'Five thousand points,' Takeshi thought, 'and what I got was worth far more.'
The cat food alone was a priceless commodity. No matter what level a ninja reached, it could increase their chakra and accelerate their growth. The only question was whether he should share it with the other ninja cats.
'The only mystery is this Cat Climbing Tower,' he mused. 'It can't just be a giant cat tree, can it? I'll have to check on it later. A structure that large can't be summoned here in the middle of camp anyway.'
Spending five thousand points in one go left Takeshi feeling quite pleased with himself. Looking at the mountain of cat food and colorful toys, he decided it was a worthy trade. It was only five thousand points, after all.
'I can always fleece some more from the stubborn fools around here to make it back,' he thought. 'The Fourth Raikage, for example. His father practically handed me an open invitation to Kumogakure. It would be a shame to waste the Third Raikage's goodwill and not go show off a little.'
Takeshi settled down in his spot, observing the humans.
Onoki was still locked in a war of words with the others. After a round of intense bargaining, he had managed to reduce Iwagakure's reparations to the bare minimum. Unfortunately, since his village had to compensate two nations, even the minimum was a substantial price to pay, and that didn't even include Tsunade's fee for treating his injuries.
All things considered, the Land of Earth had suffered the greatest losses. It wasn't a crippling blow, however. After the Land of Fire, they were the wealthiest of the great nations, with vast territory and abundant resources. They were nothing like a perpetually struggling country such as the Land of Wind. Even with the heavy reparations, Iwagakure would be back on its feet in three or four years. Sunagakure, on the other hand, might not be so lucky.
Hanzo, meanwhile, had made out quite well. To be honest, Rasa was deeply worried about Amegakure. Its military strength had always been just a step below that of the five great villages. During the Second Shinobi World War, Amegakure had held its own against three of them at once, proving its courage and power were unmatched among the smaller nations. In the past, Sunagakure had its Tailed Beast to rely on, but now...
'Damn it.'
When Rasa thought of Shukaku, his mind immediately went to the black cat, and a familiar, bitter resentment tightened his jaw.
"Alright, Raikage, Kazekage, I won't see you out," Tsunade said. "Tsuchikage, would you like to stay and discuss a few other matters?"
She was being considerate of her patient's privacy, not wanting to mention Onoki's broken back in front of Rasa. The fact that he had paid over a hundred million ryo for his treatment also earned him a certain degree of professional courtesy.
"Very well," Onoki grunted. "Hmph. Rasa, I'll let this go for now. But if you ever dare to deceive the Great Iwagakure again, don't blame me for being merciless."
Rasa adjusted his Kazekage hat and left the tent without a word. What was there to say? He had gained nothing from this disaster and lost twenty million ryo in the process. It wasn't just a bad deal, it was a humiliation. At least he wasn't the only one who had lost face. Onoki had been beaten into a corner by Konoha and Kumo, forced to surrender just like everyone else. Except for Konoha, none of the great villages had come out of this looking good. On the surface, Kirigakure had been shamed the most, so while Suna had lost, it had at least kept its dignity. That was something to be thankful for.
Takeshi padded out of the tent.
'The war is about to end,' he thought. 'This camp will probably be dismantled soon.'
Just then, a young voice drifted over to him. "Sensei, when can we take on higher-level missions? When do we get to go to the battlefield and truly carry out the Will of Fire?"
"Next time, Asuma. Next time," Naoki Gekko said, trying to sound reassuring.
'Who doesn't want to see real action?' Naoki thought with an internal sigh. He certainly didn't sign up to be a glorified babysitter, leading his squad on what felt like leisurely strolls while pointing out mission protocols and potential dangers on the front lines. Being a squad-leading jonin was anything but freeing. 'I should have stayed a Tokubetsu Jonin.'
"Good afternoon," a voice meowed from above.
The three genin and their sensei looked up to see the black cat perched on the camp gate, waving a paw at them. He had overheard their entire conversation and felt a small flicker of pity.
'Should I tell them the truth? It feels a little cruel.' Asuma had fought so hard to come to border, risking his father's wrath, only to never set foot on a real battlefield. It wasn't because he lacked ability, his talent was actually quite good. Unfortunately, it wasn't good enough for this war. He wasn't at the bottom of the barrel, either. He was stuck somewhere in the middle, and that, combined with his status as the Third Hokage's son, meant he was kept far away from any real combat.
Of course, in the end, it was all Takeshi's fault. If events had unfolded as they were supposed to, the war would have dragged on for another four or five years. By then, Asuma would have been more than qualified for the battlefield, and his growth would have proven he was no slouch. His development just couldn't keep up with the speed at which Takeshi was ending conflicts.
"Tch."
"Good afternoon, Takeshi," Kurenai said with a smile. Asuma just turned his head away, pointedly ignoring him.
Naoki saw Takeshi and then sensed the powerful auras still inside the main tent. 'Tsunade-sama, Orochimaru-sama... and Onoki?' In terms of raw strength, Naoki knew he wasn't the strongest, but his Swift Release and sensory skills meant he was far more knowledgeable than most. He had seen countless powerful shinobi, even if he had rarely fought them.
"Takeshi, does this mean..."
"The war is over," Takeshi confirmed with a nod. "Everyone can start preparing to go home."
"Wh-what?" Asuma stammered, his handsome face a mask of disbelief.
'It's over?' Kurenai and Raido were just as surprised, but their shock quickly gave way to relief, even happiness. The war was ending, and peace was returning. Kurenai preferred a quiet life, and Raido, a genin from a civilian family with no exceptional talent, had a realistic view of his own abilities. He was content to take things one step at a time and not compare himself to geniuses like Kakashi.
Asuma, however, was hit hard. "But... but we never even..."
"Not every leaf grows at the top of the tree, basking in the sun," Takeshi said, cutting him off. "The ones in the shade below are still part of the great tree. Are they not leaves of Konoha? The Will of Fire isn't what you think it is."
He decided to puncture that particular bubble of idealism. 'This kid is so dramatic,' he thought. 'Always going on about the Will of Fire without having a clue what it means. It's been getting on my nerves.'
"Is that... so?" Asuma looked lost.
"Meow."
"Hey, little guy, what're you doing perched up there like that?" a deep voice boomed from behind them.
Everyone turned to see a towering, powerfully built man approaching. His forehead protector and iconic appearance were unmistakable. Naoki recognized him instantly.
"Just teaching the younger generation a lesson," Takeshi meowed.
"I'm heading out," Raikage said. "Not going to stay and chat? I thought we hit it off, kindred spirits, you and I." He strode over, his eyes sweeping over the four Konoha ninja. His gaze finally settled on Asuma, and after a moment of thought, he asked, "Hiruzen Sarutobi's son?"
"Meow."
Takeshi nodded, then leaped down from the gate. He grew rapidly in mid-air, landing on the ground nearly as large as Raikage himself. He glanced at the man and waved a paw. "Don't worry, I'll definitely visit your village later. Just don't kick me out when I show up."
"Kumogakure is always hospitable," Third Raikage laughed heartily. "Just make sure you don't run away."
With a final, friendly nod to the cat, he departed. There was a mountain of work waiting for him back in Kumo, and he had no time to linger.
Takeshi didn't object. If Kumogakure was so hospitable, it was only right that he go and fleece them for some points later. With the Flying Thunder God, there was nowhere he couldn't go, except, perhaps, Madara's old lair. He might be getting arrogant, but he wasn't a fool. Even old and frail, Madara's genjutsu was terrifying, honed over decades to a god-like level. Takeshi knew his current abilities couldn't contend with that. It was a challenge he would have to overcome someday. For now, though, the elderly Uchiha didn't have the strength to cause trouble, so as long as Takeshi didn't walk right into the lion's den, he had nothing to worry about.
With that settled, he prepared to head back and check on Tsunade. And while he was at it, if she was done with her patient, he could ask about dividing the spoils.
*Sigh...*
Naoki and Asuma both let out long, wistful sighs at the same time, then glanced at each other.
Naoki gently patted Asuma's shoulder. "Takeshi has a point," he said softly. "For now, you aren't the leaf at the very top. You're a tender bud, shaded by the larger leaves."
"Yes, Sensei," Asuma mumbled. He understood the logic, but it still stung. How had that cat, in such a short time, gotten to the point where he could chat with Raikage as an equal, while he, who had wanted to fight from the very beginning, was kept on the sidelines? It didn't feel right.
"Sensei, what about you?" Kurenai asked gently. "By having to watch over us, did you miss out...?"
"Hahaha, that's not an issue at all!" Naoki's laugh was forced and hollow. "You all go get some rest, hahaha."
Kurenai's concern had struck a nerve. When you're feeling down, it isn't the criticism that breaks you, but the sudden, unexpected kindness that makes all your frustrations come rushing to the surface.
"We'll go rest then, Sensei," Raido said with a deep bow. It was clear their sensei didn't want to talk about it. No one wanted to just stroll around the front lines, if you wanted to take a walk, the village was a much better place for it. Still, Raido was grateful. With his current skills, he had no business being on a real battlefield. When he was first assigned here, he had prepared for the worst, never imagining it would be nothing more than training in a new location.
"Go on, go on," Naoki waved them off, then looked up at the sky. If it were night, a full moon might have suited his mood. But it was the middle of the afternoon, and the sun was so bright it stung his eyes, making him want to cry.
Just like that, the war was over. He had babysat his way through it. How ridiculous.
"What are you moping about?"
The greeting startled him, making the atmosphere even more awkward. Naoki turned stiffly and saw the black cat had returned, once again squatting on the camp gate and looking down at him.
"Didn't you leave?"
"I thought about it and came back to comfort you," Takeshi said, resting his chin on his paw. "Don't be sad. At least you made jonin, right?"
Naoki fell silent. If not for the cat, his promotion would have been a joyous occasion. Sure, there were special circumstances, but he was a jonin all the same. But with Takeshi as a benchmark, the achievement felt hollow. Not long ago, they were going on missions together. Now, if they were on the same mission, he'd probably be relegated to standing guard and dealing with fodder.
It had only been half a year, but everything had changed.
"By the way," Takeshi added, "when Tsunade-sama gets back to the village, you should ask her to take a look at your clan's boy's health. I recall he's always been frail and constantly coughing. Starting treatment now could make a real difference."
The thought had just occurred to him. Naoki's son was Hayate. He hadn't known that before, otherwise he would have already told the boy that he was his uncle. It wasn't too late, though. A stronger Hayate Gekko meant more points to fleece later. It was a long-term investment.
"Tsunade-sama?" Naoki sighed. Hayate had been born at the worst possible time. The war was at its peak right after his birth, making it impossible to get an audience with Tsunade. By the time things calmed down, Dan had died, and she had left the village in a deep depression, taking Shizune with her. The other medical-nin had been completely helpless.
Could she really do anything now?
"There's no harm in trying," Takeshi said gently.
"Thank you," Naoki said, bowing deeply. "I will ask her for help."
It was a matter of proper etiquette, but it was also more than that. Without Takeshi's reminder, he wouldn't have thought of it. More importantly, the cat's concern for his son showed that he truly considered him a friend.
At first, Naoki was very moved.
After Takeshi was gone, Naoki took a few steps, his mind turning over their conversation. A strange thought struck him, he was genuinely moved to have a black cat as a friend. Something about that felt deeply odd, though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.
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