The students put down their activities and gathered together.
At that moment, Raj noticed Hana Inuzuka set Haimaru aside.
The Ninja Beast didn't make a fuss; it merely shot Raj a provocative, silent glance before quickly looking away.
'Ninja Beasts aren't allowed on the field either?'
Raj pondered this and realized it made sense.
If the school restricted even family-inherited Ninjutsu, it was no surprise they'd ban special "accessory" creatures like Ninja Beasts.
As for Haimaru's provocation, Raj didn't take it seriously.
That dumb dog was barely a year old.
Though it possessed brute strength, Raj had Needle Jizo and feared nothing.
'It's time to show that mutt who's boss in this class.'
He instinctively stuck out his tongue to lick his paw, but realizing he was still in Rin's arms and couldn't reach, he instead gently licked the cute girl.
Rin glanced down and whispered, "I can't take you to the practical training class later. Don't go running around causing trouble!"
After spending a few days with her Ninja Cat, she had gradually come to understand its true nature.
At home, it was perfectly well-behaved.
But the moment it stepped outside, it became a lawless troublemaker, mischievous and unruly.
Raj nodded gently, pretending to understand.
Rin set him down.
Haimaru didn't move, merely flicking open his eyelids to glance around before immediately settling back down, feigning perfect obedience.
Raj, however, was different.
He still needed over two hundred points for the Transformation Technique, and this was the perfect opportunity to earn a few more.
He glanced around and noticed Asuma secretly watching Kurenai again, his gaze utterly infatuated.
Raj took a few steps, sidled up to Kurenai's feet, and leaned against her leg, his feline face radiating an expression of pure bliss.
He even occasionally glanced provocatively at Asuma.
Asuma stared in bewildered shock, then saw the wicked cat glaring at him with a taunting look.
'Damn it! I wish that were me...'
Ever since this troublesome cat started causing trouble, he hadn't been able to get close to Kurenai for days.
Raj glanced at his points.
'Excellent.'
'Transformation Technique, exchange!'
A flood of memories related to the Transformation Technique surged into his mind, which Raj quickly skimmed through.
He already knew he had mastered the technique, even to the point of replicating Gamabunta's transformation into the Nine-Tailed Beast alongside Naruto in the manga - provided he had the Nine-Tailed Beast's Chakra.
'Yes.'
Having acquired the Transformation Technique, Raj knew what his next goals were: Physical fitness and Chakra.
This would be challenging.
The Shop offered a vast array of items, from Ninjutsu and special tools to trivial things like cat trees and scratching posts.
So far, only Cat Food seemed capable of enhancing his physical strength and Chakra.
There were several grades of Cat Food.
The lowest was the Special Cat Food at 100 points per serving, while the highest was the Deluxe Cat Food, priced at 1,000 points.
It seemed he couldn't skimp on Cat Food.
These points were essential.
While Raj sorted his thoughts, the class had already begun their warm-up exercises for the practical combat lesson.
He glanced at Haimaru, who remained vigilant, still lying on the ground like a well-behaved child.
But this was all an act.
This creature's hostility was palpable, as if it longed to pounce and tear into Raj right then and there.
But it knew that if it attacked now, its "master," who hadn't yet begun his own fight, would surely notice.
Several more minutes passed.
The practical combat class began.
Asuma was the first to step into the arena, his opponent Genma.
With various restrictions in place, their skills were indeed evenly matched.
At that moment, Haimaru rose and stealthily made its way to a corner of the training ground.
Raj got up and followed.
After a few steps, Raj mused.
'This is just like those after-school fights back in middle school in my past life.'
'We'd sneak off to some secluded corner to brawl, all while dreading getting caught by a teacher.'
'Turns out, humans and animals aren't so different after all.'
Haimaru led Raj behind a small thicket.
Once the cat and dog were concealed within the foliage, Haimaru bared its teeth, its expression turning fiercely aggressive.
Raj calmly regarded it.
'Baring your teeth now? Just wait until you bite them off later.'
Haimaru was undoubtedly physically stronger, but Raj had more Chakra.
In a real fight, the dog wouldn't have the upper hand.
In the end, it would come down to who had more hidden cards and who was more cunning.
'And let's be honest, how could a dog ever outsmart a human?'
Raj moved with relaxed grace, pacing slowly and shifting positions, his eyes fixed on Haimaru, observing its every move.
Haimaru bared its teeth and snarled, but dared not bark, still afraid of being heard by its master despite the distance.
'I just hope it can maintain this composure later.'
The cat and dog faced off for a few seconds.
Suddenly, Haimaru lunged at Raj, claws extended and eyes blazing with ferocity.
Given its larger size, the attack was undeniably intimidating.
Raj sensed that while Haimaru's aggression was strong, its movements were clumsy and easily evaded.
'Too clumsy.'
Instead of using Needle Jizo, Raj simply dodged and slashed his claws at Haimaru's flank.
Haimaru, having undergone training, clearly knew how to avoid serious injury.
It twisted mid-air to evade the vital strike, losing only a few tufts of fur.
Feeling it still had a chance, Haimaru quickly launched another attack.
This time, however, Haimaru abandoned clumsy pouncing attacks and instead pressed forward relentlessly, relying on its powerful physique to engage Raj in close-quarters combat.
Raj, eager to hone his combat skills, refrained from immediately using Needle Jizo.
Instead, he dodged and weaved, searching for an opening to land a claw strike on Haimaru.
After several exchanges, Raj remained largely unscathed, while Haimaru's fur now bore several ragged tears, marring its appearance.
'Haimaru's movements are clearly swift, yet to my eyes, they appear sluggish and riddled with openings.'
'Truly, it lives up to its feline nature...'
'However, my offensive capabilities are too weak.'
'Even if I strike its body, I can only inflict minor cuts, whereas a single bite from it could severely injure me.'
Raj analyzed inwardly.
Haimaru's refusal to surrender made it clear that even as a mere Ninja Dog, it understood this dynamic.
Moreover, Haimaru had yet to employ Ninjutsu.
Attack after attack, failure after failure, and counterattack after counterattack pushed Haimaru's patience to its limit.
Disregarding its master, who stood dozens of paces away, it resolved to subdue this persistent cat with brute force.
Chakra began to surge from its body.