The sky above Konoha was still painted in reddish-orange hues, but inside a simple room belonging to the Inuzuka clan, the atmosphere was already tense. On Saitama's lap, a white cat with gray stripes on its back, whom he had named Shiro, stared at him with large green eyes. Saitama rubbed his bald head; the reflection of the morning light made it look like a billiard ball. The stress of reincarnation, the misfit status within his clan, and the burden of knowing the future had stolen all his hair. He stroked Shiro's head, feeling the softness of the fur, a stark contrast to his own baldness.
"Woof woof... woof woof..." Saitama whispered, practicing dog sounds very softly while petting Shiro's head. Shiro only meowed in response, then yawned lazily. "Perfect. This morning, we must convince Dad that you are the quietest Inuzuka dog ever. So remember: no meowing, no hissing, and no scratching anyone. Especially him," he added, pointing to the photo of his father on the desk.
His bedroom door suddenly swung open. His father, Hayato Inuzuka, a burly man with prominent fang markings and a strong shinobi aura, entered. "Saitama, you're awake? Get ready, there's important news from the Hokage."
Saitama hurriedly hid Shiro behind his back. "Of course, Dad! Just... playing with my dog. He's shy."
Hayato narrowed his eyes. "Your dog? Since when did you get a new dog? And why... are you hiding it?" He spotted a white hair on Saitama's shoulder.
"Oh, this... this dog is a rare breed, Dad. Very small, extremely quiet. His name is Shiro," Saitama tried to deflect, his tone overly cheerful.
Hayato snorted, "Then let him out. Introduce him to the other dogs in the backyard. Let him get used to them."
"No!" Saitama exclaimed, then quickly lowered his voice. "He... uh... he has social anxiety, Dad. Afraid of dogs. That's why he's such a good fit for me."
"Social anxiety? You foolish boy, that's not a dog! That's a cat!" a small, hoarse "Meow!" from Shiro betrayed the entire disguise.
Hayato stared at Saitama, his eyes wide. "Saitama! I've told you a thousand times! The Inuzuka clan's ninken are dogs, not cats! Aren't you ashamed?"
"Why should I be ashamed, Dad?!" Saitama retorted, his voice rising. "Did I break any village laws? Is there a rule that forbids a Konoha shinobi from training a cat as a ninken? Besides, what's wrong with finding a new way to fight? Just look at Shiro! He's agile, moves silently, and can slip into small gaps. He's more suited for espionage missions than any dog in this clan!"
"ENOUGH! Respect tradition! This is our destiny, this is our way of fighting!" Hayato pointed to his own face markings. "These marks! They're not just birthmarks, they're a legacy. A legacy of the perfect cooperation between man and dog!"
"I didn't choose this legacy!" Saitama's anger overflowed, his voice almost trembling. He immediately regretted his words. He knew it was hurtful to his father, but the words had spilled out anyway. He rubbed his bald head, the weight on his shoulders feeling too heavy. "I... I don't want to be like this."
The atmosphere was tense. A sudden silence. In the midst of this moment, a knock came at the door, not from inside the house. A fully uniformed ANBU stood on the doorstep, taking in the surrounding air.
"Saitama Inuzuka. The Hokage summons you. Immediately." His tone was stern, no-nonsense, making the moment feel more serious than a usual summons.
Hayato and Saitama looked at each other. This summons was unusual. The Hokage wouldn't call a young genin directly without a very important reason. This was something big.
"This is about a mission. Your first mission, son," said Hayato, his voice calmer. He looked at Saitama, and then glanced at Shiro. "Cat or dog... on the battlefield, results are what matter. But you are not alone. Learn to trust your team."
Saitama nodded, his heart pounding. He took the scroll the ANBU handed him. A reconnaissance mission on the border of the Land of Fire, a region that was heating up. He swallowed hard. His hands trembled as he realized that his knowledge of the future, which had been nothing but a burden until now, was about to become part of an unavoidable destiny.
After Hayato left, Saitama looked back at Shiro. He stroked him gently. The cute expression on his face vanished, replaced by one of genuine fear. This wasn't just a fight. This was the war to come. He knew how terrifying that war was.
As he turned to grab his jacket, his eyes caught something on the mission scroll. A name. One of the names he recognized, one directly linked to that terrifying future.
He froze. He recognized the name.
---
"What should I do, Shiro?" he whispered to his cat. His eyes were fixed on a name, a name he could never forget.
"Tsunade Senju."