The entire clan followed suit, bowing to Raj, Minato, and Kakashi.
Though they did so reluctantly, the Clan Head's apology left them no choice.
Their emotions were complex.
'How could a cat learn Tsunade's Superhuman Strength? It's utterly absurd.'
'What if it knows Medical Ninjutsu too? That would be ridiculous.'
'And... is this its full power?'
Many glanced at Obito, mentally plotting to pry information from him later.
Raj canceled the Expansion Jutsu, leaping nimbly onto Rin's medical kit.
He then waved at the dumbfounded Shizune, adopting an innocent, harmless demeanor.
'It's still hard to believe this cat is Jonin-level. It looks so cute!'
The Uchiha had dealt with Ninja Cats before, knowing they weren't particularly strong.
Even the mighty Matatabi was nothing special.
But this cat was completely different.
'It's utterly monstrous.'
Shizune snapped out of her daze and, after careful consideration, realized what technique the cat had used.
Her emotions were now a complex mix.
'Superhuman Strength... I asked Tsunade about it years ago, but she said I couldn't master that technique. How envious!'
"Now then, Clan Leader Fugaku, let's go inside and discuss the current situation," Tsunade said, striding purposefully into the building.
Fugaku had been the leader here before, but now Tsunade had taken charge, her presence dominating the room.
Fugaku and Minato followed behind.
Raj had planned to stay outside and tease the other Uchiha, but Tsunade stopped, turned, and glared at him...
"Meow~"
Sigh...
Raj reluctantly waved goodbye to the others, especially the Uchiha "piggy banks."
It had just checked its points and realized it had earned over four thousand in that brief encounter alone.
Not only had it recouped the losses from its Superhuman Strength rampage, but it had also made a profit of over a thousand points.
'If I squeezed them a little harder, I could probably earn even more. What a pity.'
"Alright, go on. Stop showing off here," Obito urged impatiently.
'This cat is just provoking people again. Can't it just be a good cat? Why does it have to act like a public nuisance? Seriously...'
"..."
Raj shot him a cold glare before leaping off the medical kit and vanishing in a blur.
In the blink of an eye, it was beside Tsunade and Minato.
'Such incredible speed!'
Fugaku Uchiha was impressed but not particularly surprised.
Ninja Cats are all fast.
Even ordinary Ninja Cats are significantly faster than many ninjas.
Raj's earlier display of destructive power didn't mean it lacked speed.
The Uchiha Clan had considerable knowledge of Ninja Cats, so Raj hadn't managed to extract many points from them this time.
But there was plenty of time ahead.
Raj would have ample opportunities to play with everyone and find more chances to earn Points.
There was no need to rush.
After Raj entered, Obito bowed respectfully to his clansmen.
These were his seniors, and while their relationships weren't particularly warm, they weren't hostile either.
"Obito, besides his superhuman strength, does Raj have any other abilities?"
One of the clansmen, who was slightly closer to Obito, probed for information, hoping to be better prepared for future encounters and avoid another awkward situation like today's.
"Senior Inaho, well... his true strength is definitely greater than what we've seen, but I can't really say much more," Obito hesitated.
Without prior consultation, he couldn't reveal certain information.
As a teammate, he had a duty to protect his comrades, but what about his loyalty to the clan?
Just as he was wavering, Kakashi stepped forward, his blade drawn, blocking Obito's path.
"This information isn't for you to know," he declared.
"If you want to learn more, have Senior Fugaku ask our Captain or Lady Tsunade directly."
"You little brat!"
Standing beside Inaho, Uchiha Yakumi stepped forward angrily.
The other Uchiha clan members also showed their displeasure.
Who does Kakashi think he is, a mere Chunin, talking to us like that?
Besides, he's just a Special Jonin, acting like he's handling top-secret information.
Many of us are Jonin or Special Jonin, and we don't make such a fuss about secrecy.
Inaho raised a hand to stop the others, then nodded slightly in apology.
"My apologies for my recklessness. We need to report for our shift change now. Everyone, disperse and prepare for patrol handover."
"Yes, sir!"
The other Uchiha clan members bowed their heads and dispersed, leaving only Inaho standing there.
He glanced around and smiled.
"This camp is quite small, and there aren't many places to rest. Please find yourselves somewhere to sit."
"Thank you, Senior Inaho," Rin said, leading the group to find spots to sit.
The specific arrangements hadn't been finalized yet.
With three camps along the Eastern Front, they might not even be staying at the Uchiha's base, so it was understandable that the Uchiha hadn't provided tents.
Still, it was rather impolite.
"Tell me everything. What's the situation?"
Tsunade sat down first, then gestured around the table, inviting everyone to take a seat.
Minato, Fugaku, and Raj occupied the other three sides of the table, while Fugaku Uchiha, the leader of their group, naturally sat opposite Tsunade.
Still, sitting at a table with a cat felt a bit odd.
"Kirigakure has deployed a large force," Fugaku began slowly.
"They specialize in the Kirigakure Assassination Technique, launching attacks along the coast without engaging in direct combat. Despite our significant deployment, we've captured very few Kiri Ninja."
"Guerrilla warfare, meow~" Raj blurted out, immediately regretting his words.
In this era, who even knew what guerrilla warfare was?
"What's guerrilla warfare?" Tsunade asked, momentarily stunned by the cat's unexpected remark.
"Meow~ When cats face powerful enemies, we use trees and forests to maneuver and harass them. If we can win, we fight; if not, we climb trees and run. That's guerrilla warfare."
"Now that you explain it, it does sound like guerrilla warfare," the others murmured, nodding slightly after a moment's reflection.
Indeed, that was the essence of it.
Kirigakure was using guerrilla tactics and assassinations to tie down Konoha's forces, while Konoha lacked coordination, unable to integrate the strengths of its various clans.
This was the root of their current predicament.
Tsunade pondered for a few seconds, then clapped her hands decisively.
"Forget about it for now. Minato, go inform Hiashi and Shikuro. We need to hold a meeting to reorganize our forces from the three camps into a unified command. As for the location... let's choose this central point."
She pointed to a spot on the map inside the tent.
This location was in the eastern heart of the Land of Fire, offering convenient access and transportation routes for essential supplies like ninja tools and Soldier Pills.
This would serve as their main base.