"Don't ask directly. You can start by chatting about something else."
Hankuang casually said a couple of words.
"Okay." Rin nodded.
"Why don't I give it a try?" Obito said as he swallowed a dango.
No one paid him any attention.
After a simple lunch, the team continued on their way.
During that time, Rin tried to communicate with Minako again, but failed once more.
Minako, sitting in the ox cart, seemed to have no intention of speaking at all. She simply stared blankly at the passing woods the entire way.
Night fell.
Before the campfire.
The four team members gathered together.
It was time for the daily summary.
Kakashi first spread out the map and marked a red dot along their route.
"At our current speed, we'll need five days to leave the Land of Fire and enter the Land of Hot Water."
After all, the ox cart's speed was what it was. There was no way it could go much faster.
Rin spoke second.
"Although Minako still didn't say anything this afternoon, I can tell that she's definitely hiding something from us." Rin's tone was serious. She felt that something was wrong with Minako.
Hankuang had already guessed as much before they set out. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Rin to sound her out for information.
Next was Obito's turn.
"I don't have anything to say. Oh, right, Hankuang, can you lend me two kunai? I forgot to bring any."
Obito rummaged through his ninja tool pouch and dropped a bombshell.
"I didn't bring any kunai either."
Hankuang was speechless.
"You didn't bring any either?" Obito didn't believe him.
"What use would it be for me to bring kunai?"
"Uh..."
Obito scratched his head, feeling that Hankuang had a point.
After all, his kunai throwing was so inaccurate that bringing kunai would be pointless anyway.
Watching Hankuang and Obito successfully derail the mission summary, Kakashi was very disappointed.
This was probably the world of dead-last students.
"All right. Tonight's watch will be split into two groups. Rin and I will take watch tonight, and Hankuang and Obito tomorrow night."
As the acting team leader, Kakashi assigned the groups for the night watch.
However.
His arrangement was doomed to fail.
"Why are you in a group with Rin? I object!"
Obito shouted outright.
His voice was so loud that even Minako, sitting in the ox cart, turned her head to look over.
"Then how do you think we should arrange the groups?" Kakashi stared at Obito and asked in a deep voice.
"Of course Rin and I should be in a group." Obito raised his chin.
"Heh..." Kakashi let out a cold laugh.
You and Rin in a group?
Were you really planning to stand watch?
"We're comrades. Don't argue," Rin softly urged.
Unfortunately, it was useless.
Kakashi glared coldly at Obito, and the two stared each other down.
It seemed as though they were about to start fighting.
In desperation, Rin looked to Hankuang for help.
To her surprise, she discovered that Hankuang was also staring someone down.
"Hey, Hankuang! Those two are about to fight, and you still have time to stare at Minako?"
Rin tugged at Hankuang's clothes, feeling utterly exhausted.
"Oh? It'd be great if they fought!"
Hankuang did not look away, continuing his passionate stare at Minako in the ox cart.
He was practically praying for Kakashi and Obito to start fighting.
Preferably, Obito would get injured.
That way, he could take the injured Obito back to the village with a perfectly legitimate excuse.
Unfortunately.
The two of them made a great fuss for a long while, but neither actually made a move.
"Obito, you're hopeless. If I were you, I'd walk up and slap him twice!"
Afterward, Hankuang patted his good friend on the shoulder and consoled him earnestly.
"But what if Kakashi hits back?" Obito rolled his eyes.
"Then slap him twice more!"
"But I can't beat him."
In the end.
After a vote by Team 9, Kakashi was forced to change the group assignments.
Thus, Kakashi and Obito formed one group, while Hankuang and Rin formed the other.
According to Obito, if I couldn't have her, Kakashi couldn't have her either.
The next day.
The weather was overcast, with a light breeze.
After stretching, Hankuang first glanced at his attribute panel.
Name: Hankuang Age: years Strength: Constitution: [Chunin level] Agility: (44*) [Jonin level] Spirit: Chakra Amount: Skills: None Ninjutsu: None Overall Strength Rating: Trainee Genin
"My speed doubled to Jonin level?"
Seeing his Agility attribute double, Hankuang was delighted.
He had originally still been worried about his safety, but that was no longer a problem.
With Jonin-level speed, he would definitely be the fastest runner in the team. Even Kakashi wasn't as fast as him.
"I was just about to call you."
Obito jumped down from a tree and yawned.
He had been responsible for the second half of the night watch and was still a little sleepy.
"Where's Minako?" Hankuang looked toward the empty ox cart and turned to ask.
"Huh? I didn't notice." Obito rubbed his eyes, looking utterly bewildered.
Right. How had she disappeared?
Before you continue