Raj ran to rejoin Minato and the others.
Obito immediately mocked him, which resulted in him being chased all over the place, eventually getting tangled in cat fur and beaten until he begged for mercy.
The journey back to Konoha from the border was quite long. In the past, the Little Black Cat would have hitched a ride home without a second thought.
'But to lose weight...'
He stubbornly ran the entire way, refusing to be carried even for a single step.
This significantly increased the team's speed, and by the time they reached Konoha, his little belly had shrunk considerably.
This reduction in belly size led to an overall acceleration in the Black Cat's growth.
Before eating the Deluxe Cat Food, Raj, though a Ninja Cat, was physically no different from an ordinary nine-month-old kitten.
But after consuming just one piece of the Deluxe Cat Food and being enhanced by Natural Energy, his size had already reached that of a one-year-old cat.
Of course, it wasn't just his size that had changed. Raj's strength, speed, and even his claws had become significantly more powerful than before.
He hadn't tested the full extent of his new abilities yet, but it was clear he was far stronger than he used to be.
The only downside was his increased size. For now, it wasn't a problem; he could still hide easily.
But when he reached his rapid growth phase after turning one year old, his size would inevitably increase further...
'This is going to be tough!'
Raj's worries clouded his mind, and even the roasted meat in his bowl lost its savor.
Since Minato was treating, Raj ate with abandon, determined to make the most of the opportunity.
He devoured as much as he could until Rin forcibly dragged him out of the restaurant.
"I mentioned the Uchiha matter to the Third Hokage, so we won't have any missions for the next few days. Obito... please deliver this scroll to your clan leader," Minato said as he emerged from the restaurant, discussing business as they walked.
After returning to Konoha that afternoon, he had immediately reported the situation to the Third Hokage and informed him of his plan to send Raj to the Cat Ninja gathering place connected to the Uchiha.
As a Ninja Cat, Raj needed the proper equipment.
"Yes, sir," Obito replied, accepting the scroll.
Kakashi glanced at it before bowing to their teacher and turning to head home.
"Alright, let's meet at the Uchiha Clan Compound tomorrow. Rin, you should go to Konoha Hospital as usual; it's best if you don't come with us-the Uchiha compound gets too crowded."
"Understood, thank you, Teacher."
After a few more instructions, Minato dismissed them, and they all went their separate ways.
Tsume learned of her daughter's return to the village that very afternoon. Though Konoha wasn't small, it wasn't large either.
News of someone returning from outside the village quickly reached their family.
Still, Rin apologized profusely, knowing she should have visited her mother first to reassure her of her safety.
Having eaten grilled meat, neither Raj nor Rin had dinner.
That night, while everyone slept, Raj secretly slipped out and terrorized the local rat population again.
Now stronger, the rats stood no chance of escape. By morning, over twenty rat carcasses lay scattered along the streets.
Though each rat only yielded three or four hundred Points, every little bit counted.
The next morning, Raj woke up early and slipped out the window, heading toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
Despite having been in Konoha for so long, he had never visited the Uchiha territory.
At this time, Obito hadn't yet met his fate, so the Uchiha hadn't been completely ostracized from the village.
Following the streets, Raj soon spotted the familiar war fan crest in the distance.
"Meow!"
As he approached, several cats emerged from the shadows, hissing and glaring at him with wary, hostile eyes.
'They're warning me!'
As they closed in, gradually surrounding him, Raj suddenly yowled.
His black fur erupted in a frenzy of growth, ensnaring all the surrounding cats within seconds.
Against Ninja, his fur would be easily severed, but against mere house cats...
'Ha, so naive.'
After a mere two or three seconds, the cats were released, all simultaneously surrendering and adopting submissive postures.
"Meow!"
Raj raised his head proudly, looking down at the brainless house cats.
'How boring. Being a Ninja Cat and still getting worked up over these house cats...'
But when he saw the dozens of Points credited to his account, he didn't mind so much.
'Gotta earn those Points, right?'
With the Points secured, he watched the cats hesitate, wanting to leave but afraid to move.
He waved his paw dismissively, a gesture likely far from feline standards, leaving the cats stunned for a long moment before they finally scattered in a panic.
"What's with these cats?"
Some early-rising Uchiha members noticed the house cats darting through the streets and couldn't help but wonder.
These cats were usually far from friendly, always fighting when they met. But today, not a single one showed any aggression; they seemed to be fleeing for their lives.
"Who knows? These cats just love to run around. Sigh..."
As neighbors chatted, the conversation inevitably drifted to Uchiha family matters-who's child had awakened their Sharingan, which child had exceptional talent, and so on.
Raj crouched on the wall, eavesdropping. He found the Uchiha gossip quite interesting.
After listening for a while, he heard several familiar names mentioned, including Shisui.
Shisui Uchiha was still very young, but he had already demonstrated extraordinary talent.
At such a tender age, he wielded shuriken and swords with remarkable skill, making him the talk of the neighborhood lately.
'Shisui, a legendary figure.'
Raj thought with a hint of admiration.
The next moment, he spotted a small boy walking down the street, a short sword strapped to his back and several kunai tucked into his waistband.
'Shisui?'
The Little Black Cat stood up, preparing to follow and investigate, when he suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind him.
He turned to see Obito, dressed in his usual attire, sprinting toward him.
"Raj, you're up so early! I was just about to come pick you up."
Obito panted, catching his breath.
As Obito spoke, the women inside the house Raj was crouching on heard him. They immediately leaned out to greet him with the warmth of doting aunts.
After being pulled into a brief, forced conversation, Raj leaped onto the roof and paused to watch the small boy disappearing into the distance.
There was no mistake. That was Shisui.
'Starting to work hard at such a young age...'
Raj felt a mix of emotions, deeply moved.
He leaped down from the rooftop and landed beside Obito.