Grass Country wasn't large, and the initial infiltration phase focused on gathering intelligence within the Kusagakure.
A large team wasn't necessary; one person and one cat would suffice.
The key was whether this cat could be trusted.
Could Raj be trusted?
From Minato's perspective, Raj was generally reliable, only occasionally dropping the ball, and usually not during critical moments.
Still, Minato remained uneasy.
'Raj is still so young...'
"Relax," Jiraiya said, clapping Minato on the shoulder.
"You were barely ten years old when I first sent you on solo missions. By cat-to-human age comparisons, he's already nearly an adult."
Minato understood Jiraiya's feelings.
When the Third Hokage first assigned Minato a solo mission, Jiraiya had argued fiercely with him, fearing for his disciple's safety.
However, sending Naoki along wasn't about protecting Black Cat.
Cats inherently possess a deceptive nature, and Raj's abilities and intelligence were reliable.
As long as he didn't reveal his powers, no one would suspect he was a Ninja Cat.
Jiraiya had sent Naoki purely to defy Black Cat's wishes.
Whatever Black Cat wanted, Jiraiya would oppose it.
"Teacher, I understand," Minato said, bowing his head.
After a moment of worry, he began pondering how to explain the situation to Rin.
The mission was classified, so he couldn't reveal its details.
'Then... Ugh, this is so annoying!'
Even though Rin was understanding and would likely accept it, he still struggled to find the right words, especially since Raj was only a year old.
At the border of the Land of Fire, Naoki quickly brought Raj to their destination.
"Why aren't we taking the main road, meow?" Raj asked.
"Our Ninja are stationed on the main road, but Kusagakure Ninja might be secretly monitoring the area. Taking that route would greatly increase our chances of being exposed," Naoki said softly.
"Meow~ But I can."
Raj had already stowed away his headband and ornaments, now indistinguishable from an ordinary cat.
No one would pay attention to a common cat darting across the main road from the forest.
At most, they might think, 'This stray cat has ideas. Why leave the Land of Fire to wander all the way to Grass Country...?'
Naoki pondered for a moment, then nodded.
"Then take the main road. I'll observe from the shadows and meet you in Grass Country after you've crossed."
"Meow?"
'A flawless plan!'
Raj sighed.
Inwardly, he had hoped to slip away under this pretext, but it seemed Jonin were Jonin for a reason.
Even with the "Special" designation, he couldn't easily fool them.
'No one's a fool here. Well, time to get back to work.'
Raj patted Naoki's shoulder, pressed a seal onto it, and then darted down the mountain at full speed.
Along the way, he deliberately used the Transformation Technique to disguise himself as a pitiful cat with patchy fur.
The main road was the same trade route they had used before.
The terrain here had been altered by the previous battle, but most of the sand and debris had been cleared away by the ninja, leaving it largely unchanged.
However, many trees had been broken, reducing the available cover and concealment.
Raj advanced cautiously, secretly sniffing the air.
Just as Naoki had said, numerous Grass Ninja were hidden in the area.
Approaching directly would certainly draw attention, but a stray cat would hardly raise an eyebrow.
Crossing the main road, Raj officially entered Grass Country.
Naoki remained unseen, but Raj knew he was nearby.
The man made no attempt to conceal his presence, a critical oversight for a Special Jonin skilled in assassination.
Naoki undoubtedly possessed the ability to mask his aura, meaning this was deliberate.
Everything was meticulously planned, a testament to his extensive experience in covert operations.
Raj mentally scoffed, then continued his pursuit at a leisurely pace.
Perhaps Naoki was testing Raj's capabilities.
His aura initially flowed smoothly, but later became intermittent.
Little did he know, Raj had already marked him with a Ninja Cat version of the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Through the mark's resonance, Raj could pinpoint Naoki's exact location: the man was perched on a mountain peak not far ahead.
He wanted to play, and Raj was happy to oblige.
As they neared the location, the cat seemed to lose its scent trail and began circling aimlessly.
Behind them, Naoki grew anxious, wondering if he hadn't left enough of his scent, allowing it to dissipate.
'Surely not.'
Even the Inuzuka Clan's dogs could manage this.
He began to doubt himself.
But in the blink of an eye, the cat vanished.
'Where did it go?'
Naoki immediately rushed forward, approaching cautiously to investigate.
Only then did he spot the cat, its camouflage blending perfectly with the surrounding bushes, hiding within the foliage.
'Tricked by a cat...'
The Cat emerged, shaking its head leisurely.
"Meow~ Two squads in total."
"Two squads? Kusagakure really has too much time on their hands..." Naoki muttered under his breath.
Kusagakure, a tiny village, might have a decent population, but its ninja force was relatively small.
Deploying eight ninja here solely to monitor Konoha's road conditions seemed like an absurd waste of resources.
This showed that Kusagakure's internal resolve wasn't unwavering.
To Raj, this was perfectly normal.
If a company hadn't given you a raise after several years, switching jobs to increase your market value was a logical move.
However, if your new employer was defeated by your old one, enduring even harsher conditions than before was to be expected.
Every reward comes with its risks.
"Where do we go next, meow?"
"We'll disguise ourselves as locals and wander around the town. We can split up temporarily, but we must stay within the same town. Understand?"
Naoki crouched down.
While some of their previous exchanges had been jokes or casual banter, this instruction was delivered with utmost seriousness.
Raj nodded.
When undertaking missions, strict adherence to rules was paramount.
Even if they were desperate for Points, they couldn't afford to treat this lightly.
Otherwise, forget about being promoted to Jonin-they'd be lucky not to be demoted from their Special Jonin rank.
"Excellent. There's a town ahead. We'll split up here and regroup there."
"Meow!"
Naoki nodded, made a "disperse" gesture, and vanished in an instant using the Body Flicker Technique.
Raj sensed that Naoki hadn't gone far.
He had merely used the Body Flicker Technique to accelerate his departure while simultaneously employing some kind of invisibility or chakra concealment technique to hide ahead.
'Sigh, why bother?'
Still, Raj understood.
Everyone wanted to show off, especially a seasoned Special Jonin like Naoki, who naturally felt compelled to demonstrate his abilities to the newcomers.
Otherwise, wouldn't humans be no different from cats?
If it weren't for the Flying Thunder God Technique's spatial mark, Raj might have actually been fooled.
Though he hesitated to expose the ruse, the lure of Points...
Raj sprinted past Naoki's position, letting the man bask in his momentary satisfaction.
Then, he suddenly doubled back, leaping into the air and landing squarely on Naoki's shoulder.
'Failed again...'