The Bell-Snatching Game

"Yang Xing is the only one who understands. Very well, the rules are simple. I have a bell here, as you can all see." Minato Namikaze held up an object, his face beaming with a smile. "Whoever manages to touch this bell gets a bento."

"Touch it?"

"Correct. Although I would like for you to snatch it, given your current abilities, it would be quite difficult for you to even touch me. Therefore, I have changed the rules slightly: whoever can touch it wins. Remember, there are only three bentos."

"I understand."

"Also, there is a penalty for those who lose. I might just send you back to the academy. Remember my words. We will begin after I count to ten."

"We have to start now?" Rin Nohara looked panicked; it was clear she wasn't ready.

"Rin, you must remember: on the battlefield, the enemy will not give you time to prepare." Minato Namikaze did not give them a chance to get ready. His expression darkened as he began to count: "Then we shall start from now. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... 10, start!"

Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!

The moment the words left his lips, Minato Namikaze's figure vanished from where he stood. Even more surprising was the string of shuriken that had been launched from his original position, as if he had been prepared for that very instant.

Clearly, Kakashi was the only one with the reflexes to react and move like that.

The relatively calm Kakashi merely glanced at the shuriken that had missed their mark. Without a word, he leaped into the air and chased off in a specific direction.

Obito hesitated for a moment before immediately following close behind Kakashi.

To be honest, Yang Xing didn't really understand how Minato Namikaze had moved, but he knew that Kakashi must have seen it clearly. Following Kakashi was indeed the only way to find Minato Namikaze; it was the only option.

However, the person beside him looked hesitant and rooted to the spot, which made Yang Xing pause his own movements as well.

"Hey, if you don't chase after them, you're going to end up back at the academy."

"But I..."

"Just follow me. I know where that guy is."

"Huh?" Although she didn't understand why he would say that, seeing the determined expression on Yang Xing's face as he dashed out, Rin Nohara decided to trust him just this once.

At the very least, she didn't want to be the one left behind.

With a few leaps, it was impossible for Yang Xing to catch up to Kakashi and the Fourth Hokage at his current speed. In fact, he had never intended to chase them from the start; chasing them like that would only exhaust him.

As for finding the Fourth Hokage, one didn't necessarily have to match his speed. This competition was not a footrace.

The Fourth Hokage would never use his true strength to compete, either.

Therefore, Yang Xing maintained a very steady pace.

After a few bounds, all four of them entered the forest.

Towering trees reached toward the clouds, forming a dense jungle.

Perched on a branch, observing the four people rushing toward him through the woods with razor-sharp focus, Minato Namikaze wore a faint smile on his lips.

"Now, it's a matter of how they relate to one another." He reached out to touch the bell, adjusted its position, and muttered with a smile: "The most troublesome one should be that brat Kakashi. Although Kakashi isn't aware of it himself, he can't be left alone. And then there's that little brat Yang Xing; he should be even more difficult to deal with than the other three. It's a pity the others don't realize it. Well, I really wonder what these four will be like when they grow up. This combination of four will surely become something extraordinary."

"Kakashi is coming up. I should warm up and give him a bit of trouble." Hearing the rustling in the bushes, Minato Namikaze leaped up first. From the brush, two kunai flew out like lightning.

Thwack!

As the sound echoed, two kunai embedded themselves into the tree trunk.

Seeing Kakashi approaching rapidly, Minato Namikaze smiled: "Kakashi, don't you know that while bravery is good, it is often easy to fall into someone else's trap?"

His answer was another kunai from Kakashi, who charged upward, forming hand seals without a second thought.

"Water Style ninjutsu?"

"Well, it's actually quite decent here. It's just a pity that, as you are now, you can't hit me or catch up to me."

"Water Style: Water Wave!"

Hiss!

A surge of water erupted. To Minato Namikaze's surprise, it was aimed at the tree trunk, which slowed his forward momentum. Without hesitation, he threw a kunai forward and whispered: "Flying Thunder God Technique."

Crackle!

In a flash of light, the Water Wave hit the tree trunk, and the reflected water happened to cover the area several meters directly in front of where Minato Namikaze had been charging. If he had been an ordinary jonin, he definitely wouldn't have been able to dodge that, but unfortunately, Minato Namikaze's speed was not something an ordinary jonin could compare to.

As the water fell, only a faint remark and his receding figure remained.

"That reflection technique was not bad, but you're still a bit green. I'm going to find the others now. Try to catch me if you can."

Watching the back that disappeared in mere seconds, Kakashi gritted his teeth and, without a second thought, gave chase.

In a world where strength is paramount, ninjas strive and struggle constantly to hone their skills and grow stronger; this is a ninja world obsessed with power.

"Hey, why are we hiding?" Seeing Yang Xing crouching behind a bush, watching Obito from such a distance, Rin Nohara was very confused: "Aren't we supposed to be looking for the Fourth Hokage? Isn't that Obito in front? The Fourth Hokage isn't even there."

"We're setting an ambush. Shh, don't let that fool in front notice us."

"Even if Obito is a bit silly, don't call him a fool." Rin Nohara was slightly displeased by Yang Xing's words and was also very puzzled by his actions: "Also, why can't he notice us?"

"Because... alright, here he comes."

A person moved very quickly in front of them. Their movements were fluid, and their speed was indeed fast; even their hiding technique was so light that it was difficult for anyone to notice that the person they were chasing had already arrived behind them.

The Fourth Hokage saw Obito from a distance. He frowned and muttered to himself: "That's strange. Yang Xing and Rin aren't following Obito. Where did those two go?"

At this moment, even the Fourth Hokage did not realize that ten meters behind him, two people were watching him without moving a muscle.

"Lord Fourth Hokage!"

"Hehe, found you; what a large wild Fourth Hokage. Go, Poké Ball—no, wait, Shuriken!" Chuckling, Yang Xing did not hesitate for a second as he threw the Shuriken, the spinning blade letting out a shrill whistle as it tore through the air.

Ssh! Thwip!

Unfortunately, the slight noise was enough to prompt the Fourth Hokage into action. His movements were even swifter; with a single leap, he not only dodged the Shuriken but actually performed a somersault in mid-air, landing directly toward the spot where Yang Xing and Rin Nohara were hiding.

"Trouble, run!" Without a hint of hesitation, Yang Xing gripped Rin Nohara's small hand, turned around, and began to sprint.

Feeling Yang Xing's movements and reflecting on what had just happened, Rin Nohara's opinion of him shifted slightly; perhaps this guy was actually quite capable.

It was just a pity that the words coming out of Yang Xing's mouth made Rin Nohara's resolve waver once more: "Don't chase me, I was wrong, I didn't mean it just now, yamete!"

Rin Nohara: "..."

Perhaps, indeed!