This's Probably the first time in all of Konoha - no, the entire Ninja World!
The image was too absurd to even imagine.
Most importantly, no one else knew about the cat's contributions, not even those in the tent.
Though Orochimaru and Raj had mentioned "the last mission" in hushed tones, who else knew the details of that mission?
The ninjas in the tent exchanged strange glances, unsure what to say.
The order was absolute, leaving no room for debate.
The cat was now officially a Special Jonin.
While the Ninja World valued strength above all else, and this cat was certainly no slouch, the whole situation still left a bitter taste in their mouths.
Of course, one person was more bewildered than anyone else: Obito Uchiha.
Obito had played a significant role in this mission.
Although the mission report would remain confidential, Konoha would still reward and promote him based on his contributions.
He had just received his Chunin vest from Orochimaru.
What should have been a moment of joy turned sour when he learned that the team's cat had already been promoted to Jonin.
'What the hell?!'
His mood was foul, but after some reflection, he realized there was nothing he could do.
The cat's merits spoke for themselves.
He didn't know the full details of the recent events, but from his teacher's brief statement - "Raj commanded the team and severely wounded Sunagakure's pursuing forces" - he understood the magnitude of Raj's contributions.
If a human with such capabilities had been promoted to Special Jonin, no one would have questioned it.
But this was just a cat, and Rin's summoned creature at that.
Yet, upon further consideration, Obito felt relieved.
A cat being promoted to Jonin was irrelevant.
The gap between him and Raj was already widening; all that mattered was closing the distance with Kakashi.
Besides, it was Kakashi who should be more concerned about the Special Jonin position.
Kakashi had been a Chunin for three years, while Obito had only just earned his rank.
'Perfect! Kakashi's suffering is my happiness!'
This was a pain transfer method Obito had devised himself, and it was working surprisingly well.
At least for now, Obito felt no pangs of guilt; instead, he was eagerly anticipating Kakashi's reaction when he learned the outcome.
'Heh heh heh...'
It was going to be priceless, wasn't it?
"Raj, you're a Jonin now! But we're still at the camp. Let's celebrate with a feast when we get back to the village."
Minato emerged with a radiant smile.
The first non-human Jonin in the entire Ninja World had been born within his team.
Though strange, it was a groundbreaking event.
"Two feasts, meow?"
Raj raised a paw, instantly freezing Minato's smile.
He'd forgotten he'd promised one last time...
"No, we'll just combine them into one big celebration."
He patted the cat's head before rising to check on Kakashi and the others in their tent.
He wondered if they'd finished packing and, more importantly...
'I hope Kakashi is holding up okay.'
Though they hadn't known each other long, Minato had come to understand Kakashi well.
The boy was both talented and hardworking, originally holding the second-in-command position within the team.
Whenever Minato was absent, Obito and Rin would follow Kakashi's orders.
Now, despite the "Special" prefix, Raj was still a Jonin.
Kakashi's team status immediately dropped, relegating him to the third position.
In truth, Minato had opposed the promotion.
'A tall tree catches the wind.'
Raj's talent was truly unparalleled among Ninja Beasts.
Its acquired abilities and exceptional intelligence set it apart from all others, leading the village to recognize its independent combat merits.
What did independent combat merits mean?
Promotion eligibility.
But Raj was only a year old - or rather, a few days shy of its first birthday.
Even if its feline lifespan were converted to human years, this age still represented an astonishing level of talent.
Being too exceptional wasn't always a good thing...
Unfortunately, Orochimaru and Hyuuga Hizashi strongly advocated for Raj's promotion, and with the support of certain influential figures within the village, Raj was forcibly elevated to the rank of Special Jonin in short order.
At the time, the cat was still asleep in its tent.
Raj initially felt some apprehension, but when it emerged from the tent and saw the additional thousand-plus Points, all worries vanished.
'So what if a cat becomes a Jonin? If you have the ability, you deserve the treatment. We can't be treated like house cats forever, being summoned and ordered around.'
As for Orochimaru and Danzo, Raj had a clearer perspective.
'Did those two old schemers think they'd stop coveting me just because I wasn't a Jonin? Impossible!'
'A cat this exceptional can't be hidden, no matter how hard I try. It's like fragrant wine that needs no advertising.'
"Meow~ Let's go back and find Kakashi. We can help him pack up too."
Raj said this with a friendly smile.
'What a range of expressions...,' Obito thought, but he wore the same gleeful smile on his face, clearly enjoying the situation.
However, he quickly remembered they hadn't notified Rin yet and hurriedly asked, "By the way, Teacher, what about Rin?"
"Rin's class still has a bit of time left, so she hasn't come over yet. We'll pack up here and then go find her at the Medical Corps," Minato replied casually.
It wasn't that Rin had special privileges, but rather that Medical Ninja did.
All of Konoha's experts in detoxification and poison-making were stationed here.
If she left before completing her training in poison preparation, she wouldn't find another opportunity like this.
Raj certainly wouldn't object.
Cats don't have hands to clean up, so this task had nothing to do with him.
When they returned to the tent area, Kakashi was already cleaning the tent.
New occupants would be moving in immediately after they left, and cleaning up after oneself was a basic ninja duty.
Hearing footsteps, he turned his head with his usual expressionless look, then turned back to continue cleaning with the same expression.
Obito paused for a moment, then whooshed over to Kakashi's side, puffing out his chest to show off his Chunin vest.
Kakashi stared at him like he was an idiot, coldly remarking, "So what? You're still the last one."
"Nothing much. I'm just the dead last, you know? But let me introduce you to the new Jonin - a true genius, unlike some people."
Obito grinned and beckoned with his hand.
Raj immediately understood and leaped onto Obito's shoulder.
At that moment, he wasn't fighting alone; Obito was joining him in their mission to provoke Kakashi.
Since someone was eager to play the tank, the cat had no objection to playing along.
"Raj, today's newly appointed Special Jonin - second only to Teacher"
"The Special Jonin in our team is currently one year old. A one-year-old Special Jonin, heh heh heh..."
Obito's laughter was so sinister it made you want to slap him.
But Kakashi's mental discipline was impeccable.
He merely paused slightly, then nodded without reacting further.
No surprise showed in his eyes.
This was the advantage of wearing a mask.
No matter what expression he wore, as long as his eyes and eyebrows didn't betray him, others couldn't read his true feelings.