083: Cat-Catching Mission, the Hokage Tower Explodes Again!

One shadow clone would disappear, only for another to pop up immediately. 

Even more outrageous was that, each clone would drop some barbecued meat. 

Soon, the aroma of grilled food surrounded Kurenai.

Grumble!

Finally, Kurenai, who had been starving, succumbed to Natsuki's suggestion to eat first and talk later.

She had just picked up a box of grilled fish and torn it open when a puff of smoke erupted from a nearby portion of barbecued meat. 

It was Natsuki, who had used the Transformation Technique to blend in with the surrounding barbecue. 

With a swift move, he snatched something from Kurenai's waist.

Jingle!

Three bells landed in Natsuki's hands.

"Teacher, you lost. We passed, right?" Natsuki shook the bells.

"Fine, fine, you passed. Today's exercise is over." Kurenai grumbled, taking a bite of her fish. 

"Now, I'm not your teacher, I'm your older sister." She stomped over to Natsuki and, with lightning-fast reflexes, grabbed his ears.

"You think you're so clever, huh? Using so many shadow clones to bully me? Littering food everywhere, hoping I'd make a fool of myself?"

"Ow, ow, ow... Sister, it hurts! I was wrong!

"Let go! Eating is important to survival as well, you can't neglect it! If you don't let go, I'll use my ultimate move! owww!

"You're so mean! I'm going to ask the Hokage for a new teacher!"

Thus, the first day of the survival exercise ended in a squabble.

...

That evening, when Natsuki returned home, he was, without a doubt, subjected to another round of relentless head-rubbing from his sister.

The next day at 9:00 AM sharp, the entire team assembled, officially marking the formation of Team 8. 

They began their training, focusing on tree climbing, water walking, and chakra control, all while carrying out low-ranking missions for the village.

…

Like that, three months passed in a blink.

The first month was primarily dedicated to training, so they only took on a few D-rank missions to familiarize themselves with the procedures. 

Weeding, chopping wood, finding cats, babysitting...

Today's mission was another cat-catching one. The owner who lost the cat was the same 200-pound plus lady who single-handedly kept the D-rank mission payouts afloat.

The lady adored her cat, nearly smothering it with affection. 

No wonder the poor feline kept running away every other day.

"Argh! When will these annoying D-rank missions end?!" Kiba howled in frustration. 

He loved dogs, not cats. 

He had envisioned a more exciting life as a Genin, not something even more boring than the Academy.

Standing atop a roof, Natsuki surveyed the surroundings. 

"Beastmaster of Retribution!" he shouted. "Don't underestimate our target! I sense the evil presence once again! Use your Beast to locate the lair of this evil!"

Kiba shuddered at Natsuki's words. 

Passersby on the street below cast concerned glances upward.

Thump!

I want to die! Kiba groaned internally. I've boarded a sinking ship! What the hell was I thinking?!

He felt as if an arrow had pierced his knee, he staggered. 

Mustering all his courage, he raised his arm weakly. "A...Akamaru...Beast o-of retribution...attack!"

According to Natsuki, only this could unlock Akamaru's true potential.

Whimper, Akamaru, my friend, I'm sorry. It's all to make you stronger! Don't falter!!

"Woof!"

The little puppy Akamaru barked excitedly, sniffing left and right. 

He quickly picked up the scent and took off running. After turning two corners, they found their target. 

It was basking lazily in the sun on a wooden barrel with another small cat.

Natsuki appeared on the rooftop once more. "Indeed! My Eyes of Death have detected the evil! Beast, surrender yourself and allow us to exorcise your wickedness!"

"Meow!" The plump orange cat, overfed by its owner, instantly puffed up its fur. 

To the side, without a second thought for its new chubby friend, the little cat bolted.

The chubby cat recognized these people with headbands. 

They kept coming to capture it and return it to its demonic owner. 

"Akamaru!" Kiba shouted.

Akamaru lunged forward. 

The fat orange cat, with surprising agility, leaped high into the air, its plump body avoiding Akamaru's attack as it sailed towards the wall of a neighboring yard.

"Now! First Mage, use Universal Pull!"

"Right!" Hinata responded instantly, extending her right palm.

The fat cat's trajectory changed abruptly, pulled by an unseen force, landing squarely in Hinata's hands. 

Its little paws flailed wildly but it was held firmly by the scruff of its neck, it couldn't escape.

"You have nowhere to run now, beast!" Natsuki landed beside them, flicking the cat's head.

"Meow!" The cat drooped its ears, seemingly resigned to its fate.

"Alright, let's go back and turn in the mission," Kurenai said, taking the cat from Hinata.

The mission was simple, but the commotion caused by Natsuki and the others had onlookers believing they'd captured a tailed beast. 

It did, however, inject some much-needed excitement into an otherwise dull task.

"Teacher, this is an evil beast!" Natsuki insisted, shaking his head. 

He took the cat from Kurenai. With a blur of hand movements, he bound the cat tightly with a sack, like a dumpling. "There, now it's safe."

Kurenai rolled her eyes at the sight of the pitiful-looking cat with only its little head poking out.

Arriving at the Hokage Tower to submit their report, they found the office door wide open. 

The Third Hokage was puffing away on his pipe.

"Teacher, we can't go in," Natsuki said with a serious expression. "If this evil beast absorbs these toxic fumes, it will go completely berserk."

Before Kurenai could respond, an ANBU member stationed by the door swiftly took away the bundled-up cat, chuckling softly.

"It's alright. Even the strongest beast can be subdued by Lord Hokage." 

Clearly, they were familiar with Natsuki's team.

Natsuki nodded. "I see! Then we'll leave it to you."

No one noticed the subtle blush that appeared on Natsuki's face. It was hard to get used to killing yourself socially after all.

"Apologies," Kurenai said, rapping Natsuki on the head.

"Please don't mind him, he's just being childish." She quickly ushered her team away. 

There were no more missions for the afternoon; it was time for training, and perhaps a chance to discipline her younger brother.

The ANBU member brought the cat inside, preparing to return it to the mission issuer.

"Was that Kurenai's team just now?" Hiruzen asked, setting down his paperwork and looking up. "What did those little ones say?"

"It was Kurenai's team. Same as last time, they claimed the cat is an evil beast," the ANBU replied respectfully. "They also said it would go berserk if it inhaled the smoke."

Hiruzen, who had just taken a puff, chuckled and shook his head. 

"They're still a bunch of kids, after all." He absentmindedly exhaled a puff of smoke towards the bound-up cat on his desk.

"Meow!"

"Yowl!!"

"Roar!!!"

The cat bristled, trying to swat away the smoke with its paws, but the ropes restrained it.

Its eyes suddenly turned red! Its face contorted, becoming increasingly monstrous, and its body rapidly expanded.

Snap!

The ropes broke. 

The cat's body swelled, crushing the desk beneath it. 

Hiruzen and the nearby ANBU stared in wide-eyed shock at this scene which went against every sense of reality they understood..

"En...Enemy attack! Protect Lord Hokage!"

"Oh no! It really is an evil beast!!!!" The ANBU, remembering who he was, reacted instantly, drawing a kunai and shouting.

The cat, now over three meters long and no longer resembling a feline, continued to grow, radiating a bloodthirsty, primal aura. 

Several shurikens bounced harmlessly off its thick hide.

"Roar!!!"

With an earth-shattering roar, the Hokage Tower exploded...once again!

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