The Ninja Cat Clan's friendship is more valuable than money."
"But Clan Head, is that cat related to the Ninja Cat Clan?"
Everyone voiced their approval, their words utterly incomprehensible to the Elders.
'That cat... What had transpired during their absence?'
"I have ample evidence of their deep connection," Fugaku stated firmly. "Therefore, I believe strengthening our cooperation is essential. Securing the Cat Clan's Summoning Blood Pact would be worth any price."
Fugaku nodded in agreement.
"Now that the Clan Head mentions it, I remember! Rin summoned the Double-Tailed Cat that day!"
"So Rin has already obtained the Cat Clan's Summoning Blood Pact?"
"Feasible!"
The consensus was overwhelming, with eight to nine out of ten members in agreement.
The remaining one or two were the bewildered Elders, still struggling to grasp the conversation.
'What on earth are you all talking about?'
The Elders felt a disorienting sense of being out of touch with the times.
Two days later, the Nohara Family received notification that all formalities for their new home had been completed.
It was time to move.
"Meow~ I'll carry it."
"No, I'll carry it. I still have some strength left."
"Father..."
"Trust me! You have to trust me!"
Masato Nohara insisted, forcefully grabbing the largest bundle and hoisting it onto his back.
He strode toward their new home, determined to maintain his dignity as a man and the head of the household until the very end.
Raj flicked his tail, refraining from arguing with the elder Nohara.
Rin sighed helplessly and went to lift another heavy item.
They had hired a horse-drawn cart to transport their furniture and belongings.
As Masato Nohara carried his bulky load halfway, he suddenly let out a pained cry.
"Aaaah! My back!"
He abruptly dropped the heavy bundle and clutched his lower back in agony.
Rin rushed over, ready to massage and treat his injury.
Meanwhile, Raj's fur bristled, each strand wrapping around the furniture and belongings.
In moments, he had effortlessly lifted and loaded everything onto the cart.
Masato Nohara and Tsume stared in stunned silence.
'Is that it?'
"This...?"
Masato Nohara remained hunched over, clutching his back, at a loss for words.
"Meow~"
Raj retracted his cat fur, leaped onto the top of the cargo, and signaled for everyone to follow.
"Father, let me heal you," Rin said.
Rin couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
'What should have been a simple matter had been complicated by Masato Nohara's insistence on adding unnecessary steps, making things even more troublesome.'
"Meow~ New home!"
With Tsume's help, the horse began to move, slowly heading toward their destination.
Their new home was located in one of Konoha's most prosperous districts.
For nearly thirty years, Masato Nohara had never imagined he could live in such an area.
But now...
'Well, Raj has made the impossible possible.'
Yes, Raj was the homeowner.
Not that it mattered much - they were family, after all, and living together was all that mattered.
Though Masato Nohara had tried to come up with various excuses to avoid moving, Rin had eventually worn him down with her persistence.
He just couldn't bring himself to admit he was embarrassed.
Before long, they arrived at their new home.
The house was large and situated near the Shiranui and Gekko Clans, both of whom Raj had acquaintances in.
As they approached the entrance, Tsume was already mentally planning how to clean the house and yard.
But when they arrived...
Spotlessly clean!
Both inside and out, it was clear someone had just finished cleaning.
Raj himself was puzzled.
'What's going on?'
"The teacher's here!"
"Hurry, hurry, hurry..."
"Teacher!"
A few seconds later, Genma Shiranui, Guy, and Ebisu appeared at the door, bowing respectfully to Raj.
Then, a reluctant little boy emerged from inside, pulled forward by a girl who tugged him into a bow as well.
'Well, my own team of three doesn't count. But these two...'
Recognizing the children's faces, Raj suddenly remembered.
'Ah, it's Hayate and Yugao Uzuki! I even scared them before.'
Raj hopped out of the car.
The moment his paws touched the ground, he transformed into a tiger-sized form.
"It's you!"
Hayate's bad memories resurfaced instantly.
He glared at Raj, grinding his teeth so hard he nearly bit off his still-developing baby teeth.
'So it was this guy all along! What infuriated him most was that if Raj had run away, he should have stayed hidden. Why deliberately show up now to flaunt himself? So you became a Jonin? So you're strong? So even the Gekko Clan respects you? Big deal!'
The child's heart burned with resentment, but Yugao Uzuki wore a sweet smile and bowed politely.
"I never realized it was you back then. Thank you so much."
"Meow?"
Raj tilted his head, utterly confused.
'Thank me? Are you okay?'
"Thanks to your guidance, Hayate-nii has been working so hard lately."
Children speak without restraint.
Yugao Uzuki had been terrified at the time, but Raj hadn't actually harmed them.
Later, Hayate had become even more determined and worked harder than ever.
Ironically, she now felt grateful to Raj, though she hadn't known who to thank before.
Hayate was speechless.
'Working hard? I was trying to get strong enough to kill it with my blade.'
But the cruelest truth was this: he had believed his efforts would surpass Raj's, never imagining that Raj's growth would far outstrip anything he could achieve through sheer effort.
Hayate's heart sank.
"Meow~ Losing to me is nothing to be ashamed of. The Raikage and Mizukage lost to me too. You're already on par with the Kage," Raj said, raising his paw and patting Hayate.
"Cough, cough, cough!"
Hayate, "deeply moved," coughed and wept simultaneously.
"Don't get so emotional, meow. We'll be neighbors now, so there'll be plenty of time to reminisce."
The little boy was even more "moved" by this.
Everyone sighed in admiration.
'What a devil!'
"We heard you were moving in today, Teacher, so we asked some friends to help tidy up beforehand. Since we didn't know your preferred decor, we left the interior untouched," Genma said, opening the door and leading them inside for a quick tour.
Raj and Rin were initially puzzled.
But after asking around, they learned that the house had once belonged to a Jonin from the Shiranui Clan.
After the Jonin's tragic death in battle, his family moved in with their clan, leaving the house vacant.
Selling the house had been their idea.
"The layout is perfect, no need to change a thing, meow!"
The house was spacious.
Even with each person having their own room, there
There were still three rooms to spare.