(25/100- Guys, Push it, this is the second chapter of the week, do you really not want the chapter on Sunday?)
"Don't you know that you should not jump up as your first instinct? Have you not been on a battlefield?" A voice came from beside him. However, Sora had already formed a shadow clone, which kicked him away.
Sora's shadow clone tried to do something, but it exploded when a kunai quickly passed through it.
"Damn, I knew it! These things could explode!" Kasumi had predicted that would happen.
Sora landed on the ground and quickly formed a Rasengan.
"Nee-chan, dodge this as I don't think you have anything in your arsenal that could defend against it." Sora had gotten the advantage of landing first by one second over Kasumi, who was still in the air.
His shapeshifting jutsu really was the most versatile jutsu in existence, in his humble opinion.
Just as he reached her, aiming at her, his eyes widened.
A blue-coloured sphere of chakra formed in Kasumi's hands, clashing with Sora's Rasengan.
"You waste too much chakra on that jutsu. You should try to prioritize it to be more concentrated in the centre rather than trying to increase its size. It's really ineffective." As if to prove her point, her comparatively smaller jutsu easily penetrated through Sora's Rasengan.
However, before Sora could get hit by the Rasengan, Kasumi kicked him away.
Sora was feeling an emotion he thought he would never feel this strongly in a long time.
"Damn it! I understand why the Uchihas were most detested in our village. I finally understand now!" Sora was enlightened about jutsu stealing today.
"Oh, so Uzumakis live with Uchihas together? Seeing you guys together, Ino-Shika-Cho also was able to co-exist with them? Did you mention a village? Did various clans come together?" Kasumi asked, baffled as to whether this could be possible or not.
"Sora!" Shikamaru reprimanded him.
"What am I supposed to do? She just copied my A-rank jutsu just like that. Do you know how long it took me to learn it? Nearly a week! She just took a few minutes to do that!" Sora was throwing a tantrum.
"Now, now, I am just good at chakra control and was focusing on shape manipulation a few months ago. I am experienced, that's why I was able to do that," Kasumi explained.
"Rasengan, huh? It means 'spiral vortex'? Did an Uzumaki come up with this technique? I think they got the inspiration from the Biju Bomb?" Kasumi didn't know how spot-on her guess was.
It seems a Nara woman's instincts are just that great.
'No wonder Nara men are always not wearing the pants in their relationships. What can they do against a combination of intelligence and a woman's instincts?' Sora wondered internally.
He didn't dare to say that out loud.
Kasumi, for some reason, glared at Sora.
Sora ignored it.
"I don't really know, but I'm pretty sure that an Uzumaki didn't come up with this technique," Sora just said.
'The Fourth Hokage was a civilian, I think. Namikaze doesn't seem to be Uzumaki. Hmm, he does look similar to Naruto, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and all. Hehe, maybe he is the secret father of Naruto.
Jokes aside, anyway, this lady also confused me with a Uzumaki. Uzumakis do have large chakra reserves, that I could deduce. What else is common between me and Naruto to make her misunderstand me as an Uzumaki?' Sora didn't know much about the Uzumaki Clan, and all his information came from recent deductions.
"Hmm, so what now? I don't think we can escape her," Choji said while munching on chips. He was really tired from running all around.
"Hmm, nee-chan, why exactly are we fighting again?" Ino asked.
"Don't ask me; you guys were the ones who attacked me first and escaped," Kasumi shamelessly said, as if she were telling them that deer are peaceful.
"Weren't you the one who used shadow possession on us?" Shikamaru deadpanned. If you're lying, at least do it properly.
"Nah, I was just testing you guys. It's not every day I see time travellers. I was curious. I need to be really cautious, you know?" She non-apologetically did a "te-he," expecting everyone to forgive her.
And they did.
Kasumi was definitely taking advantage of her charms on innocent kids.
"So, what now?"
"You guys tell me how you came here. I might be able to help you."
"Well..." Sora looked at Shikamaru, letting him decide.
Shikamaru sighed.
"How troublesome."
"Indeed, how troublesome this situation is," Kasumi mimicked Shikamaru.
"Ahem, well, we were given a mission to find a ninja. However, in the Land of Hot Springs, we were unable to find him. We heard rumours about a thief, which did match the description of the ninja we were supposed to find. However, after investigating it, we found that there is a lore of Zashiki Warashi—he likes to steal things and all," Shikamaru paused. "Does that ring any bells?"
"Nope," Kasumi said, crossing her arms to emphasize her point.
Shikamaru faltered a bit, not expecting such a straightforward response.
He then continued, "Anyway, we were given a puzzle to solve. After some unexpected things, we found ourselves in this dimension. We saw a lot of things, like a wolf killing a flock of sheep. We threw a kunai, but the laws of physics and chakra, more like reality as a whole, were very different. We also couldn't directly interact with the beings—more like we were on a different plane."
"After some more things, we saw a cat that could somehow perceive us through space-time. We then used mind-possession jutsu," he pointed at Ino. "We then used the cat's body to explore, and found an advanced civilization that claimed this world is a fabrication, and they had created something that self-destructed. Their last creation was an orb that would supposedly help us reach that higher dimension. Anyway, we then used the cat's body to bring the orb, the cat ate the orb, then our perspective changed, and we saw you killing that white-haired guy."
"Oh, so you guys were watching me since that moment. I looked cool, right?" Kasumi asked.
Everyone nodded.
It seems that the intention was to look cool.
"Anyway, Sora used a shadow clone, and then the cat somehow found us, bringing us down into this plane somehow, and the rest is history," Shikamaru finally completed.
"Damn, that's some crazy adventure. I wish I was able to go on such an adventure when I was a kid," Kasumi lamented the lack of time-travel and dimension-shift shenanigans in her life.
Which was quite an absurd thing to say.
But the author will allow it.
Erm—everyone will allow it.
"I guess, so? What should we do?"
"Hmm, maybe wake up Neko-chan and ask her?" Kasumi shrugged.
So, Neko was woken up from the dreamland where she was playing with lots of balls.
Neko tried to scratch Ino's face, but Ino was too used to cats trying to scratch her face, so she easily dodged it.
There's a cat named Tora in Konoha.
Every Genin has known about it since the beginning of time itself.
"So, what now? I don't think Neko-chan will understand us. Do the Yamanakas have a secret jutsu to communicate with animals?" Sora curiously asked.
"I guess. Watch and learn." Kasumi said and then looked at Neko.
"Hey, can you understand me? If yes, then speak in human language! We need to communicate with you to escape this place," Kasumi loudly said to Neko.
Everyone was speechless.
Even Ino was feeling second-hand embarrassment for this scene.
This was supposed to be the legendary Clan Head of her clan.
Sora finally broke the silence. "Nee-chan, I don't think Neko-chan—" "HOOMANS, it seems that you have finally decided to communicate with me."
The quartet had their jaws dropped.
The cat can speak?
Why didn't it communicate with them earlier?
"This is not a Yamanaka-exclusive technique, but my personal technique: 'How to Speak with Animals Who Have Chakra,'" she winked at them.
Sora and the other three were embarrassed that just a moment ago, they were feeling second-hand embarrassment for her.
"Hmm, Neko-chan, do you know about the orb you ate? Can you regurgitate it?" Sora put on a poker face and asked.
"Hmph, you are too late. I have already digested it. That orb has assimilated with me, and I can access its powers."
"Whoa, this cat seems to be like a Uchiha," Sora slowly whispered to the others.
"She is at least cute, unlike those grumpy fellows," Kasumi giggled.
"Well, Neko-chan, can you travel through space and time now?"
"Nya~ My chakra is low. I need to rest before I can regain my chakra."
"That is what you call low on chakra?" Kasumi looked at Neko in disbelief.
Sora and Ino activated their sensory fields and focused on Neko.
After focusing for a few seconds, their eyes widened.
The Neko currently had chakra equivalent to Naruto's chakra.
"Are you sure that this cat is not a tailed beast in disguise? I think there is already a cat among the tailed beasts. She might not be able to keep her position," Kasumi joked.
"Yeah, I'm also curious about her maximum chakra capacity. I did feel a bit too energetic when I used mind-transfer on her. No wonder," Ino commented.
"Well, you guys could stay with me until this neko recharges her chakra," Kasumi suggested.
The trio looked at Shikamaru.
He was the leader.
He had to make troublesome decisions.
"Fine. I'm also curious about how Ino-Shika-Cho looked back in the day."
"Awesome! Let's go!" Kasumi's enthusiasm was not infectious.
'Yup, she definitely is the Yamanaka Clan Head,' everyone had the same thought.
***
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