Chapter 32
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
The moment Raion completed his hand signs, a blazing sphere of flame surged forth—"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
—Huh?
Almost simultaneously, as Raion's fire erupted, the ground before the civet cat warped, forming into a colossal earth dragon. The massive dragon opened its stone maw and devoured the flames whole.
Riding atop the earth dragon's head, the civet cat—sword at its back—looked down on Raion from above, as if the beast could swallow him whole at any moment. The [Earth Dragon Bullet Technique] was a B-rank Earth Style jutsu. Raion hadn't expected this strange little civet cat, who looked almost comical, to be capable of such a feat.
Still, standing before this enormous dragon, Raion showed no fear. Instead, he grinned in delight.
"The creatures in this realm keep surprising me…"
The [Rummy Cat Sword Immortal] gave no reply. Instead, with a flick of its clawed fingers, the earth dragon's maw opened once again and spewed a barrage of mud bombs—a violent storm of hardened earth projectiles that tore through the ground like missiles.
The muddy hail smashed the earth, blasting craters wherever it landed. The area around Raion was soon pockmarked like a sieve. But the Rummy Cat didn't realize—Raion had already vanished before the attack hit, using [Flying Thunder God Slash] to teleport away.
"Rasengan!"
When Raion reappeared, a glowing ball of chakra had already formed in his palm. He drove it straight into the earth dragon's forehead. The attack struck the vital point, and the once-mighty dragon instantly crumbled into rubble. The Rummy Cat was thrown to the ground.
"You defeated the Cat-Tiger Beast… and easily dismantled my Earth Dragon Bullet. As expected from one marked by the 'Faculty.'"
Raion, brushing the dust from his shoulder, asked,"You keep talking about 'Buddha'—who is this Buddha?"
The civet cat didn't answer. Instead, it unsheathed the massive sword on its back.
"Let me test you once more."
Seeing this, Raion also drew the ninja blade from his back, infusing it with lightning chakra. Sparks danced along the edge of the weapon.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The ring of steel echoed as the two clashed in a dazzling display of swordsmanship. Watching from the sidelines, the little tiger-cat saw the Rummy Cat Sword Immortal gradually gain the upper hand. After dozens of exchanges, the civet cat landed a powerful slash that cut Raion's ninja sword in half.
"Huh?"
The battle paused abruptly. An awkward silence filled the air.
Raion dropped the broken blade and lunged forward, chakra swirling in his hand.
The civet cat didn't back down. Its paws formed a sequence of hand seals, and a rocky fist erupted from its chest.
"Earth Style: Rock Fist Jutsu!"
"Big Ball Rasengan!"
The two attacks collided with explosive force, shaking the ground and sending Raion, the civet cat, and the little tiger-cat flying over ten meters. The fight ended in a draw.
Raion stood up and dusted himself off. The Rummy Cat Sword Immortal, brushing off its robes, nodded approvingly.
"Just as the Buddha predicted… You are indeed qualified. Now, if you have questions, ask."
As the words fell, the little tiger-cat leapt back onto Raion's shoulder and licked his cheek.
Raion pointed at the kitten.
"What's the deal with this little guy?"
The civet cat sheathed its sword and explained,"That is the Cat-Tiger Beast, a legendary creature from ancient times. Most of the time, it stays in this small form. Only in special circumstances—like battle—does it reveal its enormous form, like the one you first encountered."
The little tiger-cat purred and nuzzled Raion affectionately. Raion smiled and stroked its head.
"The Cat-Tiger Beast is fiercely loyal. It will forever serve the first person who defeats it. It will never betray you."
Raion looked into its big, trusting eyes and smiled again.
"So from now on, this tiger-cat is your summoned beast," the civet cat continued."You can call it whenever needed. The summoning hand sign sequence is [Yin → Zi → Yin]."
As he spoke, he demonstrated the signs. Raion observed and memorized them.
Raion scratched the kitten's chin.
"I'll be counting on you, Maohuju."
The little beast meowed sweetly in response.
"This realm you're in now exists in a different dimension. Time here stands still relative to your world. In the world of Naruto, you've heard of the three great sage lands, haven't you? Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest. Well, this is also a sacred land—just lesser known."
Raion narrowed his eyes.
"So what are you saying?"
The civet cat's voice dropped, becoming solemn.
"[Sheng Fo Ling]—Sacred Buddha Ridge—is a realm above the three sage lands. The immortals and cultivation here surpass even those of the others."
"Seriously?"
"Indeed. There's the Toad Sage of Mount Myoboku, the White Snake Sage of Ryuchi Cave… and us: the Civet Cat Clan of Sheng Fo Ling."
Raion asked,"So that 'Father' you mentioned—is he also a civet cat?"
The Rummy Cat stroked his chin and nodded."Correct."
"And he's your leader?"
"Yes… in your words, my boss."
Suddenly, it all clicked for Raion. Just like Naruto trained under the toads of Mount Myoboku, this Sheng Fo Ling was the equivalent for him.
"Rummy Cat Sword Immortal… I want to train in [Sage Mode]. Take me to your Father."
The civet cat chuckled."You're not ready yet, kid. Once you return here after reaching the intermediate stage, you'll be able to begin [Sage Mode] training."
So that was it. The system must've designated [Sage Mode] as an advanced-level skill, inaccessible until Raion reached a higher rank.
Still, obtaining the Cat-Tiger Beast was reward enough for now.
Just then, the Rummy Cat Sword Immortal said something that made Raion's eyes light up.
"Our Civet Cat Sage Clan excels in both [Water Style] and [Earth Style] ninjutsu. I can teach them to you."
"Really?"
"Yes. I'll now demonstrate the hand signs for several techniques—pay close attention."
As the civet cat performed the seals, Raion activated his two-tomoe Sharingan, recording every detail.
The techniques demonstrated included:
Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet
Earth Style: Earth Wall
Earth Style: Earth Spear
Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet
Water Style: Water Formation Wall
Raion watched closely, memorizing them all.
Afterward, the civet cat also passed on several secret sword techniques of the Civet Cat Clan. Raion again used his Sharingan to imprint every move into memory.