Learning Sage Mode isn't something you do overnight.
Even Jiraiya had struggled for years to perfect it, and his version was still incomplete, not truly mastered. Takeshi certainly didn't expect Rin to achieve it instantly.
Not everyone had a cheat, after all. He only managed the Sage Mode training so quickly thanks to his system and some luxury cat food. Otherwise, he likely would have been struggling for a long time too.
Returning to the Ninja Cat Fortress, he found Kanna still lingering nearby.
"Meow?"
"I forgot to ask earlier," Kanna said softly. "Would you like a massage? I finished reading that booklet you gave me and learned a few techniques."
'Massage? Good!' Takeshi turned his head, affecting nonchalance. "Mrow! Since you're offering, go ahead."
He settled onto the chair coolly, as if it made no difference to him whether he got a massage or not. Kanna didn't call out his act, simply returning to her room to fetch her tools, which consisted of some cloths she had woven herself.
'What a good kid.' Takeshi watched her out of the corner of his eye, sighing inwardly. Those Kusagakure shinobi... absolute monsters, to even think of harming such a gentle soul.
Soon, Kanna began kneading his torso.
Her technique wasn't as polished as Kabuto's, perhaps, but her hands were significantly softer. She was a gentle girl, after all, and carried a pleasant scent that had Takeshi purring contentedly.
'Very nice!' Takeshi thoroughly enjoyed it. He simultaneously hardened his resolve: when the fighting between Konoha and Iwa truly began, he would definitely make Kusagakure pay. Those bastards would suffer losses, at the very least, their leader, needed to disappear.
While she worked, Kanna updated him on the training progress of the four ninja cats, though Nekomata, that dope, had simply gone back, eaten cat food, and fallen asleep, giving Takeshi no chance to teach him anything.
Overall, things were going well.
Takeshi flexed his claws contentedly. After the massage, feeling relaxed, he headed back to Konoha.
It was around noon.
'Wonder how Kakashi and Guy are holding up.' It was their first day on the job, he couldn't just abandon them entirely. A little check-in seemed appropriate.
But upon finding them, Takeshi realized his concern was entirely misplaced.
They were planting rice seedlings.
The twist? The three of them were doing it while performing handstands, using one hand for balance and the other to place the seedlings in the mud.
'Kakashi, you really know how to have fun.'
Not only that, but a glance at his system panel showed his today's Points had increased by several hundred. Whether it was Kakashi or Guy contributing more, he wasn't sure, but it didn't matter. As long as the Points were rolling in, he was doing something right.
For the next three days, Takeshi didn't reappear.
The Points income shown on the system panel steadied, climbing from just a few hundred on the first day to over seven, then eight hundred per day. They had quickly become his most reliable source of Points.
If only days like these could last forever.
But after just three days, developments arose.
One involved Kakashi.
He was still far from mastering the base Chidori, but he had somehow managed to develop the Chidori Katana technique first. For now, though, he could only effectively channel it through his Lightning Fangs, Kiba, a standard chakra blade wouldn't suffice.
Of course, that wasn't the real problem.
Basically, Kakashi had come to give him a hard time, reminding him that he was "getting paid to do a job" and that, as a Jonin, he should actually be working.
The other development was news from Amegakure.
According to Asui, their contact there, Yahiko's group seemed to have made contact with Hanzo's people, though the specifics remained unclear.
To avoid Nagato's Rinnegan detecting them, Takeshi had specifically told his contacts not to get too close, meaning immediate, detailed information was hard to come by.
One thing was certain: Yahiko and the others had definitely exchanged messages or met with Hanzo's subordinates. Whether further direct contact would happen was uncertain.
Takeshi mulled it over. He felt he needed to go there himself. This was directly linked to setting up Danzo's downfall and his future plans, he couldn't afford any mistakes.
--**--**
At the border of Amegakure.
Yahiko held a letter, flanked by Konan and Nagato.
"Are you sure, this is from Hanzo-sama?" Konan murmured.
"If I'm right, it should be," Yahiko replied in a low voice. "They must have left some way to monitor us here."
The letter in his hand was from Hanzo. It outlined some of Hanzo's visions for peace, included supposedly "heartfelt words," and detailed his own alleged efforts toward achieving it.
Honestly, Yahiko found it somewhat convincing.
If it hadn't been for Takeshi's prior warning, he might have replied already. But now, he had to weigh the consequences carefully.
Nagato's eyes swept the surroundings.
His Rinnegan wasn't fully developed yet, limited mostly to powers of attraction and repulsion. He hadn't even mastered the Rain Tiger at Will Technique, let alone its more advanced applications. Still, his Uzumaki senses were sharp. He scanned carefully, probing with the Rinnegan's power, while Konan focused, sensing for any new paper sheets forming on her body.
A moment later...
A familiar chakra signature rippled nearby, and a single sheet of paper materialized. Konan calmly drew it toward her, absorbing it into her hand before glancing at the message.
"He says he's coming over," she relayed quietly. "Told us not to be surprised, make any noise, or react violently."
"Understood," Yahiko nodded gently.
Nagato kept a kunai ready at his side, but Konan lightly patted his hand, signaling him to relax.
The next second, a figure flickered out of empty space.
In the blink of an eye, a strange creature landed softly on Konan's shoulder. Her heart leaped, and she instinctively almost slapped it away.
If Takeshi hadn't sent the warning, and if Konan hadn't grown up resilient to unsettling sights, she might have screamed.
This was...
"A cockroach?" Yahiko's eyes widened. He looked at Nagato, the group's expert in detecting illusions and transformations.
"No," Nagato said calmly. "It's the black cat."
Recognizing an acquaintance, he lowered his guard slightly, though he remained poised. If the transformed Takeshi made any sudden moves, Nagato would instantly use his attraction power to pull him close.
'The black cat?' Yahiko vaguely recalled the cat's appearance, but more clearly remembered its surprising strength. It seemed they had still underestimated it.
The "cockroach" hopped down onto the small table between them. "Meow~ Hello, everyone."
"Um," Konan began, looking distinctly uncomfortable, "can't you change back?"
Such a potentially cute cat, choosing to appear as a cockroach... it was just repulsive.
"Have to do this to avoid potential watchers, meow. An Elder of our Neko Clan made a prophecy that a boy with the Rinnegan would appear in the ninja world, and his choices would shape its future, meow." Takeshi settled himself on the table.
Transforming into a cockroach served a dual purpose. It helped evade notice, while Black Zetsu was likely preoccupied, it paid to be cautious. Besides...
This form earned him Points. Very important.
He'd just spent a hefty sum purchasing Shadow Clone Jutsu. Even with a five-hundred-Point discount earned through prior understanding of the principles and its inner workings, it had cost five thousand five hundred Points, leaving his savings at a mere sixteen thousand.
Konan and the other two were powerful individuals, he might as well harvest some Points from their reactions. What was the harm? The Shadow Clone didn't feel pain anyway.
'Prophecy?'
'Rinnegan?' Nagato frowned slightly, recalling words from his teacher, Jiraiya-sensei. Jiraiya had told him he possessed the legendary Rinnegan and was destined to influence the ninja world's path, urging him to hold onto his initial desire for peace.
And indeed, they had been striving for peace all these years.
But prophecies were too vague.
"So," Yahiko asked, "your warning about Hanzo-sama and Danzo, that was also from the prophecy?"
"No, meow," Takeshi shook his head, or rather, his cockroach carapace shifted slightly. "That's a deduction based on reliable intelligence."
One had to be judicious when playing the prophet. Attribute everything to prophecy, and soon no one would believe them at all. Nobody could truly foresee the future with perfect accuracy, not even the old Sage Toad on Mount Myoboku.
He then elaborated on the recent history of cooperation between Amegakure and Konohagakure, carefully explaining the factional divides within Konoha to prevent the Akatsuki trio from lumping all of Konoha together as enemies.
Yahiko listened intently.
With sufficient intelligence, it was indeed logical to suspect a conspiracy, potentially orchestrated by Danzo. Otherwise, why would Demi-God Hanzo, who had tolerated Akatsuki's presence for so long, suddenly reach out now?
This was precisely the conclusion Takeshi wanted them to reach.
'Danzo must die.' With his system, Takeshi knew his abilities would only grow. Danzo's continued presence would complicate matters immensely. Who knew when the old warhawk might decide Takeshi himself was a threat to be eliminated under some trumped-up charge? Judging by Tsunade and the Third Hokage's reactions during their last encounter, Danzo had already tried to push for it.
"Understood, meow?" Takeshi chirped.
The three nodded. Talking to a cockroach was bizarre, but the information was vital. Enduring the strangeness was a small price to pay.
Yahiko thought for a moment, then spoke. "We still intend to meet with Hanzo-sama. Does your clan possess any abilities to enhance perception or scouting? And... how can we contact you reliably?"
"Meow~ We do have methods, but are you prepared to pay the price?"
"We're willing to ally with your clan," Yahiko stated firmly, showing his shrewdness. "Setting aside prophecies for now, Danzo is our common enemy. That gives us grounds for cooperation, and Akatsuki has value to offer as an ally." He had clearly deduced from Takeshi's warnings that the cat also wanted Danzo gone. The enemy of his enemy...
"Meow~ An official alliance with the Neko Clan isn't feasible, but I can assist you personally," Takeshi clarified. "If you need to contact me, write your message down, leave it in the forest nearby. My kin will retrieve it."
He then described the 'scouting technique', essentially Pain's Rain Tiger at Will Jutsu. It was satisfying, letting Nagato figure out the practical application based on his information.
Nagato didn't question it further. Hearing the principles behind the technique, his mind immediately started working on how to implement it.
The trio possessed considerable talent. After a brief discussion amongst themselves, they already had a preliminary concept. Takeshi took the chance, while they were preoccupied, to dismiss the Shadow Clone.
===============
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