To be a pack leader is a costly affair, one that demands a great deal of money. Why else do you think the Inuzuka Clan is so impoverished? After all, there are thousands, even tens of thousands, of mouths waiting to be fed. Yet, the Inuzuka Clan could not bring themselves to euthanize their dogs. Consequently, there was a considerable number of formally retired ninja hounds. Some of these were dogs whose masters had fallen in battle; others were the offspring of retired hounds, born without a master from the very beginning. Some members of the Inuzuka Clan, having lost their own ninja hound in combat, would come here to choose and take a new partner. In a way, this place also served as a training camp for the clan's reserve ninja hounds.
Soon, a pack of over a hundred ninja hounds burst forth from the "pig farm." The guard dog at the gate, hearing the commotion, merely lifted an eyelid but did not intervene. The ninja hounds of the Inuzuka Clan were as intelligent as humans, and incidents of them attacking anyone were unheard of. If these dogs wanted to go for a walk, the clan's stance was surprisingly unanimous: let them go. However, upon seeing the white dog at the head of the pack, the guard couldn't help but raise a surprised eyebrow. It was that silver one again. But he had no intention of getting involved. Just as a wolf pack has its leader, the dog-leaders of the Inuzuka Clan were not to be trifled with. The entire canine community possessed a strict hierarchy, rigid subordination, and formidable group combat skills. At their leader's command, they would charge into battle without hesitation, fearing no death. To put it simply, even a single glance from that silver dog made him uneasy. He knew just how dangerous it was because he understood its nature. Even a hundred Genin unskilled in ninjutsu, or even a lone Jōnin, would have to seriously consider whether they would survive an encounter with such a pack.
Normally, the dog packs did not reach such sizes. The ninja hounds gathered in groups based on their masters' families: some with a dozen, others with three or four. During wartime, they would unite for joint battles, but in times of peace, their groups were small, and teammates from other clans never witnessed the dog packs in action. The only ones who saw them were members of the Inuzuka Clan and the enemies they had torn to shreds.
As the Second Shinobi World War progressed and the elders of the village's founding clans passed away, the Third Hokage gradually consolidated his power. During this time, the Inuzuka Clan deliberately reduced the size of their dog packs, hiding their fangs and claws, which made the entire clan appear harmless. The Inuzuka Clan was the most tight-knit clan in the village, which meant it was extremely closed off to outsiders. And this small pack of a hundred dogs did not actually seem that large to an Inuzuka.
This was why they did not euthanize retired ninja hounds, but instead fed and watered them generously. Each of these dogs represented a combat unit that could not be ignored. This vast army of battle-ready ninja hounds was the Inuzuka Clan's ultimate trump card. The clan invested colossal sums into their upkeep, sparing no expense. A pack of ninja hounds that did not comprehend the Will of Fire and did not obey the village's orders was the Inuzuka Clan's personal army of suicide soldiers. This was their own private army, their source of confidence, and their ultimate argument, allowing them to challenge any powerful clan.
Ryoto had learned much about his clan by observing details and overhearing conversations, as his mother, when giving orders at home, was sometimes unreserved in his presence. That was why, during the Second Shinobi World War, only the Inuzuka Clan felt not a shred of fear. They could afford to lose both people and dogs. Unlike the Senju Clan, which could not afford to lose its people and was already in a state of panic over its casualties. In the Inuzuka Clan, whether human or canine, single-child families were rare. Everyone usually had a host of brothers and sisters, and their training after birth was incredibly swift. If there was one thing they did not lack, it was cannon fodder.
Therefore, Ryoto had completely mastered those few simple secret techniques in just a year, by the time he was four. But the real training was only just beginning. It wasn't enough to master the techniques himself. The most crucial skill for every member of the Inuzuka Clan was the training of ninja hounds. Ryoto had his own training plan and had no time to waste in school. Because the Third Shinobi World War was already on the horizon. If you didn't fight with all your might, all that awaited you was death on the battlefield.
As he dashed out of the clan's territory, a stern glint flashed in Ryoto's eyes. His magnificent, smooth silver fur billowed in the wind, as if dancing. His golden beastly eyes, with their narrow vertical pupils, exuded an icy danger, creating an image that was mysterious, mighty, elegant, and beautiful. He displayed his status as a pack leader in all its glory. A massive pack of dogs followed him, each looking fierce and formidable.
As they approached the village streets, where the number of people grew, Ryoto slowed his pace, and the pack behind him obediently slackened their speed. The local cats, seeing such a procession, meowed to warn their kin before immediately turning tail and scurrying away along the fences. Passing domestic dogs tucked their tails and cowered by the roadside, trying to make themselves as small as possible, trembling in fear that the passing pack of ninja hounds might give them a smack. But the ninja hounds did not deign to show contempt for these less intelligent relatives. They were a breed that fought ninja face-to-face, the most ferocious and vicious dogs in the shinobi world, naturally prone to fury. They faced death without flinching and, once latched onto an enemy, would not release their jaws even after death.
Passing through an alley, they happened upon a ninja in a flak jacket. In the alley's shadow, pair after pair of fierce, glowing green eyes stared at him. Seeing the Inuzuka Clan crest on the dogs' attire and the village-issued ninja protectors, the shinobi felt his hair stand on end. In fact, these dogs were his colleagues, officially recognized by the village as true ninja, albeit without personal numbers or registration.
They stood frozen, facing each other in the dark alley. A moment later, seeing that he was not yielding the path, the pack bared its teeth and let out a low growl.
"I'm leaving! I'm leaving! Don't worry!"
Who wouldn't be terrified by such a sight! Drenched in sweat, the ninja slowly backed out of the alley, showing he had no ill intentions, and with a swift movement, pressed himself against the wall at the entrance. The silver pack leader didn't even glance at him. The ninja watched as, one by one, the ninja hounds slowly and haughtily walked past.
Observing this scene, Rin smiled. How long had it been since the Inuzuka Clan had acted so boldly. It reminded her of the Era of Warring Clans, when the Inuzuka Clan didn't have to curry favor with anyone. If you disagreed, you fought, and you'd see who could last longer and who would chicken out first. And it was beyond her why her grandfather saw whatever devilry he saw that made him rush the entire clan to join Konoha. They could have been like the Kageyama Clan, selling information to the five great villages—wouldn't that have been wonderful? She didn't understand it at all.
"That boy..." Rin murmured with a smile. "He really is so cool..."
Praise from his own mother. Smarty raised her head, looked at Rin, and nodded in agreement. She also thought that her leader looked coolest in his dog form; in his human form, he was a little ugly.
So why did the boy go into the village? Rin was puzzled. The answer revealed itself right before her eyes. A little secret: in the village, they don't sell alcohol to children. But to dogs, they do. Rin saw Ryoto, without entering the village center, stop at an inconspicuous liquor store on the outskirts. He himself did not appear, only commanding the pack, which purchased the goods. Then, laden with bottles large and small, they returned by the same path into the forest outside the village.
"Well, I'll be! That's... that's incredible!"
Rin's stomach clenched at the sight! So that's how he solved the problem? Rin had always wondered how her son managed to get his hands on alcohol. It turned out to be so cunningly devised, one piece of the plan linking perfectly to the next.