Chapter 3: 3: There's Ninja Toads, Ninja Dogs, Ninja Monkeys, Ninja Snakes, and Even a Ninja Turtle, so why shouldn't there be a Ninja Cat?
(Hokage's Office, Konohagakure's Hidden Leaf Shinobi Academy, Konohagakure, Land of Fire, Five Great Shinobi Nations, Shinobi World, Naruto-Verse)
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(Shigenori Sarutobi POV)
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Turns out, Shigenori wasn't far off the mark. The Daimyo's of the Land of Fire traditionally bred Ninja Cats to amuse their wives when they couldn't or wouldn't.
The Cats frequently run away, and the Daimyo's typically let them, as it gives them a reason to escape from their courtiers and their wife. Of course the Village made a nice recurring profit by ''Retrieving'' Each Cat. It also made the Naysayers of the Daimyo's spending on Konohagakure have to contend with his grateful wife.
Rather Genius when you considered that this line of Cats was traditionally a Genin Squads first assignment. Each generation of Cats was even more Cunning, Agile, and Sneaky than the last, thus improving the increase of stats of the Leaf's future Genin.
Shigenori immediately suspected that the First Hokage and First Daimyo of The Post-Warring States Land of Fire had started this tradition, seeing as Lord First was a known Gambler.
It was more than a little grating being the son of the Third Hokage and being sent after a damn Cat, even a Ninja Cat. But arguing about it had no purpose beyond delaying the matter needlessly and potentially losing their first mission before it begins. Plus it would reflect poorly on him, the Hokage, and the Sarutobi Clan to do either.
Typically, He would not care all that much, but he was Clan Heir, so he didn't exactly have a lot of choice. Especially since being Clan Heir granted greater influence than not being it. And that influence was valuable because it gave him wealth, that Wealth gave him the ability to buy all but the most exotic materials, items, or information. Additionally, being ensured he was granted a degree of diplomatic protection in foreign nations.
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(POV Change: Orochimaru)
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It was now clear to Orochimaru why Sarutobi-Sensei had been so amused by the Sannin's efforts to capture the last Ninja Cat.
Seeing the look on his students faces was equally amusing and nostalgic to see the cream of this year's crop of students balking at being sent after a Cat for their first mission.
It was indeed a rare pleasure to feel.
It will be interesting to see how Shigenori, Anko, and Yuki cope. Orochimaru remembered with faint amusement that Jiraiya and Tsunade argued over the best solution to the Cat so much that the Cat ended up surrendering just to be able to get some sleep after three days of it.
The second time wasn't as easy....
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(POV Change: Shigenori Sarutobi)
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Shigenori watched Anko loudly Declare that she would catch this Cat with Ease. Then Dragged Yuki along with her, leaving Shigenori with Orochimaru.
''Has anybody tried Premium grade Cat food?'' Shigenori asks Orochimaru, causing his sensei to frown.
''Not to my knowledge.'' Orochimaru says with click of his tongue.
''Then that's what I'm gonna go buy.'' Says Shigenori.
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(Time-skip: Two Hours Later)
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(POV Change: Anko Mitarashi)
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This Cat was no normal Ninja Cat, it had to be A Sage! How else could it avoid Yuki's Byakugan so easily! Speaking of which, how was it thar Shigenori hadn't been detected either?
''Sensei? Where's Shigenori?'' Asks Anko.
''Follow me, and BE Silent.'' Says Orochimaru.
Anko gulps nervously.
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Anko, Yuki, and Orochimaru found Shigenori Meditating on a bench. As the watched they noticed their mission target snatch a meal and avoid a rather obvious trap from the nearby Tree.
It's snickering became a nast screeching yelp as its apparent success ended up in Flames. The ground collapsed and launched into the Air, Then a Cloth wrapped around it. The Cat was suspended in a cute little crucifix made of cloth. Immediately The Cat took on Fuinjutsu markings. Standing up from his meditation, Anko watched as Shigenori held the Cat by the scruff of it's neck and simply raised an amused and somewhat condescending eyebrow at its shocked face.
''Incredible.'' The words escaped her mouth before she could stop them. Anko had chased after this little shit for two hours, and yet Shigenori easily captured it in less than a minute after springing his trap. Walking up to them, it took Anko precious seconds to realize that Shigenori was offering the Fur Ball to her.
''The simpler method can sometimes make the greater effect. We'll say you captured it.'' Shigenori said as she grasped the little shit ball in her hands.
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(POV Change: Hiruzen Sarutobi)
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Watching from his Crystal Ball with Enma and Enma's Great-Grandson Bikou, Hiruzen observed Orochimaru's new team with amusement.
''Not exactly a Bell Test, but I'm satisfied with the boy's progress. We'll need to see the white ones potential for teamwork with my nephew before rendering a decision. For now I'm content to entrust Bikou to him.'' Enma speaks, causing his latest offsprings offsprings offspring to perk up.
''I get my partner Gramps?'' Bikou asks excitedly.
''So it would seem Bikou. Sarutobi, looks like the Pact is renewed.'' Says Enma, as he summons a weathered scroll into his hands and Let's Bikou apply his Soul Mark to an Empty space.
The Toads focused on the Mind aspect of Senjutsu, The Sougs focused on The Body, and the Snakes focused on the Spirit. But The Monkeys focused on the Soul. That was why -at least partly - Hiruzen Sarutobi had lived as long as he had. The Monkeys Sage Arts drastically empowered his Soul.
Each Sage Land's Style of the Sage Arts provided a specific increase to the User. By increasing the Users Perception and mental fortitude, Practioners of the Toad's Sage Arts were capable of dramatically improving their capacity for reacting to and countering an Enemies Attacks. Users of the Slug Style had incalculable levels of cellular Regeneration, Duplication,and Rejuvenation, but they needed extreme levels of Calories to maintain it, as Tsunade demonstrated aptly.
The Snake's Style focused on strengthening their users Spirit in order to increase recovery after using Orochi's White Snake Power to shed their skin in order to survive a certain death attack. It rendered them increasingly unable to produce offspring the more they used the Power, unless they had the Jigoku Clan's Kekkei Genkai which regulated the Techniques of Ryūchi Cave. As For the Monkeys, by drawing Senjutsu into their Soul they draw upon all the other three Styles, but suffered severe drawbacks if the conflicting Styles created an imbalance in the user as it more often than not did.
Only Lord Son's Jncle had achieved a perfect State of Senjutsu. No one had been able to replicate it before or since. But Enma believed That Shigenori could. Due to the Shocking level of Strength contained in the kids Soul. The Monkeys had Seven Tiers of Soul Power:
Tier 1: Soul Initiate
Tier 2: Soul Novice
Tier 3: Soul Apprentice
Tier 4: Soul Guardian
Tier 5: Soul Master
Tier 6: Soul Monarch
and
Tier 7: Soul God.
In his Youth Sarutobi managed to train himself to Soul Monarch, but his growing age had reduced him to a Soul Guardian. Sarutobi had been born with the Strength of a Soul Guardian and the training necessary to be recognized as one required far more than simply being with that level of power.
Time would tell whether or not His belief in Shigenori was correct....
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Just so you folks know, I ain't done with the Cats, this is merely the first Dance. I expect maybe four or five more missions for that Cat alone before Shigenori gets tired of the cat and gets ultimately blacklisted from that mission. This will make him get a big mission of at least C or B-Rank. And Each Cat Mission will bring a certain Team member into focus before finally settling on great group at which point the last mission before being blacklisted happens.
That mission will morph into a Higher-Rank and create a Rivalry that I hope will Jumpstart this story further. It will debut the MC from my as yet unpublished other story and although between the two this is the primary neither will contain the advantage for long.
And of course both will take their fair share of flesh from each other. That's all I can sat for now, what I say is that The Sage Arts will bring significant importance Into the Story as there ARE other Sage Land's with their very own unique focus, style, and risks which will affect certain things and/or characters.
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