Can a Husky Really Be a Ninja Dog?

On the outskirts of Konoha stood a veterinary hospital. Aside from the occasional ninja bringing in their Ninja Dog for treatment, the place was usually quiet—if one could get used to the nonstop barking that never ceased all day.

As Konoha's—no, one of the Five Great Ninja Villages'—foremost family of Ninja Dog breeders, the Inuzuka name was the gold standard in the trade. They had long held a monopoly and supply contracts with many of Konoha's clans. For instance, the head of the Hatake Clan, who had recently passed away, had ordered eight outstanding Ninja Dogs from the Inuzuka Clan several years ago. They had shone brilliantly on the battlefield.

A time-honored brand that had sold well throughout Konoha for years, bolstered by glowing customer reviews and word of mouth, the Inuzuka Clan's arms... ahem, breeding and veterinary rescue business had grown larger and larger in recent years. As the business expanded, so did the need for space. Coupled with the villagers' constant complaints about the noise, the Inuzuka Clan relocated to Konoha's outskirts.

"Lord Shixiao has graced us with a personal visit. I'm deeply honored!"

Within the Inuzuka residence, Inuzuka Shigechika, the head of this generation, warmly welcomed Mitarashi Shixiao. The two sat facing each other over tea. Duke was too young to join in and sat off to the side. Across from him was a thick-furred... Caucasian Shepherd Dog. Its gray-black fur stood like steel needles, and its vicious face looked down at him from above. It was tall—huge!

"Shigechika, that might fool little ninjas who don't know what the Inuzuka Clan is capable of, but it won't fool me." Mitarashi Shixiao smiled. "With the strength of the Inuzuka Clan head, you must have noticed me the moment I came within a kilometer of this place."

"Hahaha, Lord Shixiao overestimates me. That is the Hyuga Clan's specialty. We Inuzuka do not possess such abilities." Inuzuka Shigechika answered modestly. The two exchanged the sort of hollow compliments adults used with one another.

"I have long heard that the Ninja Dogs bred by the Inuzuka Clan are exceptional. I have come here shamelessly today to purchase an outstanding Ninja Dog for my son at a high price." Mitarashi Shixiao could now face the matter of his illegitimate son calmly. Humans were creatures of habit, after all. It had to be said that habit was truly a terrifying thing.

"You are too kind, Lord Shixiao. Had I known you were in need, Shigechika would certainly have come to your door himself!" Hearing this, Inuzuka Shigechika turned his head slightly to appraise Duke, then smiled faintly, revealing a pair of canine teeth.

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Duke felt that the moment this Inuzuka Clan head heard the words "high price," dazzling golden light burst from his narrowed eyes. Even the Caucasian Shepherd Dog across from him seemed to soften its ferocious expression considerably.

"There is no need for you to come personally. So long as you do not mind my uninvited visit."

"You jest again. Lord Shixiao's presence brings honor to this humble house! This way, please." With business at his doorstep, Inuzuka Shigechika stopped being polite. He led Mitarashi Shixiao and Duke straight to the kennels where the Ninja Dogs were raised, with the Caucasian Shepherd Dog following close behind.

Before a row of kennels, over a hundred Ninja Dogs stood neatly arranged in formation. Their fangs interlocked, and a faint killing intent gleamed in their eyes. Inuzuka Shigechika began sparing no effort in promoting his family's various noble-blooded breeds to Mitarashi Shixiao and Duke. From their lineage and appearance to their three daily meals and routine training, he covered every detail so thoroughly that Duke was deeply tempted. For a moment, he was paralyzed by choice.

"Lord Shixiao, every Ninja Dog here has been carefully bred. Their parents are all experienced and outstanding Ninja Dogs with excellent bloodlines. Have any caught your eye?" Inuzuka Shigechika asked expectantly.

"Shigechika, I said I was offering a high price." Mitarashi Shixiao swept his gaze over the Ninja Dogs before him, stopped Duke from eagerly stepping forward, and smiled.

"How high?" Golden light burst from Inuzuka Shigechika's eyes once more. Duke would bet everything he had that it had not been an illusion earlier. This man's eyes really could shine.

"The highest kind!"

"Hehehe... Since Lord Shixiao is so straightforward, I shall stop holding back." Wearing a mercenary expression, Inuzuka Shigechika turned to the Caucasian Shepherd Dog. "Onimaru, lead the way!"

"Certainly, Shigechika! Esteemed guests, this way, please!" The Caucasian Shepherd Dog called Onimaru nodded and bowed. Standing beside Inuzuka Shigechika, they looked like a shopkeeper and his attendant greeting customers.

What was he even supposed to say? Like owner, like dog. Duke silently grumbled. Mitarashi Shixiao, meanwhile, was unsurprised. The Anbu and the Inuzuka Clan had a fifty-year procurement contract, covering everything from delivery to after-sales service. He knew exactly what kind of person Inuzuka Shigechika was. The man would not release the hawk until he saw the rabbit. Unless the conversation reached the point, one could forget about seeing the good merchandise.

Onimaru moved with graceful steps, taking several twists and turns before stopping outside an inconspicuous kennel. After a whistle of three long notes and one short one, three puppies came toddling out at a run. They circled Onimaru, looking utterly adorable. If not for the seasoned Mitarashi Shixiao nodding in satisfaction, Duke would never have believed these three wagging puppies were of better quality than the ones from before. After all, an Alaskan Malamute, a Samoyed, and a Husky were hardly a convincing combination.

They had actually assembled the three idiot sled dogs! What kind of scam was this? He would be better off going back to the previous batch. At least those had the four crazy dog breeds. No matter what, they had to be more reliable than these three idiots!

"Shigechika, are you certain these are worth a high price?" Erring on the side of caution, Mitarashi Shixiao still asked.

"Lord Shixiao, these are the most valuable dogs in the Inuzuka Clan at present. They were originally reserved for the young ninjas of our family, but since you hold such standing, I can only part with them in pain." Inuzuka Shigechika looked heartbroken as he gazed reluctantly at the three puppies before Onimaru, as though Duke had struck it rich. Onimaru chimed in as well, saying they were truly taking a massive loss this time.

Duke was dumbfounded. That Husky was biting at his trouser leg, wagging its tail as though acting cute to beg for food. Was this really okay? They had only just met. And where was its dignity and self-respect as a Ninja Dog? Did it not feel ashamed of that cool, aloof dog face?

If novice ninjas of the Inuzuka Clan obtained these three Ninja Dogs, they would undoubtedly monopolize Konoha's last-place clan title for the next twenty years. Especially that Husky. At such a young age, it already showed the essence of a complete idiot. It would definitely be an expert at dragging its owner down.

"They really are excellent. All premium stock!" Mitarashi Shixiao said delightedly. Seeing that Duke and the Husky seemed to have an affinity, he asked, "How much for this one?"

"..." Sir, why don't we reconsider? Those Ninja Dogs from earlier were actually pretty good.

Duke tried his best to throw his impression of Huskies as idiots out of his mind. He comforted himself that Mitarashi Shixiao's judgment could not be wrong. As a Ninja Dog meticulously bred by the Inuzuka Clan, it surely had something unique about it. He should not judge this world through the fixed mindset of his previous life. Even if they looked the same, the ninja world could not be judged by common sense. Its cutesy act was merely a marketing strategy to drive up its price. At heart, it was an outstanding Ninja Dog.

Thinking this, Duke put aside his prejudice and gave the Husky a slight smile in apology. Just as he expected, the Husky stopped wagging its tail... then rolled over onto the ground, exposing its fluffy belly with all four paws in the air.

"..." Sure enough, the melancholy idiocy branded deep into its soul could not be changed even by the will of the world!

"As expected of Lord Shixiao. You immediately picked out the finest one." Inuzuka Shigechika said with "regret," "This noble-blooded puppy was originally meant to be inherited by the next head of the Inuzuka Clan. Sadly, fate does not seem to favor the Inuzuka Clan."

Onimaru sobbed at the side. "Shigechika, you must think this through! This is the Inuzuka Clan's future!"

"Say no more, Onimaru!" Inuzuka Shigechika clenched his fists. Crocodile tears flowed from his wet eyes as he embraced the Caucasian Shepherd Dog and let out a heart-wrenching growl. "What is the foundation of the Inuzuka Clan's place in Konoha? It is neither our top-tier breeding techniques nor our unique Beast Mimicry Ninjutsu. Keeping one's word—that is the unchanging creed of the Inuzuka Clan. Even if we must stake the Inuzuka Clan's future on it, we cannot break faith with others."

Man and dog embraced, demonstrating the meanings of "howling like ghosts and wolves" and "telling bald-faced lies."

"..." Mitarashi Shixiao.

"..." Duke.

Hey, this act was getting a little over the top. Where was the director? Someone call cut already.

"Ahem!" Unable to bear watching any longer, Mitarashi Shixiao interrupted the man and dog. Curling his lip, he said, "Shigechika, that is enough. You have already elevated it to the future of the Inuzuka Clan. If you keep going, I will not dare buy it."

"I am not exaggerating. This is simply the truth." Shigechika wiped the tears from his eyes, rubbed his fingers together, and solemnly said to Mitarashi Shixiao, "Ten million ryo. Non-negotiable."

Hey, the Inuzuka Clan's future was only worth ten million ryo? And with that effortless acting skill, Oscar owed him a little golden statue!

"Duke, let us go. They do not want to sell." Mitarashi Shixiao took Duke's hand and turned to leave.

"Wait! The price can still be discussed..." Inuzuka Shigechika stopped them and probed, "May I ask what price Lord Shixiao has in mind?"

"One hundred thousand ryo. Non-negotiable!"

Inuzuka Shigechika nearly choked on a mouthful of blood and died of rage. What did one hundred thousand ryo mean? A B-Class mission assigned to ninjas by the Hokage's Office generally paid around that much. Did he think the Inuzuka Clan's future was worth only a B-Class mission? At the very least, it should be worth an S-Class mission! This was no longer merely a question of price. It concerned the honor of the Inuzuka Clan.

Fighting for his clan's honor, Inuzuka Shigechika declared, "Five million ryo. Non-negotiable."

"Two hundred thousand ryo. Non-negotiable."

"Two million ryo. Non-negotiable."

"Three hundred thousand ryo. Non-negotiable."

"..."

Every offer from the two of them was supposedly non-negotiable, so why were they still negotiating? Where was the most basic trust between people? Faced with the two haggling furiously, spittle flying everywhere, Duke shook his head wordlessly. In the end, the Inuzuka Clan's future was sold for eight hundred thousand ryo. Mitarashi Shixiao was still somewhat dissatisfied, believing the price had been inflated. His ideal price had been around six hundred thousand ryo.

After payment and delivery were exchanged, the three humans and one dog returned to the main hall for tea. Holding the idiot in his arms, Duke looked utterly lifeless as he felt the world's deep malice toward an outsider. He had clearly wanted to gain some extra strength to arm himself, so what was with this burden that would hold him back? If an enemy pulled out a bag of dog food, would it wag its tail and beg...