Naruto: Faint Smile - CH 92

[Arata Takeshi - POV.]

“Hmm…” Well, it’s official… I had no idea where I am.

Sighing, I stood up, my leg still aching from the rough landing, and took in my surroundings. It was... strange. More so than usual. The air was different, and the landscape around me felt wild, untouched. Rolling plains, patches of tall grass swaying gently in the wind. Mountains, and part of a forest.

It seemed the terrain wasn’t sure what to be, and had decided to be everything.

I sighed and took a step forward, trying to make sense of where I was. ‘Alright, think,’ I told myself. ‘No signs of Jiraiya, no familiar landmarks…’ I glanced around again, frowning. ‘And no chakra sensing to guide myself…’

That made things a little bit… complicated to deal with. Though I suppose if I was transported to somewhere far enough, even with my sensing I would have no idea where I was.

I kept walking, scanning the area for anything that might give me a clue. There were no signs of people, no tracks in the dirt, nothing. How odd.

I remember reading somewhere that a contractless shinobi would get reverse summoned to the realm of a summoning clan, usually the clan with the most compatibility with them. But that… shouldn’t be my case, seeing I signed the contract, and therefore… had a contract.

Unless… somehow, my signature was voided, or deemed not fit in some form of shape. 

Just as I was starting to humor some theories, something caught my eye in the distance. A flicker of movement, something fast, very fast, darting through the tall grass. My body tensed, instinctively preparing for a fight. I had no idea what it was, but whatever it was, it was coming straight toward me, and it was moving quickly.

I reached for a kunai on my weapon’s pouch, but before I could even grab it, a blur of yellow and black shot out from the grass, landing right in front of me. I froze, my eyes widening ever so slightly as I took in what was now standing before me.

“Well… that’s new…” I muttered, a faint smile on my face.

It was a cheetah. A massive cheetah. Easily the size of a small house, if not bigger. Its sleek, golden fur was covered in dark spots, its muscles rippling beneath the surface as it crouched low to the ground, tail flicking back and forth. The animal’s yellow eyes locked onto mine.

I stayed still, my hand still on my weapon’s pouch, ready for whatever came next. But instead of attacking, the cheetah stared at me, almost like it was... amused?

“Well, well, well,” the cheetah said, its voice smooth and feminine. “What do we have here? A little cub who’s wandered into the wrong savanna?” Before I could respond, the cheetah straightened up, circling me with slow, deliberate steps. “You must be Takeshi,” she continued, her eyes never leaving mine. “We’ve been waiting for you for a long time.”

I frowned at the big cat. “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage, so who are you?”

Was it bad I wanted to pet the giant feline?

The cheetah paused in her circling, tilting her head slightly as if the question amused her. “I am Chanua, of the Cheetah Pride,” she said, her voice carrying a regal undertone. “And you, little cub, are standing in our territory.”

I tilted my head. ‘Cheetah Pride? That implies there are other prides with other pettable cats.’

Chanua seemed to notice my tension and chuckled softly. “Oh, don’t worry, little cub. I’m not here to eat you. Not yet, anyway.” She grinned, revealing sharp, gleaming fangs. “Though you do smell like prey.”

I smiled. “Don’t mistake my silence for worry, if anything I am delighted, I love cats.” I chuckled, tilting my head once more. “By the way, what did you mean by… you’ve been waiting for me?”

Chanua’s grin widened, and she started circling me again. “Little cub, you’ve been claimed by the Great Pride,” she said simply. “You’re one of us, or at least... you will be, if you prove yourself.”

I couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at that. “Claimed? Oh my, I’m flattered, but also confused and maybe a bit insulted, after all… I didn’t agree to anything.”

“You didn’t have to,” she said, flicking her tail lazily. “It was decided long ago. You belong to us now. The question is whether or not you have the fangs to be a hunter... or if you’re still just a cub.”

If I were a betting man, I would bet this is part of the reason I’m here, and not back with Jiraiya-sensei with a toad. That at least would explain why I… came here. That being said, this does bring  up some questions, like… how are summoning clans able to lay claims of individuals without their knowledge or consent?

“Well that’s interesting,” I said slowly, smiling at her.

Chanua stopped in front of me, her piercing eyes meeting mine. “Oh? Is that so?”

There was something in her gaze, something challenging. I could tell she was testing me, trying to gauge how much fight I had in me. And honestly, I was excited at the prospect of a fight with her, without my claymore… without my sensing, this fight would be all the more challenging.

Chanua’s eyes gleamed with amusement again. “We’ll see, little cub,” she said, her voice taking on a slightly mocking tone. “We’ll see if you’ve got what it takes to be part of the Pride... or if you’ll end up being left behind.”

She turned her back to me, flicking her tail as she started walking away. “Come,” she called over her shoulder. “The King of The Pride, Lord Byakko wants to meet you.”

Well, I might as well see where this leads. Besides, if I have to be honest, I prefer the idea of having a contract with this summoning clan than the toads, nothing against the toads though, I just like the big cats more.

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[A few moments later.]

I glanced over at Chanua, as I followed her. Her tail flicked back and forth as we moved through the tall grass, her eyes focused on the path ahead. Though, every now and then, she’d glance back at me, probably to make sure I was keeping up.

I knew she wasn’t running at full speed, and I had to say… broken leg or not, I don’t think I would be able to keep up with her.

"So, about this Pride..." I began, breaking the silence.

“Yes?” she responded without turning her head.

“What exactly do you mean when you say I’ve been ‘claimed’ by it?”

Chanua chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that was equal parts amusement and menace. “You’ll see soon enough, little cub. Some things are better explained by the King himself.”

‘I suppose I won’t be able to gather much information,’ I thought, keeping pace with her. 

We continued moving in relative silence, the landscape gradually shifting from the open plains to a more wooded area. As we moved closer to what looked like a mountain range, I started noticing the cats. More and more cats. Big ones. 

Lions, cheetahs, leopards, some lounging in the sun, others prowling through the trees, and a few were sparring, their yowls and roars echoing through the air as they playfully batted at each other. Most of them were massive, like Chanua, much bigger than any normal animal you’d find in the wild. While others were adorably small. 

I passed a lynx about the size of a bear, its tufted ears flicking as it eyed me lazily. Another cheetah was lounging atop a boulder, casually grooming its fur, looking at me without much of a care.

‘Well, at least they’re not trying to eat me... yet.’

“Impressed?” Chanua asked, glancing back at me.

I smiled. “I’ve seen stranger things.”

That earned me another amused chuckle from her. “I doubt that.”

Eventually, we reached the base of a large, jagged mountain. There was an enormous cave entrance carved into the side of the rock, large enough to fit several of these big cats walking side by side. Chanua led the way inside, and as we entered, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew cooler, heavier, like something ancient and powerful was just beyond the shadows.

My body knew this sensation well…

Danger.

Whatever was inside this cave was dangerous. Very dangerous.

Chanua’s demeanor changed too. She slowed down, her movements more deliberate, more respectful. “We’ve arrived,” she said softly.

I replied. “I imagine your king is there. Right?”

She shot me a sidelong glance but didn’t respond. Instead, she continued walking deeper into the cave, and I followed, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. Inside, the walls were lined with carvings, most of them looking like they had been made with nothing but claws, which made sense considering the setting.

As we approached what seemed to be the heart of the cave, Chanua came to a stop, her head bowing low as she lowered herself to the ground. 

A rumbling sound echoed from the depths of the cave, and before I could process what was happening, an enormous white paw stepped into view. And I mean enormous. Bigger than Chanua herself, and she was already big. My eyes widened as the rest of the creature emerged from the shadows.

A white tiger. No, scratch that—a giant white tiger. Its fur was sleek, shimmering faintly in the dim light of the cave. Its piercing blue eyes locked onto mine as it stepped forward with a slow, deliberate grace. The sheer size of this beast was overwhelming—he was probably as big if not bigger than the Nine Tails. And that was an educated guess just from what I could see; who knows how much more of it was still hidden in the shadows.

The… aura this beast was emanating was unlike any of the other cats. I couldn’t feel his chakra, and yet I knew without a doubt that he could kill me without an effort.

“Well,” I muttered to myself, feeling the faintest flicker of tension in my gut. “That’s... big.”

The white tiger stepped fully into the open, towering over me.

Chanua spoke, her voice low and respectful. “Byakko, White Tiger of the West, King of the Great Pride, I present to you the human, Takeshi.”

Byakko’s massive head turned slightly, his blue eyes focusing entirely on me. His voice, when he spoke, was deep and resonant, echoing off the cave walls. “So... this is the one.”

“I am,” I replied.

Byakko’s eyes narrowed, as if he was sizing me up. “You’ve wandered into our territory, little cub. Another clan tried to seal you from us… So you’ve been summoned to our world, and now you must prove yourself.”

I tilted my head slightly. “You lay claim on me, and I have to prove myself?” 

Byakko’s lips curled back in what I assumed was his version of a smile. It was not exactly comforting. “The Great Pride does not accept just anyone, even those we lay claim to. You must show us your strength, your will. You must demonstrate that you are worthy of the protection of the pride.”

“Alright,” I said, crossing my arms. “What exactly do I need to do to prove myself?”

Byakko let out a rumbling purr, his massive tail flicking behind him. “That remains to be seen. But make no mistake, little cub. We will test you.”

I nodded. “Fair enough.”

Is… it bad I want to pet the giant tiger as well?

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Reference images for Byakko