"Teacher, Anko isn't just eating dango; she's also playing with a cat," Hayate reported expressionlessly, then gave a slight bow and strode away.
Anko was dumbfounded.
'We're classmates - was it really necessary to be so ruthless in public?'
"Anko, stand and listen."
"Back to the lesson," a cold, commanding voice echoed from inside the classroom.
She stood up, pouting, mentally cursing Hayate several times.
When she looked down again, Raj had also vanished, and a wave of despair washed over her.
'I was having such a good time petting the cat, and the dango tasted great too.'
'How could both be gone so suddenly? That dog Hayate ruined everything!'
'Sorry, Anko. I'm making you take the blame for this.'
Raj slipped out of the classroom unnoticed.
He knew Hayate had discovered the truth, which was why he'd set Anko up.
There was no way he could explain himself - after all, he was just a cat.
Hayate glanced back at the little black cat.
He probably wanted to give Raj a beating, but getting close would trigger his violent coughing fit.
After much deliberation, he finally abandoned the idea of punishing the cat and turned to leave the school.
Poor Anko.
She was now in a situation where she'd lost both her cat and her dango, and to top it off, she had to stand in the hallway and listen to the lesson as punishment.
It was utterly humiliating.
Raj, on the other hand, was doing just fine.
Though the students in this class were weak, the points he'd collected from the group of mischievous kids still totaled over six hundred.
Combined with the three hundred he already had, he now had just over a thousand points.
Jackpot!
Raj happily sprinted away, head down, desperate to avoid being caught and dragged back for criticism.
But in the next instant, he crashed into a foot.
He looked up.
Silver hair, an arrogant expression.
Kakashi.
What was he doing at the school?
Hadn't he already become a Chunin?
Raj instinctively took a step back.
Kakashi crouched down, expressionless as he stared at the little black cat.
He glanced up at Anko standing nearby, then said, "What mischief have you been up to now?"
"Meow~"
Facing Kakashi, Raj dared not act too recklessly.
This boy's heart was undoubtedly as black as night...
"Hah, if she hadn't done anything wrong, why would she be standing here as punishment?" Kakashi said.
Raj was dumbfounded.
'I just meowed! How do you know what I meant?'
'If you're so amazing, why not open a veterinarian clinic?!'
But then Kakashi smirked coldly, picked him up, glanced around, and headed toward the practical training grounds.
This Ninja Cat had an owner.
Though Kakashi couldn't quite remember who Rin was, he was confident he'd recognize her face, given they had been classmates.
Even after four years, Kakashi's memory remained sharp.
Raj struggled relentlessly but couldn't escape Kakashi's grip.
It considered using Needle Jizo, but remembering Kakashi's cunning nature, it suppressed the dangerous idea to avoid being dragged around Konoha again.
"Huh, Kakashi?" Takuma immediately recognized him.
"Teacher Shiranui," Kakashi said, bowing respectfully.
Even though he had graduated from the Ninja Academy at age five, feeling he wasn't learning anything there, his departure wasn't a slight against Takuma personally.
He simply believed the academy's standards were lacking.
He still held deep respect for his teachers.
"And this is...?" Takuma asked.
"It probably escaped from another class while causing trouble. I think it's best to return it to its owner," Kakashi said.
Kakashi held up the cat.
Rin immediately stepped forward, her face flushed with embarrassment, and took the small black cat from Kakashi.
Just as she was about to explain, Kakashi bowed slightly to Takuma again and vanished with a Body Flicker Technique.
The girl paused, then offered no further explanation.
"Damn it! He's still so rude!" Obito grumbled, clearly annoyed.
Though he had to admit Kakashi's words from two days ago had made sense, and he'd even applied some of them in today's practical training, he still felt Kakashi's behavior was unacceptable.
He was too aloof; he'd never make any friends acting like that.
"He's already far stronger than me," Takuma murmured, a hint of melancholy in his voice.
Having taught Kakashi in his class, he'd naturally followed his progress closely, feeling both pride in his student's rapid growth and concern about his peculiar personality.
'I hope someone can change him,' the teacher thought wistfully.
If things continued this way, Kakashi might end up joining Root or the Anbu just to find new teammates.
That would be a disastrous path.
Both Root and the Anbu specialized in dangerous, shadowy missions, and for Kakashi, who already struggled with psychological issues, such a path would be like drinking poison to quench his thirst.
"You've been out causing trouble again, you restless thing!" Rin scolded the black cat in a hushed voice from behind.
Raj crouched on the ground, neither arguing nor resisting, behaving with perfect obedience.
Yet, given the next opportunity, it would inevitably go out and cause trouble again.
There was no choice.
Without venturing out, it couldn't earn points, and without points, it couldn't grow stronger...
If it had been blessed with a "Lazybones System" instead of a "Tyrant System," where it could earn points simply by lounging at home, who would willingly risk going out, exposing itself to danger, and antagonizing others?
Life was hard, the cat sighed.
Finally, after Rin finished scolding it, today's class was nearing its end.
The Ninja Academy's curriculum wasn't as packed as the classes Raj had attended in its previous life.
Typically, they had half-day sessions, with only occasional afternoon classes.
Originally, Rin had planned to take Raj for a stroll through Konoha's bustling streets.
However, after learning that Raj had caused trouble in another class that afternoon, she decided against returning home and instead waited with Raj outside the classroom.
Only after Anko's class dismissed did she take the little black cat to apologize to the teacher.
That was just the kind of person she was.
Raj could only helplessly lower its head and follow along.
Naturally, the teacher wouldn't hold a grudge against a cat.
As for Anko, it was true that she had been eating in class and petting the cat, so being punished with a standing detention for one period wasn't entirely unfair.
Still, she harbored resentment.
As they strolled home together after school, Anko pressed gently on the black cat's neck with a resentful yet tender expression, saying, "You're such a disloyal little thing! You're the first to run when trouble comes!"
"Meow~"
Raj let out a plaintive meow, feigning pain.