Without Raj's unique skills, the Third Hokage would never have considered sending anyone to the Land of Snow.
That place was too isolated.
Even Konoha's Anbu and Root organizations had limited intelligence on it, making cooperation highly unlikely.
Simply put, the cost-effectiveness was too low.
In a field on the outskirts of Konoha, Kakashi monitored Guy and his team as they planted rice, while simultaneously pondering how to use hand seals to execute the Chidori.
Suddenly, a black cat materialized on Ebisu's shoulder.
Then...
"Meow?"
Raj quickly assessed the situation and leaped off Ebisu's shoulder, using him as a springboard to land outside the field.
Poor Ebisu, thrown off balance by the light push, nearly tumbled into the muddy water, but thanks to recent training, he quickly regained his footing.
Kakashi glanced up briefly before returning to his own task.
'Raj's here. Probably nothing good.'
"Sorry, but we need to hurry, meow! We have a major mission: a B-rank protection assignment."
Raj slapped the ground, summoning the mission scroll for the Land of Snow escort.
Kakashi immediately took it and examined it closely.
After a long silence, he remained deep in thought, saying nothing.
The Land of Snow?
It was said to be a country perpetually covered in snow, isolated from the outside world.
Almost no one knew what the Land of Snow looked like.
All Raj knew was that it was far from Konoha, and the Third Hokage had entrusted them with a scroll about this mysterious nation.
"Alright! Let's get to work! Once we finish this mission, we can immediately take on the new one!"
Guy went into overdrive, his hands moving even faster than before.
In no time, he had finished planting rice in one section of the field.
Soon after, the entire field was completed.
What a hot-blooded beast...
Kakashi and Raj exchanged glances.
Then Kakashi whispered, "Are you sure about this?"
"Meow!"
Raj nodded slightly.
'What's the problem? It's just the Land of Snow. Not only is Guy's team strong, but even Asuma's class - without Kakashi - I'm confident I could safely guide them back to Konoha.'
'Still, the Third Hokage probably wouldn't dare assign it an A-rank extra mission under those circumstances.'
After a moment's thought, Raj said, "Once we get there, I'll operate in the shadows. On the surface, it'll just be the four of you."
"Huh?"
Kakashi's eyes widened slightly, sensing that this mission was more than it seemed, but he didn't voice his suspicions, nodding subtly to indicate his understanding.
Traveling to the Land of Snow required a ship.
That afternoon, Raj led them to the designated port and located the merchant caravan that had posted the mission.
Judging by their appearance, these were grain merchants.
The ship was large and sturdy, making capsizing unlikely.
Guy and the others were both nervous and excited about their first journey so far north, while Raj and Kakashi remained the most composed.
'The Land of Snow is about as far from Amegakure as the Land of Frost, and there's a gap of several days between our departure and arrival. If Danzo and Yahiko clash during that time, no one would suspect me.'
Of course, this plan hinged on Raj avoiding public appearances.
If he showed himself openly, even an idiot would recognize him.
Even with an alibi, his Flying Thunder God Technique made traveling between the two locations trivial.
However, it wasn't yet safe to contact Konan and the others.
Raj needed to assess the situation in the Land of Snow first.
Before initiating the plan, he had to ensure Kakashi and the others were safe and secure there.
"Is this the Land of Snow?"
"It's so cold!"
"Hehe, why is it so cold?"
Guy charged out excitedly, while Ebisu and Genma took only a step before shivering violently from the cold.
Watching the warriors already clashing on the snowy battlefield, they couldn't help but feel immense admiration.
'Guy, you're truly a beast!'
Even Raj had to admire him.
Despite its thick fur and vest, the cold was unbearable.
The moment it stepped out of the ship's cabin, it secretly considered sneaking back inside.
But seeing the three overly enthusiastic children, who seemed immune to the freezing temperatures, Raj sighed inwardly.
'Well, it's not a big deal. Just a little cold... I'm the Cat Sage, after all.'
Raj donned the disguise he'd obtained from the System's lottery.
"Meow~"
Raj glanced expressionlessly outside, then at Kakashi, his meaning clear.
"Understood," Kakashi replied, taking a deep breath.
He wrapped his thick coat tighter around himself and stepped out of the cabin.
Unlike them, the caravan members were clearly seasoned travelers, already bundled in heavy layers and unloading supplies.
Raj retreated to a corner of the cabin, planning to follow discreetly.
This would allow him to carry out his own mission while secretly communicating with Takuma to gather real-time intelligence.
Once they confirmed the Land of Snow was safe, Yahiko's team could begin their operation.
"Kakashi, let's wager our youth on a blazing duel in this snowy wasteland!" Guy declared, flashing a thumbs-up and his gleaming white teeth.
Kakashi swore he could see a blinding reflection.
Eye-searing.
He covered his eyes and sighed.
"This mission is to train your abilities," he explained. "Raj will only provide covert support, and I'll minimize my intervention as well."
"Ah, I see! As expected of Raj, always thinking ahead!"
Guy immediately believed him, howling with fervent enthusiasm.
His over-the-top antics prompted Genma Shiranui and Ebisu to unconsciously step back a few paces.
'This is so embarrassing.'
'Besides... this explanation probably isn't Raj's real reason. He just wants to slack off or doesn't want to travel with us, right?'
Genma felt his suspicion was correct, but now was clearly not the time to voice it.
Otherwise, he'd face Black Cat's "educational" fist - a punch as lethal as Lady Tsunade's, capable of ending a life with a single blow.
"Ah~"
The caravan leader sighed heavily, his face etched with worry.
He hadn't seen Guy and his team in action, but their exaggerated, jumpy reactions left him with little confidence.
One poor performance casts doubt on the entire group.
'Can I really trust these guys?'
Raj's team had been recommended by Konoha, and the cargo had already been stockpiled at the port for quite some time.
If it didn't move soon, he'd have to hire other ninja or samurai.
With ninja protection and Konoha's endorsement, he'd reluctantly agreed.
But if he'd known these four ninja were such goofballs, he'd rather have left the cargo untouched.
"Don't worry, meow. They're all exceptional ninjas, and I'll be watching over them from the shadows."
Raj appeared behind him.
'A black cat?'
The caravan leader glanced sideways.
He'd heard this cat was the team leader, but it sounded absurd.