After a moment's thought, he realized Obito was stuck in camp just like him, and the lack of attention was making him depressed.
After a couple of seconds, Kakashi said, "We're all in the same boat. They keep us here because they value us.
Otherwise, we'd still be stuck in that ravine with Asuma."
"Asuma?"
Obito paused, then nodded in agreement.
Asuma really had it rough.
After shamelessly pushing his way to the front lines, Asuma was thrown into Raj's hellish training before even participating in a single mission.
To make matters worse, Raj barely acknowledged him, spending only a couple of days training him before running off to practice Superhuman Strength with Tsunade.
Who knows what's happening now?
But returning to the North Line Camp would likely mean facing Kurenai's wrath.
That daughter-obsessed woman truly dotes on her daughter, and Asuma's actions have dug him into a deep hole.
In that sense, he's definitely worse off than me.
At least I'm the Hokage's son, which suddenly feels like a real advantage.
"Hey, why does Raj get to wander around all the time?"
"..."
Kakashi ignored him.
'I'm trying to comfort you, and you just stab me in the heart? Can't you just be a good teammate for once? Humans shouldn't compare themselves to cats, okay? Especially since he's probably some kind of sacred Ninja Cat from a legendary clan. We mortals can't compete.'
Meanwhile...
Raj they were thinking about had already hitched a ride with Minato to the sea.
This small team, led by Shikuro Aburame and Hiashi Hyuga, was heading to a secret Kiri Ninja base hidden offshore.
"Minato, Raj, you're both here? Did you handle things back there?" Hiashi Hyuga asked, surprised.
Shikuro led a dozen diverse ninja, covering reconnaissance, combat, and other specialties, all heading to raid the enemy's stronghold.
They had plenty of skilled fighters, and even if they couldn't win, retreat wouldn't be a problem.
"We've already wiped them out," Minato explained. "I was worried some might have escaped, so I came to reinforce you."
He gestured to Raj perched on his shoulder.
"This is Raj, a Special Jonin in my team. You've probably heard of him, right?"
"Jonin Raj," Hiashi Hyuga said respectfully. "We met yesterday. If not for him, the Hyuga Clan would have suffered far greater losses."
The others had heard rumors, but this was their first time seeing the legendary cat in person.
They'd imagined him to be mountain-sized, like Jiraiya's Manta, but now... hmm, a bit smaller than expected.
"Let's move out," Shikuro Aburame said calmly. "According to our intel, the leader here is the Kiri Ninja Kishimaru. I suspect they were already transferring personnel yesterday, which is why they didn't bring many troops."
"Always better to be safe than sorry," Minato replied with a smile.
Raj, perched on Minato's shoulder, glanced at Shikuro Aburame.
This man was a formidable opponent, rumored to control nanoscopic insects, and those insects were highly venomous...
He stared for a few seconds, then gave up on the idea of trying to snag some Points.
'What if I accidentally brushed against it and got poisoned? The risk was too great.'
"There are six people ahead... hmm, I'm not mistaken."
Hiashi Hyuga, who had been keeping his Byakugan activated, spotted six figures in the distance.
After running a few more steps to confirm, he added, "Confirmed again."
Even he seemed a bit dumbfounded.
Just six people?
And they think they can take on a dozen of us?
Who do they think they're dealing with?!
"Regardless of how many there are, capture them first," Shikuro Aburame said coldly.
This was Root's standard operating procedure.
Having undergone rigorous and highly specialized training, they never laughed at their enemies, no matter how foolish they were.
"I'll scout ahead," Minato said, suddenly accelerating his pace and vanishing with Raj in tow.
At first, the others were worried, but they quickly realized their concerns were unfounded.
With the Flying Thunder God Technique at his disposal, where in the world couldn't he go?
If anything, they should be more concerned about the six opponents fleeing the moment Minato showed his face.
Hiashi Hyuga clearly had the same thought.
"I'll follow immediately," he said.
"Hmm," Shikuro Aburame nodded slightly.
Then, he too transformed into a swarm of insects and surged forward.
Minato undoubtedly arrived first.
The Kiri Ninja were stationed on a small island, but everyone had evacuated the previous day, leaving only the six of them behind.
When Minato arrived, the six Kiri Ninja were sitting on rocks, striking poses with their swords.
However, their composure shattered the moment Minato appeared with Raj.
Black Lightning Kiba was particularly agitated; he had originally wielded two swords, but now only one remained.
Seeing Minato, he immediately stood up, gritting his teeth and spitting out each word with venom: "Minato!"
Kishimaru, however, remained unimpressed.
In his eyes, Black Lightning Kiba was still a failure - he had lost his sword and failed to retrieve it immediately, yet dared to spout tough talk.
"Meow! I remember that Tsuzuranoeru Jin we killed also had a Ninja Sword, and Kakashi still has one of the Lightning Blades..."
Raj deliberately brought up their past glories.
Back then, Raj had been just a fledgling kitten, unlike now, when he had gained a bit of notoriety.
Reflecting on those days brought a pang of nostalgia.
But to the others, this was a different matter entirely.
It was a direct stab to the heart.
"Shut up! I'll personally take that sword back from that brat!" Black Lightning Kiba roared before Raj could finish.
But Raj paid him no mind; the angrier Kiba became, the happier Raj grew, knowing his Points were climbing rapidly.
Raj's gaze swept over the group before settling on Kishimaru, who stood to the side with a sneer.
"Hey fatty," he taunted, "stop posing over there, meow~. Your teammate's getting antsy. Calm him down already."
'Fatty?'
Suigetsu Hozuki's lips twitched.
Gripping Samehada behind his back, he growled, "Little cat, have you considered the consequences of provoking me?"
"Meow? What's there to consider about a bunch of ugly losers?"
Raj licked his paw.
"Well said," Minato replied with a faint smile, his eyes gradually sharpening.
Six of them.
They appeared to be the remaining six members of the so-called Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
Combined, they would be a formidable force, but if they could just hold out until the others arrived...
"Let's go, meow!"
Raj yowled, then darted forward like a bolt of black lightning.
Minato froze for a moment, but seeing Raj charge ahead, he had no choice but to follow.
"Hey fatty, sword-dropper, you're surrounded! Surrender now," Raj shouted as he ran.
Kishimaru found the situation bitterly ironic.
He could understand Minato's arrogance, given his mastery of the Flying Thunder God Technique, but what right did this tiny cat have to act so cocky?
Are Konoha's cats really this confident, just because they're from the First Village?
They're getting a little too puffed up!