Naraku Leaves the Village and Visits Granny Cat

Konoha Village

Uchiha Clan Compound

Naraku's residence

Since Naraku was still unmarried, he continued to live with his parents. After stepping down as Police Force captain, Uchiha Sanzang had become an assistant at the Advisory Institute.

He was in charge of the Ninjutsu Academy, teaching the clan members their techniques.

Of course, these were mostly Uchiha Style Swordsmanship, Shuriken, Fire Style Ninjutsu, Uchiha Genjutsu, and the like.

Few clans in the Shinobi World had ninja as skilled in so many fields as the Uchiha Clan.

Uchiha Naraku studied the Chimera Technique with meticulous care.

Hiruko had given him three versions of the Chimera Technique.

After completing his research, he had given Naraku the scroll. Naraku had looked it over back then and found it perfectly reasonable, with nothing amiss.

Still, Naraku suspected Hiruko might have held something back, so he led a group of ninja to test him. With a large force bearing down on him, Hiruko wrote up a second version.

Only after reading the second version did Naraku realize that Hiruko hadn't clearly explained many of the dangers in the first. The man had deliberately left traps for him.

The second version was far more detailed.

Hiruko had written the third version after Naraku decided to let him go, willingly and with complete conviction. It was also the version Naraku found most fascinating.

To put it simply, the first was a rough draft full of revisions, while the second was the actual Chimera Technique, but still an experimental version.

Only the third version was the true Chimera Technique.

The farther Naraku read, the more impressed he was with Hiruko.

"Brilliant, absolutely brilliant! That man really is a genius."

Once he had fully grasped the Chimera Technique, Naraku felt genuine admiration for Hiruko.

Thanks to the Sharingan's copying ability, Naraku had now memorized the entire technique.

He hid the third Chimera Technique scroll in a secret compartment in his residence, then destroyed the other two by conjuring flames.

Naraku glanced at the clock on the wall. It was eight forty-five.

He put on his Konoha Jonin Vest, fastened his Forehead Protector, slung his long sword across his back, and strapped on his bracers. Fully armed and dressed for action, he wore none of his usual nobleman's finery.

At nine o'clock, the Second Squadron of the Police Force's Special Police unit had assembled at a weak point in the barrier on Konoha's western edge.

A figure appeared in an instant at the weak point, like a signal. Four more figures soon followed.

They were Uchiha Naraku and his personal guards: Uchiha Akabi, Uchiha Seki, Uchiha Hyaku, and Uchiha Ruofeng.

The four were Naraku's trusted men. As members of the Special Police unit, they drew their pay from the village and wore the unit's uniform: black combat clothes, black vests, and long swords on their backs. Black hoods covered their heads, leaving only their eyes exposed, with Konoha Forehead Protectors fixed to the front.

"Ahem." Uchiha Naraku cleared his throat.

With a rustle, thirteen more Special Police ninja appeared.

"Open the barrier," Naraku said calmly.

Uchiha Kosui, thirty-eight, had been the captain of the Police Force's Third Squad before its reform. He was something of a notable figure.

Now he served as the Second Squadron's captain in the Special Police unit, a very relaxed post. Kosui had trained in the Fuinjutsu Naraku taught him. He had a talent for sealing techniques and excelled at them, mastering numerous Fuinjutsu within two years.

At the weak point in the barrier, Uchiha Kosui formed several hand seals, pressed his palm against it, then pulled both hands apart. The barrier opened.

"Move!"

Naraku went out first, and the others followed in a blur.

A ruin somewhere in the Land of Fire

The group made its way through a sewer beneath the ruins.

This was one of the Uchiha's bases outside the village. Granny Cat, who bred Ninja Cats for the Uchiha and supplied them with intelligence and weapons, lived at this secret base.

Granny Cat's age was unknown. She had maintained good relations with the Uchiha since before Konoha was founded, and they had always treated each other as honored guests.

The Ninja Cats that usually guarded the sewer against intruders saw the important visitors and hurried to get out of their way, not daring to cause any trouble.

Inside the house, Granny Cat puffed on her pipe and stroked a cat, looking perfectly content.

"Long time no see, Granny Cat."

A figure appeared in the room in an instant. Naraku wore his vest and carried a Ninja Sword on his back, looking ready for action. His guards had spread out and concealed themselves around the house.

"Naraku, you're here. I heard you became the Uchiha Clan's leader. It's been a long time since you came to visit me." Granny Cat blew smoke rings. Uchiha Naraku had visited her when he was a child.

She had watched him grow up, and though he now held a high position and enjoyed great status, Naraku would never be rude or act out in front of her.

"I've been busy with work in Konoha, so I neglected you. Heh."

Naraku gave an awkward smile and took a box from a scroll. It was filled with tobacco, and he handed it to Granny Cat.

"I know you love smoking, so I brought you a box of tobacco while I was out."

"You're growing more thoughtful by the day, you little rascal." Granny Cat grinned, clearly pleased.

"Now tell me, what brings you here this time? Master Zen came to buy a batch of goods not long ago. Surely you're not after weapons and medicine too?"

Granny Cat was puzzled about why Uchiha Naraku had come.

Uchiha Zen was one of the Uchiha Clan's elders and now served as an assistant at the Clan Affairs Hall's Advisory Institute. Three years earlier, he and Second Elder Uchiha Kyo had clashed over a missing clan member. The Second Elder had used Genjutsu on him, leaving him weak for several days.

Uchiha Zen was responsible for the clan's weapons shop, selling ninja tools and special medicines. The goods included Shuriken, Kunai, Explosive Tags, Ninja Swords, Sealing Scrolls, and the like. The medicines were mostly Military Ration Pills, Antidote Pills, and Hemostatic Powder.

In short, Uchiha Zen handled weapons sales. The shop was one of the Uchiha's major sources of income, but none of that money ever reached Naraku.

When Granny Cat mentioned that Uchiha Zen had recently come to buy goods, Naraku's expression darkened. He had stripped those elders of their influence, after all.

He had taken the Great Elder's finances back, but those in charge of the Uchiha's businesses had never contributed to the clan. Naraku was so broke while funding his research that he was nearly reduced to selling the clothes off his back. The huge profits from weapons sales brought the clan only a few million ryo a year. It was practically a handout to beggars.

The leaders of clans like the Uzumaki Clan and the Kurama Clan lived carefree lives, singing and dancing. Yet Naraku, leader of the Shinobi World's foremost clan, was stuck working himself to the bone.

The Uchiha's old guard still controlled many channels Naraku had yet to notice.

Forget selling weapons. They don't even give me a cut of the profits. I'll deal with those few when I get back.

He had planned to pick up some weapons while he was out and have people sell them after he returned. The clan's weapons shop was always claiming business was bad and supplies cost too much.

"Granny Cat, I heard that the Ninja Cats have been oppressed lately. There's a Ninja Cat Castle in a place called the Dark Ninja Cat Realm, and a Two-Tailed Cat there has been enslaving the Ninja Cats. So I came to pay a visit to this ruler of the Dark Ninja Cat Realm."

"You should've come ages ago. Those other old Uchiha who visit all the time never do anything about the Ninja Cats. I don't know what you Uchiha elders think about all day."

Granny Cat bred Ninja Cats for the Uchiha. Recently, a Two-Tailed Cat had appeared. It was enormous, lazy, and fond of a lavish lifestyle. Worst of all, it recruited and enslaved Ninja Cats everywhere, costing the Uchiha a great many of the cats they had raised.

Naraku planned to deal with that Ninja Cat while he was out.