Ito Ni's Vow (Seeking Recommendation Tickets)

The final collection... failed.

Gekko Hayate felt a bit guilty; he had been too impatient.

Although Hiramatsu Daishi had been smiling on the surface, he must have been cursing him out in his heart. How could a collection possibly succeed under such circumstances?

"Alright, that's all for today!"

After Hiramatsu Daishi spent an hour and a half lecturing Gekko Hayate on Chakra refinement, the time had already passed three o'clock. With less than half an hour left until school ended, as for practical training... sigh, talking about it just brings tears to one's eyes. Hiramatsu Daishi simply announced the end of class and walked away, his back looking desolate.

"Hayate, what was Daishi-sensei talking to you about? He actually lectured you for an hour and a half," Iruka asked, running over with curiosity.

"Oh, that? Actually, I was just asking Daishi-sensei some questions," Gekko Hayate replied while walking toward the classroom.

"Hayate!"

Anko and Inuzuka Sa walked over, supporting each other.

"What happened to you two..." Gekko Hayate couldn't help but chuckle when he saw their state. "Did you get beaten up?"

Inuzuka Sa made a bitter face and said, "We got hit by Aburame Yui's Shuriken. It hurts so much."

"Woof woof." The little puppy Shiromaru lay on Inuzuka Sa's shoulder, with only its head poking out, whining as if it were protesting on behalf of its little master.

"Hayate! You jerk!"

Anko glared at Gekko Hayate, fuming. "I just remembered, during yesterday's entrance test, you asked me to teach you Kunai throwing, but you were clearly already so good at it! Were you trying to use that as an excuse to bully me?"

"That's not it at all!"

Gekko Hayate said righteously, "Anko, I know you have a strong sense of pride. The reason I said that was actually to help you strengthen your Kunai throwing!"

"Really?"

Anko's face was full of suspicion.

"Really." Gekko Hayate nodded like a garlic masher. He couldn't exactly say that he didn't know Ninja Tool Throwing yesterday, could he?

No one would believe him even if he said it.

As the group of six chatted, an uninvited guest came stumbling over. It was none other than Ito Nipan.

Ito Nipan had first been hit in the knee by Gekko Hayate's Senbon, and during the subsequent practical training, he hadn't escaped his ill fate either. He had used his chubby body to tank quite a few Kunai, Shuriken, and Senbon that rained down from above. However, the physical pain hadn't dampened his spirit!

"Gekko Hayate, I won't let you leave me in the dust just like that!"

Ito Nipan looked at his former fellow bottom-feeder—now the rising star of the class—with complex eyes. Unconvinced, he declared, "In the next theory exam, I will definitely defeat you fair and square!"

As one of the top students in Class 8 for theory, a powerful presence who could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Aburame Yui, Ito Nipan's voice was filled with confidence and determination.

In his past life, Hanfu had heard a saying: those who are more handsome than me aren't as tall as me; those who are taller than me aren't as rich as me; those who are richer than me don't have my charisma; and those who have more charisma than me aren't as handsome as me!

In short, no matter who you compare yourself to, you must play to your strengths and avoid your weaknesses. Then, use your strengths to overcome the enemy's weaknesses, and you will never lose.

Ito Ni couldn't beat him in actual combat, so he wanted to defeat him in theory?

Naive!

Hanfu had been driving for many years; he wouldn't fall for that. With a righteous expression, he replied, "Since we're doing this fair and square, let's skip the theory test. Let's just have a duel. If you think I'm bullying you, I'll fight with one hand and two feet tied behind my back. How about that?"

"I... don't want to!"

Ito Ni's face flushed red, and he said angrily, "You! You're shameless!"

Hanfu sighed, "We're the same."

"We... are not the same."

Ito Ni sounded a bit lacking in confidence.

"So, are we dueling or not?" Hanfu teased him.

"I... I..." Ito Ni felt terrible; he wanted to cry.

"Alright, Hanfu, stop bullying Ito Ni," Iruka interjected.

"Iruka, even you're calling me Ito Ni now..." Ito Ni felt so aggrieved.

"Eh? Am I?"

Iruka quickly apologized, while simultaneously shifting the blame onto Hanfu. "Sorry, sorry, it's all Hanfu's fault. He calls you Ito Ni all day long, and I've been brainwashed by him."

"Iruka, you're shifting the blame way too fast," Hanfu retorted.

"It's the truth, though," Iruka laughed.

"Stop chatting. Don't forget, we're having a picnic at Beishan after school today," Red Bean reminded them.

"Got it, got it. It's just going to be more desserts like Red Bean Paste and Red Bean Bun again, right?" Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane couldn't help but complain.

The group of six chatted and laughed as they returned to the classroom. With only a few minutes left until the end of the school day, they packed up their belongings and left the classroom together.

Ito Ni stood to the side, feeling quite pathetic as he realized he had been completely ignored by them.

"You all ignored me today. I will never forget this humiliation. In the future, I, I... I will definitely conquer you all with sushi!"

Ito Ni solemnly made his vow.

Hanfu waited at the school gate for a few minutes before he saw his little brother skipping toward him.

"Brother!"

Gekko Hayate was in a great mood. "I made a lot of friends at school today!"

Two days into the new term, Gekko Hayate had gotten to know quite a few people in his class and was getting along with them well enough.

"What are their names?"

Hanfu asked, pretending not to care.

Gekko Hayate immediately reeled off four or five names.

Hanfu listened, but none of them rang a bell. It seemed they were all in the bronze-tier class, so Hanfu lost interest.

Returning home, Hanfu was surprised to find Keiko had returned as well.

"Mom, did you just get off work, or are you about to head in?" Hanfu asked. His mother had been on the night shift at the hospital last night, and she hadn't been back when he and his little brother left for school this morning.

"Auntie Keiko," Gekko Hayate greeted her as well.

Keiko smiled. "I've been on the night shift for the past few days, so I have to head to the hospital right after dinner."

That was how hospital work went; it was common to have days and nights flipped, so Hanfu didn't find it strange.

"Hanfu-chan, how was the bento today?" Keiko asked with an expectant look on her face.

The muscles in Hanfu's face twitched slightly. What are you expecting? Don't you have any idea what your own sushi tastes like?

But he could only say that in his head.

"Mom, regarding the bento, I think it's better to keep it simple. Things like rice balls and sushi are just too flashy," Hanfu suggested tactfully.

"That's not true, Brother! Auntie Keiko's sushi is delicious! I finished it all today!" his little brother blurted out, unable to hold back.

"You, shut up!"

Hanfu snapped.

"Hanfu-chan, you shouldn't talk to your brother like that. As for the bento, Hanfu-chan..." Keiko said with a serious expression, "you mustn't be a picky eater~"

"I..."

Hanfu was speechless.

Forget it, forget it. At least he could rely on the bentos from Anko and Inuzuka Sa; he wouldn't be bored to death by seaweed-and-sesame rice balls and sushi.

"Oh, right, Mom. I'm going for a picnic with some classmates later, so I won't be back for dinner."

Hanfu said this as he headed toward the entryway.

"Come back early, you hear?" Keiko said.

"Got it."

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