Obito or rather in this case, ‘Tobi’ is running around the Forest of Death. He jumps from one tree to another, leaving traps everywhere. This is the Chunin Exams and Tobi plans to pass with excellence. Maybe while at it, show his cool side to Rin. It is childish, but in this second life, Tobi cannot be more unapologetically sincere.

Though ‘Tobi’ is but a consciousness and is not really alive, his mind cannot be more alive than ever. Tobi recalls his discussion with Obito before the exams. The plan is fairly simple— while Tobi is participating in the Chunin Exams, Obito will be doing something else.

Tobi grins mischievously as he swiftly moves through the Forest of Death, setting up traps with the precision of a seasoned ninja. Explosive tags dangle from strings, carefully rigged to be triggered by the slightest disturbance. Pressure plates hidden beneath the foliage wait to unleash a barrage of explosive surprises. Tobi's creativity knows no bounds as he even incorporates classic pitfalls and snares along his path.

After a series of acrobatic jumps and nimble maneuvers, Tobi finally comes to a stop on a sturdy tree branch, catching his breath. His keen eyes scan the surroundings, watching for any sign of movement. In the distance, the familiar figure of Kakashi appears, moving effortlessly through the trees.

Kakashi lands on the same branch as Tobi, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern. "Obito, you can't just run off like that. We're a team, and teamwork is crucial in the Chunin Exams," Kakashi chides, his eyes narrowing.

“That’s rich coming from you,” Tobi, still grinning, responds with unabashed innocence, "But Kakashi, I was just trying to showcase my skills and impress Rin. It's all part of my big plan, you know?"

Kakashi sighs, clearly unamused. "Impressing Rin won't help if you get yourself into trouble. We need to stick together.”

“Speaking of which, where's Rin?" Tobi's grin falters momentarily, realizing he may have overlooked Rin's absence.

"Oh, right. Impressing Rin huh? You have gone crazy… You are definitely performing admirably, Obito.” Kakashi deadpans. “She's securing our supplies from the starting point, so that’s about that.”

Tobi grins at Kakashi, mischief dancing in his eyes. "Hey, Kakashi, did you memorize the path I took while chasing me through the trees?"

Kakashi, raising an eyebrow, replies, "Of course. That’s only natural, people tend to get lost in the forest and even ninjas are no exception. It is important to always memorize the routes taken."

Tobi chuckles, a sense of pride evident in his voice. "Well, if you followed my trails, you might have noticed I left a little surprise for you along the way. Some explosive tags here, a pressure plate there, you know, the usual."

Kakashi, now more intrigued, comments. "I did see them. Your trap-setting skills are surprisingly advanced. When did you learn to do that?"

Tobi beams, reveling in the acknowledgment. "Ah, a ninja has to have a few tricks up his sleeve, Kakashi. Been secretly honing my skills. Minato-sensei and Rin probably have no idea." As he boasts, Tobi is setting another trap, the kind that suddenly swings logs from nowhere.

Kakashi raises an eyebrow, a hint of curiosity in his tone. "Secret training, huh?”

Tobi nods with a playful glint in his eyes. "You haven't seen the half of it, Kakashi. Just wait until the Chunin Exams are over. I've got more tricks in store. And I am definitely going to beat your ass during the tournament setup."

Kakashi observes Obito, nodding apathetically. "Good idea. You have to have big dreams if you want to succeed in life." For what Kakashi’s instincts are worth, he is slowly gaining an understanding of what has changed to the Obito in front of him.

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The most obvious change is definitely the element of being unhinged.

Tobi is actually just a unique Shadow Clone who possesses the personality and memories of an alternate and demented version of Obito. Of course, Tobi doesn’t tell this to Kakashi.

With an upbeat tone, Tobi informs Kakashi. “With the amount of traps I created, we should be able to impede half of our competitors. Aren’t I great? I am thinking, I should set up more traps.”

Kakashi crosses his arms, his gaze intense as he surveys the forest before them. Tobi watches him closely, noticing the subtle calculations in Kakashi's eyes. It's clear that Kakashi is double-checking and simulating potential strategies in his mind.

With a sly grin, Tobi decides to one-up Kakashi by offering his own suggestion. "How about this, Kakashi? You team up with Rin and scale along the river. Meanwhile, I'll continue spreading traps in the most likely routes that the others might come through. That way, we cover more ground and increase our chances of success."

Kakashi considers Tobi's proposal for a moment, then gives a nod of approval. It seems like a solid plan. As they prepare to execute their strategy, Kakashi takes a moment to share crucial information with Tobi. "By the way, I've got the Scroll of Earth," he says, holding up the scroll in question. "We just need to secure the Scroll of Heaven, and once we bring both scrolls to the tower, we'll pass this stage of the exams. Let's make sure we execute this flawlessly."

Kakashi, after a moment of contemplation, adds another layer to their strategy. "Obito, I want you to safeguard the Scroll of Earth," he says, looking directly at Tobi. "Rin and I will fake that we're carrying the scroll. Keep it hidden and make sure it's secure."

Tobi raises an eyebrow, finding it rather peculiar that Kakashi is entrusting him with such a significant responsibility. After all, ‘Obito’ is usually known for his more carefree and irresponsible nature. "Why the sudden trust in me?" he questions, a hint of suspicion in his voice.

Kakashi offers a rational explanation, "Your skills with running, especially evident in the recent chase, show that I can trust you with this. Just keep the scroll safe and hidden, and we'll rendezvous later. Don’t overexert yourself in making traps."

Tobi frowns, feeling a mix of annoyance and disbelief at the unexpected responsibility bestowed upon him. "Oh, come on, Kakashi. You're leaving me with the heavy lifting? Screw that," Tobi retorts, his irritation evident. “Moreover, you get to be with Rin. I want to be with Rin.”

Ignoring Tobi's protest, Kakashi swiftly hurls the Scroll of Earth to Tobi, who catches it with a grumble. Without further explanation, Kakashi takes off, disappearing into the forest, perhaps heading back to Rin. Tobi, left alone with the precious scroll, mumbles a frustrated remark, "Just my luck."

Watching Kakashi vanish into the dense canopy, Tobi places the Scroll of Earth securely in his pouch. In these exams, Tobi faces a unique challenge – he doesn't have the luxury of using ninjutsu or genjutsu, being just a Shadow Clone. Any excessive loss of chakra, and he'll simply dissipate into thin air.

The difficulty intensifies; Tobi realizes he must navigate the perilous task of not getting hit even once during a battle. The very idea amuses him, and he can't help but snicker at the thought. "This is going to be challenging," Tobi mutters to himself, contemplating the trials that lie ahead.

That Obito, his slave driver really knows how to make Tobi work hard. “I am going to score with Rin this time, I am definitely showing my cool side~! So have patience, Tobi! Patience is a virtue, me!!” Tobi psyches himself as he runs off and creates more traps along the way.

This is the Tobi Way. This is the Simp Way.

All too suddenly, a kunai whizzes through the air towards Tobi. Reacting with swift but awkward movements, Tobi manages to dodge the projectile by tilting backward at a 90-degree angle.

As the kunai embeds itself into a tree behind him, a figure emerges from the foliage – it's the young Asuma, his hands already wielding trench knives in a poised stance. “That’s just a greeting…”

“You… tracked me…” Tobi fixes his center of gravity and enters a combat stance with his chains and sickles. “You are very fast to be able to catch up to me… I mean I got the head start with all the running, and I took rather complicated terrains.”

“I had to wait a bit since Kakashi was here a while ago. I cannot screw up the timing… Do you know, Obito? I have had my eyes on you from the beginning… There is something different in you… Your stance, breathing patterns… everything. They have become… varied suddenly.” Asuma activates his chakra augmentation and visible whirring chakra begins to rotate on his knives. “Tell me, Obito. Why are you hiding your skills?”

What~?

Uuhmm… Thank you?

Tobi is currently rejoicing. From hearing Asuma’s words, he almost thought that he had found out that he was actually just a result of a split personality and that he was not the real Obito. Tobi sighs, “You gave me a fright, man! Are you a stalker? Ee—k~! Hentai!” Tobi runs off in one direction at full speed.

“???” Asuma feels his fighting spirit dampening.

[news]The narrator wants to add, Tobi can be a real bastard.[/news]