Within the Uchiha clan compound, the sunlight was perfect.
Bright rays streamed through the wide wooden lattice windows, casting warm patches of light across the floor. In the air, tiny dust particles drifted lazily through the beams.
Da Ju was curled up on the sofa. His plump body rose and fell steadily with each breath as he slept soundly. His whiskers twitched occasionally, as though he were dreaming a pleasant dream.
Just then, a faint meow—so soft it was almost imperceptible—slipped through the air like a feather brushing against his ears, easily penetrating the barrier of his sleep.
It was A Yan.
Almost by instinct engraved into his bones, Da Ju's orange ears twitched first, turning alertly.
A moment later, his sleepy cat eyes opened. Once they adjusted to the light, his pupils shrank rapidly into excited vertical slits.
His gaze eagerly followed the sound.
In an instant, it locked onto the other side of the room.
On the single sofa laid with dark cushions, his young master—Uchiha Anlan—was leaning back leisurely.
And the silver-striped cat he longed for day and night was curled elegantly on Anlan's lap, like a piece of moonlight that had fallen to earth.
Anlan's slender fingers moved rhythmically, stroking the fur along the back of A Yan's neck and spine.
A Yan was clearly enjoying it.
Her emerald eyes were half-closed, and a soft, satisfied purring rumbled faintly in her throat.
The tip of her long tail tapped gently against the sofa cushion again and again. Her entire body radiated a state of complete relaxation and comfort, utterly without guard.
Sunlight outlined the silver-gray contours of her fur, as though coating her in a soft halo of light—so beautiful that no cat could look away.
Da Ju stared in a daze.
Subconsciously, he lifted one of his fluffy front paws slightly, imagining his own paw resting on A Yan's head… her neck…
How blissful that would feel.
His throat bobbed unconsciously as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva mixed with longing and envy.
That envy crept from deep within his heart like twisting vines, wrapping around it with a sour ache.
If… if only A Yan would let me do that…
No—even if… even if she just let me get close enough to smell her scent… that would be enough…
He wailed inwardly.
Yet his plump body remained rooted to the cushion as if nailed there, not daring to step forward and disturb the "sacred" scene.
All he could do was stare helplessly.
In his round cat eyes, longing and grievance almost seemed ready to overflow.
Clearly he was the one who treated A Yan the best!
The sunlight remained warm. The room remained quiet.
Only Da Ju's devoted cat heart, in an unnoticed corner, had already soured into an old lemon.
"Oh? Da Ju's awake."
Feeling the gaze on him, Anlan's mood brightened instantly.
Calling A Yan over early in the morning for a proper round of petting had been the right decision.
I really do like pure-hearted lovers.
His fingers slid along A Yan's smooth back, traveling downward until he gently grasped her long, mist-like tail with its rounded tip.
"Mmm…"
A Yan let out an even softer, lazier murmur.
Her entire body seemed to melt like water, collapsing limply across Anlan's lap. Her emerald eyes narrowed to thin slits, clearly enjoying it immensely.
The sight made Da Ju—already mesmerized—open his eyes even wider.
His cat pupils nearly reached the limits of biology.
His gaze glued itself to the young master's fingers that were "profaning" that sacred tail.
His claws kneaded the cushion unconsciously.
Jealousy.
Longing.
Envy.
And even… a little excitement.
Because only in front of the young master would A Yan show such defenseless ease… and make such pleasant sounds.
That stimulating feeling… should I try it on someone sometime?
Anlan thought casually.
The sensation of casually playing with something precious to another person… and watching that pure longing that could never be fulfilled…
It was strangely delightful.
But that wasn't the important part.
The important thing was—
Anlan could feel it.
The Divine Light Rod he had sealed inside Da Ju's body using a special sealing technique—powered by the remaining ocular power of his Sharingan—was trembling faintly.
Driven by unwilling curiosity, he had spent the entire previous night studying the Divine Light Rod.
And finally, he had understood the key.
The primary function of the Divine Light Rod was to transform those who possessed the Light Gene into light.
But the mutated ocular power of his Sharingan had altered that prerequisite.
Then, when Da Ju—whose heart was simple and filled with love—touched it, a certain connection formed between them.
However, that connection was not absolute.
Just like in Ultraman Tiga, when Daigo's Divine Light Rod was stolen, someone else could still transform into Tiga.
Since Anlan controlled the activation of the Sharingan through his ocular power, he could do the same.
The only problem was energy.
Perhaps because of differences in space and time—or even dimensions—Daigo himself could not remain transformed as Tiga indefinitely.
In the Naruto world, it was even more difficult.
To truly activate the Divine Light Rod, it required pure love or fearless courage as energy.
And remembering that Ultraman could only exist for three minutes before turning to stone upon energy exhaustion—
Anlan didn't dare experiment with the Divine Light Rod on Mikoto.
Nor did he want to hand it over to anyone else.
So he simply sealed it inside Da Ju's body using a sealing technique.
That way, it could absorb the power of love around the clock.
At first, he wasn't even sure whether the sealing technique would work.
Unexpectedly, it really did.
Now all that remained was to wait for the fat orange cat to transform and see the results.
If it worked well…
Da Ju would proudly become the "Offering of Love."
To further stimulate the love within Da Ju's heart, Anlan deliberately slowed the motion of kneading A Yan's tail.
He looked toward the fat orange cat that was practically about to faint and spoke casually.
"Stop staring blankly."
"Da Ju, go prepare breakfast. The kitchen's yours."
"A Yan and I are both hungry."
The sudden order snapped Da Ju out of his trance.
His body reacted before his brain could process it.
"…Yes! Young Master!"
He answered hurriedly, his chubby body rolling off the cushion in a scramble. When his four paws hit the ground, he even staggered slightly in his haste.
Da Ju didn't dare look again at the scene that made his heart itch uncontrollably.
He shook his head vigorously.
Trying to banish the image of A Yan having her tail touched from his mind.
Then he began walking toward the kitchen.
Step by step.
Almost marching with the same hand and foot like a soldier heading into battle.
The round silhouette of his back was filled with the sorrow and helplessness of a devoted cat—yet also carried a faint, secret joy that he could do something for A Yan.
A Yan still needs me… this is wonderful!
"Young Master… isn't it a bit cruel to bully Da Ju like this?"
The silver-striped cat in his arms raised her head, blinking her emerald eyes as she let out a hesitant little meow.
Anlan lowered his head to meet those expressive eyes.
His fingers gently scratched beneath her chin.
"What, feeling sorry for him?"
"Of course… of course not!"
"Who would feel sorry for that stupid cat!"
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