"ow?"
Nekomata was completely lost.
What was happening? Why was this woman circling him, patting his paw like they were old friends?
Takeshi put on a troubled expression. When Tsunade glanced his way, he was ready with an explanation. "I've been promoted to Jonin, so he's technically Rin's assistant now. Besides, he's a loyal subordinate, I don't have the authority to just give him away."
'Perfect,' Takeshi thought, giving himself a ntal thumbs-up. He'd covered all his bases, even using Rin as a shield. Whatever happened to Nekomata now, he wouldn't be the one getting punched for it.
"ow... what are you two talking about?" the two-tailed cat asked, his tail held high as he stared warily between Tsunade and Takeshi.
He didn't know the details, but one thing was certain: he had been tricked, and tricked badly. He knew the signs. That gentle, reasonable tone was the one Takeshi always used right before he was about to screw soone over. Normally, he didn't bother with reason at all.
"Simply put," Tsunade said, her voice sohow fierce and audacious, "I want to adopt you."
Nekomata didn't look like he could handle that kind of affection.
"Actually," Tsunade continued, a thoughtful look in her eyes, "I was originally thinking of getting a pig. A long-term investnt. But I've always had a soft spot for cats, I can even understand what they're saying. I never imagined I'd find a creature that looks like both."
Her obvious fondness only made Nekomata more terrified. He shivered, its fur bristling as he arched his back and hissed at her. "ow! Don't co any closer!"
"Excellent. You seem very lively." Tsunade stretched her fists, and her knuckles cracked ominously. *Crack, crack.*
Nekomata's body erupted in sharp spikes as his fur grew rapidly, a living cage of hair rushing to bind Tsunade. Wild Lion's Mane Jutsu.
But...
*Boom!*
One punch. The hardened fur snapped, and the cat went flying.
Nekomata sailed through the air, but before he could even hit the ground, Tsunade was suddenly in front of him again. In a panic, he opened his mouth and spat a jet of water.
Water Release: Water Bullet Jutsu.
It was useless. With her monstrous strength and incredible speed, there was almost nothing Tsunade was afraid to et head-on.
Another punch shattered the column of water into a fine mist.
"Nice! I didn't know you could use jutsu. Again!" Tsunade shouted, her voice ringing with excitent.
*Thud.* Nekomata was launched into the sky.
He didn't dare make himself bigger, that would only make him an easier target. Instead, Nekomata reversed his thinking and shrank, becoming smaller and faster, managing to dodge a few of her attacks. But his speed was nothing compared to Takeshi's.
Tsunade couldn't catch Takeshi, but catching Nekomata was no problem at all.
"Amazing... this ninja cat that can use ninjutsu. Even Orochimaru-sama's notes never ntioned this," Kabuto murmured from the sidelines, already scribbling furiously in his notebook.
Watching Nekomata get pumled, Takeshi felt a faint pang of sympathy. 'I'll have to help him get stronger later,' he mused. 'If he goes down too easily, Tsunade will get bored. And her... oppressive attention should be just the motivation Nekomata needs to improve. Perfect.'
"Speaking of which," Kabuto asked in a low voice, still writing, "is it really alright to treat your subordinate this way?"
"What do you an? Tsunade is perfect for him. She can look after him and push him to get stronger. Once he's as fast as , he can just run away," Takeshi replied without a trace of guilt. What was the point of having subordinates if you couldn't ss with them? Especially a stubborn one like this.
"As long as you're both happy," Kabuto chuckled softly.
Tsunade was clearly in a bad mood today, and with a bit of alcohol in her system, she was acting completely unrestrained. But... it felt real. Ever since Kabuto had started studying dical ninjutsu, Tsunade's na was the one he'd heard most. From proposing dic-nin squads to perfecting the entire dical Ninjutsu system and developing techniques to heal entire armies, she was a legend.
In a way, Tsunade was one of his idols. Or half of one, at least. Kabuto's dream was to beco an expert in treating ninja beasts and pets, a field Tsunade had clearly never ventured into.
*Boom!* Another punch.
Nekomata lay on the ground, his legs trembling. But there was no blood. Tsunade imdiately crouched beside him, her hands glowing with the green chakra of dical ninjutsu.
'Pathetic,' Takeshi thought with a sigh, feeling a tiny spark of guilt. But only a tiny one.
"Well?" Tsunade asked, once the healing was done. "Do you give up?"
Nekomata nodded weakly. Unlike a normal Summoning Jutsu, a Reverse Summoning couldn't be canceled at will. He had no choice but to submit.
He was filled with hatred. His resentful gaze fixed on the black cat standing off to the side. If looks could kill, Takeshi would have died a thousand tis over.
"Alright, now," Takeshi said with a helpful flick of his ear. "This is Tsunade-sama. She's a forr teammate of that person with snake eyes you t before."
Nekomata's eyes widened. He glanced over and saw Kabuto again.
'It's over for ,' he thought, already mourning his fate.
"Oh, so you've even t Orochimaru? Interesting," Tsunade said. "Don't worry, I'm not like him. Stick with , and you'll eat well and drink well. As long as I have food, you won't go hungry." She patted her chest, making a grand promise.
Nekomata, not knowing her reputation, seed cautiously optimistic. He would learn soon enough that when Tsunade was on the road, she was mostly racking up debt. The "eating well and drinking well" was an empty promise. The only true part was the very last sentence: 'if' she had food, he wouldn't starve. Which ant if she didn't, it was up to Nekomata to find so.
A very realistic situation. Takeshi had no intention of spoiling the surprise. So things were best discovered on your own.
"Don't worry, you won't regret this," Tsunade said, rubbing his head. She casually pulled out a leftover bag of the special ninja-cat ration pills she'd made earlier.
Nekomata sniffed it cautiously. he seed edible.
So, he ate one.
It was actually good. It restored chakra and even seed to have a slight body-strengthening effect. 'This is great!' Nekomata's eyes brightened.
Takeshi hid a smile. Tsunade had already figured out the creature's greedy nature. This was a sure win.
"Co on," Tsunade said happily, scooping the cat up. "Let's go get you registered."
Once he was officially hers, she could "train" with him every day. This cat was strong and tough, she wouldn't have to worry about him breaking. So much easier to care for than an ordinary black cat. It's why she'd changed her mind about getting a pig.
"Ah, so happy for you. I'm almost envious," Takeshi said with a flick of his tail, his voice dripping with false sympathy.
Kabuto glanced at him, a faint smile on his lips. "The next ti an opportunity for such 'happiness' arises, please be sure to exclude . I'm quite happy as I am."
"Hey! Whatever Tsunade does is her own business!" Takeshi protested, slapping a paw on the ground.
===============
Dear Readers and Fans,
For those eager to dive into next Chapters earlier before others, I invite you to join us on Patreon. By becoming our Patron, you not only gain access to exclusive advanced Chapters but also help us continue this endeavour and expand it further.
spat reon/8Ashes8
(no space)
You can read upto 7 Chapters in advance.
Reviews
All reviews (0)