-risk operations. Failure could mean their entire team would be lost in the Land of Earth. But refusal wasn't an option.

"If that's the case, I need support from the village," Toshiro stated. He knew he couldn't succeed without help and believed that as long as his requests were reasonable, they would be granted.

"What do you need? Let me know," the Third Hokage replied, ready to hear his requests.