Kakashi, however, paid him no mind.
After a few more complaints, he sent Pakkun back as well.
With the mission complete, it was time to report back and receive a new assignment.
Raj strolled leisurely through the streets of Konoha, having successfully exacted his revenge, earned nearly a thousand Points, and escaped unscathed.
It was arguably his most satisfying day in recent memory.
He wanted to celebrate with a feast, but unfortunately, he was broke.
Besides, after finally losing weight, he couldn't afford to overindulge just yet, lest he regain it and lose his edge against Kakashi.
That cunning man was far from magnanimous, and with the Eight Evil Dogs as his henchmen, Raj couldn't afford to let his guard down.
After a few steps, Raj suddenly spotted a silver-haired boy approaching in the distance.
His first instinct was to flee, but Kakashi instantly appeared beside him.
The chakra fluctuations were intense.
This was the sensation of Lightning Release chakra stimulating his body's vitality, even stronger than in the forest.
Of course, the cost was higher too; Raj could hear Kakashi's ragged breathing.
This was his maximum burst speed.
"Heh, if that was my full speed earlier, I'd have died on the battlefield long ago."
Perhaps because of the two cat turds, Kakashi felt an unusual urge to show off in front of Raj, wanting the Black Cat to understand that his earlier restraint wasn't due to incompetence, but deliberate restraint.
Raj would never have believed it before, but now he had no choice - he'd been captured.
Elite Chunin were indeed formidable.
"You got hit by my poop, and then you stepped in another pile."
"I let you do that."
"You got..."
"You think I didn't see? I did it on purpose."
"You..."
The cat and the man bickered like children as they walked toward the Hokage Building.
No matter what Kakashi said, Raj had a retort for everything.
After walking a whole street, Kakashi finally fell silent, setting the Little Black Cat down to walk on its own.
He explained coldly, "The mission was issued by Lord Hokage himself, so you'll have to come with me to meet him."
'Sarutobi Hiruzen, huh?'
Raj remained silent, but the image of the old man from the anime flashed through his mind.
Sarutobi Hiruzen probably wasn't quite that old yet, but he was far from his prime.
'I wonder how many Points I could get by causing a ruckus with the Hokage...'
The thought made his claws twitch with anticipation.
In Konoha, Kakashi was something of a celebrity.
As they walked, people stared curiously at him carrying a cat.
Isn't he supposed to like dogs?
But no one dared to ask.
His reputation was widespread, but it stank so badly that no Chunin would team up with him for missions, and the veteran Genin were even more reluctant.
In short, he wasn't popular.
However, everyone recognized Raj, the Little Black Cat, thanks to the name tag around his neck identifying him as the Nohara family's Ninja Cat.
Led by Kakashi, Raj was brought before Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, who was reviewing documents.
The Hokage's desk was piled high with paperwork, and he was hunched over it when they entered.
"Lord Third."
"Oh, Kakashi. Hmm, this little fellow... Ah, I remember mentioning him to you a few days ago. I said the Nohara family's Black Cat seemed to have potential and suggested you train him when you had time."
The Third Hokage smiled warmly as he looked up, then rose to his feet and approached them.
The Little Black Cat watched him quietly.
'So, the Third Hokage's casual remark is the reason for my suffering,' Raj thought.
Just as they say: "A leader's word sends subordinates running themselves ragged."
"After five days of training, he's already reached the level of an Elite Genin," Kakashi reported, bowing his head.
"Oh?"
The Third Hokage was genuinely surprised.
Elite Genin... this meant Kakashi believed the Little Black Cat's strength surpassed that of many full-fledged Genin.
This was no ordinary feat.
Initially, assigning Kakashi to train Raj was merely a way to keep the boy busy.
The little guy was a mission fanatic, but no one wanted to team up with him anymore.
That's why the Third Hokage casually assigned this task.
Yet, in just five days, the boy had already completed it.
The Third Hokage crouched down to get closer to the cat.
Seeing this, Kakashi couldn't help but warn, "Be careful, Lord Third."
"What's wrong?"
The Third Hokage looked up just in time to see the Black Cat leap onto his Hokage cloak, knocking it off his head and revealing that distinctive hairline reserved for the elite.
He paused for a moment, then chuckled, picked up the cloak, and put it back on.
He even patted Raj's head, saying, "He's certainly full of energy. I'm afraid we'll have our hands full with him on future missions."
"Future missions?"
Kakashi frowned, glancing down at Raj.
He sensed something was off, as if the Third Hokage's words carried a deeper meaning.
Raj knew exactly what was going on.
With the practical combat class and Clone Technique assessment concluded, it was clear who would pass and who wouldn't.
The Third Hokage was already considering team assignments.
It seemed Rin and Kakashi were still in the same class.
As for Obito...
Generally speaking, it was standard practice to include a relatively weaker ninja in the same class as exceptional students like Kakashi and Rin.
Given Obito's Uchiha lineage and kind-hearted nature, he perfectly aligned with the Third Hokage's strategic interests.
Therefore, it was highly likely that Obito would still team up with Kakashi and Rin, joining Minato's squad.
"Lord Third, are there any other missions?"
Kakashi's eyes shone with determination.
The Third Hokage cleared his throat.
"Take some rest for now. In about a week or so, a new mission will be assigned to you."
"Understood."
Kakashi said no more.
Without comparison, there would be no pain.
Raj had graduated in
Just five days, while Kakashi's own Pakkun was still being chased around the Forest of Death by wild beasts like a scared rabbit.
He'd lose face taking him out in public now.
Taking advantage of the time, I decided to give him some training.
"Meow~," Raj called out to remind them of his presence.
"Oh, right! Little Raj has passed your training. We should give him a headband too," the Third Hokage suddenly remembered, and he immediately stood up to retrieve a specially made ninja headband from the back.
This headband was awarded to all Ninja Beasts who passed the assessment, signifying their eligibility to accompany their masters to the battlefield.
Of course, in addition to the headband, there was also a set of Ninja Cat outerwear.
The set was quite simple, far less stylish than Raj's own attire.
But with it, he could finally wear his own outfit openly and without shame.
However, without hands to carry it, he could only stare up at the Third Hokage with a look of utter disbelief.
"Heh, I'll have someone deliver it to your home," the Third Hokage chuckled, unfazed.
He had seen far too many mischievous children in his lifetime to be bothered by a mere cat.
"Meow!"
C