The Cat Who Endured

"Th-this cat... is your summoning beast?"

Mei Terumi looked at the black cat, which was complaining with a full heart of resentment in a magnetic voice, then turned to look at Uchiha Kou beside her with black lines appearing on her forehead.

The cat was pitch black with sleek, glossy fur, and it was currently glaring fiercely at Uchiha Kou not far away with its golden vertical pupils.

"Uh, hahaha..."

Uchiha Kou looked at the black cat before him, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly as he said to Mei Terumi, feeling like he wanted to cry but had no tears:

"Although it's hard for me to accept as well, but... it is indeed my summoning beast."

Watching Uchiha Kou's "I'm also helpless" expression, a hint of sympathy suddenly appeared in Mei Terumi's eyes.

Uchiha Kou looked helplessly at the lazy black cat before him, muttering in his heart:

"Sigh, this kid, how could such a good little kitty have been when it was young? Fluffy, soft, rubbing against everyone it saw—how did it turn into this ghost of a creature after growing up?

Could it really be that my parenting is the problem? That can't be right..."

He muttered to himself:

"It must be that cat bar Granny Cat runs that's to blame. The cats there are more worldly than the last, Cook must have been corrupted by them! It must be!!!"

Having found the "culprit" in his heart, Uchiha Kou felt a sense of relief.

He immediately shook his head, temporarily setting aside his self-doubt, and pointed at the black cat that was still slapping the ground with its tail, introducing it to Mei Terumi in a solemn tone:

"Let me introduce you first. This is my summoning beast, the legendary kitty of the Ninja Cat world—Cook."

Mei Terumi looked at the black cat in front of her, muttering in her heart:

"Cook, what a strange name..."

"If you called this Meow over just to introduce this super-invincible-thunder-exploding-tank-stinky-ass stupid name you gave me to the woman beside you..."

The black cat glared fiercely at Uchiha Kou with its golden vertical pupils and said irritably:

"Then you can go die."

Its voice remained that superb, bubbly, deep, and magnetic tone, but the resentment in its tone could not be suppressed no matter what:

"If you have something to say, say it quickly. Get it over with so this Meow can go back to... to go on a date with a little she-cat!!"

When it said "date," its voice softened involuntarily, and those golden vertical pupils narrowed slightly, as if reminiscing about some beautiful scene.

"Tsk."

Uchiha Kou looked at the black cat, a trace of disdain flashing in his dark eyes:

"Cook, this stinky cat, its temper has really been getting worse lately.

After this mission is over, I'll report it to Granny Cat and have Cook's QQ uninstalled. Let's see how it tries to find a mate then!"

While complaining in his heart, Uchiha Kou prepared to explain the purpose of this trip to the black cat.

However, just as he was about to speak, the black cat suddenly arched its back, and all the fur on its body stood on end.

It opened its mouth, revealing its sharp teeth, and let out a shrill hiss:

"Hiss!! Don't you come over here!!!"

Uchiha Kou: Σ(っ °Д °;)っ

Mei Terumi: ヽ(.＞Д＜)o゜

"You stinky cat! What the hell are you screeching for all of a sudden!!"

Uchiha Kou's figure vanished from the spot instantly, appearing behind the black cat the next moment, his right hand precisely grabbing the scruff of its neck and lifting the entire cat up.

The black cat's body swayed in the air, its four legs dangling limply like a towel being held up.

That once majestic and imposing posture had vanished into thin air.

"You're really pushing your luck, aren't you?"

Uchiha Kou said with an unfriendly tone:

"Looks like I need to teach you a lesson on behalf of Granny Cat!"

"Let go of this Meow! You stupid Uchiha!!"

The black cat struggled while accusing him with that sexy voice:

"Don't think this Meow didn't see it! Just now, when you stood up, the corners of your mouth twitched upward by a millimeter, and the corner of your eye was aimed right at this Meow!

Based on what I know of you, you clearly have ill intentions; you must be plotting against this Meow in your heart!!"

Mei Terumi: (≖╻≖;)

Uchiha Kou: ⊙_⊙

"...You know a little too damn much."

Uchiha Kou looked at the Cook in his hand with black lines on his face, a trace of killing intent flashing in his dark eyes.

He couldn't help but increase the pressure on his hand, his five fingers tightening until the skin on the back of the cat's neck made a faint sound.

"Ah! It hurts like hell!! Take it easy! Uchiha Kou, you bastard!! Take it easy on this Meow!!"

The black cat's voice was sharp and piercing; that superlative vocal fry had transformed into the sound effect of a "screaming rubber chicken" in this moment.

"Hm? You can still make noise? It seems you aren't dead yet—"

Kou's lips curled slightly upward, and a "cruel" smile emerged on his handsome face:

"Increase the intensity!!"

"Oh-ho-ho-ho!! This Me, this Me will absolutely never surrender!!!"

"Yo-ho, this stinky cat has quite the backbone—"

Kou raised an eyebrow, and the smile on his face grew even more radiant:

"It looks like I'll have to serve you something a bit more substantial..."

"Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!!!"

Mei Terumi: "..."

"Why does this atmosphere feel increasingly strange, hey!!"

She watched the man and cat before her, screaming silently in her heart, her emerald eyes filled with speechlessness.

She took a deep breath and reminded Kou in an annoyed tone:

"Don't forget the mission. What exactly are you trying to do by summoning this cat?"

"Oh, right!!"

Kou muttered, feigning a sudden realization:

"The mission must indeed take priority."

As he spoke, he released his grip on the cat's neck.

"Plop!"

The cat went into freefall.

The cat sank into the sand.

The cat was unscathed—probably.

"Uchiha Kou, you son of a b..."

A muffled, magnetic, and venomous voice drifted up from the sand pile.

Listening to the cat's venomous voice, Kou revealed a genuinely joyful smile.

"Alright, alright, enough messing around."

Feeling the death glare from Mei Terumi beside him, Kou's attitude instantly turned serious, and he reined in the smile on his face.

He bent down, grabbed Cook, who was buried in the sand, and hoisted it up before his eyes.

Sand was still dripping from the black cat's body, and those golden slit pupils stared at him like dead fish eyes.

"Listen, little cat brother—"

Kou's voice became low and earnest, and a trace of gravity flashed through his black eyes:

"Your big brother summoned you here because I have an important mission to entrust to you. We need you to use that super sense of smell, which rivals that of Kakashi's Pakkun, to help us find..."

"This Me refuses!"