You should pack your things quickly."
Minato thought for a moment, then patted Kakashi on the shoulder.
"Whatever the mission is, it's bound to be beneficial for you. Seize this opportunity."
"Yes, Teacher," Kakashi replied in a muffled tone, sheathing the Thunder Blade Fang.
Inwardly, he scoffed at Minato's words.
Among all the people in Konoha who truly understood Raj, Kakashi ranked second to none.
Even Rin, Raj's caretaker, couldn't claim the top spot.
Rin saw mostly Raj's good side, with his mischievousness being the exception.
Kakashi, on the other hand, had witnessed Raj's entire journey from weakness to strength.
Since this return to the village was connected to that black-hearted cat, there was no need to overthink it.
It was undoubtedly a mission of extreme difficulty, otherwise Kakashi wouldn't have been assigned.
Still, it wasn't entirely without benefits.
Raj's personality had its flaws, but it also possessed admirable qualities.
After pulling a prank on someone, he often compensated them in another way.
Kakashi sighed and returned to his tent to pack.
The most agonizing thing in the world was knowing you were about to jump into a pit of fire, yet being forced to do so for various reasons.
That's exactly how he felt now.
In just one day, the Silver-Haired Boy returned to Konoha.
This speed was remarkably fast.
Kakashi arrived in the village early in the morning, exhausted.
He went straight to the Nohara Family residence, knocked on the door, and called out, "Raj, if you're inside, come out!"
"Raj?"
"Chi..."
Bang!
The door flew open, and a tail shot out from within.
Kakashi startled, his drowsiness vanishing instantly.
He swiftly formed hand seals and performed an Earth Release Ninjutsu, sinking into the ground as the cat's tail whizzed over his head.
"Meow?"
The tail retracted, followed by a puzzled meow from inside.
Raj darted out, his four paws tapping the ground.
"Kakashi? Meow~ The Third Hokage wasn't lying this time. Come out and report on the mission!"
"..."
Kakashi cautiously emerged from the earth.
"It really is you! I knew Guy and the others couldn't have dodged that attack. Your hand seal speed has improved a lot lately, meow."
Raj nimbly leaped onto Kakashi's shoulder and patted his shoulder as if they were old friends.
Kakashi brushed off the cat's paw.
If he hadn't been practicing his reflexes against projectiles lately, he might already be pinned to the wall by a tail strike...
'Hmm? Wait, Guy and the others?'
Kakashi, with his extensive field experience, immediately sensed something was off.
Connecting this with Raj's recent behavior, his sharp mind instantly pieced everything together.
'I, Kakashi, have seen through it all!'
"Farewell."
Raj swiftly enlarged, pinning Kakashi with a massive paw, rendering him utterly immobile.
'I finally tricked you here - there's no way I'm letting you leave now!'
"Meow~ I'll treat you to something delicious."
Kakashi narrowed his eyes.
"I'll teach you Ninjutsu, meow!"
Kakashi remained unmoved.
"You haven't figured out how to fuse it yet, have you? I have a way, meow! If you sincerely help me, I'll help you in return. Mutual benefit for everyone."
Here it comes.
'Raj's usual tactic: tricking people while offering a small reward. I mustn't be swayed. I must...'
"Meow! This is a technique that can be fused with swordsmanship!"
"Alright, tell me what's going on."
Kakashi sat down, listening intently as Raj began to explain.
"It's simple. The village asked me to take charge of Guy's class. Initially, it was supposed to be temporary, but now it seems they want me to do it long-term. Does that make sense, meow?"
Raj reverted to his original size.
"We've been teammates for ages. Do you think I don't know what you're like? I'm not asking about that. What's the deal with the Ninjutsu you mentioned? I've been trying to figure out how to fuse it, but I'm completely stuck."
Kakashi placed his two swords down in front of him.
'Well, well...'
Raj glanced down at the swords.
You haven't even started the job yet, and you're already asking for perks? You're something else.
Of course.
What deserves praise about Kakashi is his integrity.
At least he wouldn't take something and then deny the agreement.
The strong sense of honor left behind by White Fang prevented him from stooping to such behavior.
Only someone like Jiraiya or Black Cat would pull off such a stunt.
That's why Black Cat had recently traveled all the way north to collect his manuscript fees, only to discover they had ended up in Tsunade's pocket...
A painful memory best left unmentioned.
Black Cat sighed inwardly, refocusing his gaze on Kakashi.
After a long moment of contemplation, he said, "Meow~ The technique I'm describing has two steps. First, you need to achieve chakra nature transformation, condensing lightning into this state..."
As he spoke, Raj extended his paw.
He naturally couldn't use Lightning Release, but simulating its effects with Ice Release was no problem.
Within seconds, ice shards resembling crackling lightning erupted from his paw.
"Hmm, I think I understand... barely."
A mental image formed in Kakashi's mind.
"Next, meow, you need to integrate this technique into your sword, like this..."
Raj demonstrated the Chidori Blade again, the ice blade curving into an arc of "electricity."
The visual was somewhat abstract, but at least it conveyed the general idea.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes, then nodded thoughtfully.
He wielded the Thunder Blade Fang, which allowed him to manifest Lightning Release techniques even without the Chidori Blade.
However, combining it with the Chidori Blade would undoubtedly amplify its power exponentially, potentially enabling him to achieve diverse effects with two blades.
Raj had the same idea.
In the original story, Kakashi's "Lightning Cutter: Double Piercing Light" could be achieved with the Thunder Blade Fang as long as he mastered the Chidori Blade.
And then there were techniques like the Chidori Sharp Spear...
The possibilities were vast.
Kakashi's eyes grew brighter, his mind buzzing with inspiration.
Though the initial spark came from Raj, now that the idea had taken root in his mind, it was his own.
"Meow?"
"Don't worry, I won't break my promise. Let's go."
Kakashi rose, glanced at Raj, and set off to check on Guy and the others.
Raj initially didn't want to go.
But considering it was their first day, he figured it would be best to lead the way and help everyone get acquainted.
Besides, this seemed like a prime opportunity to earn some merit points.
Raj leaped out of the courtyard and followed the lingering scent of Guy and his team.
Finding them proved remarkably easy.