In Konoha, My Attributes Double Every Day!

According to the earlier arrangement, tonight he was responsible for the first half of the watch.

After watching his three teammates settle down to rest, Hankuang first made a circuit around the area.

Then.

He walked over to the oxcart and climbed aboard with a calm expression.

What was Team 7's mission? To protect Minako.

So in Hankuang's line of thinking, hiding in a tree to keep watch—how could that compare to close protection for safety?

Minako wasn't sleeping deeply.

At first, she felt like there was some obstacle behind her back and assumed it was the side panel of the oxcart.

Because of that, she deliberately leaned closer against the panel.

Since that made sleeping more comfortable.

Until.

An arm reached around from behind her and pulled her close.

In the pitch-black night.

Minako turned over, face-to-face with Hankuang.

Two pairs of dark eyes locked onto each other.

"Your composure is beyond my expectations."

"You're quite persistent too."

"It seems you won't tell me."

"Then can you get off now?"

"If you don't tell me, I'm not getting off."

"Then suit yourself."

After the low-voiced exchange, Minako turned back over.

Hankuang reached his arm around again, holding the big-chested beauty close.

The sky began to lighten.

Waking up, Hankuang withdrew his arm at lightning speed.

Then he noticed his teammates gathered around him.

"Hankuang! Do you have any idea what you've done?"

Kakashi spoke in a low, icy tone.

As a shinobi, you actually slept with the client?

If word of this got out, the whole village would have to take the blame.

"I misjudged you, Hankuang!" Nohara Rin was equally furious.

When she took over the watch in the latter half of the night, she couldn't find Hankuang anywhere.

If she hadn't taken a second look at the oxcart, she would have called the team to search for him.

"Ah, Hankuang, even if you don't have a girlfriend, you can't do something like this," Obito said with a pained, righteous expression.

Would Hankuang feel embarrassed?

Of course not.

He jumped off the oxcart, brushing the dust off his clothes as he went.

"I was providing close protection for the client. Is there a problem?"

Chapter 12: The Five Great Shinobi Villages Agreement, Crisis Approaches!

Close protection means protecting from a short distance.

But Hankuang? He literally stuck himself to the client, even holding her all night.

"So, is that how your 'close protection' works?"

Kakashi's tone carried an accusation.

"Hankuang, do you realize that just on this point alone, your shinobi career is over."

"Oh? My shinobi career is over?"

Hankuang's eyes lit up, his heart brimming with joy.

He wasn't a shinobi anymore?

That was great.

"Then I'll head back to the village first."

With those words, Hankuang turned and left without even looking back.

He gave them no chance to stop him.

Splash splash splash~

Unfortunately, he hadn't taken more than a few steps before the rain came.

All thanks to Kakashi's crow-mouthed weather forecast from last night.

Inside the simple wooden shelter.

Five people sat together, the atmosphere eerily quiet.

Only the crisp 'pitter-patter' of raindrops on the shelter's roof was clearly audible.

Kakashi crossed his arms and looked up at the ceiling.

He believed that even if Hankuang apologized, he still wasn't worthy of the title 'shinobi.'

Obito, on the other hand, was conflicted.

He wanted to urge Hankuang to admit his mistake, but he also didn't want to see Kakashi's smug expression.

Rin felt the same.

Logically, she thought Kakashi was right. But emotionally, she didn't want Hankuang to leave.

In the end.

To the surprise of everyone on Team 9, it was Minako who broke the silence.

"He did that just to get me to talk."

With Minako's explanation as the person involved, Hankuang's negative image vanished in an instant.

At that moment.

Kakashi felt his face burning hot. It seemed he had become the clown.

"So he did it for the mission, to extract information," Kakashi thought.

"Hugging a pretty girl to sleep is justified? I could do that too!" Obito screamed in his heart, his gaze at Hankuang full of envy and jealousy.

Hankuang paid no attention to their reactions.

What he cared about was that today's system doubling happened to be the Strength attribute?

Strength: (*) Genin-level

"My Strength is the lowest of the lot. Even doubled, it's still only Genin-level."

He felt no major emotional fluctuation in his heart. He'd just let things take their course.

After all, it was a random doubling.

The rain soon stopped.

Hankuang stood up.

But Kakashi blocked his path, seeming to want to apologize but unable to get the words out.

Then Obito and Rin each grabbed one of his arms.

The meaning was clear.

Want to leave?

No way.

Really, their way of keeping him was quite unique.

Team 9 set off again.

No sooner had they started than Kakashi sidled up to him.