Being a perceptive child, Rin understood the immense pressure her father had been under lately.
Konoha's relations with the other villages were strained.
As an ordinary Chunin, he had to face each mission with the resolve to die if necessary.
Raising a Ninja Cat wasn't as easy as her father made it sound; he simply didn't want to burden her with his worries.
"Ha... Where's the Little Black Cat? Come out and let me see you!"
Rin whistled.
Raj emerged from the doorway, his glossy black fur gleaming beautifully in the setting sun.
What truly astonished Rin was the cat's intelligence.
'Could this cat really understand?'
"Father, his name is Raj. He chose it himself," Rin said, beaming with pride.
This proved Raj's high intelligence, suggesting he wouldn't cause too much trouble.
Indeed.
Raj had observed that the Nohara family wasn't wealthy.
Their house was small, sparsely furnished, and tearing up their belongings would be no better than acting like a beast.
No points to be earned here.
"Oh? That's amazing!" her father exclaimed, genuinely impressed.
His wife, Tsume Nohara, leaned out from inside to get a glimpse of the family's new member.
"Raj, this is Father, and that's Mother," Rin said, formally introducing the family members with obvious delight.
Raj raised his paw.
It was the classic pose of a beckoning cat, though his black fur might diminish the effect.
Still, being a cat, it should have some impact.
Tsume was even more pleased, recognizing Raj as an exceptionally intelligent Ninja Cat.
"Rin, did you teach him that?" Tsume asked, surprised.
'A beckoning cat...? How could a little Ninja Cat know such things?'
"No, I just found out he could do that too," Rin replied, equally astonished.
"Meow~," Raj called out, then lazily settled down under the table.
He hadn't exchanged for special cat food.
While that would ease the Nohara family's burden, he'd been hungry all day and hadn't gone "hunting."
Without eating something, he doubted he could fool Rin.
'Hmm, there's still a fish in my Item Space. I can eat less,' he thought.
He wondered if the fish might have expired.
Lying on the floor, he worried.
He'd swiped it from the sushi shop owner.
If it went bad, it would be a real waste of food.
Soon, the rich aroma of meat wafted from the kitchen.
Bowls of dishes were brought out, and a small bowl containing portions of each dish mixed with rice was placed before Raj.
This spot felt a bit awkward.
But he was a cat now; he had to adapt to cat life.
Raj's heart swelled with emotion.
Who could have imagined that just two days ago he was human, and now he was a cat in the Naruto World?
Fortunately, the System gave him hope.
If he were just an ordinary kitten, he'd probably die of old age before Pain destroyed Konoha, let alone witness Uchiha Madara's joyful dance during the Fourth Shinobi World War.
Tsume's cooking was excellent - at least, Raj found it palatable and didn't suffer any digestive issues.
'Come to think of it, this is my first hot meal since arriving in the Naruto World,' Raj thought to himself.
After finishing the meal, the entire family busied themselves preparing a place for him to stay.
The kitten was small and didn't take up much space; otherwise, their modest house might have felt even more cramped.
In the end, Raj settled into a corner of the living room.
Not that he minded.
Compared to the streets, this was a clear upgrade.
Having a place to rest was already a luxury.
At least he had a warm bed to lie in - comfortable.
Raj lay down, glanced around the room, then closed his eyes, dismissing further thoughts, and quickly drifted off to sleep.
The young kitten was still very sleepy; he'd been tired all day.
Earlier, hunger had kept him awake.
He resolved to behave himself in this small home and focus on earning more points at school.
The next morning, before dawn, Raj woke up.
He glanced outside and saw the sky was still dimly lit, with plenty of time before sunrise.
'Turning into a cat has even changed my biological clock,' he mused.
Yesterday, he'd assumed he'd woken up so early because he was cold, but now it seemed there was more to it.
Raj slipped out through the window and surveyed his surroundings.
The Nohara family lived in the commoner district, where the houses were nearly identical.
All the homes looked much the same, suggesting the family had made a significant decision to adopt this cat.
Fortunately, Raj had the System.
He spent 100 points to exchange for a special cat food, partly to fill his stomach and partly to see what made it so special.
The description claimed that long-term consumption could transform ordinary cats into Ninja Cats.
But since he was already...
'A Ninja Cat, would it still have any effect?'
After a moment's contemplation, he decided to exchange for a portion and try it out.
The food automatically appeared in his Item Space, which was quite convenient and discreet.
From now on, he wouldn't have to go through so much trouble; he could exchange for anything he needed at any time.
'Let's taste it...'
After a few bites, he found it quite delicious, and even his mood improved significantly.
'This really is special.'
After finishing the portion, he instantly felt much stronger.
If ordinary cats ate this regularly, they would indeed transform into Ninja Cats.
Even for Ninja Cats, it offered significant benefits.
Not only did it rapidly restore stamina, but long-term consumption also strengthened the body and enhanced overall power.
The only downside was the price.
100 points for a single portion, and it was gone before he could fully savor the flavor.
Raj smacked his lips, wanting more.
He felt as if he had awakened some new attribute.
But after considering it, 100 points was too extravagant to spend on a snack.
'I'll indulge like this when I'm richer.'
"Rin, here's some dried fish I got from the old woman by the river yesterday."
Obito had woken up early.
Before class started, he went to Rin's house.
"Thank you, Obito."
Rin didn't refuse.
The dried fish would improve the little cat's diet, and since Obito had brought it all the way here with such kindness, she couldn't refuse.
"Meow~," Raj purred his thanks.
But inwardly, he was already scheming about where to earn some merit points today.
He'd scored quite a few yesterday.
Asuma was probably tapped out for now, making it difficult to get more points from him in the short term.
It was best to find a new target.
"Raj, stay home. I'm going to class now."
Rin didn't plan to take him along, even reminding him to stay home as she left.
'If you won't take me, I'll follow myself.'
He couldn't cause mischief at home, and without going out, how would he earn merit points?
It was unavoidable.
'If life weren't so harsh, who would want to go out and expose themselves? Wouldn't it be better to stay home and be a lazy house cat?'