"Kakashi, I heard you got hurt, is that true?"
Outside the hospital room, three more people walked in.
The leader was a boy with bushy eyebrows and a bowl haircut, and he was the first to rush in shouting.
Might Guy—the man who claims to be Kakashi's lifelong rival, already a Chunin of Konoha.
Following him were two boys older than Kakashi, Shiranui Genma and Ebisu.
They were Guy's teammates, and like Guy, they had passed the special Chunin evaluation during wartime, becoming glorious Chunin of Konoha.
They were also acquainted with Kakashi, though from different squads and only meeting occasionally.
"Don't you three have missions to carry out?"
Lying on the hospital bed, Kakashi put down the book he was holding and sighed lightly.
Seriously, all coming at once, where's the promised peace in the hospital room?
"Just now, Lord Jiraiya ordered that no ninja below Jonin level can go out."
Shiranui Genma, with a thousand needle resembling a toothpick in his mouth, spoke with clear articulation.
"What happened? Why are ninjas below Jonin not allowed to go out?"
Obito asked in confusion.
"We don't know either, we just follow whatever arrangements come from above."
Ebisu adjusted his sunglasses on the bridge of his nose, looking very refined.
"By the way, how did you get hurt, Kakashi?"
Over there, Might Guy inquired about Kakashi.
Genma and Ebisu were also curious.
Among their peers, Kakashi's strength was undoubtedly the strongest.
Although not yet at Jonin level, he was estimated to be very close to that tier.
And Kakashi was only eleven years old, which was incredible to many.
Truly worthy of the title White Fang the Second.
Therefore, the ninja who could injure Kakashi must be a famous Jonin from Hidden Rock.
Kakashi was about to answer when Obito spoke up.
With a look of anger, he said, "It was a bad woman named Hyuga Ayane. Teacher Minato told me she was a ninja who defected from our village."
As soon as Obito said this, the hospital room fell silent.
Especially Genma and Ebisu, who became silent. Even the usually carefree Might Guy became serious.
"Wha-what's wrong?"
Seeing the odd faces of the three, Obito was a bit puzzled.
"Are you sure that person was named Hyuga Ayane?"
"Yes. Byakugan and Gentle Fist, it can't be fake, right?"
Obito nodded and said.
Guy and the other three seemed even more disheartened.
"What are you three doing like that?"
Obito asked, puzzled.
"Probably remembering their previous squad leader."
Kakashi, with sharp instincts, immediately guessed the emotional state of Guy and the others.
"Eh?"
Obito was momentarily stunned, not quite getting it.
Genma first recovered, scratched his head, and said, "Sorry to worry you. Just suddenly hearing news related to Teacher Ruri caught us off guard."
"Teacher Ruri?"
"Uchiha Ruri was once the Jonin leader of my squad, and that Hyuga Ayane was a teammate of Teacher Ruri in the past."
Genma explained.
"Oh, I see."
Obito coughed, realizing he had mentioned a forbidden name.
Guy and the trio stayed for a while, then left behind gifts and departed.
Obito complained, "Seriously, why is everyone's attention on Kakashi? I've been keeping my Sharingan activated the whole time, why doesn't anyone ask about it? Isn't opening my Sharingan shocking enough for them?"
Hearing Obito's complaint, Lin smiled softly.
"Obito, you really want to show off your Sharingan, don't you?"
"Hey, that's just a joke. It's not because I want to show off that I keep my Sharingan open."
Obito stubbornly insisted.
But keeping the Sharingan activated for so long, he felt his head starting to feel dizzy, quickly shutting it off.
If he kept it open, he felt he might pass out on the spot.
"Alright, I know you're strong now, Obito. Let's go out and let Kakashi rest here quietly."
"Okay. Lin and I are leaving, Kakashi. Once you're better, I'll show you how my awakened Sharingan has changed me."
Obito turned back to Kakashi, said this, and quickly followed behind Lin.
Kakashi thought he was like a dog.
"Even with the Sharingan awakened, intelligence won't suddenly increase. It's still the same as before, right?"
Kakashi muttered to himself, starting to mock aloud.
◎
Morning.
Early in the morning, Obito was practicing within the safe perimeter of the camp in a small grove.
He skillfully opened his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, fingers swiftly sealing, standing in front of a pond, inhaling.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A giant fireball spewed from his mouth, flying straight to the center of the pond, stopping after about ten meters, dissipating into the air.
Even after the fireball disappeared, the heat in the air along its path lingered, not fading for a long time.
Obito kept practicing Fire Style Ninjutsu here.
He didn't have a talent for Shuriken, or rather his talent in this area was average, so he relied on Ninja Techniques to make up for his shortcomings.
Within the Minato Squad, he secretly competed with Kakashi, but sometimes against formidable enemies, he couldn't help but cooperate with Kakashi in battle.
He knew Kakashi's Taijutsu and Swordsmanship were formidable, even Jonin could be accidentally killed by Kakashi stabbing from behind.