Boom…
The heavy thud of footsteps…
In the living room, Inuzuka Ryoto flinched and sat up, reflexively turning off the television. His nose twitched as he began to meticulously draw in the scent lingering in the air.
That scent…
Mom's scent! The tigress has returned!
At that moment, five large hounds, who had been feigning sleep on the floor, sat bolt upright. One of the dogs, as white as a wolf, let out a warning yelp in Ryoto's direction before calmly and gracefully lowering its head again. This was Smarty's mother, Hakura, a ninja hound left behind by Ryoto's late father. Near her, at a slight distance, sat her mate, a large black hound named Kuroko—a good-natured and somewhat timid dog. The other three were their children, Smarty's older siblings: Tamago, Kenshin, and Kurogane. Tamago was the eldest sister. They were easily distinguishable by their appearance: Tamago had yellow fur, Kenshin had inherited his mother's white coat but with a black "sleeve" on one of his paws, and Kurogane was entirely black.
As large ninja hounds, they were all enormous: more than three meters in length, over two meters at the withers, and weighing more than half a ton. In size, they resembled elephants. However, due to ninja techniques, this was not their maximum size; they were currently in a reduced state, appearing about the height of a human and looking more like wolves than dogs. In any case, they all belonged to the canid family, so there wasn't much difference. Their main characteristic was an exceptional appetite.
Ryoto leaped from the sofa in a single bound and, sliding across the floor on his knees, obediently settled himself before the coffee table. Today was his first day of school… What is a diligent child supposed to do? Homework? But where were his textbooks? Ryoto glanced at his dog-sister, who was wagging her tail and drooling with an innocent look.
Noticing his gaze, Smarty barked:
"I smell beef!!!"
Ah, beef for dinner tonight… Excellent! But could it be sukiyaki again? Mom's culinary talents, to put it mildly, left much to be desired… It wasn't that her cooking was bad, just that she knew far too few dishes. Ryoto was tormented by doubt: should he reveal his own cooking skills? Hmm, not yet…
"I'm home…" A voice, cold and seemingly a little angry, drifted from the entryway before its owner appeared.
Ryoto's heart skipped a beat. Who had managed to anger the tigress? Before he could answer, the dogs in the house erupted in barks, which were immediately answered by another pack. His mother then entered the living room, followed by seven wolf-like hounds. She placed large and small bags of groceries on the floor and fixed Ryoto, who was sitting obediently on his knees, with a gaze as sharp as a knife.
Everything inside Ryoto clenched. Had he angered her again? A docile and innocent smile immediately blossomed on his face.
"Welcome home, Mom!" he chirped sweetly, blinking his large eyes charmingly in an attempt to awaken her maternal love.
Her black hair was gathered into a tight, high ponytail. With her dark hair and eyes, she was a true long-haired beauty. Her stern yet beautiful adult face exuded a wild, piercing beauty, like a cold wind, reminiscent of a wildflower blooming on a mountaintop. Ryoto always thought his mother had a face like the handsome men and beautiful women of the Uchiha Clan.
"Tell me what you've done this time."
Inuzuka Rin, a jōnin of Konoha, head of the ninja-beast medical squad under the Konoha Medical Department, and the head of the Inuzuka Clan.
"I didn't do anything…"
This was bad! Ryoto discreetly pinched his dog-sister sitting beside him. Lying on the floor, she guiltily covered her muzzle with her paws, her entire demeanor suggesting she knew nothing.
"Is that so…" the tigress sneered. She sized Ryoto up and, picking up the groceries, said, "Today we're celebrating your first day of school. Don't make me spank you on such a joyous day."
Ryoto tactically leaned back, sucking in a breath. She was really capable of it… This was no joke… But…
"I don't understand what you're talking about, Mother," Ryoto said, innocently blinking his large eyes. "If I have done something wrong, please present the evidence. If you hit me without proof, I will protest."
Rin stared coldly at Ryoto for a moment. She had no proof. She turned, opened the refrigerator, and said:
"We'll have dinner first, and I'll deal with you later."
She knew her child like the back of her hand. In five years, she had thoroughly studied his character. But her child was special, very special. From the moment he was born, he was different from other children. When other babies cried and asked for milk, this little one could already drink sake. Ryoto was unusual. But as for the teacher's words about his genius… How to put it… Pulling out a bottle of sake, Rin shifted her gaze to Smarty. Someone else was the genius.
To maintain the Human Beast Mimicry for an entire day without any visible flaws was something not every ninja hound was capable of. And she had never even trained Suzu. Suzu was her official name; Smarty was the nickname that scoundrel Ryoto had given her. This meant her son had known about Smarty's genius for a long time. As for Ryoto himself, Rin had always considered him a complete idiot whose actions were often utterly reckless, though not without flashes of brilliance. Besides, her woman's intuition told her that Ryoto seemed to have been playing her all this time. Especially when it came to their "loving mother and devoted son" relationship. And he was hiding a lot from her.
Lost in thought, Rin poured herself a glass of sake and happened to notice ice cubes in the corner of the refrigerator with a note that read, "For Ryoto." She took them and dropped three cubes into her glass.
"Mom!!!" Ryoto watched her actions, hesitant to speak.
Rin turned to him and grunted coldly, "Hm!? What is it?"
"Aren't you on your… period?" Ryoto mumbled, mustering his courage. "Cold things are bad for you; you should drink more hot water."
This boy cares about me. Rin's heart warmed. He's my flesh and blood, after all. But then… Wait!!! Her eyebrows shot up as Rin's gaze bored into Ryoto. He lowered his head meekly, not daring to meet her eyes. This boy is tracking my cycle!!!
Narrowing her eyes, Rin took a sip of the sake. The drink touched the tip of her tongue, and her heightened senses of taste and smell activated simultaneously. Her brows immediately furrowed. She stared at Ryoto and, swirling the ice cubes in her glass, asked in an icy tone:
"What is this! Huh!? Ryoto-kun!"
The corner of Rin's lip twitched, and a vein bulged on her forehead. Watching her enraged expression out of the corner of his eye, Ryoto turned away and sighed.
"Little sake-flavored ice candies… My little treat…"
"Haaah!? Good! Very good! Excellent!" Rin burst into a crazed laugh, on the verge of a breakdown. Her hand trembled. She slammed the glass down on a nearby cabinet with force.
That little scoundrel! That little scoundrel! That little scoundrel!!! He's only five years old! How dare he!!! No! Nothing is impossible for him! I've known that for a long time! I can't let my guard down for a second!
Rin clenched her fists and, cracking her knuckles, advanced on Ryoto. Seeing this, Ryoto, without a second thought, lay down on the floor, rolled over, pulled down his pants, and presented his rear.
"Go on, Mom, I'm ready. Hit me, as long as it makes you happy."
Good grief… What does he mean, "as long as it makes you happy"! My stomach is starting to hurt! Looking at this scene, Rin let out a piercing scream of desperation:
"Aaaaaaaah!!!"
She jumped on the spot and took off her slipper!
"You super-idiot!!! Today, I'll show you what I'm made of!!!"
"Mom, you know I'll just do it again next time."
"Aaaah!!! Shut up!!!"
Hakura and Kuroko watched the scene with schadenfreude. Kenshin, apparently recalling something unpleasant, trembled violently. Kurogane discreetly retreated from the battlefield. Tamago yawned with an air of indifference and boredom, while Smarty buried her muzzle in the floor in fear. The hounds that had been brought home watched the proceedings with curiosity.
It was another noisy day in the Inuzuka Clan. The neighboring relatives of the Inuzuka Clan exchanged glances as they heard Ryoto's loud cries.
"Looks like little Ryoto is having fried meat with a slipper for dinner again."