Though he had only been transmigrated for about ten days, he had already learned which sounds could soften a girl's heart and how to use cuteness to dispel her resentment.
Cuteness was a cat's essential skill.
As expected, Anko immediately released her grip, her anger dissipating by half.
Still, she couldn't resist scolding, "Playing the victim? I didn't even squeeze hard!"
"Hahaha, he's so clever and cunning! Next time he misbehaves, just discipline him directly," Rin said with a radiant smile.
She herself couldn't bear to scold or hit Nekko, but she saw no problem with others disciplining him for his misdeeds.
She might feel a pang of sympathy afterward, though.
"Well... he's just a cat. How much can he really understand?" Anko patted her head, then casually stroked the cat's soft fur.
So soft, so smooth, so comfortable...
'Why didn't I think of getting a cat sooner?'
Lost in her thoughts, she continued petting Nekko while chatting idly with Rin and Raj.
Their conversation drifted from topic to topic, lacking any central theme.
When Anko finally snapped out of her reverie, she looked up and realized they were almost home.
Standing by the gate was a man with an eerily sinister aura.
Raj shuddered violently at the sight of him.
To the cat, he resembled a terrifying serpent far more than a human being.
Orochimaru, one of Konoha's Three Legendary Sannin.
What puzzled Raj was the complex mix of emotions in Orochimaru's eyes: sorrow, hesitation, resignation, all swirling together.
His expression softened with a hint of tenderness when he looked at Anko.
'What's going on here?'
But curiosity killed the cat.
Raj had no desire to die or become entangled with Orochimaru.
Despite recognizing his identity, it remained perfectly still, making no move to reveal its presence.
"Sister Rin, we have a guest at home. I'm so sorry..."
"It's alright. I was planning to take Raj for a walk anyway. You go ahead."
Rin patted Anko's hair, her heart filled with concern for the little girl.
After they left, Anko returned to her doorstep and bowed politely to Orochimaru.
She didn't recognize him, but vaguely remembered that he was a high-ranking figure in Konoha, possibly even her father's superior.
"Anko, your father won't be coming back. He entrusted me to take care of you."
Orochimaru hesitated for a long moment before finally delivering the truth to the six-year-old girl in a slightly softened tone.
Though still blunt, it was remarkably gentle for him.
Anko stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
'Won't be coming back? Father... died in battle?'
Seeing Raj feign ignorance and act cute, Guy immediately crouched down and said impatiently, "I know you're smart. Let's communicate properly, no more games."
"Meow~"
The meaning of the meow didn't matter; Raj's expression said it all.
What kind of expression was it? Disdain, disgust, and a hint of arrogance and contempt.
Guy found it hard to believe that a
A cat's expression could be so rich and nuanced. Though silent, it conveyed everything with simple, direct clarity - this cat clearly looked down on him.
"Why?"
"Meow?" Raj meowed, and though there was no human voice, Guy somehow understood.
The meow seemed to mean, "Are you really that clueless?"
Guy was deeply shaken. He'd thought he and Raj had a special connection, but now he realized he was just a fool in the cat's eyes...
'Hmm, this scene feels familiar.'
Lost in thought, he blinked and realized Raj had already slipped away.
As he watched the cat's retreating figure, an image of a person flashed through his mind: Kakashi, the Son of the White Fang.
The same arrogant swagger.
"Even a cat bears your shadow, Kakashi... You truly are my eternal rival!" he wailed, tears streaming down his face.
He quickly rallied.
"I won't give up!"
...He's really persistent.
Guy was a stubborn man. Kakashi had been relentlessly pursued his entire life, eventually becoming his best friend.
Now, Raj had become his latest target.
Raj couldn't understand what had drawn Guy to him. If Guy were more approachable, or if Raj could speak, he would have asked what exactly he liked about him and promptly changed it.
Unfortunately, Guy was notoriously difficult to communicate with. Until Raj learned human language, normal conversation with the man was impossible.
Many Summoned Beasts could speak human languages, and the shop offered language exchange options, including such rewards in the lottery pool.
The prize pool for the lottery was far more complex. It included various animal languages, human languages, and even the natural languages of plants and trees, though the probabilities of obtaining each varied significantly.
When purchased individually, human languages cost 2,000 points, while common animal languages like those of dogs and sheep cost only a few hundred each.
The languages of plants and trees were the rarest and most expensive, even appearing grayed out in the shop. Raj speculated that he simply wasn't qualified to exchange for them yet.
Plants and trees are inherently silent. Understanding their voices likely requires more than just effort; it might even necessitate Sage Art Chakra as a prerequisite.
When he arrived home, Rin hadn't returned yet, but Tsume was preparing some ingredients for dinner.
Raj lay down in his cozy den and retrieved the Ninja Cat-specific food from his inventory.
He ate another portion.
He vaguely sensed some kind of change occurring within his body after consuming the cat food, but after scrutinizing himself for a long time, he couldn't pinpoint anything specific and temporarily gave up.
Perhaps with cumulative consumption, he'd eventually discover exactly how this cat food was superior to the hundred-point variety.
For now, he was more focused on another lottery item.
A ten-pull lottery draw cost 1,000 points.
Raj had already accumulated slightly over 1,000 points at the Ninja Academy.
Later, when Needle Jizo pricked Guy, Raj earned an additional 100 points, bringing his total to over 1,200-more than enough for a ten-pull.
'Should I try it?'
Raj was torn. It had little faith in its fur color, but the fatal flaw of lotteries lay in the fact that even when you knew you might not get lucky, you still couldn't resist trying your luck.
'1,000 points... doesn't seem like that much, does it?'
Raj hesitated.
"Hey, the little guy's back so early. Why does he look so strange?"
"What's wrong?" Tsume immediately poked her head out when she heard her husband's voice.
Startled by the sound, Raj snapped out of its daze and realized Rin was standing right in front of it. It jumped back in fright.
Rin burst into laughter.
"Cats zone out too, huh? The little guy was so lost in thought that I scared him."
"Having a Ninja Cat is nice... but the expenses are a bit much," Tsume sighed heavily.