"To Takeshi's promotion to Jonin! Cheers!"
"Cheers..."
The celebration should have been lively, yet Aizawa Nohara sat slumped in his seat, staring blankly at his drink. His lack of enthusiasm was almost comical—if nothing else, Megumi Nohara figured they'd at least be saving money on alcohol.
Besides, Takeshi becoming a Jonin was a good thing, right? It meant he could finally contribute financially. The Nohara family would never dream of charging a cat rent, but if he could cover his own expenses—maybe buy his own toys or even a separate cat house—that'd be ideal.
Well, a Jonin's income was certainly enough to manage that.
More importantly, Takeshi was like their child. His success filled Megumi, a non-ninja, with immense pride. Her feelings stood in stark contrast to Aizawa's apparent lack of enthusiasm. Who started questioning what was the point of risking his life for 2 decades in this career?
After dinner, Takeshi curled up in his nest, ready to take the next big step—buying Sage Mode.
'Should he bathe first? Of course.' Any major undertaking required proper preparation. Fresh and clean, both physically and mentally. Without hesitation, the black cat padded off to the bathroom.
Aizawa, ever suspicious, narrowed his eyes at Takeshi's sudden movement. But after confirming the feline was only bathing, he returned to his book.
Once he was thoroughly refreshed, Takeshi nestled back into his usual spot, ready to make the purchase.
9,000 points wasn't a small amount, but considering his current wealth, it wasn't devastating either. The real issue was that he had so many things he wanted to buy. Even with 17,000 points left after the purchase, it still didn't feel like enough.
'I need more points.'
But the effect was remarkable. As soon as he made the purchase, a torrent of knowledge flooded his mind. Much of it mirrored Tobirama Senju's research, but there were also significant differences.
No wonder Tobirama Senju never learnt Sage Mode. Apparently, some crucial details were off, leading to flaws in his final deductions…
'These 9000 points were worth every single one,' Takeshi thought.
Had he followed the traditional training method at Mount Myoboku, the risks would've been incredibly high, as their method is intended for toads and even for humans practicing their method they would get toad features, the consequence for cats and other species is far worse, the effort required for learning it is exponentially higher, it's not just that, it also leads to permanent changes, which lead to DNA degradation, cancer overcharged with natural energy leading to eventual death.
The system's method, however, minimized the danger.
That didn't mean the cost wasn't significant.
Takeshi hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly bought for a bag of luxury cat food.
Yes, according to the system's instructions, luxury cat food was the key to unlocking Sage Mode. It served the same function as the toad oil used by Mount Myoboku's sages—helping the body attune to natural energy.
So he had been eating it wrong all this time.
'But how was I supposed to know? There weren't any instructions!'
This system is without any AI or intelligence. Other systems in fanfics and novels would at least give a helpful 'ding!' or a warning message…
[Items purchased from System has risks, purchase with caution.]
"Yeah, no kidding. Wait a second... Is someone there listening?! Someone has been enjoying me suffering here cluelessly all this time!? Get back here you bastard!"
Cursing internally, Takeshi followed the instructions: first, he removed the cushion from his nest, lying directly on the floor to maximize his contact with nature.
Then, he ate the cat food.
A rush of natural energy flooded his body. He could feel it intertwining with his own, seamlessly opening the channels between him and the outside world.
'It was so simple!'
Unlike previously where he wouldn't be able to comprehend what was happening, Takeshi remained fully aware. He could sense the natural energy radiating from the earth, and using the system's method, he carefully guided it into his body.
This was different from before.
Previously, when he ate cat food, his body absorbed it instinctively. He hadn't actively participated in refining the energy. But now, to enter Sage Mode, he had to guide Senjutsu Chakra within in right proportions and balance them with his Spiritual and Physical energies—this was the real challenge, the very thing Jiraiya struggled with, forcing him to rely on the two Sage Toads, Fukasaku and Shima.
As the transformation took hold, Takeshi felt his body enter a strange state—more flexible, more powerful, his senses heightened to an incredible degree.
For example, he could now sense the Third Hokage in his office, peering into his crystal ball.
'Tsk. Staying up this late isn't good for your health, old man.'
Takeshi continued scanning the village. He found Tsunade in a casino—again. But Danzo and his Root operatives were nowhere to be found within Konoha. That… was concerning.
I wonder if I look any different.
He climbed out of the room and tested his movements. His body felt lighter, more responsive. He could even stand on his hind legs and perform more complex maneuvers.
He wasn't ready for the kitty Olympics pommel horse routine, but standing and sprinting felt completely natural.
Of course, running on two legs was still slower than using all four, so this particular enhancement was a bit useless. But at least it was amusing.
Aizawa was still immersed in his book as Takeshi darted toward the bathroom.
'The speed is much faster than Opening the First Gate, and my control is significantly improved. High-speed turns and jumps are now effortless.'
He analyzed the changes carefully.
Standing in front of the mirror, he scrutinized his reflection.
Honestly… not much had changed.
He was still a sleek black cat. The only noticeable difference was a slight shift around the corners of his eyes. His fur also seemed to gleam more in the light, appearing glossier in Sage Mode.
'Good. No change is the best change.'
As a cautious transmigrator, Takeshi understood the principle of making a fortune in silence. Only if others couldn't tell he'd activated Sage Mode could he catch them off guard.
Some people's Sage Mode was so flamboyant, the enemy would know you were using a big move at a glance, giving them time to prepare.
Next, he attempted to store Senjutsu Chakra within his body. He could only retain a portion of it, but that was still a huge advantage.
After releasing Sage Mode, the remaining Senjutsu Chakra would convert into chakra and natural energy and dissipate.
But the small portion that remained was enough to offset half a bag of cat food.
This residual Senjutsu Chakra could be used to open the channel to absorb natural energy the next time he used Sage Mode, saving him from having to eat cat food.
In addition, Takeshi could feel that his body had become even stronger.
'These 9,000 points were definitely worth it.' Takeshi was very satisfied.
Oddly, he wasn't tired at all. He had expected to fall asleep after consuming so much cat food, but instead, he was bursting with energy.
Since sleep wasn't an option, he might as well pay Nekomata a visit.
---
"Huh? Where's Takeshi?"
"Probably went out to play or something," Aizawa muttered. "Honestly, how did the village let such a carefree mischivious cat become a Jonin?"
"Don't be jealous. Go take a bath."
Megumi chuckled as she resumed her nightly chores, mopping the floor as if nothing unusual had happened.
---
Ninja Cat Fortress.
Nekomata was sleeping soundly. Since Takeshi's last visit, which had solidified the future direction of the Ninja Cat Fortress, he no longer worried about being usurped.
Because he no longer held any real power.
Now there was ninjutsu to learn, and occasionally cat food to eat. What more could he want? But there was one thing he wasn't too happy about…
"Meow! Can you change the teleport location? Every time you arrive, you land on my head!"
"Can't help it, meow." Takeshi flicked his tail indifferently. "Anyway, I brought some chakra paper. Gather a few reliable cats. If they have suitable chakra natures, I'll teach them ninjutsu."
He tossed the chakra paper to Nekomata before leaping down from the elder cat's head, glancing around the fortress.
The changes here were significant.
What was once a vast and empty space was now divided into smaller sections, almost like compartments within a grand hall.
"Huh, did you move?"
Nekomata stared at him.
"...What kind of question is that?"
Nekomata didn't know if Takeshi was being deliberately obtuse. As the leader of the fortress, wouldn't the great hall be reserved for him? He'd even let Kanna Uzumaki live there, and the daily cleaning was left to her. The girl was happier doing that than when she had nothing to do.
Human thinking was incomprehensible.
"Meow, I'm going to find my subordinates!"
Nekomata grumbled unhappily and went out the door.
-------------------
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