CHAPTER 250: CHAPTER 250

"I just asked... Takeshi-Sensei," Guy said, patting Kakashi on the shoulder after taking deep breaths. "I got here first. Better luck... next time, Kakashi."

In terms of pure taijutsu, Kakashi was a match for Guy, but he had to admit that when it came to long-distance running, Guy’s relentless drive to push his own limits gave him the edge.

Of course, Kakashi didn’t see it that way. He told himself he had only been a little behind. If he’d been just a fraction faster, or if Hizashi hadn’t gotten in his way, he would have won. If it had been anything other than a simple footrace, he was still confident he would have come out on top.

But it was just a small contest, after all. The prize was only the black cat’s promise of "no cheating" and some personal guidance.

’Do I really need guidance?’ Kakashi wondered, then sighed. ’To be honest... yes.’

He’d felt stuck lately. The Third Raikage had taught him a great deal, and with his sharp mind and memory, he’d absorbed every word. But fully understanding and applying those lessons was another matter entirely. Many of the concepts were still just beyond his grasp. It would be a great help to have a Jonin with a broad perspective to guide him, someone with a bit of imagination. He thought Takeshi had that quality, but since he hadn’t won, he decided to let it go.

"That’s... that’s great," Guy managed between gasps. He began to walk slowly in a small circle, trying to catch his breath. He’d run too hard to stop abruptly and needed a moment to cool down.

Takeshi looked around. They were just outside Orochimaru’s camp. The other ninja hadn’t arrived yet, and not everyone would be staying here, so Tsunade was waiting outside instead of heading straight in.

"Tsunade, I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly... Hmm, what’s this?"

Before long, a figure landed swiftly and silently in front of them.

"Tsunade," he said, his voice a low hiss. "I didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly. Hmm? And what’s this?"

Orochimaru’s golden eyes slid curiously to the cat Tsunade was holding. He recognized Nekomata as the one he’d researched before, but he seemed to have changed significantly. The way he slept was also strange. And why was he with Tsunade?

The desire to study him sparked in his mind.

But Orochimaru knew Tsunade. The fact that she was carrying the cat herself, not letting Nekomata go, meant she placed a high value on the cat. Anything less important would have been handed off to someone else or left behind. He decided to let the thought go, for now.

As Orochimaru licked his lips, Tsunade shot him a sharp look.

"Orochimaru, don’t make those weird gestures in front of me." Tsunade immediately retorted sharply.

"Fufufu," he chuckled, unbothered. "Come, let’s all go inside. I’ll have Shikaku handle the others as they arrive."

He exchanged a few more words with Tsunade, his gaze lingering on the black cat. A flicker of surprise crossed his face. The cat had grown stronger again in just a few months.

’Such powerful genes,’ Orochimaru thought. ’A pity.’

According to the latest intelligence from Shikuro Aburame, the cat already possessed formidable abilities of his own. Capturing him for research now would be next to impossible. After all, he knew the Flying Thunder God.

Orochimaru sighed inwardly. He had tried to research that jutsu, but his efforts had led nowhere. Spatial ninjutsu was the most difficult field in the world to learn.

Thinking of this, he turned to the cat with a teasing glint in his eye. "Takeshi, you’re now considered an S-rank threat in every nation. In a few years, your reputation might even surpass ours. Are you interested in helping Minato make Sunagakure elect a new Kazekage?"

"Meow~" Takeshi yawned from his perch. "Suna’s had it rough enough. They’ve already lost two Kazekage in a row. A third might just make them fight to the death."

The Third Kazekage, lauded as the strongest in their history, had vanished without a trace. The Fourth had just taken office, if he was captured by Konoha at lightning speed by Minato and Takeshi he wont last long.

At this rate, Chiyo would probably have to step up as the Fifth just to seek revenge. Not that it would make much of a difference to him and Minato. It didn’t matter how many puppets she had, once a Flying Thunder God seal was on her, she’d be as helpless as anyone else.

’But would that really be a good idea?’ he mused. If they pushed Sunagakure that far, the village would likely try to take Konoha down with them in a blaze of glory. Then again, the thought of it was a little exciting. ’Doing something that drastic would probably earn me a huge amount of points...’

The idea sent a flutter through him. It was a great idea.

"Don’t stir up trouble," Tsunade said sharply, cutting through their dangerous brainstorming. "Just give Rasa a good scare. Capturing him alive is taking things too far."

"It was only a joke," Orochimaru said, the corner of his mouth turning up in a slight smile as he led the way.

His camp wasn’t especially large, but as they passed through the gate, it was clear that everything was in perfect order. Compared to Jiraiya’s chaotic command post, this place would greatly satisfy anyone with an eye for order.

"Meow~ Who designed this camp?" Takeshi asked from Guy’s shoulder, looking around. Kakashi and Guy were just as impressed. It was clean, tidy, and felt surprisingly comfortable a far cry from what they were used to.

"Most likely Shikaku," Tsunade answered, taking it all in with a single glance. "If you saw it from above, you’d probably find it’s laid out like a shogi board."

Orochimaru gave a slight nod in confirmation.

’Shikaku, huh...’ Takeshi thought. ’If he ever decided to design houses, I’d definitely hire him.’ It was a fleeting thought. A Jonin commander of his stature would never become a home designer, and he probably didn’t even have the skill for it.

As the group settled in, the main forces from the rear began to arrive. Kura Uchiha appeared only for a moment to divide his clansmen. One group, led by Inaho, would remain at this camp, while the other would follow him to Jiraiya’s position. With Minato and Takeshi both here, Kura had no intention of staying.

Once everyone was settled, Orochimaru convened a meeting of all available Jonin. The agenda wasn’t just about battle plans, it was also about how to integrate the Uchiha. According to Kura’s wishes, his people were to be assigned to various teams just like any other ninja.

Truthfully, Orochimaru wasn’t pleased. The frontline teams had been honed over years of fighting together, and their members had excellent synergy. Forcibly breaking them up to insert Uchiha members was tactically unsound and could even decrease their overall combat effectiveness. But if he didn’t mix the teams... the village’s orders had been clear. The Third Hokage had specifically requested that the Uchiha be integrated with the other shinobi.

’Is this his plan for helping the Uchiha assimilate back into the village?’ Orochimaru wondered. He sat at the head of the tent, his face a mask of neutrality, his mind turning over the intelligence Tsunade had given him.

Before long, Shikaku, Inoichi, and Choza entered, followed by Hizashi Hyuga, who had been recalled from patrol. They stepped inside and took in the scene.

Orochimaru was seated in the center. Beside him, Tsunade was idly stroking a cat. Further down, Minato sat on one side, and on the other... was the black cat.

The seating at these meetings was never random, everyone was positioned according to their status and importance. The placement of Minato and Takeshi made it clear that their standing had risen dramatically since their return from the eastern front.

’Just as I thought,’ Shikaku sighed to himself. He’d seen this coming the day Hizashi first suggested giving Takeshi an independent command, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so quickly. When he’d first heard the news, Takeshi was a Tokubetsu Jonin. Now, he was a full Jonin. The world was full of surprises.

Inoichi’s eyes widened for a second before his expression settled back into its usual calm. Well, anything could happen in the life of a ninja. A cat becoming a Jonin was strange, and its prominent seat was unusual, but it wasn’t his problem. He was here for intelligence and reconnaissance. What happened in command meetings was outside his purview, so he put it out of his mind. Choza, as always, followed Shikaku’s lead. Since Shikaku was silent, he remained silent as well.

Soon, the tent filled with the rest of the Jonin.

"It seems almost everyone is here," Orochimaru said, his voice carrying easily through the quiet tent. "You are all familiar with Tsunade and Minato. As for this one..." He paused, a hint of amusement in his tone. "This is Takeshi, an elite Jonin of Konoha and an S-rank threat recognized by every major village. He is the one who severely wounded the Third Raikage and assisted in the capture of the Third Mizukage, a great hero who brought a swift end to the war on the eastern front."

A ripple of shocked gasps ran through the room.

Hizashi’s eyes widened as he stared at the cat in shock. He knew Takeshi was strong and had likely accomplished great things, but the string of titles Orochimaru listed off was staggering. ’The Third Raikage? And the Third Mizukage? That’s... unbelievable.’

Shikaku’s fingers twitched, but he quickly regained his composure, though his expression remained one of profound shock. The Third Raikage was considered practically invincible. To hear that he had been severely wounded by this cat was almost too much to believe.

But after the initial shock, his mind immediately jumped to the strategic advantages. Tsunade, Minato, and now Takeshi. With such powerful reinforcements, the war with Sunagakure could be resolved quickly. This must be the village’s true intention: deal with Suna swiftly, then concentrate all their firepower on Onoki and Iwagakure. A quick, decisive war.

He hadn’t seen the mission scroll, but he had already deduced the village’s orders. He said nothing, however, and quietly took a seat below Minato, waiting for Orochimaru to continue. Inoichi and Choza followed his example.

The other Jonin were equally stunned. Many stared at the black cat with open disbelief, taking several long seconds to find their seats, their faces a mixture of confusion and awe. Had this cat really become so powerful? It seemed like only yesterday he was applying for his first assignment. In that moment, they all felt as if they’d been fighting on the front lines for years in a daze.

As for Takeshi, he was quite pleased. Orochimaru’s introduction had been perfect. Though he didn’t check, he was sure a large sum of points had just been received.

’What a guy, Orochimaru,’ he thought happily. ’A really great guy. How did I never notice this helpful side of him before?’

"Fufufu," Orochimaru chuckled, "Shikaku, take a look at this."

Orochimaru’s gaze swept the room. Seeing that no one else questioned Takeshi’s position, he handed a mission scroll to Shikaku, who stood and respectfully took it.

"Orochimaru-sama," he murmured, then carefully unrolled the parchment.

One glance was all it took. It was just as he’d predicted.

Combined with the intelligence from Kumogakure, the village intended to cripple Iwagakure in a single, decisive campaign, to leave Onoki unable to make a move for a decade or more, and finally put an end to his constant warmongering. But the key to that plan was to first intimidate Sunagakure into submission. Otherwise, the moment Konoha focused its full strength on Iwa, those old schemers in the desert would undoubtedly stab them in the back.

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