This further solidified Raj's resolve to keep his ability to speak hidden for now. If he could talk, no one might speak up for him like this.
Of course, he understood that siding with Obito was infuriating, much like dealing with those bratty kids and their "he's just a child" excuses in his past life. But what could he do?
His dog-like System only rewarded him with Points for pulling pranks!
'I'm just as desperate as you are!'
Raj soothed Obito with a paw, putting on a cute act to finally calm the good-natured boy down.
After everyone finished their tests, Rin didn't get a chance to take Raj outside for a scolding before a crowd swarmed around them.
Hana led the charge, followed closely by Aoba and a boy from the Aburame Clan.
A throng of classmates trailed behind, all buzzing with excitement. It was obvious: the trio at the front were there to study Raj, while the rest were just curious onlookers, eager for gossip.
"Hana, what's going on?"
"Don't worry, I just want to observe him."
Hana excitedly leaned over the table, ignoring Raj's frantic struggles to escape. She carefully picked him up and turned him over, examining him from every angle.
Kurenai frowned slightly, her voice tinged with displeasure.
"Why are you still using Chakra?"
"Uh..." Rin glanced at Kurenai, then shifted her gaze to Hana.
She hadn't noticed it before, but upon closer inspection, Hana was indeed using Chakra.
"Sorry," Hana apologized immediately. "I just wanted to prevent it from retaliating. You might not know, but it has the ability to harden its fur into sharp quills and stab people."
"Harden its fur?" Kurenai stared in astonishment.
The surrounding crowd pressed closer, drawn by the commotion. Raj, growing increasingly irritated, wondered if they were treating him like a circus monkey.
He ground his claws against the table, glaring at Haimaru.
Haimaru stood frozen for a moment, then turned to the onlookers and let out a thunderous bark, his posture radiating fierce defiance, as if daring them to approach any closer.
Hana paused, then turned to assess the situation. Frowning, she snapped, "Why are you all crowding so close?
Back away!"
As the class's undisputed leader - and with a dog by her side in any fight - no one dared challenge her authority.
The crowd reluctantly retreated a few steps, widening the space around them.
"This Ninja Cat is improving so quickly, especially its Chakra reserves..."
The Aburame Clan boy quietly retracted a few Parasitic Destruction Insects and suddenly spoke up.
Only then did everyone notice he was standing in the inner circle. The Hyuga Clan ninja immediately activated his Byakugan to confirm.
After a few seconds, the boy nodded and said, "Its Chakra reserves are almost comparable to Haimaru's."
"And it's only seven months old! Unbelievable!"
Hana even wanted to play with the Little Black Cat's "birdie," but with so many eyes watching, such behavior would be quite inappropriate.
"Ahem, Hana-nee, you should probably put it down. It looks terrified."
Obito mustered the courage to stop Hana's reckless behavior, feeling deeply sorry for the Black Cat's pitiful, helpless, and despairing expression.
"I'm so sorry! I've just never seen a Ninja Cat with such innate talent before," Hana apologized profusely, finally setting Raj down.
She knew Ninja Beasts possessed intelligence, and that the higher their status, the greater their intellect. Judging by the Black Cat's behavior, it wouldn't be surprising if it started speaking human language within a few months.
Such Ninja Beasts deserved to be treated as equals.
"How wonderful," Aoba murmured, genuinely envious.
Though he had no desire to own a cat, the boy couldn't help but imagine how amazing it would be if a few of the ravens he raised became Ninja Ravens.
Such boundless imagination was typical of children. Even a single Ninja Raven was rare; this kid wanted several, and then planned to breed them into an entire clan?
Fortunately, Aoba kept his wild fantasies to himself, or the entire class would have burst into laughter.
Seeing the "evil woman" finally release him, Raj sighed in relief and glanced sympathetically at Haimaru.
'Following this lady is truly miserable,' he thought.
"Mew~," Haimaru let out a string of rarely used Feline Language, roughly translating to "I'm so miserable."
Raj subtly replied in cat-like Feline Language, conveying something akin to "sympathy."
Haimaru nearly burst into tears.
The Little Black Cat was deeply moved.
No wonder Hana later kept three Haimaru at once. One alone couldn't withstand the torment - it was truly tragic.
'Thank goodness I didn't fall into the clutches of that wicked woman,' it thought, secretly relieved.
The crowd dispersed as quickly as it had gathered.
Raj soon caught a whiff of fresh air, but he noticed the Uchiha boy's hostile gaze, fixed on him without wavering.
'Have I ever messed with him before?'
Raj was puzzled.
Apart from Obito, he had always avoided the Uchiha clan members.
None of the Uchiha students from any grade had ever bullied him.
'Uchiha...'
He glanced back and found the boy staring openly, showing no fear or hesitation despite Raj's "angry glare."
'These days, perverts have such nerve.'
'No, this is a public safety issue.'
He turned his head to look at Rin and found the girl staring at him just as intently.
'Sigh...'
Not just her, but Obito and Kurenai too.
'What's wrong with this world? Can't a cat just be a cat anymore...?'
"That's wonderful! I bet it'll become your most reliable assistant after graduation. With Raj by your side, your safety on the battlefield as a Medical Ninja will be guaranteed," Obito said, genuinely happy for Rin.
Kurenai agreed wholeheartedly.
"Rin, you should learn the Summoning Technique and form a Summoning Contract with Raj."
"Summoning Technique? What's the benefit of learning it?" Rin asked, turning her curious gaze toward Kurenai.
She had heard of the technique but knew little about it.
Seizing the opportunity, Raj glanced around and noticed Asuma staring at them again.
It sidled up to Kurenai, gently nuzzling her cheek while glaring defiantly at Asuma and licking its paw.
Asuma was furious.
This damned cat had provoked him again, and the worst part was, he couldn't win.
He knew all too well that if he confronted Kurenai with "Who do you like more, me or the cat?" the answer would undoubtedly be, "Of course, the cat."
What was most infuriating was that the cat wore an expression that seemed to mock him with a smug grin.
Don't ask Asuma how a cat could have such expressive features; he himself was baffled by the cat's dramatic flair.
Seeing Kurenai's beaming smile, the young man completely withdrew into himself.
How could there be such a detestable cat in the world?
'Hmm, Points acquired.'
Raj smirked triumphantly, then settled back into silence, listening intently to Kurenai's explanation.
"Summoning is just its basic function. Your Summoned Beast is also a Ninja Beast, so its uses are far more versatile. For example, you could have Raj distract a powerful enemy, then use the Summoning Technique to recall him."
"I didn't know it could do that!" Obito and Rin exclaimed in amazement.