"Meow~" A tender call, full of endless reliance, came from his embrace. Little White Tiger's gem-like blue eyes looked up at Jiraiya, brimming with water.
"Hahaha, Little White Tiger, it seems you really like this name!" Jiraiya laughed triumphantly, his finger gently scratching the little one's soft chin. Little White Tiger immediately closed its eyes comfortably, a pleased "purr" sound rumbling in its throat.
As he laughed, Jiraiya suddenly froze. He looked down at the fluffy little life in his arms, and a real problem hit him: he had never raised a pet before! In his previous life, at most, he had fed the stray cats downstairs. "System! How do I raise this Little White Tiger? Milk? Meat? It can't possibly eat the same food as me, can it?" He quickly called for help in his mind.
"Ding! Host, no need to worry. Initial feeding plan: For the first month, only milk or broth is required. After one month of age, in addition to military rations, the host's daily diet can be directly shared with it." The system's cold answer carried a hint of helplessness.
"Hoh! Goodness, it comes with its own cultivation manual, and it's energy-efficient and environmentally friendly!" Jiraiya felt relieved, then noticed a faintly glowing branch icon on the system panel. With a thought, he clicked it open:
Name: Little White Tiger
Age: Infancy
Strength: Genin
Bloodline Limit: Ice Release (Awakening)
Chakra: 40 (Genin level)
Chakra Attributes: Earth, Wind, Water, Yin
Ninjutsu Mastered: Water Wave Bullet, Earth Spirit Shield, Hurricane
"Hiss—" Jiraiya gasped, his eyes wide. "Goodness! It looks soft and harmless, but its strength is even higher than mine?" He looked down at Little White Tiger, who was rolling around and acting cute in his palm, feeling his worldview shaken. Wait... "System, didn't you say it was an 'ice wing white tiger egg' back then? Where are the wings? Where are the flying wings?" He squeezed Little White Tiger's soft back, but felt nothing but fur.
"Ding! The wings of the Ice Winged White Tiger are energy constructs and will only awaken and manifest once it becomes stronger." The system's explanation was concise.
"Energy constructs?" Jiraiya mused, "So, the wings aren't physically attached, they can be 'summoned' like Chakra and retracted? And their size can change too?"
"Ding! Correct. Shape-shifting is an inherent talent of the Ice Winged White Tiger clan." The system confirmed Jiraiya's conjecture.
"Got it! Yosh!" Jiraiya instantly perked up and walked out of the bedroom with Little White Tiger in his arms. He opened the refrigerator, where a large bottle of milk lay all alone. "Good thing there's still some left." He took out a clean bowl and carefully poured most of a bowl of fresh milk.
Smelling the rich aroma of milk, Little White Tiger immediately became agitated in Jiraiya's arms, its little paws eagerly scratching at his clothes, its small head straining outwards, letting out "meow meow" begging sounds, its sapphire-like eyes fixed on the milk bowl.
"Hahaha, you little glutton, what's the hurry? Drink it slowly!" Jiraiya laughed as he gently placed it by the edge of the bowl.
Little White Tiger immediately lowered its head, its pink little tongue elegantly scooping up the milk, sipping it in small sips, making tiny, contented "slurp" sounds. The bowl of milk was soon empty. The little one licked the rim of the bowl, still wanting more, then scratched at Jiraiya's pant leg, looking up with its wet eyes, sending out "cuddle me" waves: "Meow~ Meow~"
"Hahaha, what a little clingy one!" Jiraiya's heart melted. He bent down and picked it back up, teasing its pink paw pads with his fingers. Little White Tiger, in turn, extended its small tongue with soft barbs, curiously licking his fingertips.
After playing for a while, Jiraiya placed Little White Tiger on the sofa and gently tapped its little nose: "Little White Tiger, I'm going to cook now. You stay here obediently, no running around and causing trouble, okay?"
"Meow!" Little White Tiger sat up properly, as if understanding the command, and responded with a meow, its bright, large eyes constantly following Jiraiya's figure.
Soon, the symphony of pots and pans echoed from the kitchen. Today was a rare weekend, so Jiraiya stir-fried some simple pork and vegetables for himself and cooked a bowl of fragrant noodles. He carried his bowl back to the living room and had just taken a bite when he noticed that Little White Tiger, from the sofa, had somehow climbed to the edge of the coffee table, gazing eagerly at the slices of meat on his chopsticks, its little nose twitching, almost drooling.
"Well, Little White Tiger," Jiraiya looked at it helplessly and amusingly, "you can't eat this yet. Be patient, in a month, there'll be plenty of delicious food!" He rubbed Little White Tiger's fluffy head, which earned him a mournful "meow" from the little one.
After filling his stomach and cleaning up the dishes, Jiraiya accompanied the energetic little one in chasing a cloth ball (a simple toy made from old clothes) for a while in the narrow living room. Twenty minutes later, looking at the panting but still excited Little White Tiger, Jiraiya clapped his hands: "Little White Tiger, I'm going to train now! You play by yourself or rest for a bit!" He carried Little White Tiger to the small courtyard bathed in the setting sun.
Jiraiya assumed his stance and once again began the tedious but extremely important basic taijutsu practice: punching, side-kicking, hooking, front-kicking... Sweat quickly soaked his clothes. Little White Tiger, on the other hand, was like it had discovered a new world, curiously darting around the small courtyard, pouncing at invisible insects, chasing its own shadow, having a grand time.
After one set of exercises, Jiraiya was breathing heavily, his entire body aching. Just then, a small white figure darted to his feet like lightning, rubbing affectionately against his pant leg, looking up and meowing.
"What a clingy little guy!" Jiraiya laughed and bent down to scoop it up. Perhaps it had expended too much energy playing, for Little White Tiger soon curled into a ball in his warm arms, letting out soft, even purrs, and falling into a deep sleep.
Jiraiya gently placed the sleeping Little White Tiger on the bed, then sat cross-legged on the floor and began his daily hand-seal practice. His fingers flew, each transformation striving for precision and fluidity. It wasn't until night fell that he, dragging his tired body, finished washing up and gently lay down beside Little White Tiger. The little one in its sleep seemed to sense the familiarity, instinctively shifted its body, and finally sprawled out on Jiraiya's chest, its fluffy little belly rising and falling with its breathing.
The next day, the sun was high in the sky.
Jiraiya yawned as he crawled out of bed. Little White Tiger was already awake, pawing at his hair. He quickly washed up and had some bread for breakfast. Watching Little White Tiger drink another bowl of milk, Jiraiya checked the refrigerator—milk supplies were running low! "Looks like I need to do a big shopping trip. With this little one, expenses are soaring. I need to work harder to earn money!" He felt the sweet burden.