Raj's eyes lit up. Ever since encountering Shino, Raj had already have the thought, and now the perfect time had arrived.
"Woof woof woof!"
The large dog sprinted forward, barking furiously at the tree where Raj was hiding.
"An enemy?" Shibi Aburame swiftly released his Parasitic Destruction Insects.
Raj's Parasitic Destruction Insects were far stronger than Shino Aburame's.
They weren't afraid of him and dared to fly over to investigate.
But...
As soon as they approached, Raj swiftly lashed out with his claws.
Swish, swish, swish!
With a few sharp snaps, several insects were swatted out of the air, nearly crushed against the tree trunk.
The remaining insects retreated rapidly, and Shibi Aburame received the information simultaneously.
He glanced up at the tree in surprise, muttering suspiciously, "A Ninja Cat."
"Meow~ Greetings, everyone! I'm Raj, a Special Jonin from Konoha."
Raj waved a paw.
"Sp... Special Jonin?"
The Inuzuka Clan ninja, being young and straightforward, immediately showed his astonishment.
He was only an Elite Chunin himself!
"Raj? Hmm, that name rings a bell," Shibi Aburame murmured to himself.
"Why don't I remember any Ninja Cat in the village?"
"Do you guys remember one? I have no recollection at all."
"..."
'Ignored again, huh?'
Shibi Aburame sighed softly.
After a moment of reflection, he realized he might have been speaking too quietly.
Raising his voice, he said, "Isn't that the cat adopted by the Nohara girl?"
"Oh, the Nohara Clan's cat! Now I remember! Zawa Nohara used to brag about it all the time. Speaking of which, I've been on missions lately and haven't checked on that guy. I wonder how he's doing."
"..."
'Remembering the cat's identity, shouldn't I react somehow?'
Shibi Aburame felt a momentary weariness, but it quickly passed.
After all these years, he was used to it.
He continued walking silently, deliberately raising his voice, "Let's go. Lord Jiraiya is waiting."
"Ah? Oh, right!"
The others were startled for a moment before quickly catching up.
Raj, watching from above, was stunned.
This situation was too mystical.
But if someone could become a Jonin at this age despite such circumstances, Shibi Aburame's overall abilities must be truly exceptional.
No wonder those insects dared to approach earlier.
'It seems I need to adjust my approach based on the actual situation and conduct more tests to verify my hypotheses.'
Ninja Cat Castle, Tenshu Pavilion.
Matatabi lay sprawled in the attic, basking in the lavish service provided by his ninja cat subordinates.
Just as he was reaching the peak of his enjoyment, a pile of objects suddenly crashed down from the ceiling, striking him squarely on the head.
"Who dares?!"
Matatabi's furious roar echoed throughout the castle.
It was one thing to endure bullying outside as the great King of the Ninja Cats, but to be ambushed in his own territory by some insolent cat?
This insult cannot be tolerated!
Not every ninja cat possessed the strength and wisdom of Raj.
Though they had gained intelligence, their minds remained primarily driven by feline instincts.
Territory and hierarchy held paramount importance for them.
When Matatabi flew into a rage, all the cats trembled in fear, too terrified to speak.
Only one young kitten, fearless in its naivety, dared to remind him in a trembling voice, "M-My Lord, these... these appear to be food."
'Food?'
Matatabi froze for a moment, then struggled to his feet, surveying the surroundings.
Indeed, scattered around were various foods: dried fish, dumplings, even a bowl of ramen.
His limited mind couldn't comprehend the situation.
But when he spotted a familiar package, he understood the source.
Cat food!
Had the black-furred cat sent this?
"Meow?"
Seeing their "King" no longer enraged, the subordinates' tense atmosphere relaxed, and they cautiously began to investigate the food.
Some even dared to approach and sample it.
A shared feline trait: a penchant for playing with danger.
"Meow-roar!"
Matatabi roared furiously at them, his massive body towering like a mountain in their eyes.
They all retreated, understanding the roar's meaning: get lost.
It carried a palpable killing intent and warning.
No cat wanted to die here.
Matatabi defended its food and then began to ponder.
Though not particularly intelligent, it wasn't entirely dim-witted either.
After spending many days with Raj, it had gradually come to understand Raj's true nature: a ruthless miser who would skin his enemies alive after defeating them.
For such a cat to suddenly gift so much food, including a bag of cat food that seemed different from the usual kind, struck Matatabi as deeply suspicious.
"I'll try it first."
Matatabi began eating each item one by one.
Most were delicious, except for the dried fish and ramen.
The dried fish was the most ordinary kind, while the ramen proved a true test of its paw dexterity.
Though the broth was flavorful, the noodles were simply impossible to manage.
Finally, there was the cat food before it.
'To eat it, or not to...'
'Eat it!'
Matatabi tore open the bag and licked all the cat food into its mouth in one gulp.
So fragrant~
What is this texture? And this power...
The next moment, Matatabi's eyes rolled back, and its massive body collapsed, sprawling unconscious across the Tenshu Pavilion.
No cat could withstand the initial surge of Natural Energy upon first exposure, and Matatabi was no exception.
Raj didn't possess any remote sensing abilities, but he was certain that the gluttonous cat would devour the cat food.
Once it tasted the food, it would recognize Raj's power and work even harder.
However, at the moment, Raj had no time to monitor the white cat's progress.
A treasure trove lay before him, ripe for the taking.
If his hypothesis proved correct, he would secure a stable source of Points within Konoha.
Could there be anything more glorious in the world?
Therefore, the experiment took absolute priority.
However, Shibi Aburame proved difficult to approach.
It wasn't that he was so "transparent" that even Raj couldn't detect him; rather, as a Jonin, he had entered Jiraiya's tent.
Thus, Raj crouched outside the tent, pondering a dilemma.
'Should I go in?'
'They clearly didn't welcome me when they dragged me out earlier.'
'But... if I went in, I could probably fleece them for a massive amount of Points, right?'
At this thought, Raj's claws twitched with anticipation.
Before he realized it, he had already crept to a spot outside the tent.
Following the scent, he realized that entering here would lead directly to Shibi Aburame's location.
'It's in!'
Raj gritted its teeth.
For the sake of earning money, enduring public exposure and insults was a worthwhile price to pay.
It slipped under the tent, its movements immediately drawing the attention of the Jonin.
But then they saw the cat's fur bristle, its entire body surging with Chakra.
An incredibly powerful Chakra surge!