Chapter Four: The Core Member of Team 9, the Dead-Last Hankuang!

He had only said it casually, but there really was a bump on Hankuang's head now.

"Are you all right?" Rin asked with concern.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. I only fell." Hankuang waved his hand.

"But your clothes look a little bulging."

"Do they? Maybe I fell so hard that I got swollen."

Hankuang was completely unconcerned about his injuries.

That surprised Minato Namikaze quite a bit.

Kakashi glanced at the bump on Hankuang's head, then turned away.

"All right. Since everyone is here, it's time for some teamwork."

Minato Namikaze cleared his throat and began announcing today's task.

"Your task is to take the bells from me."

As he spoke, a bell appeared in Minato Namikaze's hand. He shook it at them.

Then he fastened the bell to his waist.

"You may use any means necessary!"

"As long as you can take the bells, you pass."

"If you can't, there will be a punishment!"

The first person to react to this task was Kakashi.

He completely ignored the other three, charging alone toward Minato Namikaze.

"So impatient?"

Minato smiled. With a light shift of his feet, he dodged Kakashi's sneak attack.

Next.

The two began a fierce, deadlocked exchange.

"Taking the bells requires teamwork, you idiot Kakashi." Obito watched the fight while taking the opportunity to mock his romantic rival.

"This is your chance." Hankuang spoke lightly, his meaning clear.

"Huh? A chance? What chance?" Obito hurried over to ask.

Even Nohara Rin pricked up her ears, wanting to hear Hankuang's idea.

"Think about it. The longer Kakashi entangles the teacher, the more exhausted they'll both become. Once the time is right, you can charge over and take advantage of the opening. Wouldn't your chances of taking the bells be much higher?"

"What you're saying makes so much sense." Obito suddenly understood.

"Isn't this just a war of attrition? That doesn't seem right. Didn't the teacher say teamwork?" Rin felt that the idea was somewhat underhanded.

The teacher had clearly said that this test was about teamwork.

That meant the four of them had to attack together and take the bells to pass.

"Rin, do you see Kakashi discussing anything with us?" Obito immediately shifted the blame onto Kakashi.

Then he continued.

"Since he won't cooperate with us, the three of us can only work together."

As he spoke, he patted Hankuang on the shoulder.

"Hankuang, cooperate with me later."

"How?" Hankuang asked with a smile.

"Fall down again." Obito suggested an idea.

Hankuang: ???

"You pretend to fall, and I'll call the teacher over. When the teacher lets his guard down, hehe, I'll secretly take the bells."

Obito gave a "hehe" laugh, confidence written all over his face.

At the same time, he turned toward Rin, hoping to see admiration in her eyes.

Unfortunately.

"I don't agree with doing that." Rin spoke up.

"I don't agree either." Hankuang chimed in.

"Huh?" Obito looked confused.

He could understand why Rin disagreed. After all, she was kindhearted.

But why did Hankuang disagree too?

Weren't they good brothers?

To be honest, Hankuang felt a little exhausted.

He pulled Obito aside.

"Obito, I gave you such a great chance to show off, and you don't even appreciate it?"

"If you want to take the bells by yourself, this is the only way to make Rin fall for you."

"Can't you see that Kakashi is already ahead of you?"

Hankuang's words instantly enlightened Obito.

"Good brother."

Obito cast him a grateful look and understood.

Hankuang was giving the opportunity to him. Whether he could seize it would depend on when he entered the battlefield.

And so.

A tense scene unfolded in Training Ground No. 4.

On one side, Kakashi was doing his utmost to seize Minato Namikaze's bells. On the other, Obito watched like a tiger stalking its prey, poised to cut in at any moment.

As time passed.

The battle for the bells moved to the edge of the training ground and even left it.

Obito followed, keeping a close eye on the battle.

That left only Hankuang and Rin.

"Should we go too?" Rin suggested worriedly.

"What would we go there for? To get in their way?" Hankuang replied with a laugh.

After saying that, he picked out a rock and crouched beside it, pulling a lunch box from inside his clothes.

Then a second lunch box.

A third lunch box.

A fourth lunch box.

He opened the lunch boxes one by one, and an enticing aroma immediately filled the air, whetting the appetite.

When Nohara Rin saw this, her eyes widened.

"No wonder his clothes looked swollen. He had lunch boxes hidden inside. Gulp~~"

The moment she thought this, Rin's stomach betrayed her and growled.

It couldn't be helped.

She had arrived fairly early and hadn't even eaten breakfast.

Her teammates were fighting over the bells in the distance, while Hankuang was eating here. Wasn't that a little inappropriate?

"What are you standing there for? Come over and eat!"

Hankuang tossed a pair of chopsticks to Rin and urged her over.

"Huh? I'll only eat a tiny bit." Rin rubbed her stomach and ran over.

Chapter Four: The Core Member of Team 9, the Dead-Last Hankuang!

4:00 in the morning.

Hankuang and Rin sat on a rock, basking in the sun.

"Whew~~ I'm so full."

Rin rubbed her stomach, her face filled with satisfaction.

"You really ate a lot." Hankuang glanced at her and packed away the lunch boxes.

"Huh? Well..." Rin's face reddened, and she looked rather embarrassed.