Meanwhile, Raj, his face a question mark, pressed close to Kurenai's face, waving his paws frantically.
Though he didn't speak, Kurenai understood the Little Black Cat's meaning.
She waved her hand dismissively.
"It's just to distract the enemy, not to send you to your death. The Summoning Technique can bring you back."
"Thank you, Kurenai. After hearing you explain, I think learning the Summoning Technique is a good idea. That way, if he ever gets into danger, I can summon him back," Rin said, pressing Raj down and carrying him back.
'As expected, my own human is the best.'
Raj was moved to tears.
'That scheming Kurenai actually planned to use me to lure away a powerful enemy... Is that even human?'
It had to be said, anyone who could become a Special Jonin or higher had some serious skills.
Like Kakashi, Guy, and Kurenai.
Oh, and Hayate too.
Raj added another name to the list.
Hayate might seem physically frail, but he wasn't always so weak as a child.
His violent coughing fits were mostly an act.
Only when Raj was nearby did his genuine suffering become apparent.
'Jonin all have black hearts,' Raj concluded, growing even more wary of those with Special Jonin potential.
However, Kurenai continued to stroke his head, the soft, warm touch combined with her radiant smile and promises of a seafood feast quickly convinced him to forgive her.
After all, the little girl was acting in Rin's best interest, and the described scenario was a desperate final choice.
'At least a cat's speed would give her a better chance of survival, right?'
'A seafood feast in the Ninja World? That actually sounded quite appealing.'
Plus, he'd managed to snag some Points from Kurenai and Asuma earlier, bringing his total to over 700.
'Happy.'
Raj couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for Asuma.
The guy was a real simp; even a mild scolding of Kurenai was enough to make him cough up Points in anger.
Still, at least he eventually won her over in the manga.
Though their happy times were brief, they did have the fruit of their love.
Since the afternoon was dedicated to the Transformation Technique and Clone Technique exams, there were no classes.
After a brief post-exam review, Takuma dismissed everyone early.
As expected, Kurenai immediately invited Rin, Raj, and Obito to a seafood feast.
But Obito declined.
"I need to train and get stronger. A seafood feast would mess up my training schedule."
With that, he sprinted off from the school gate.
Raj watched his retreating figure, and Obito's silhouette began to overlap with that of Guy.
Thanks to this, what was originally planned as a three-person meal turned into a gathering for just Rin and Kurenai.
Of course, there was also the Little Black Cat.
In truth, it was the star of the gathering.
After all, Kurenai's original intention was to apologize, and with only the two of them, they figured they wouldn't need to order as much.
That was their initial plan.
But the young women quickly realized their mistake.
The Little Black Cat was an insatiable eater.
Shrimp and sashimi were utterly irresistible to the cat's palate.
After just a few bites, it was completely hooked.
Of course, it didn't like all seafood.
For example, it refused to eat crab.
Not because it wasn't fresh, but because peeling the shells was too much trouble.
Besides, crab meat wasn't any tastier than shrimp, so it preferred to focus on shrimp and sashimi.
Kurenai reached out with her chopsticks to grab a shrimp, but the black cat suddenly raised its paw to guard the plate.
'Not letting me eat?'
"Raj, that's so rude!" Rin's face flushed crimson.
Having such a possessive cat was truly embarrassing, especially since they were being treated to this meal.
How could a guest refuse to let their host eat their own food?
"Meow~," Raj remained resolute.
Part of it was his love for shrimp, but another reason had suddenly occurred to him: this was also a way to earn Points.
'Our family is too poor to waste opportunities. I've finally latched onto a rich woman...'
"Hahaha, it's alright, Raj. We don't need the shrimp. The crab is delicious too."
Kurenai wasn't annoyed at all; she found the little black cat utterly adorable.
Raj glanced at his status panel.
The Points earned were meager, only a few dozen.
It was even possible that those Points had come from Rin's contributions.
'Whatever, I'll just keep eating.'
He was here for a feast, not to obsess over earning Points.
This was a time to enjoy himself.
They ate for quite a while.
At first, the restaurant was bustling with diners, but as the other patrons finished their meals and left, they noticed the cat was still eating...
Soon, everyone gathered around, curiously watching the cat eat.
Raj tilted his head to observe.
Then, with one paw, he slammed the empty iron plate that had originally held the sashimi, sending it clanging loudly.
Having devoured all the sashimi, only some sauce splattered out.
Those who were standing too close got splashed, grumbling for a moment.
But when they saw the little girl repeatedly apologizing and the Little Black Cat elegantly swallowing the last shrimp before looking up to glare disdainfully at the crowd, their anger quickly subsided.
Raj was doing his best to play his part.
Though the profit was just under two hundred, a deal that could be sealed with a simple paw tap offered exceptional value.
Seeing the food was gone, Kurenai immediately stood up to pay the bill, regardless of whether the Little Black Cat had eaten his fill.
It wasn't that she was afraid of trouble; she simply didn't have much spending money left.
Being a woman of pride, she was embarrassed to admit her limited funds in front of Rin.
But if Raj kept eating, the owner might come after Kurenai's father for the extra charges.
Now was the perfect moment to leave.
Rin carried the cat, apologizing profusely as she hurried out.
The adults, though splashed with sauce, weren't about to hold a grudge against a little girl and a cat.
"You little troublemaker! You made Kurenai pay and then caused a scene. I'm not bringing you out next time," Rin scolded softly.