Konoha — Ninja Academy
"Today is the quarterly assessment for the Clone Technique. When I call your name, come up and take the test. First up is... Nohara Rin."
The Chūnin instructor stood at the podium, list in hand, calling out the names of the students.
An 8-year-old girl with purple lines of makeup on her cheeks stepped confidently onto the stage and formed the Clone Technique hand seal.
Bang!
A puff of smoke appeared, and a perfect clone of Rin stood beside her.
"Very good. Excellent."
The instructor nodded with approval and wrote Excellent next to her name in his notes.
"Next…"
One by one, the students performed the Clone Technique. Most succeeded with relative ease, earning evaluations like Good and Excellent from the Chūnin instructor.
"Uchiha Obito."
Obito flinched at hearing his name. With a nervous expression, he climbed onto the stage and formed the hand seals just like he had practiced.
Chakra surged... then sputtered.
Two strange-looking clones appeared next to him—both collapsed on the ground, looking exhausted and unstable.
"Hahahaha!"
"Look at that! What kind of clone is that supposed to be?"
"He's from the Uchiha Clan? Hahaha! What a joke!"
"Obito is hopeless!"
Laughter filled the room as the other students pointed at Obito's failed technique.
"Uchiha Obito… Poor."
The Chūnin instructor shook his head and marked the word Poor beside Obito's name.
Another year. Another last place. It was becoming a pattern that even the instructors found frustrating. A student from the Uchiha Clan ranked last every time? It was beginning to reflect badly on the school's image.
"Obito, review Ninjutsu after class."
The instructor softened his tone. He had been a teacher long enough to know that encouragement, not ridicule, was what struggling students needed most.
"...Yes, sensei."
Obito shuffled back to his seat, defeated.
"Don't give up, Obito. I'll help you after class!"
The sweet voice came from beside him. Nohara Rin smiled warmly, her painted cheeks lifted in encouragement.
Compared to the mocking laughter of the class, Rin's words were like sunlight through dark clouds.
Obito looked up at her. His expression brightened, even if only slightly.
"Okay… Rin!"
---
Uchiha Clan Grounds — Training Field
A young boy was practicing diligently, throwing kunai and shuriken at a wooden target. But despite his best efforts, most of the weapons missed.
The Uchiha Clan was renowned for its shurikenjutsu—among every ten shuriken thrown, nine would hit the target. But for this boy, barely one landed on mark.
"You're not going to improve throwing kunai like that."
A calm voice sounded behind him.
"Clan Leader…"
Obito turned around and saw Uchiha Naraku approaching.
Despite Obito's struggles with talent, Naraku always offered guidance and encouragement. Obito had come to view him almost like family.
Naraku never gave up on him, even when others did.
"Why are you training alone? Why not learn at the Academy?"
"The Academy instructor said I'm too dumb…"
Obito muttered, eyes downcast.
There were many gifted youth in the Uchiha Clan, but Obito stood out in all the wrong ways. Even the Academy had given up on him.
"Hahaha… That's ridiculous."
Naraku walked over and ruffled Obito's hair.
"Shurikenjutsu isn't just about your fingers or wrists. You need to use your whole body—your legs, waist, and core. That's where real power and control come from."
"As for accuracy? That comes with practice. Nothing more."
"...Okay."
Obito mumbled. He wasn't particularly interested in theory anymore. His failures had piled up so high that he doubted whether he was even cut out to be a ninja.
Naraku's advice came from clan fundamentals—basic Uchiha teachings.
Naraku picked up a kunai, casually tossed it without looking—and thunk, it landed dead center on the target.
"Obito, do you know the phrase: 'The early bird catches the worm'?"
Obito blinked.
"The early bird… catches the worm? What does that mean?"
Naraku smiled.
"It means that even if a bird is slow, if it starts earlier than the rest and works harder, it can still catch the worm. If you put in enough effort, you won't lose to those so-called 'geniuses.'"
Obito's eyes widened as he absorbed the words.
"You mean… as long as I work hard, I won't fall behind?"
"Haha, that's right. You're the most promising boy I've seen in the Uchiha Clan."
"Really?"
Obito grinned, visibly encouraged. His shoulders lifted, and for the first time in a while, his spirit returned.
He had always felt like a burden to the clan, especially to someone like Naraku.
But hearing these words gave him new hope.
"Even Jiraiya-sama was a dunce in his academy days. But he never gave up. He trained harder than anyone. Eventually, he became one of the Legendary Sannin."
Naraku patted his head one more time, then turned and left.
Obito stared after him. The cloud of doubt that had loomed over his heart finally cleared.
He picked up his shuriken and took a deep breath. Recalling the academy's basic form, he adjusted his posture and threw.
Thunk!
The shuriken hit the bull's-eye.
A smile broke across Obito's face.
"Kakashi, just wait! I'm going to surpass you!"
Hatake Kakashi was his classmate. A prodigy, Kakashi had graduated after just one month and was already a Chūnin.
Obito, meanwhile, couldn't even hit a target—or use a basic Clone Technique correctly.
But even so, a fire burned in his heart.
He would catch up.
---
After walking away, Naraku no longer paid attention to Obito.
Excessive attention could backfire. All he needed was to plant a seed in the boy's heart.
He had heard about Obito more than once.
Bottom-ranked in all categories—Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, even tool usage.
Naraku had once arranged for special tutors from the Academy to help him improve.
After two weeks, the teacher quit, calling Obito "hopeless."
The Academy gave up on him.
So, Naraku had no choice but to casually "pass by" and offer some guidance.
The Uchiha had their own internal training program. Talented youth were trained within the clan. Those who didn't pass were sent to Konoha's Ninja Academy.
Obito was one of those failures—and had earned a notorious reputation in both the clan and the school.
No one excluded him outright—he was still a child, after all.
But being ranked last year after year… it became an embarrassment to the clan.
"Compared to Shisui, Obito is worlds apart…"
Naraku sighed as he walked back toward the clan hall.
Uchiha Shisui, another young boy of promise, was Obito's opposite in every way—talented, skilled, admired.
They were like night and day.
---