Having prepared the Substitution Jutsu, Veigar disappeared from his original position the moment Obito Uchiha unleashed his Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu, leaving behind only a wooden log in his place.
However, despite seeing flames emerge from Obito's mouth, the expected Great Fireball never materialized.
Instead, Obito seemed to have misfired—what came out was merely a tiny flicker of flame that barely extended two meters before fizzling out completely.
A failed Great Fireball Jutsu.
The entire training ground, initially shocked by Obito's attempt, erupted into laughter at the sight.
"Hahahaha…!"
"Obito, you idiot! You scared me for a second there."
"With skills like yours, how could you ever hope to master Fire Release?"
"A dead last is always a dead last. Just give up already, Obito."
Embarrassed beyond measure, Obito wished he could disappear into the ground. His face turned a deep shade of red.
This was utterly humiliating!
Lost in his own shame, he momentarily forgot that he was still in the middle of a sparring match. Just as he was struggling to regain his composure, Veigar suddenly appeared beside him, startling him.
By the time Obito reacted, it was already too late.
Veigar had already demonstrated his prowess in Taijutsu and the Three Basic Jutsu against Kaoru Iwabe. Now, it was time to end the battle with Obito.
Besides, Obito had already exhausted his chakra. There was no need for Veigar to showcase anything further.
"You've lost, Obito."
Veigar's left hand firmly grasped Obito's right shoulder, while his right fist stopped mere centimeters from Obito's face. His tone was calm, devoid of any excitement or exhaustion.
It was clear that, to Veigar, Obito was simply too weak to pose any challenge.
"The match is over. The winner: Veigar Koshima."
"Both parties, perform the Seal of Reconciliation."
With the official verdict announced, Veigar released his grip on Obito and added, "Obito, you need to train harder. Otherwise, you won't be able to protect her."
"Right?"
Veigar's words carried an implied meaning that made Obito visibly nervous, as if someone had uncovered a secret buried deep in his heart.
After they exchanged the Seal of Reconciliation, Kaoru Iwabe declared the final scores.
"Veigar Koshima: Full Marks."
"Obito Uchiha: Pass."
No one was surprised by Veigar's perfect score. If anything, the real shock came from Obito's result.
To everyone's knowledge, Obito had never passed a single subject before.
This was the first time in his life that he had received a passing grade.
This was precisely why Obito had long been labeled the dead last of the class.
"Really?"
"Sensei, I actually passed?"
Still in disbelief, Obito turned to Kaoru Iwabe for confirmation.
Kaoru smiled and nodded. "That's right. You passed this time."
"Keep working hard for next time as well."
However, just moments after displaying overwhelming joy, Obito suddenly tried to act nonchalant. "Ahem, it's just a passing grade. No big deal for someone like me."
Hearing Obito's obvious attempt at bravado, Veigar barely managed to suppress a smirk.
The rest of the class, however, wasn't as forgiving.
"Obito, you shameless dead last!"
"Did you forget? This is the first time you've ever passed anything!"
"I suddenly have the urge to punch him."
"What a coincidence—I do too!"
Amidst the playful chatter and mock outrage, the school day came to an end, marking the conclusion of their practical combat training session.
After everyone had left the classroom, Veigar, having finished his assigned duties, went to find Kaoru Iwabe in the faculty office.
Noticing Veigar's arrival, Kaoru gestured for him to step inside.
Facing his teacher, Veigar spoke directly.
"Sensei, I'd like to apply for early graduation."
"What? Early graduation?"
Hearing this, Kaoru immediately stood up from his chair, looking at Veigar in shock.
Veigar nodded. "I've reached the limit of what I can learn at the academy. I want to apply for early graduation."
"But… you're only seven years old…"
Before Iwabe could finish, Veigar interrupted, "Whether it's the Three Basic Jutsu or Taijutsu, my skills far surpass my peers."
"I have already proven that I possess the strength of a Genin."
"That's why I'm requesting that you submit my application for early graduation."
Kaoru found himself unable to refute Veigar's logic. Everything Veigar said was true. Still, he attempted to persuade the boy.
"Veigar, can you at least tell me why you want to graduate early?"
"If you don't have a valid reason, I won't approve your request. And even if I did, early graduation isn't easy to obtain."
Veigar looked directly into Kaoru's eyes. "Do you really want to know?"
For some reason, Kaoru suddenly felt an ominous premonition, as if he were about to hear a classified secret.
Even so, he nodded.
Sighing, Veigar relented. "I suppose relying solely on my skills and achievements won't be enough to convince you."
He had already expected this response.
After all, he lacked a powerful background.
Among all the students who had ever graduated early from the Ninja Academy, only one had managed to do so—Kakashi Hatake.
Was it solely because of Kakashi's talent?
At the academy, there were many students from ninja clans whose talent, while not on Kakashi's level, was still formidable. After a few years of training, they too reached Genin-level strength.
Yet, none of them were allowed to graduate early.
Talent and strength were merely prerequisites.
The real reason Kakashi succeeded was because of his father—Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang of Konoha.
Anyone who wanted to graduate early would inevitably draw the attention of the village leadership. Without Sakumo's influence, Kakashi would never have been granted an early graduation exam.
As for another genius who would later follow in Kakashi's footsteps—Itachi Uchiha, who hadn't been born yet—he was the eldest son of the Uchiha clan leader.
His background placed him among the elite of the elite in Konoha.
Even another Uchiha prodigy, Shisui Uchiha, hadn't been able to graduate early.
In the world of ninjas, strength alone wasn't always enough.
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