The Cat Sage's Status

Uchiha Setsuna was no longer young. Already past fifty, he had been middle-aged during the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama's rule. By now, he had long since passed his prime.

He had been arrested by the Second Hokage's Anbu for inciting rebellion and imprisoned for a full twenty years. He had only been released now because his health had deteriorated so badly that the Third Hokage did not want him to die in prison.

Thus, while Setsuna's ocular power appeared immense, it was actually the result of years of accumulation. Lacking Chakra to support it, it was extremely weak. Yet it was still the ocular power of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan, so seeing it shattered by Miwa Masayo's single roar stunned everyone except Uchiha Yu.

The Tabby Cat fixed Uchiha Setsuna with a sharp, murderous glare. "Attacking my contractor right in front of me... do you have a death wish, meow?"

Cats were adorable, but her killing intent was terrifying—and it erupted without warning.

Caught off guard, old Setsuna felt his heart seize. His Chakra would not circulate, his body stiffened, and though he opened his mouth, he could not utter a word. All he could make were meaningless "ah, ah" sounds.

Uchiha Setsuna had spent more than twenty years in a harsh prison and lacked the perseverance to keep training. He had long lost the heart of a strong man he possessed in his youth. Miwa Masayo had actually frightened him into physical paralysis. Fortunately, he had not yet lost control of his bowels or bladder, or the old man would definitely have wanted to kill himself later.

Uchiha Fugaku quietly stepped forward and stood before Elder Setsuna, blocking Miwa Masayo's killing intent.

At that moment, Uchiha Yu's aura was linked to Miwa Masayo's. He immediately sensed the restrained but ready momentum of the young clan head. It was like a mountain concealed in the depths of an abyss.

Had he awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?

Meow? Yu? Was that you talking inside my heart, meow?

...Masayo?

It's me, meow.

...

Uchiha Yu's mind went completely blank. He was willing to share many secrets with Miwa Masayo, but directly linking minds with a little kitty like this...

That was too direct. Uchiha Yu found it impossible to accept.

What if the kitten saw him imagining cat girls... Stop!!!!

Cat what?

You saw nothing!!

Meow? Never mind that. Give me more Chakra and Natural Energy, meow. Your clan head is really powerful, meow.

Okay!

Miwa Masayo had cultivated Senjutsu with Uchiha Yu for less than fifteen days. How much Sage Chakra could she have accumulated?

But as long as she touched her scoop servant, she could directly use his Chakra and Natural Energy, combining them within her body into Sage Chakra of her own.

Uchiha Yu was a cultivator who had completed the Hundred-Day Foundation Establishment. Though he had only just laid his foundation on the Immortal Path and his strength was insignificant by its standards, his fundamental power had already reached an unbelievable level within the Ninja World.

Sage Chakra itself was immensely powerful, far surpassing Natural Energy or Chakra alone.

That was why Miwa Masayo could appear so overwhelmingly strong.

Being able to communicate telepathically is actually pretty nice.

Yes, meow. Just thinking is enough, and it's much faster than talking. It's hard for Ninja Cats to speak, meow.

Masayo, the clan head is about to strike back. Get ready!

Okay, meow.

3, 2, 1, 0!

Just as Uchiha Yu's internal countdown reached zero, Uchiha Fugaku let out a synchronized shout. "Hah!!"

Ocular power several times beyond the limit of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan surged forth, intending to crush the Tabby Cat's Sage Chakra.

At that very moment, Miwa Masayo unleashed her own Sage Chakra. "Meow!!"

The two immense forces collided, but because both sides held back, they canceled each other out rather than developing into a violent clash.

Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Yu both understood that the other had no intention of escalating matters. They each withdrew their power, ending the contest.

Uchiha Fugaku asked in immense delight, "Are you a Ninja Cat from Cat Castle? No... a Cat Sage?"

Yu, Yu meow, how should I answer?

Don't be afraid. Say what I tell you.

Miwa Masayo elegantly leaped onto Uchiha Yu's head and stood tall, looking down at Uchiha Fugaku with supreme arrogance. "I am a sage of Cat Castle. As the head of the Uchiha clan, you may call me Sage Miwa Masayo."

"Wonderful! Cat Castle finally has a true sage as well."

"Sage, can you form Summoning Contracts with more Uchiha clansmen?"

"No. I only became a sage this year. Both my power and my techniques need time to develop, so I have no spare strength to form a contract with a second person for now."

"Head of the Uchiha clan, you need not be disappointed."

"The friendship between Cat Castle and the Uchiha clan has endured for centuries. Once I have organized the Senjutsu and passed it on to other Ninja Cats, new Summoning Contracts will naturally become available."

"You only need to wait patiently for a few years..."

Fugaku's mind was filled with delight. Cat Castle now possessed a sage's inheritance. Members of the Uchiha clan would learn Senjutsu, and their final weakness compared with the Senju would finally be remedied.

Fugaku immediately began considering how to further deepen Cat Castle's relationship with the Uchiha clan, perhaps even reveal the relationship between the two sides publicly.

Who could have known there would be another surprise?

"Hmm." Miwa Masayo seemed to think for a moment, then pointed a paw at Uchiha Itachi in Uchiha Mikoto's arms. "When this child turns four, come to Cat Castle and find me."

The surprise had come too suddenly and too quickly. Fugaku and Mikoto both felt dizzy, even beginning to speak incoherently.

Mikoto held her child tightly and bowed deeply in salute. "Thank you for your generosity."

Fugaku grinned as well, though he forcefully restrained himself out of concern for etiquette, then followed his wife in offering a salute.

Well, the Summoning Crow prepared for his son could be sold. His eldest son had to form a Summoning Contract with Cat Castle—and one with its first sage, at that. He would surely gain mastery over its Senjutsu inheritance in the future.

Uchiha Fugaku lowered his gaze and spotted Uchiha Yu, who seemed not to understand anything. Smiling, he said, "I came to inspect the training results. Hmm... you... did well. There will be an additional reward after the mission is complete."

"Thank you, Clan Head."

"Continue."

"Yes."

Then he looked at Miwa Masayo and bowed once more. "My business here is finished. Please permit us to take our leave first."

Miwa Masayo gave a slight nod and said with incomparable pride, "Head of the Uchiha clan, do as you please."

By then, Uchiha Setsuna had recovered, but he did not say a word.

Uchiha Setsuna had originally wanted the clan head to see Uchiha Yu violating clan regulations—for example, failing to wear the emblem that displayed the clan's honor while training clan children, and prioritizing the training of outsiders.

But after discovering the Cat Sage, the clan head turned a blind eye to everything Setsuna had described. Instead, he showered Yu with praise and departed. Setsuna could only follow the clan head in saluting Miwa Masayo before leaving with him.

With the first true Cat Sage standing atop Uchiha Yu's head, what else could he possibly say?

The disgrace of the Uchiha?

Was this a joke?

Cat Castle was the summoning secret realm with which the Uchiha clan had formed contracts for generations. Their relationship was close enough that the clan could entrust its inheritance and wealth to Cat Granny.

Now that Cat Castle possessed a sage's inheritance, it might soon become the fourth sacred land. How foolish would someone have to be to offend a Cat Sage?

And besides Setsuna, the Uchiha clan still had six other elders.