Shibi Aburame desperately wanted to say those words, but seeing the cat's agile movements and perfectly fluid grace, he hesitated.
Though he was an Elite Chunin, this cat showed no sign of fearing such a rank.
Otherwise, his insects wouldn't be so anxious and terrified.
Fine, fine. A step back opens up a wider path.
While Shibi retreated, Raj remained firm.
Perched on his shoulder, the cat's instinctive senses detected the agitation and unease emanating from its "mount" below.
Part of it came from the insects, but some also originated from Shibi Aburame himself.
"Senior Hizashi is searching to the left up ahead. How about we head right?"
"Agreed."
Kakashi was completely focused on the mission.
Upon hearing the order, he immediately turned right, simultaneously summoning his smallest Summoned Beast, Pakkun.
Pakkun's combat abilities were minimal, requiring little Chakra to summon.
His true value lay in his communication skills, making him an excellent tracking dog.
However, the moment Pakkun appeared, he tilted his head, spotting Raj perched on the ninja's shoulder ahead.
He stared blankly at Kakashi, then whispered, "Isn't Lord Raj here? Why did you summon me?"
'Lord Raj...?'
Kakashi felt his expression stiffen.
This dog was truly embarrassing him.
It was one thing to cower against eight opponents earlier, but now, with no backup, he was calling the cat "Lord"?
Is there a more cowardly dog in the world?
He considered whether to have Pakkun 'recycled' or hand him over to the Inuzuka Clan for proper training.
'Oh no!'
Pakkun's timidity and intelligence meant his thoughts ran deeper.
Sensing his master was plotting something unpleasant, he quickly added, "Of course, it's my honor to help find them, woof! I'll start searching right away."
With that, Pakkun darted forward.
Kakashi followed expressionlessly, his face hidden behind his mask, making it impossible for others to read his emotions.
Raj ahead nearly burst out laughing.
'This dumb dog is such a treat for cats!'
Not only had Pakkun contributed some Points himself, but he'd also indirectly helped the cat snatch a bunch more from Kakashi.
Just as it was about to turn back and deliver a taunt, it suddenly caught a faint sound.
Barely audible, but distinct enough for a cat's keen ears.
Raj tilted his head, listened intently, then immediately leaped off Shibi Aburame's shoulder and followed the sound.
Shibi Aburame initially beamed with delight, but a second later, he realized -
"Follow him!"
Obito reacted first.
He knew Raj too well.
Though the Dead Cat usually acted like a jerk, he was surprisingly reliable in critical moments, never letting anyone down.
In this regard, even their Jonin teacher fell slightly short.
Raj must have discovered something.
Raj continued tracking the sound.
Not long after, Pakkun picked up a scent.
"There's a very peculiar smell here," he announced.
"Meow~ You dumb dog, that's the smell of Puppets," Raj retorted.
Raj stopped and turned to look at Shibi Aburame.
Shibi had just arrived and, upon seeing the cat staring at him, inexplicably panicked.
In the end, Kakashi had to pull out a signal flare and launch it into the sky.
"Meow~ You call yourself a captain?"
Raj's gaze shifted to disdain.
'With such poor composure, no wonder you'll never make history. Kakashi and Obito are far more reliable.'
"..."
Shibi didn't know what to say.
He silently adjusted his glasses, offering no rebuttal, defense, or anger.
'Follow the procedure: locate the target, fire the signal flare, and that's it. They wouldn't assign me a combat mission against the enemy anyway.'
The Little Black Cat seemed perfectly content.
But less than a minute later, a figure appeared with a whoosh - the sound of a Jonin-level ninja using the Body Flicker Technique to accelerate their arrival.
Of course, ordinary people wouldn't recognize the sound.
Hizashi Hyuga.
He had arrived remarkably quickly, his speed rivaling even Minato's.
Though Minato's Flying Thunder God Technique was swift, he always seemed to arrive a second or two late at crucial moments - a trait that thoroughly annoyed the cat.
Shibi Aburame lowered his head to glance at Raj, as if seeking its opinion.
The man and cat locked eyes for a few seconds, but the cat's expression only grew more disdainful.
The Chunin Ninja took a deep breath, straightened up, and said, "Senior Hizashi, we've detected the scent of Sunagakure ninjas."
"I see them. Also, I'll borrow this cat for a bit."
Without waiting for a response, Hizashi Hyuga scooped Raj onto his shoulder and vanished with a whoosh, leaving Obito standing bewildered in the wind.
He had been on a mission with Raj, so now that Raj was gone, what was he supposed to do?
This was a question worth pondering deeply.
"Pakkun, go help Obito. I'll call for the other ninja dogs. We're changing direction now to avoid crossing paths with Senior Hizashi and Raj."
"Woof woof! Kakashi, you can't do this to me! I don't want to-"
Pakkun yelped in terror, but reality waits for no one.
Before he could finish, he was already being tossed toward Obito like a discarded rag doll, the motion a mix of decisiveness and a hint of disgust.
Kakashi and Shibi Aburame headed off in one direction, deliberately diverging slightly to avoid overlapping search areas.
The remaining awkward pair - Obito and Pakkun - stared at each other.
"We're both Dead Lasts," Obito said.
"Looks like neither of us has any right to look down on the other."
"Woof! I'm not a Dead Last!" Pakkun retorted.
As the most intelligent of the Eight Ninja Dogs, Pakkun also possessed the strongest sensory abilities.
But...
The thought of that cat instantly darkened his mood.
It wasn't just being inferior to others that hurt the most, but being inferior in every way.
This left him with no excuses, forcing him to admit he was simply useless.
Obito didn't bother arguing.
He deftly tossed the small dog onto his shoulder.
He already had a plan to she'd his "Dead Last" reputation, while this dog clearly had little chance of ever surpassing Raj in certain areas.
The difference in their bloodlines was simply too vast.
Thus, he kept a biting remark to himself: 'I'm not looking down on you, so why are you looking down on me?'
Spending time with Raj had unconsciously sharpened Obito's tongue, but he couldn't bring himself to inflict further pain on Pakkun.
He swallowed the words back down.
Ahead, Raj lay draped over Hizashi's shoulder, his claws twitching with a primal urge to sink into Hizashi's throat.
'Why does no one ever ask a cat's opinion? I didn't want to come!'
Dealing with the venomous creatures of Sunagakure was far from pleasant.
Given the choice, he'd much rather lurk in the rear than face the battlefield.
"Hmm... Little one, if you help me with this mission, I'll request a commendation for you when we return."
Hizashi's senses were sharp; he could tell this cat was deeply unhappy and seemed rather difficult to handle.
"I'm just a cat," Raj said weakly.
"That doesn't matter. We can still record it in your name... The enemy is ahead. Please search the other side and alert me if you detect any scents."
With that, Hizashi Hyuga gently flicked Raj off his shoulder.
The force was gentle enough that the fall wouldn't harm a cat, but Raj was still thoroughly displeased.
"When we return to the village, I'll invite you to visit the Hyuga clan."
'Huh? Visit? Now you've got my attention!'