The morning sunlight streamed through the window, casting its glow on Xiao Miao's face as it stretched its body and arched its back upon waking from its cat bed.
Hopping out of the bed, it bounded downstairs. At this hour, Uchiha Kin had already left home for training.
"These ninjas really don't know how to enjoy life," Xiao Miao muttered, shaking its head as it trotted into the kitchen.
It leaped onto the counter with a swift motion, its body coiling before landing gracefully. With a deft flick of its paw, it opened the cabinet to reveal rows of cat treats—stocked by Uchiha Kin for emergencies involving ninja cats.
Now, they had become Xiao Miao's personal stash.
Grabbing two packets, it clamped its teeth onto the seal, lying flat on the counter while using its hind legs to press against the lower half of the packet. Once the seal was torn open, it flipped around and placed the treat on the counter, using all four paws to squeeze out the contents before happily licking it up.
Afterward, it turned on the faucet for a quick drink and carefully shut it off. If it failed to close it properly, Uchiha Kin would surely give it an earful later.
"Stupid, foolish humans," it grumbled.
Pondering the day's agenda, Xiao Miao declared, "Eat, sleep, and beat up Little White."
Such was the ideal life—one that other ninja cats could only dream of.
"Only Little White remains unpunished today."
Gathering its strength, it dashed off at a speed far surpassing that of an ordinary cat, swiftly patrolling its territory. As a ninja cat, Xiao Miao possessed chakra and could even use ninjutsu when necessary.
After all, the Two-Tails was one of their kind.
That alone spoke volumes—cats were far from weak.
The house had two floors: the first held the living room and kitchen, which led to a small yard, while the second floor contained bedrooms, a study, and guest rooms.
"Little White, where are you hiding?" Xiao Miao's face twisted into a malicious grin.
There could only be one pet in this household.
"Little White!!"
After searching the entire house without finding the stupid snake, Xiao Miao's eyes gleamed with cunning.
"There's only one place left."
"Heh heh." It chuckled darkly. Did the snake really think it could hide so easily?
Uchiha Kin's bedroom.
Xiao Miao bolted upstairs, treading softly on cat feet until it reached the bedroom door.
"Little White, are you in there?"
Hearing loud rustling from inside, its grin widened.
That dumb snake.
With a leap, it hooked its paw onto the door handle and pulled it upward, creating a narrow gap.
"Little White, here I come~"
Standing on its hind legs, Xiao Miao extended its claws, sharp as blades, and pushed the door open.
"The name 'Tyrant of Cats' isn't just for show! Hahaha—"
A shadow loomed over it.
Xiao Miao froze, staring up at a massive white serpent nearly twice its height.
It didn't recall Uchiha Kin keeping another snake.
Then, the serpent lowered its head, revealing a pair of unmistakable beady eyes.
"You're Little White?!"
The snake nodded.
It grew this big overnight?! What the hell had Uchiha Kin been feeding it?!
"Uh… wrong room."
Xiao Miao cautiously backed away, but a white tail suddenly coiled around it.
Did it really think it could escape after bullying the snake for so long?
Little White grinned crookedly.
Xiao Miao's expression turned fierce. Did this stupid snake think size alone made it invincible?
With a sudden twist, it slipped free from the tail's grip and launched itself at Little White, unleashing a frenzy of scratches—the same move that had always brought the snake to its knees.
Little White immediately curled into a ball and shut its eyes. It may have grown larger, but the trauma inflicted by the "Tyrant of Cats" remained fresh.
Yet, after a moment, it felt no pain—just faint taps against its scales. It cracked open an eye to see Xiao Miao frantically clawing at it, sparks flying, but leaving no marks.
Little White tilted its head, recalling its master's words from the night before:
"For a summon, focus on Yang Release—it boosts recovery and physicality. I wonder if Little White can evolve into a dragon. I'm not really fond of snakes."
Did "physicality" include defense too?
Its master had also applied something called a "Demonic Cultivation Sealing Technique" to its body.
Realizing this, Little White's fear vanished. Its tail wagged excitedly before swiftly coiling around Xiao Miao again—this time so tightly that escape was impossible.
Xiao Miao despaired. How was this stupid snake so tough now?!
As the serpent's head loomed closer, it shrieked:
"Stay away from me!!"
"Help!! Murder!! Cat murder!!"
To human ears, it was merely a series of frantic meows.
Dilapidated Training Ground
Kin and Namikaze Minato were deep in discussion.
Nearby, Uzumaki Kushina performed squats with a massive boulder on her back, shooting the two a glance. She felt like an outsider in their world.
Grumbling, she switched to push-ups.
"I'll punch that damn Uchiha's teeth out one day!!"
Meanwhile, Kin and Minato debated the development of chakra-based internal energy.
"So, by converting and stabilizing the energy, you can amplify a single attribute's power at the cost of weakening the others?" Minato mused.
The conversation was largely one-sided, with Kin explaining theories that nonetheless illuminated Minato's path forward.
"To reach the next level, you'll need to research further," Kin said, clapping Minato on the shoulder.
Minato's talent for jutsu development was remarkable—even before turning twelve, he had already created two techniques. The Rasengan, still undiscovered, would likely emerge much sooner under Kin's influence.
"But Jiraiya-sensei doesn't know many sealing techniques," Minato admitted, scratching his head.
Jiraiya specialized in ninjutsu and summoning, prioritizing quality over quantity. His arsenal was lean but tailored to his combat style.
Kin nudged his chin toward Kushina.
"Ah, that might be… inappropriate," Minato stammered, blushing.
Kin rolled his eyes.
"Get your mind out of the gutter. I meant asking Kushina to lend you some sealing scrolls."
"Oh!" Minato's face cleared. "Right."
"You're welcome to borrow them anytime," Kushina called from afar. With a heave, she flung the boulder aside, sending it crashing to the ground with a thunderous boom.
Plopping down beside Minato, she slapped his shoulder heartily.
Minato turned crimson.
"You two have your roles reversed!!"
Damn lovebirds.
Kin scoffed.
"I'm starving. Let's eat. My treat," Kushina declared, waving a hand.
Lady Mito had left her a sizable inheritance, and the trio's mission earnings—despite wartime deductions—had padded their wallets considerably. With even Minato's purse now plump, Kin saw no reason to refuse.
"Don't mind if I do," he said cheerfully.
After all, though he already had a fortune of 100 million ryo, future expenses would be steep. Every bit saved counted.
...
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(Chapter End)