Rin was mistaken—Obito was, in fact, an excellent liar. He could spin lies so skillfully that even the most discerning individuals were deceived.
Itachi Uchiha, Sasuke Uchiha, the Kages from various villages, Nagato, Konan—even his own teacher, Minato Namikaze—none of them saw through him.
But Rin wasn't wrong either. Obito would never lie to her.
Even when it came to something as unbelievable as being reborn, he didn't want to hide the truth from her.
With a smile, he said gently, "Rin, I'll tell you everything. But it's a very, very long story, and I can't finish it in one sitting. Let's find a time to talk about it slowly, okay?"
Rin let out a small sigh of relief and nodded affirmatively.
Obito smiled, took her hand, and began walking toward the school building.
"Let's go find Kakashi first. That good-for-nothing—Ahem, I mean genius. Graduated at five years old! Has the Ninja Academy ever seen anything like that?"
Rin, led by Obito, glanced at the boy beside her—so familiar, yet distinctly different. He was once insecure and overly eager to please, yet full of life.
Now, his gaze had grown sharper, and there was a commanding presence about him that hadn't been there before.
A light blush colored Rin's cheeks.
She didn't mind this change. In fact, she liked how Obito seemed to want to shield her from the world. She felt safe—secure.
Still…
"Obito," she asked, tilting her head in curiosity, "how did you know Kakashi was graduating today? I only just got the news myself."
Obito smiled. "That's part of the story too. Let's save it for later. Once we find Kakashi, I'll tell both of you together—it'll save time."
The worry on Rin's face vanished.
"Obito… You clearly care about Kakashi, but you're so stubborn about it."
Obito panicked slightly. "W-Who cares about him? He's just… just an extra."
Rin giggled, covering her mouth with her hand. "Sure, let's just say he's an extra. Anyway, let's hurry—there's not much time left..."
The two quickened their pace and arrived at the front of the school building.
By then, a crowd had already formed at the entrance—mostly students from Class 1-A. Obito scanned the group and recognized several familiar faces.
Might Guy, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, Shizune Kato, Hayate Gekko, Genma Shiranui, Yugao Uzuki, Ebisu... even the two gatekeepers were there.
As for why most of the crowd were Class 1-A students—it wasn't just because Kakashi was in their class. Other classes didn't lack interest, but…
Let's be real—someone graduating from the Ninja Academy at five years old was a rare spectacle. Even the average villagers were eager to witness it.
The students from other classes, though, came mostly from civilian families. Without parents in high positions or access to inside information, most of them didn't even know what was happening at the academy today.
Civilians had it rough.
They followed the currents of life—becoming ninja just to end up as cannon fodder. Dying on the battlefield, or worse, perishing as collateral damage during a powerful shinobi's clash in the village.
Even in Konoha—arguably the most peaceful of the Five Great Nations—this was reality.
Still, civilian life wasn't all bad. Not knowing much meant fewer worries. They lived more freely, unburdened by secrets or responsibilities.
But not Class 1-A. Secrets spread among them like wildfire. This was an elite class—where the difference between individuals was even greater than the gap between humans and dogs.
In his past life, Obito didn't understand any of this. Now, he saw it all clearly.
This class was special. This year's elite class.
It wasn't just about bloodlines and secret techniques. The class had the son of the Anbu Commander, the Hokage's son—prodigies surrounded them.
Yet among all the elite students, only two who ranked at the bottom—himself and Might Guy—would later stand shoulder-to-shoulder with gods.
He didn't even need to mention himself. He had become the second Six Paths Sage, almost transcending humanity—he had challenged the entire world.
And Guy… Guy was terrifying in his own right.
Time and again, Guy disrupted Obito's schemes alongside Kakashi and Naruto. He had gone toe-to-toe with tailed beasts, and even kicked off half of Madara's body.
That Madara was the jinchūriki of the Ten-Tails, capable of creation and destruction with a mere thought.
Obito, having entered the Six Paths state himself, knew this truth well: anyone below that level was nothing but an insect. Even Hashirama Senju, the revered God of Shinobi, was just a slightly stronger insect.
But Guy—he challenged a god with a mortal body.
The price was steep, yes. But the damage he inflicted on Madara was very real.
Rumor had it that Guy's ultimate move was originally meant for Kakashi. One could only imagine what Kakashi felt in that moment…
And Naruto—he, too, had been at the bottom of the class.
Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin and Minato's teacher, was also a dead last in his youth.
Could it be… that the weakest ones were actually the strongest?
The thought amused Obito, and he chuckled softly.
"Obito, did you just think of something funny? You're smiling."
Rin looked up at him curiously.
Feeling mischievous, Obito decided to tease her. "Hey, Rin, who do you think will be the most successful from our class in the future—aside from Kakashi, of course?"
Rin smiled warmly. "That's easy. You, Obito! You're the future Hokage."
Obito's heart sank slightly.
Hokage?
Not in this life.
"Rin, you don't have to comfort me. Just tell me what you really think."
Rin puffed her cheeks, a little annoyed. "I'm not comforting you! I really do believe in you, Obito. You can achieve anything."
Warmth spread in Obito's chest.
So even back then, Rin had believed in him so deeply.
It made him wonder—was his dream to become Hokage really about being the strongest, or was it just to win Rin's approval?
Still curious, he asked, "Then besides me?"
Rin paused, glanced around the group, and said thoughtfully, "Maybe Guy. He's Kakashi's lifelong rival, after all."
Obito froze.
She guessed correctly.
Well, that took the fun out of it.
Seeing his stunned expression, Rin smiled proudly.
"Did I get it right, Obito?"
He nodded. There was no need to think—it was simply the truth.
As they chatted, the door of the school building opened.
The noisy crowd immediately fell silent, all eyes turning to the doorway.
A hush fell over the group.
Although everyone knew this graduation was more symbolic than anything—only a few were qualified to apply for early graduation—the tension in the air was real.
Even if it was just a formality, anticipation buzzed in the crowd.
Except for Obito—his heart remained calm.
After all, the chief examiner today was the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
With Hiruzen's overly cautious personality, he wouldn't appear unless he was absolutely certain.