Cat Country

After receiving the sponsorship of the merchant Ando, who risked his life, the Akatsuki Organization's finances had improved considerably in a short time. Shiba Seika could at least afford dried fish.

At worst, he could go fishing. The Land of Rain had abundant rainfall, with plenty of rivers and lakes.

After a few days of feeding, the bond between the ninja cat Tama and Shiba Seika deepened quickly.

Three days later, when Shiba Seika was handling official business, Tama was even willing to quietly lie on his lap, letting him pet her and enjoy the joy of stroking a cat.

This made the other members of the Akatsuki Organization green with envy.

Following Shiba Seika's lead, many people tried signing their names on the summoning scroll of Cat Country. But afterward, not a single one managed to gain the recognition of the ninja cats like Shiba Seika had.

Even Ajisai, who was skilled in summoning techniques, failed.

After she signed her name, she summoned a chubby big orange cat.

Unexpectedly, the seemingly plump big orange cat moved with astonishing agility in battle, using two short wakizashi to torment Ajisai until she doubted her life.

Finally, it left her with a remark: "Your taijutsu is weak, your ninja tools are unrefined, your footwork is sloppy, your reactions are slow—not a single move is decent!

A ninja like you wants to be my master? Dream on!"

Then, with a "bang," it vanished, even erasing Ajisai's name written on the scroll.

Leaving Ajisai slumped on the training ground, heartbroken and questioning her existence.

By the time a week had passed, Shiba Seika was still the only one in the entire Akatsuki Organization who had successfully contracted a ninja cat.

This made everyone both envious and admiring.

In the end, they could only sigh in unison, "Truly worthy of being Captain Seika."

Eventually, no one had the courage to try anymore, and Tama suggested to Shiba Seika, "Master, you might as well take the scroll and keep it safe."

Shiba Seika was curious. "I've already signed my name. What use is the scroll now?"

Tama explained, "Whether you hold the scroll or not doesn't affect me summoning you, meow. But if you want to go to Cat Country in the future, without the contract scroll, the cats there might not be willing to receive you, meow."

Shiba Seika suddenly understood, then asked, "You've mentioned Cat Country several times. What kind of place is it?"

Could it be another sacred land? But as far as he remembered, the original work didn't mention any sacred land related to ninja cats.

The three sacred lands Shiba Seika recalled were only Shikkotsu Forest, Ryūchi Cave, and Myoboku Mountain.

Tama replied, "Cat Country is the homeland of us cats, meow~ We've been hosting ninjas we recognize there for many years, meow~"

Shiba Seika's curiosity was piqued. "Can I go take a look?"

"You can, meow~ Use the Reverse Summoning Technique to get there, meow~"

Afterward, Shiba Seika went to the warehouse to retrieve the summoning scroll.

Since almost all members of the organization had tried and failed, Yahiko didn't stop him and readily handed the scroll to Shiba Seika.

Then Shiba Seika formed the hand seal for the Reverse Summoning Technique.

"Bang."

He vanished from the spot.

When the white smoke in front of his vision cleared, he found himself in a tranquil little mountain village.

It looked like a beautiful paradise, with green mountains, fertile soil, crisscrossing paths, and rows of small houses.

There were two types of buildings here. One kind was for the ninja cats themselves—low, small, packed together like stacked cardboard boxes.

Shiba Seika even saw a ninja cat simply curled up in a discarded cardboard box on a tree branch, dozing contentedly.

This reminded Shiba Seika of his past life experience raising cats—expensive cat beds were unpopular, but the cardboard boxes left over from unpacking packages became the cats' favorite cozy dens.

The other kind of building here was clearly designed for humans, with height and size no different from the outside world.

"This is Cat Country, meow~ We have everything you ninjas need here, meow~"

Following Tama's introduction, Shiba Seika looked around one by one and indeed found that the surrounding shops covered most of a ninja's needs.

There was a ninja tool shop, a medicine shop, a tailor shop selling ninja vests, and a food shop selling Soldier Pills.

There was even a commission agency, which seemed to help ninjas find mission assignments, but Shiba Seika didn't go in to check.

"Your cats really have a wide range of services," he remarked, then casually picked the nearest ninja tool shop and walked in.

The shopkeeper was a large gray cat that looked somewhat fierce. One eye was covered by a scar, and its remaining single eye shot a sharp glare at Shiba Seika as he entered.

But after noticing the summoning contract scroll at Shiba Seika's waist, the gray cat shopkeeper's expression visibly softened.

"Feel free to look around, guest. We accept currency from the ninja world, silver notes."

"Can I pay with dried fish?"

The gray cat shopkeeper wore an expression that said, "Are you f***ing kidding me?"

Alright. Shiba Seika then realized that his own gluttonous Tama was probably an exception in Cat Country.

Shiba Seika picked up a few ninja tools and examined them.

To his surprise, the quality of the tools here was quite good, no less than the spoils they had confiscated from ninjas of the great villages.

Shiba Seika instantly realized: he might have found another treasure trove!

This place could become an important logistics supply route for the Land of Rain in the future! A key boost to Amegakure's rise!

He suppressed his excitement and asked the Gray Cat Shopkeeper again, "Excuse me, is there a shop nearby that sells ninjutsu scrolls?"

Ninja tools and supplies were important, but they weren't what the Akatsuki Organization urgently needed most right now.

As ninjas from a small country, what they truly lacked was a reserve of ninjutsu—the so-called foundation!

Nagato and Konan's abilities were "innate" and couldn't be taught to others, and Shiba Seika's insights weren't so easily passed on.

Improving his own strength was important, but when conditions allowed, Shiba Seika didn't mind cultivating his own faction.

The Gray Cat Shopkeeper squinted his single eye and took a long while before speaking.

"You're quite a bold contractor. Cat Country wouldn't dare take on such requests lightly. You should know, many ninja clans place great importance on the secrecy and inheritance of their ninjutsu."

Shiba Seika wasn't in a hurry.

Because he could tell from the shopkeeper's tone that there was likely a twist coming.

Sure enough, the Gray Cat Shopkeeper changed his tune in the next sentence.

"However, while we can't sell you ninjutsu directly, we can help you connect with other contractors of Cat Country. You can negotiate the subsequent trades yourselves, and we'll only charge a basic intermediary fee."

"No problem, you've been a huge help, shopkeeper."

Shiba Seika tactfully offered some Dried Fish.

Unexpectedly, the shopkeeper looked disgusted.

Not a fan? Shiba Seika had no choice but to hand the Dried Fish to his own Tama instead.

Even though she'd just finished lunch, Tama accepted it without hesitation, happily slurping down one piece after another, letting out satisfied meows.

The Gray Cat Shopkeeper's whiskers twitched, his face full of helplessness that screamed, "Whose kid has such low standards?"

"Follow me."

The Gray Cat Shopkeeper led them to the back of the shop.

As soon as they turned a corner, Shiba Seika immediately sensed someone in the room ahead.

That person noticed him at almost the same time and spoke, "Huh? Shopkeeper, are there other guests here today?"

The Gray Cat Shopkeeper slid the door open and said to the person inside, "A-Shui, there's a guest I'd like to introduce you to."

The moment the door opened, Shiba Seika froze in place, caught off guard.

Today's surprises just kept coming!

He recognized the ninja in the room at a single glance.

It was—Uchiha Shisui!