Walking along the corridor, Uzumaki Raiden left the dining room and arrived at Obito's bedroom door. Knocking lightly, he heard Obito's voice from inside:
"Come in yourself! I don't have time to open the door right now!"
Obito, assuming it was Kakashi and Rin coming to call him for a meal again, didn't bother to get up. Instead, he simply shouted at the door. However, when the door was pushed open, it wasn't Kakashi or Rin who stepped inside—it was Uzumaki Raiden.
"Obito, you look so focused!"
"But you still need to eat."
Raiden smiled as he looked at Obito, who was engrossed in studying the Flying Thunder God scroll at his desk. Hearing his voice, Obito's head snapped up in surprise. He quickly stood up and stammered:
"Lord Raiden?! Why is it you?"
"What are you doing here?!"
Despite having lived with Raiden for a long time, Obito was still somewhat reserved around him. His respect and awe for the Hokage made him feel shy whenever they interacted.
"I came to check on you since you didn't come to eat."
"The Flying Thunder God is not a technique that can be mastered overnight."
"It's a forbidden technique from the Scroll of Seals—while incredibly powerful, it is far more difficult to learn than ordinary ninjutsu."
"If you really want to master it, you need to keep your strength up. That means eating properly."
"Come on, let's eat first. After dinner, I'll teach you the fundamentals."
Raiden walked up to Obito and lightly patted his head before glancing at the scroll on the desk. It was only partially unrolled, and despite spending the entire morning studying it, Obito had barely gotten past the introduction.
It was clear that he didn't even understand the basic sealing formulas at the beginning of the scroll. Without guidance, it could take years just to grasp the fundamentals. Though Raiden himself had failed to fully master the Flying Thunder God, his understanding of its space-time formulas and sealing techniques was profound.
"Lord Raiden, you're going to teach me?"
"Really?!"
Obito's eyes widened in excitement. During this time, Raiden had focused most of his training efforts on Kakashi and Itachi, occasionally giving guidance to Rin. However, Obito had only received brief instruction in physical training. He knew very well how much Kakashi, Itachi, and Rin had improved under Raiden's guidance.
Although he had trained hard on his own, the gap between him and Kakashi only seemed to widen. Receiving the Flying Thunder God scroll today had already been a dream come true, but now, getting personal instruction from Raiden himself made Obito even more determined to succeed.
"Yes, Flying Thunder God is difficult to learn alone."
"I'll teach you the first half of the technique. As for the rest, you can ask your teacher, Minato, for guidance."
"He definitely won't refuse you."
"And once you master Flying Thunder God, Konoha will gain another top-tier powerhouse."
Raiden's words ignited a fire in Obito's heart. Unable to contain his excitement, he let out a loud cheer and sprinted out of the room.
"I'll eat right now! I'll be back soon—wait for me!"
Watching Obito dash away, Raiden shook his head with a small smile. That kid really is a bit foolish...
True to his nature, Obito wasted no time. Before long, he came running back, still wiping his mouth.
Raiden didn't say much. He simply gestured toward the cushion beside him, sat at the desk, and began teaching Obito about Flying Thunder God.
Raiden started with basic sealing techniques. The Flying Thunder God was an advanced technique born from the fusion of sealing arts and space-time ninjutsu. Anyone attempting to learn it needed a solid foundation in sealing techniques first.
Unlike the Sharingan, which could be awakened under the right conditions, Flying Thunder God was a pragmatic jutsu—one that required both talent and relentless practice.
Raiden held nothing back in his teachings, and Obito absorbed everything eagerly, jotting down notes in a small notebook. The entire afternoon passed without either of them leaving the room. By the time Raiden finished his lesson, Obito finally closed his notebook, realizing he had taken more notes in one afternoon than in all his years at the Academy.
"Alright, that's enough for today. The next few days will be all about practice—consolidating what you learned today."
"Come on, let's go out for dinner. My treat."
Raiden stretched and headed for the door. Obito quickly packed up, secured the scroll, and followed him eagerly.
Before heading out, they gathered Kakashi, Itachi, and Rin, who were still practicing, and left the courtyard together.
Raiden's house was near the capital of the Land of Flowers. While peaceful, it was still close to the bustling city center. After a short ten-minute walk, they arrived at the lively streets.
The spring night air was crisp yet pleasant. The streets were filled with pedestrians, and the shops on both sides were packed with customers, creating a vibrant atmosphere.
Rin happily led the way, drifting from shop to shop, eyes lighting up at the displays.
Obito, watching her enjoy herself, smiled unconsciously.
Itachi, on the other hand, walked quietly beside Raiden—until they passed a dessert shop. The young Uchiha suddenly stopped in his tracks, staring longingly at the sweets displayed inside.
Raiden had walked a good distance before realizing Itachi was missing. Looking back, he saw the boy standing frozen in front of the shop, eyes locked on the treats inside.
"Ah, I almost forgot—Itachi loves sweets."
Raiden chuckled at himself.
"I really haven't been a great teacher."
With a self-deprecating smile, he patted Kakashi's shoulder, signaling him to wait before turning back.
Itachi, still hesitating at the shop's entrance, suddenly heard Raiden's voice beside him:
"Itachi, go ahead and buy whatever you want."
"But you have to eat dinner first!"
His deep voice was tinged with warmth. Itachi turned to look at Raiden, eyes sparkling with excitement. He nodded earnestly.
Raiden gave him a gentle push forward, then stood back and watched with amusement as Itachi eagerly picked out his favorite sweets.
Just then, a surprised voice called out from behind:
"Uzumaki Raiden?! Why are you here?!"
Turning around, Raiden saw four shinobi wearing Konoha forehead protectors quickly approaching.
At the front of the group was a young man Raiden recognized immediately.
"Kotaro?"
"Why are you here?"
The person standing before him was none other than Sarutobi Shinnosuke, the eldest son of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Unexpectedly, Raiden had run into him here in the capital of the Land of Flowers!
(End of this chapter)