Love's Sustenance

The Uchiha Clan Compound basked in the sunshine.

Bright rays streamed through the wide wooden lattice windows, casting large, warm patches of light across the floor. Fine dust motes danced lazily in the sunbeams.

Daju was curled up on the sofa, his chubby body rising and falling with each steady breath as he slept soundly. His whiskers occasionally twitched, as if he were dreaming about something wonderful.

Just then, a barely audible meow pierced his sleep like a soft feather gently tickling his eardrum.

It was Ayan!

His orange ears, driven by an instinct etched into his bones, perked up first and swivelled alertly.

A moment later, his sleepy cat eyes opened. As his pupils adjusted to the light, they quickly narrowed into excited slits.

He eagerly followed the sound with his gaze, which came to rest on the other side of the room—

On the single sofa with a dark cushion, his young master, Uchiha Ren, sat back in a relaxed pose.

And the Silver-spotted Cat he had been longing to see was curled elegantly in his young master's lap, like a tuft of moonlight fallen from the sky.

Ren's slender fingers stroked Ayan's fur, moving rhythmically over the back of her neck and down her spine.

Ayan was clearly enjoying it. Her emerald eyes were half closed, and a soft, contented purr rumbled in her throat.

The tip of her long tail gently tapped the sofa cushion again and again. Her whole body was relaxed and comfortable, with not a hint of wariness.

The sunlight traced the outline of Ayan's silvery-gray fur, seeming to halo her in a gentle glow. She was so beautiful that Daju couldn't take his eyes off her.

Daju stared, transfixed.

Without thinking, he slightly raised his furry front paw, imagining it resting on Ayan's head or neck... How blissful would that be?

His throat bobbed involuntarily as he swallowed a mouthful of saliva, thick with longing and envy.

Envy wound its way up from deep inside him like a vine, curling around his heart and leaving it aching with bitterness.

If only... if only Ayan would let me do that, too...

No, even if... even if she'd just let me get a little closer and sniff her scent...

He wailed inwardly, but his chubby body seemed nailed to the cushion. He didn't dare interrupt this "sacred" scene.

All he could do was stare at her, his round cat eyes so full of longing and hurt that it seemed ready to spill out.

He was the one who loved Ayan the most!

The sunlight remained warm, and the room remained quiet. In a corner where no one noticed, Daju's lovesick heart had turned as sour as an aged lemon.

"Oh, Daju's awake."

Feeling Daju's gaze, Ren was in a splendid mood. Calling Ayan over first thing in the morning for a thorough petting session had been the right choice.

"I just love a pure-love warrior."

His fingers slid down Ayan's smooth back before gently grasping her long, misty tail, its tip rounded.

"Mm..."

Ayan let out a longer, more languid whimper from her throat.

She seemed to melt into a puddle, going limp in Ren's lap. Her emerald eyes narrowed to slits; she was clearly enjoying herself.

The sight made Daju, who had already been staring in a daze, widen his eyes even further. His pupils seemed ready to stretch beyond their physical limits.

His gaze stayed fixed on his young master's fingers "desecrating" the sacred cat tail.

His paws scratched at the cushion without him realizing it. Jealousy, longing, envy...

And even a little excitement.

Because only in his young master's presence did Ayan show such complete trust and make such a lovely sound!

Should I find someone and let them experience this heart-stirring feeling?

That was what Ren thought.

The sense of control from casually playing with something someone else treasured, and witnessing the subtle reaction of someone consumed by pure longing they couldn't fulfill, was absolutely delightful.

But that wasn't the point.

Most importantly, Ren could feel it: the Spark Lens, sealed inside Daju with a special Sealing Jutsu that preserved the power of his Sharingan, was beginning to stir.

Driven by his frustration, Ren had spent the whole night studying the Spark Lens, and had finally figured out the key.

The Spark Lens's main function was to transform someone with the Light hereditary factor into light.

The mutation in Ren's Sharingan power had changed that prerequisite.

Then Daju, whose heart was innocent and full of love, had touched it, and the two had formed a connection of sorts.

But the connection wasn't absolute. After all, in Ultraman Tiga, someone had stolen Daigo's Spark Lens, yet he had still transformed into Tiga.

Ren, who could control the Sharingan's activation with his ocular power, could do the same.

The only problem was energy.

Perhaps because of the difference in time or dimensions, even Daigo couldn't transform into Tiga whenever he wanted. Doing so in the Naruto world would be even harder.

To truly activate the Spark Lens, it needed pure love or fearless courage as a source of energy.

Ren also remembered that an Ultraman could only exist for three minutes. Once its energy ran out, it would turn to stone and die.

He didn't dare experiment with the Spark Lens on Mikoto, nor did he want to hand it to anyone else.

So he simply sealed the Spark Lens inside Daju with Sealing Jutsu, letting it absorb the power of love around the clock.

At first, he hadn't been sure whether the Sealing Jutsu would work. He hadn't expected it to actually succeed.

Now all he had to do was wait and see what happened when Fat Orange Cat transformed. If the result was good, Daju would be honored with the title of "Love's Sustenance."

To stir the love in Daju's heart even more, Ren deliberately slowed his movements as he kneaded the cat's tail. He glanced at the Fat Orange Cat, who looked ready to pass out, and spoke lightly.

"Don't just sit there staring."

"Daju, go make breakfast. I'll leave the kitchen to you."

"Ayan and I are hungry."

The sudden order jolted Daju out of his trance. His body reacted before his mind did.

"...Yes, young master!"

He answered hastily, then rolled off the cushion and landed on all fours, nearly stumbling in his haste.

Daju didn't dare look again at the sight that made his heart itch. He shook his head,

trying to drive the image of "Ayan having her tail stroked" from his mind.

Then he started walking, his limbs moving awkwardly out of sync, and headed toward the kitchen with a tragic air, almost rolling the whole way.

His rounded back spoke of the bitterness and helplessness of a lovesick cat, yet there was also a secret hint of joy in being able to do something for Ayan.

"Ayan still needs me, after all. This is just wonderful!"

"Young master, isn't it a little mean to tease Daju like that?"

The Silver-spotted Cat in his arms lifted her head, blinked her emerald eyes, and gave a meow tinged with slight hesitation.

Ren looked down and met those expressive eyes. He gently scratched her chin. "What, do you feel sorry for him?"

"N-no!"

"Who would feel sorry for that silly cat!"