The Drool at the Corner of Her Mouth

"Hey! Damn it, we're still right here!"

Jealousy had completely warped Kiba Inuzuka's face.

Akamaru also poked his head out from Kiba Inuzuka's arms and barked, "Woof woof woof! Woof woof woof woof!"

Kurenai wore an auntie-like smile as she watched Feng An and Hinata.

Coming back to her senses, Hinata hurriedly ran behind Kurenai and hid behind her.

Feng An glanced at Kiba Inuzuka and silently formed hand seals.

Seeing the familiar motions, Kiba Inuzuka immediately thought of that terrifying giant fireball.

He hurried behind a house and shouted at Kurenai, "Kurenai-sensei, he's trying to kill me!"

Kurenai raised an eyebrow, becoming rather interested in Feng An.

"Is he skilled in Fire Release?"

Because his hand seals were so slow, she recognized at a glance that they were the seals for the Great Fireball Jutsu. Yet there was no flow of Chakra around Feng An, so naturally, she had no need to intervene.

When Feng An saw Kiba Inuzuka hastily hide, the corners of his lips curled upward slightly.

He had only meant to scare him. Otherwise, one Tiger seal would have taken him out instantly.

"The mission is complete. Let's head back."

Feng An said, "Wait a moment, Kurenai-sensei. Kiba, come help me out too."

Kiba Inuzuka peeked a few times and realized Feng An had only been scaring him. He gave an embarrassed smile and ran over.

"What is it?"

"Of course we need to bring these spoils back," Feng An said, lifting a Wild Boar nearly as tall as himself and tossing it to Kiba Inuzuka.

"Catch."

The two of them each grabbed two pig legs, leaving their hands full with four boars between them. Yet several more still lay on the ground.

Seeing that Feng An and the others did not know where to begin, Hinata offered, "I'll help too."

Feng An quickly shook his head. "No need. We won't be able to finish four anyway."

"Besides, even if we needed to carry more, Kurenai-sensei is still here. How could she possibly have the nerve to make you carry them?"

Hinata nodded. "I understand."

Kurenai folded her arms across her chest and glanced at him.

The little brat was pretty good at making sarcastic digs. Who had taught him that?

"Let's go already. The sun's about to set," Kurenai said.

Feng An and Kiba Inuzuka each carried two Wild Boars on their backs and hurried toward the village.

By nightfall, after turning in their mission, Feng An and the others arrived at the training ground.

After they set down the Wild Boars, Feng An counted them and realized the number was off.

"Kiba, did you bring back three?"

"No. I wanted to carry another one back, but I didn't have a free hand."

Kiba Inuzuka was bent over in the nearby woods, picking up firewood.

Well, that was strange.

"I brought it back," a voice devoid of emotion said beside Feng An's ear.

Feng An jumped and looked to the side. "Oh, it's Shino. That makes sense. Your Invisibility Jutsu is incredible—completely silent."

Shino Aburame: "..."

Feng An then found a suitable spot nearby and set up the fire.

Before long, Kiba Inuzuka and Hinata returned with a large pile of branches.

Everything was ready.

Feng An swiftly formed hand seals.

In an instant, a fireball one meter across flew from his mouth.

Fortunately, Kurenai was there this time. She swiftly scooped up Hinata and leaped backward.

Feng An noticed at once that he had accidentally used too much Chakra again and had already moved out of the way.

Only Kiba Inuzuka failed to dodge in time and got his butt burned. Akamaru hurriedly pissed on him, putting out the flames.

Kurenai demanded, "What were you trying to do with that much power?"

Feng An said sheepishly, "I didn't want to. I was already holding back, but I didn't expect it to still be so powerful."

The flames on Kiba Inuzuka's body had already gone out. He climbed to his feet with a mournful expression.

"You did that on purpose! Earlier, I interrupted you and Hinata being lovey-dovey, so you took this chance to get revenge. Kurenai-sensei, you have to stand up for me!"

As he spoke, Kiba ran toward Kurenai.

Behind him, Hinata fidgeted with her little hands in front of her and said shyly, "We weren't being lovey-dovey..."

What was that smell?!

Kurenai frowned and sniffed, only to realize it was coming from Kiba Inuzuka.

"Don't come any closer. Go get revenge on Feng An yourself. I allow it."

She pinched her nose with one hand and pressed the other against Kiba's face, refusing to let him approach.

"How am I supposed to fight him? I'm a close-combat fighter. You want me to chase after someone who can casually spit out a five-meter fireball and fight him?"

Kiba Inuzuka looked like he was about to cry. It was not that he did not want to fight Feng An—it was that he could not. Fire Release specialized in wide-area coverage. Only an idiot would go fight him.

"Ahem."

Feng An scratched his head and coughed twice. "Although there was a little accident, look—the branches are burning."

Everyone: "..."

Before long, they had finished several Wild Boars, leaving only half a roasted pig. Everyone was already full.

Only Hinata stared wide-eyed at the remaining half of the roasted pig. Seeing that everyone else seemed full, though, she swallowed her drool and did not suggest roasting and eating the rest.

But how could Feng An not see through her little thoughts?

She was a woman who had set the Ichiraku Ramen big-eater record.

No wonder she had not grown much. She must not have been eating properly, stunting her growth.

But with so many people around, saying that a girl had eaten four pigs and still was not full would not do.

Dangerous.

Feng An nearly asked Hinata whether she was still hungry without thinking.

"Kurenai-sensei, shall we roast and eat this half too?"

Kurenai wiped the grease from her lips and waved her hand. "Sensei can't eat another bite."

Feng An looked at Kiba Inuzuka. "Kiba?"

Kiba Inuzuka did not answer right away. He first asked Akamaru, lying in his arms, "Akamaru, do you still want to eat?"

"Woof woof." Akamaru shook his head.

Kiba Inuzuka flopped backward, spread-eagled on the ground, and said, "I can't eat anymore. You can still eat?"

"Yeah, I'm not full yet." Feng An lied without even blushing.

Kiba Inuzuka looked at Feng An's bulging belly.

Are you sure you're not joking?

Feng An turned his head. "Hinata?"

"I..." Hinata hesitated for a long time before saying, "I'm not hungry. You eat it."

Feng An nodded and said to everyone, "Then I'll roast it and eat it myself. You guys should head back first. It's getting late."

"Don't stuff yourself to death."

Kiba Inuzuka stood up, stared at his bulging stomach, and rolled his eyes at him.

It was already very late. Everyone had wanted to leave for a while, but no one had brought it up first.

Kurenai patted the dirt off herself as well. "Then we really are leaving. Do you need us to stay with you a little longer?"

Feng An blinked and looked Kurenai over. "If Sensei wants to stay and keep me company, that's fine too."

Feeling his blazing gaze, Kurenai glared at him. "You can stay here and feed the wolves."

With that, she lightly leaped away.

Seeing that Feng An really had started roasting again, Kiba Inuzuka did not linger any longer.

"Feng An, I'm leaving first."

"Hinata, don't stay with him either. By the time he finishes eating, it'll probably be a long while."

Hinata nodded, but her body showed no intention of leaving. She merely stood and paced around in place.

After everyone else had left, Feng An's lips curved upward. "It'll be ready soon, Hinata. Come over quickly."

He added several more armfuls of firewood, making the fire burn even stronger.

He just said he was really hungry. If I eat with him, he definitely won't have enough...

Hinata reluctantly pulled her gaze away from the roasted pig. "I'm not hungry. I'll keep you company for a little while, then go back."

"But Hinata, the drool at the corner of your mouth..."