Naruto, are you all so good at self-seduction

"Cat, what do you think my brother is busy with every day?"

Uchiha Sasuke sat astride the wall that encircled his home. A sleek black cat lounged a short distance away; he didn't dare inch closer for fear it would bolt.

For many days in a row he had found this beautiful black cat perched on the wall. He had tried to catch it countless times, but—Shisui's fluke aside—never once succeeded.

Eventually Sasuke gave up on catching it, yet he couldn't bear to lose Kanzuki Oboro. He still came by from time to time to pour out his heart, treating Oboro as a confidant simply because he was a cat.

"When will Father ever notice me?" Sasuke sighed.

"I'm top of the class, too—so why can't I get the kind of praise my brother does?"

Oboro ignored him, his gaze fixed on the silhouette visible through the study window.

"Sometimes I'm really jealous of my brother. Why does he get all of Father's attention?"

After speaking, Sasuke let his eyes drift into the distance; from this height he could see a long way.

There were few people on the streets of the Uchiha Clan Compound—almost desolate, really.

"I wish I could graduate sooner, become a shinobi, and help Father out."

The figure in the study suddenly moved, as if about to come out. Oboro rose to his feet at once.

"You think so too, kitty?" Sasuke asked the moment he noticed Oboro stand.

Oboro didn't answer the brat beside him. He merely padded to an inconspicuous spot so Uchiha Fugaku wouldn't notice him when he stepped outside.

"Where're you going, kitty?"

"Sasuke, what are you doing so high up there?"

His mother's voice floated up from below. Sasuke answered at once and leapt down from the wall.

When he reached the living-room entrance he saw his father coming out as well.

"Are you heading out, Father?" Sasuke asked.

"Mm. Some business." Fugaku responded curtly, changed shoes, and left.

Sasuke wanted to ask what business, but Fugaku gave him no chance. He could only watch his father walk away.

"Why have you been climbing that wall every day?" Uchiha Mikoto interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh, there's a cat up there," Sasuke said.

"A cat?" Mikoto looked surprised; she recalled Shisui mentioning the same thing a few days ago.

Yet she couldn't remember any cat haunting their wall.

"Right there…" Sasuke pointed to where Oboro had been—only empty air now.

"That's odd, it was just there."

Mikoto studied the spot thoughtfully. Though not a soul was in sight, she seemed to sense something and glanced toward the study.

"That cat's been there every day?" she asked Sasuke.

"Yeah. I see it on the wall whenever I come home. It's really beautiful, but no matter how many times I try to grab it, I never can—it's too fast."

Mikoto smiled. "If you like cats that much, we can get you one."

"I only like that one."

"All right, I need to start dinner. Your father won't be home to eat tonight."

"Will Brother be back?"

"He should be."

"Okay."

Before returning to the kitchen, Mikoto couldn't resist another glance at the wall, her eyes glinting slightly.

Up on the eaves and rooftops, Oboro shadowed Fugaku's footsteps with extreme caution. He never drew too close; he'd done the same for days and had yet to be discovered.

Fugaku merely strolled around the Uchiha Clan Compound, then headed for the Konoha Military Police Force Headquarters. As captain of the Uchiha Police Force, his desk was never clear.

Oboro chose a rooftop with a wide view outside the building and continued his surveillance.

Not until dusk did Fugaku leave Headquarters and walk homeward.

Just another ordinary day.

Oboro returned to Root to report, then went back to his own place.

Since that day Mitarashi Anko had stopped pestering him, granting Oboro some peace.

The next day.

As usual, Oboro used the Transformation Technique to slip into the Uchiha Clan Compound and sprawled in his usual spot.

After so many consecutive missions he was getting used to moving around in feline form.

The day's watch lasted until afternoon, when a shadow suddenly leapt onto the wall.

Oboro slanted a glance over—Uchiha Sasuke.

Home from the Academy this early?

He paid little mind and continued keeping watch.

But today Sasuke was different. Instead of sitting on the wall he strode straight toward Oboro without a word.

Hm?

Sensing this, Oboro rose as well.

Again? Still not giving up?

He assumed Sasuke wanted another game of tag and cast the boy a disdainful feline look.

What happened next shocked him.

Sasuke vanished on the spot, reappearing behind him in a blink, one arm reaching for the back of Oboro's neck.

Body Flicker?!

Oboro's fur bristled, but his reflexes as a shinobi were razor-sharp. He sprang away an instant before Sasuke's hand closed, landing atop the opposite roof.

"Not half-bad," Sasuke said coolly, eyes fixed on Oboro. "A ninja cat, huh?"

Oboro frowned. Something about this Sasuke was off. According to the original timeline, Sasuke wasn't even a genin yet—there was no way he'd mastered the Body Flicker Technique.

"All ninja cats are known to the Uchiha," Sasuke continued sternly. "Which faction are you from?"

Oboro didn't reply. Now that he was exposed there was no reason to stay. He turned and bounded away across the rooftops.

"Trying to run?" Sasuke's gaze darkened as he gave chase.

Moving in cat form was clumsy, and the "Sasuke" behind him was every bit as fast.

After threading through the compound awhile, Oboro bolted toward the forest on Konohagakure's outskirts.

Give me a break!

He scowled as the persistent shadow stayed on his tail.

Whoosh!

A kunai split the air, skimming his fur before burying itself halfway into a tree trunk ahead.

Oboro skidded to a halt and faced Sasuke.

Sasuke stopped not far away. With a soft puff of smoke, his form shifted—standing in his place was a tall, beautiful woman.

Uchiha Mikoto.

Oboro hesitated. If Mikoto had caught on, had Fugaku as well?

"Can you talk now?" Mikoto asked.

Oboro's mind raced for a way out. The woman was at least jōnin level; he couldn't reveal his true form to fight her.

Mikoto studied him a moment, then squatted down. "You really are gorgeous. No wonder Sasuke likes you so much."

Oboro: "..."

"So," Mikoto went on, "are you from Nekobaa's group, Nekomata's, or the Nekomata Palace?"

What is she even…

Oboro was confused but gathered she was talking about ninja-cat factions—of which he knew nothing.

When he still didn't answer, Mikoto fell into thought.

Ninja cats never form summoning contracts with humans, but they do accept employment and trade.

After a moment she produced a long stick.

A cat teaser.

Oboro: "..."

She waggled the toy at him and earned a withering feline stare.

"Not a cat, huh." Mikoto tossed the teaser aside and drew a kunai.

Whoosh!

She flung it straight at him; Oboro dodged with a leap.

"Still won't show yourself?"

Mikoto charged as she spoke.

Oboro sighed inwardly and released the Transformation Technique.

Poof!

The elegant black cat dissolved into white smoke and vanished.

Mikoto blinked—then realized the entire scene had changed color. The forest was gone; she now stood on the edge of a sheer cliff.

Genjutsu?

Startled, she activated her Sharingan. A bottomless abyss yawned below. Without hesitation she stepped forward—only to feel a powerful drop as her body plummeted, scenery whipping past with terrifying realism.

Such high-level Genjutsu…

Forming seals, she halted and disrupted her Chakra flow.

"Release!"

The vision shattered, and the forest snapped back into view.

"Mother?"

As Mikoto scanned the area, a voice sounded behind her. She turned to find Sasuke standing there—who knew when he had appeared.

She opened her mouth to call his name, then froze.

"Layered Genjutsu… He got away!"

She used the Sharingan to dispel the image; Sasuke's form blurred and faded.

The black cat was long gone.

"Even the Sharingan was useless…" Mikoto murmured.

"That person's Genjutsu skill… unbelievable…"

[Name: Uchiha Mikoto Sex: Female

Age: 34

Affection: 51

Relation: Friend from the same village

Difficulty: S

Sex Reward: Yin Release Mastery

Home-run reward: Power of Uchiha]

Outside the forest, Kanzuki Oboro, now back in human form, sped away.

Looks like this surveillance mission ends here.