The black cat mulled it over for a moment before giving up. There was no point in overthinking it.
'Twenty-seven thousand points,' he thought. 'Even after fleecing Tsunade, I only have twelve thousand on hand. That's still a fifteen-thousand-point deficit.'
The system didn't offer loans, and even if it did, Takeshi was certain it would be the predatory kind. He pushed his curiosity about the Yin Seal to the back of his mind. If Sunagakure was willing to deliver more points to his doorstep, he might be able to gather enough next time. The only question was whether the delivery would come from Rasa or Shukaku.
'If it's Shukaku...'
A smug chuckle escaped him.
"What are you thinking about, Takeshi, hiding here and cackling like that?" Rin's voice cut through his thoughts. "Is Lady Tsunade inside?"
She was holding a thick stack of documents that, judging by the cover, were related to medical affairs. Takeshi pointed a paw toward the tent and gave a slight nod. Rin offered a sweet smile and disappeared inside.
He turned his head just in time to see Tsunade's expression darken at the sight of the paperwork. Rin was immediately at her side, coaxing her with kind words and apologetic smiles until Tsunade finally, grudgingly, began to look through the files.
'Those definitely aren't study materials,' Takeshi mused. 'How miserable. She isn't even Hokage yet. Can you imagine how many more stacks she'll have then? Terrifying.'
With little else to do in the main camp and his Sage Mode still recovering, he began to wander aimlessly. A few minutes later, he spotted Orochimaru returning from outside the camp.
The man's aura was something else entirely. He had the look of a villain, but not the kind that repulsed people. Instead, there was a strange, unique charm to him.
'Of course,' Takeshi admitted to himself, 'if I were one of his test subjects, I probably wouldn't find him so charming.'
Orochimaru had been heading toward his own tent, but he must have felt Takeshi's gaze because his head turned, and their eyes met. After a few seconds of silent acknowledgment, he changed course and walked slowly toward the black cat.
"Takeshi-kun," he began, his voice a low hiss, "do you have a moment?"
"Meow?"
"Just a small matter." Orochimaru offered a soft smile, trying to appear harmless. It didn't quite work. The man was still unnerving, but Takeshi was powerful enough now that he didn't feel the same fear he once had. He could afford to treat him as an equal.
With that thought, he gave a slow nod.
Orochimaru led him out of the main camp to a more remote area, one that fell outside of any patrol routes. Once there, he summoned a swarm of small snakes that scattered to scout the surroundings, ensuring they were alone. Anyone watching might have thought they were witnessing the prelude to a murder.
Takeshi wasn't worried. If Orochimaru tried anything, he could simply escape with the Flying Thunder God technique, and Orochimaru would be left to consider the consequences of his retaliation. He suspected Orochimaru had more to lose in a direct confrontation, especially since he likely hadn't perfected his Cursed Seal or Living Corpse Reincarnation yet.
"Takeshi-kun, I once promised you a gift," Orochimaru said with a sigh of theatrical regret. "But it seems you no longer have need of such things. I'll have to prepare something new."
Takeshi sharpened his claws on the ground, a silent warning.
"There's no need to be so vigilant," Orochimaru said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I actually wanted to discuss Kabuto. I once held that child in high regard, but it seems you also have plans for him." He licked his lips, a characteristic, reptilian gesture. "Now that I have control of Root, certain things within the village no longer remain hidden from me."
He had originally intended to bring Kabuto into his fold but discovered the boy was already close to the black cat. Then Takeshi's power grew exponentially, and he became hesitant to act rashly.
"Meow. Kabuto is working with me, researching ways to make money," Takeshi said, seeing no reason to hide it. Other than the cat food project, which Orochimaru wouldn't know about, their work was harmless.
"A pity," Orochimaru murmured. "But since you've taken a liking to him, Takeshi-kun, I will withdraw my interest. He is not that important. On that note, since Root is now under my control, I can assure you that I will not interfere with any of the Neko Clan's affairs."
His tone was serious. Mastering Sage Mode meant the black cat was the true heir to a Sacred Land's legacy. Before, when Takeshi was still developing, one might have tried to force it from him. But now, to try and steal such a legacy would be suicide. Orochimaru was intelligent and, above all, rational. He knew what lines not to cross. For now, he was still a Konoha ninja, bound by its rules.
'Root is yours, meow?' Takeshi thought, surprised for a moment before the logic clicked into place. The members of Root were trained to be tools, not leaders. With Danzo's sudden death, Orochimaru was the only one with a close enough connection to them to step in.
"A fortunate coincidence," Orochimaru confirmed with a slight nod. "They are under my temporary command, though they will likely be reorganized once we return to the village."
He had sought out Takeshi for two reasons: to extend an olive branch to the inheritor of a Sacred Land, and because he suspected the cat was the one who had killed Danzo. Not that he intended to seek revenge, he and Danzo had been far from friends. Danzo's death was a direct result of his own greed, his constant coveting of the village's kekkei genkai. He had coveted the black cat's power for a long time, and now the grass on his grave was probably growing tall. It was a valuable lesson: if you can't defeat someone, befriend them.
"Meow! The Neko and Snake clans have been friends for centuries," Takeshi replied, playing along with mock solemnity. As a clan head himself, he had to speak with a certain gravitas.
'I doubt that,' Orochimaru thought, suppressing a twitch of irritation. 'Since when have cats and snakes ever been friends?'
After their verbal agreement was reached, he glanced around. "Are you planning to use the Flying Thunder God to return, Takeshi-kun? Perhaps you could give me a ride?"
"Meow. I was just practicing a new jutsu. The chakra consumption is a bit high, so I can't use it again right now," Takeshi said with a shake of his head. The secret to farming points was to deny what someone wanted and enthusiastically offer what they didn't.
"A new ninjutsu?" Orochimaru's interest was immediately piqued. "Perhaps I could offer some assistance."
"Meow. I've been researching my clan's Sage Art, trying to combine it with other ninjutsu," Takeshi explained vaguely.
Orochimaru fell silent. Sage Art was beyond his scope. Much like the Second Hokage, his own inability to master Sage Mode meant his research was purely academic. He understood the theory but was ignorant of the practicality behind its application.
"It seems you will have to work hard on your own, then, Takeshi-kun," he said with a hint of genuine respect. "In that case, shall we walk back together?"
"Meow. I have just enough chakra to get back myself. See you at the camp, Orochimaru-sama." Takeshi gave a dismissive wave of his paw.
The next second, he vanished in a flash.
Orochimaru stood alone in the clearing for a few more seconds before letting out a soft chuckle. That black cat was a clever, talented brat, and there was simply no good way to handle him. His growth was astonishing, he was already delving into advanced Sage Art.
He shook his head and started the slow walk back to camp. With Tsunade on duty, he didn't need to worry about security. He could afford to take his time.
--**--**
'Only a little over two hundred points?' Takeshi thought, glancing at his stats after he reappeared in the camp. 'These calm types are so annoying. They don't cooperate at all.'
For one of the Sannin, two hundred points was a paltry sum, but points were points. He was consoling himself with this thought when he saw his living quarters, or what was left of them. The tent was completely flattened. He sighed and found a nearby chunin.
"Could you help me repair my tent, meow?"
The chunin looked deeply troubled. "Lord Takeshi, your quarters... ah, Lady Tsunade said you should just bunk with Minato for now. She said there's no need for you to occupy so many public resources. You see..."
On one side was Tsunade, on the other was the black cat who had recently earned a fearsome reputation. The poor man was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
"Meeeoow!" Takeshi let out an indignant yowl. They destroyed his home, and now they wanted him to live under someone else's roof?
He sighed again. Fine. Squeezing in it was.
It was his own fault for provoking her. If you seek death, you have to be prepared to pay the price. Then again, if he didn't seek death, where would the points come from? It was a vicious cycle. All he could do was keep getting stronger, until no one could punish him even if they wanted to. Orochimaru hadn't dared to be presumptuous, he'd even come to show goodwill. That never would have happened in the past.
--**--**
While Orochimaru was taking a leisurely stroll back to camp, others were in a far worse situation.
Rasa had been brimming with confidence. He was finalizing his plan to bring their jinchuriki to the front lines and turn the tide against Konoha, his ambition soaring.
"Kazekage-sama, the elder has returned!"
Rasa looked up from his maps, completely bewildered by the conflicted expression on Pakura's face. For a moment, he could only stare, thinking, 'Are you kidding me?'
After a few seconds, he frowned. "Which elder?"
"It's Ebizo-sama."
'That old scoundrel,' Rasa thought, his mind racing. He understood the reason instantly. Orochimaru had no use for Ebizo, his skills were in intelligence and coordination, not direct combat.
As a hostage, Chiyo alone was sufficient. Sending Ebizo back was a calculated move meant to disrupt and demoralize them. The old man had seen Konoha's power firsthand, and the first thing he would do upon his return was try to convince everyone to surrender.
"Should we see him?" Pakura asked.
"Not now," Rasa said decisively. "This is a Konoha plot. Announce that he's a Konoha ninja in disguise and have him detained. I will see him in secret later."
"Yes, sir."
===============
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