In the days that followed, Shinji attended the Ninja Academy in the mornings, studied Medical Ninjutsu at noon, sparred with Haku and Karin in the evenings, and returned home late at night to activate "Naobi" and sense Deidara.
His days were busy yet fulfilling.
Soon, nine days had passed.
That night, Shinji activated "Naobi" again, but still failed to sense Deidara.
Just as he deactivated "Naobi," he suddenly felt the summons of a Summoning Jutsu. Realizing Meiqiu was reverse summoning him, he quickly formed hand seals and created a Shadow Clone to remain in the apartment, while his real body answered Meiqiu's Reverse Summoning.
Poof.
Shinji emerged amid a cloud of white smoke.
Meiqiu leaped out from the side, looking at Shinji pitifully.
As Shinji surveyed his surroundings, he asked, "Why are you two days later than we agreed?"
Meiqiu began to complain. "Do you know how hard it is for a little cat to leave the country? Look, look! My paws are all worn raw!"
Shinji sighed helplessly. "It counts as an on-the-job injury."
The grievance vanished from Meiqiu's face at once. It jumped onto Shinji's shoulder and pointed into the distance. "Look! Kusagakure is over there!"
Following Meiqiu's paw, Shinji finally spotted Kusagakure beyond the forest.
Meiqiu asked, "Shinji, what are we stealing from Kusagakure this time?"
Shinji tapped Meiqiu's little head. "Don't ask questions. Hurry and hide in my shadow. We're moving!"
"Okay."
Meiqiu obediently hid in Shinji's shadow.
Shinji flashed forward and slipped toward Kusagakure.
Before long, he arrived in a dense forest on Kusagakure's outskirts and quietly observed the village beneath the night sky.
He had done his homework over the past few days.
Though Kusagakure could not compare to the Five Great Shinobi Villages, it was still a prominent force in the Shinobi World,