Uchiha Minamoto had never realized before that he had something of a weakness for voices.
"The pleasure is mine.
"My name is Uchiha Minamoto. Might I have the honor of learning your name, Miss Ninja Cat?"
"Oh my~ My name is Shamisen~"
The calico cat's tail brushed gently over Uchiha Minamoto's thigh, her rich, magnetic, mature voice intoxicating.
"But I'm no 'miss.' I have two daughters, you know~
"Ruri, Yukino, come out here."
At Shamisen's call, two kittens, one black and one white, hopped out of the shadows of the Cat House and slowly approached.
Both kittens looked very young. They could not even speak, only meow.
The black cat had red eyes.
The white cat had blue eyes.
To Uchiha Minamoto, both kittens looked adorable.
But the Ninja Cats did not seem to agree.
"What a shame, meow~"
"Shamisen really is a beautiful cat, meow~"
"But she just had to have two ugly daughters, meow~"
Listening to the surrounding Ninja Cats' comments, Shamisen swept her tail a few times in unease.
Though she was deeply displeased, she really could not find a reason to argue.
Because in her eyes, her two daughters' looks... really were a little too plain.
"Young Uchiha."
Shamisen could only turn to Uchiha Minamoto.
"If you want to sign a contract with me, you'll have to take Ruri and Yukino too~"
"You've told me the benefits. What are the drawbacks?"
"Hmm?"
"Mrs. Shamisen, I made up my mind the moment I saw your two daughters!"
Uchiha Minamoto spread his arms and gathered Shamisen, Ruri, and Yukino into his embrace.
"I'm going to develop a ninjutsu that can turn cats into humans!"
There really was ninjutsu in the shinobi world that could turn "ninja beasts" into "humans."
That was right.
Uchiha Minamoto was talking about Ryūchi Cave!
One of the Three Great Sage Lands, Ryūchi Cave had three "divine maidens" serving its master, the White Snake Sage, all of them great snakes capable of taking human form!
Uchiha Minamoto wanted nothing to do with snakes.
But catgirls were still within his range of preferences!
Shamisen giggled, clearly not taking Uchiha Minamoto's words seriously.
But she did feel relieved.
With Ruri and Yukino's looks, life in the abandoned district was not particularly easy for them.
Calling it a living hell would be going too far.
But they were often bullied by other Ninja Cats.
Now that Shamisen was signing a contract with Uchiha Minamoto.
Her two daughters had found a "home" too.
Shamisen had done her duty as a mother.
Seeing Uchiha Minamoto and Shamisen reach an agreement.
Cat Granny unhurriedly took out a "Complete Guide to Paw Pads."
Though the scroll's name was rather bizarre.
This was the Ninja Cat Clan's exclusive "Summoning Contract book."
With Cat Granny as witness.
Uchiha Minamoto signed a Summoning Contract with Shamisen, Ruri, and Yukino.
A surge of joy immediately filled his heart.
Uchiha Minamoto had contracted Ninja Cats.
First, to gain some "support."
Ninja Cats that could speak human language and possessed intelligence on par with humans were indeed excellent helpers for shinobi.
Second, to strengthen his relationship with Cat Granny's side.
Whatever the circumstances, a shinobi could never go wrong building a good relationship with an arms dealer.
Third, for the [Summoning Technique]!
To be precise, the [Reverse Summoning Technique]!
Through the [Summoning Technique], shinobi could summon ninja beasts to their side across space and time.
Conversely.
Ninja beasts could also use the [Reverse Summoning Technique] to summon shinobi to their side.
Throughout the history of the shinobi world.
There had been no shortage of cases in which shinobi ran into trouble and later escaped successfully through the [Reverse Summoning Technique].
In Uchiha Minamoto's view.
The [Summoning Technique] and [Reverse Summoning Technique] could probably be considered a...
Dirt-poor version of the [Flying Thunder God Technique]!
If Uchiha Minamoto suddenly encountered some crisis in the future-fine, he meant the night of the massacre-he could also use the [Reverse Summoning Technique] to escape for the time being.
This is my escape route!
The Hokage Building was brightly lit.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was also "receiving a guest."
"My deepest apologies, Lord Third."
Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee, his head lowered until his forehead almost touched the floor of the Hokage's office.
"Uchiha Minamoto declined your invitation..."
"I see..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly and lit his pipe out of habit.
He had previously rejected Shimura Danzō's urging precisely because he had seen Uchiha Minamoto's information.
Before joining the Konoha Military Police Force.
Uchiha Minamoto had been almost no different from an ordinary Uchiha Clan shinobi.
No.
It would be more accurate to say that Uchiha Minamoto's talent fell short of many Uchiha shinobi.
Yet after graduating from the Ninja Academy, Uchiha Minamoto seemed to have suddenly become a different person.
As though moved by the Konoha Military Police Force's noble mission, he had suddenly become extremely fond of doing good deeds.
In just over two short months.
Uchiha Minamoto could practically have been nominated for "Konoha's ten most inspiring good people"!
If Hiruzen Sarutobi were to judge.
The old Uchiha Minamoto had merely been an ordinary Uchiha.
The current Uchiha Minamoto was an outstanding inheritor of the Will of Fire!
If Hiruzen Sarutobi remembered correctly.
The last Uchiha who had loved doing good deeds this much had been Minato's student.
The one who had unexpectedly fallen in the Battle of Kannabi Bridge during the Third Shinobi World War-
Obito Uchiha!
Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed deeply inwardly.
Uchiha Minamoto is so much like Obito...
If Obito were still alive...
Perhaps relations between the village and the Uchiha Clan wouldn't be so strained now...
Chapter 13: These red-eyed fools really have never seen the darkness of the shinobi world!
Inside the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed away at his pipe, the rising wisps of white smoke obscuring his grave expression.
Uchiha Minamoto's outright refusal to join the Anbu had indeed been somewhat unexpected.
Shouldn't a child this age, especially one named Uchiha, become your dog after just a few words of flattery?
Just like Uchiha Itachi, who was still kneeling there, awaiting orders.
Why had Uchiha Minamoto refused?
There was a reason Hiruzen Sarutobi was so "eager" to recruit Uchiha Minamoto.
Setting aside how closely Uchiha Minamoto resembled Obito back then, a good shinobi who loved the village and the Will of Fire.
Even setting aside Uchiha Minamoto's "initiative in approaching" Naruto Uzumaki.
The more important reason was still the Uchiha Clan!
Uchiha Minamoto did not matter.
The Uchiha Clan was what mattered!
The Nine-Tails' Attack seven years ago had truly been a disaster.
Not only had the Nine-Tails inflicted horrifying damage on Konoha that night.
It had also left the present-day Konoha with extremely frightening repercussions.
There was no need to dwell on the oft-discussed subject of the village's decline.
After all, the dead were gone, and saying more would do no good.
But the "living" were still being affected.
The sharpest issue among them, and the one that troubled Hiruzen Sarutobi most.
Was none other than the Uchiha Clan!
The Nine-Tails' Attack.
"The Uchiha were involved too" was Shimura Danzō's view.
"It's impossible for the Uchiha to control the Nine-Tails, but it's unlikely that the Uchiha weren't controlling the Nine-Tails" was Hiruzen Sarutobi's view.
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