Searching for a Ninja Cat
Koki stood to the side, her eyes lighting up.
"Wow!" The information he had just acquired kept echoing in his mind—it turns out that it's so easy to make money as a ninja!
This new understanding completely changed his original view of the identity of a ninja.
He had always believed that the ninjas chose this path, fraught with danger and death, simply out of a persistent pursuit of justice, honor, or some other noble goal.
However, he now realized that behind those brave and fearless figures lay enormous economic interests.
No wonder that despite the perilous nature of the ninja profession and its consistently high mortality rate, thousands upon thousands of people still flock to it.
In the past, I only saw the bravery and sacrifice of the ninjas in the midst of war, but I never understood the monetary value they carried.
In fact, not everyone who aspires to become a ninja harbors grand and distant ideals and ambitions.
Take the most ordinary D-level mission as an example. These seemingly mundane and risk-free missions can yield astonishingly generous rewards.
For anyone, such an easy and tempting opportunity is simply an irresistible temptation!
Just think, a bowl of what could be considered Ichiraku Ramen costs only a few dozen taels of silver; and the delicious three-colored meatballs are surprisingly inexpensive.
Looking at the higher-level tasks, the huge rewards they can bring are often as high as millions of taels of silver. Even after deducting the village's share, the remaining amount is still a considerable fortune!
Koki, suddenly realizing the truth, finally understood why the Daimyo generously allocated such a large budget to the village every year—these ninjas not only represented the power of battle, but also served as the engine driving the economy.
Think of all the money and profits these ninjas can generate for them!
Not only is it the most prominent ninja village among the Five Great Nations, but countless smaller villages in the surrounding area are also constantly embroiled in conflict.
In this ninja world where strength reigns supreme, powerful individuals abound. Whoever possesses greater power will become famous, secure more missions, and earn more money.
Each village strives to improve its strength, hoping to carve out its own place in this turbulent ninja world. Through constant battles and competition, they demonstrate their power and attract more mission requests.
If we use this money for village development, the village will grow better and better!
The rewards earned by the ninjas with their blood and sweat were used to improve infrastructure, train new ninjas, and strengthen the village's defenses.
Only in this way can the village establish a firm foothold and continue to grow in this challenging world.
Shisui suppressed a laugh as he looked at Koki, whose eyes were sparkling. He could tell at a glance what this 'little money-grubber' was thinking!
Under Koki's expectant gaze, Minato nervously handed him the mission scroll. This was a mission that he had carefully selected from many options, one that wasn't too 'outrageous'.
Koki reached out and took it, quickly unfolded it and glanced at it, then raised an eyebrow slightly.
They're looking for a missing cat?
Just as he expected, this mission, at first glance, seemed to have no connection whatsoever with the battle-filled and thrilling missions that ninjas usually carried out.
Koki didn't speak, but silently handed the scroll to Shisui and Hayate beside her.
The two men took the scroll and examined it, their expressions calm and unchanging.
Seeing the three men's calm reactions, Minato secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He had been somewhat worried that the three men would complain or be disappointed with this seemingly strange task.
After all, they all possess considerable strength and might crave more challenging missions, but it seems their performance has exceeded his expectations.
Minato coughed lightly and began to explain the ins and outs of the mission to the three of them in detail.
"Actually, this mission is somewhat related to the Uchiha Clan," Minato said, his gaze falling on Koki. "The person who commissioned the mission is Cat Granny."
Cat Granny, the owner of the weapon shop used by the Uchiha Clan, wears a unique dark gray cat ear ornament, making her highly recognizable.
She is not only a key intelligence hub for the Uchiha Clan, but also runs a shop that can customize exclusive ninja weapons.
She witnessed Koki and Itachi's growth, and to them, Cat Granny was like a kind and approachable elder. But even so, you still have to pay to shop at her store.
Minato smiled slightly and continued, "This mission is nothing more than a missing cat notice, but the cat we're looking for isn't an ordinary cat, but a Ninja Cat with ninja blood. This cat recently broke up with its lover and is feeling depressed, so it ran away from home. Its destination is the cat clan's sacred ground hidden underground— the Meow Demon Hall."
Even kittens can experience heartbreak!?
Koki listened to Minato's explanation, she imagined the heartbroken Ninja Cat wandering alone in the Meow Demon Hall, and a pang of sympathy rose in her heart.
"By the way, this is the photo of the Ninja Cat we're looking for."
As soon as he finished speaking, Minato handed the photo in his hand to the three of them.
The Koki's gaze fell on the photo, any sympathy she had felt for the Ninja Cat vanished without a trace.
There's a reason why people get dumped!
The cat in the photo is anything but cute; its fat body, messy fur, and unkempt whiskers make it resemble a greasy middle-aged man.
Its ears drooped down, as if it harbored resentment towards the world, and its slightly parted mouth revealed a few sharp teeth, exuding a fierce aura.
Koki couldn't help but laugh out loud, "So even kittens care about looks, huh? Hahaha."
Minato gently took three exquisite cat headbands from his pocket and handed them to them.
"This is a cat accessory. Once you wear it, you'll be able to understand what cats are saying, and the cats will see you as one of their own."
"Is it really that amazing?!" Incredulous light shone in Koki's eyes.
He held the pink cat headband in his hands, eagerly fastening it to his forehead, gently adjusting the position of the cat ears, and looked up at me with expectant eyes. "How is it?"
Upon hearing this, Gekko Hayate's cheeks instantly flushed red like the sunset. He turned his face away, not daring to look directly at her, his heart pounding wildly like a deer's. He had never seen such an adorable Koki.
That pink cat ear headband on Koki's head is just too much!
Shisui's reaction was even more exaggerated; his eyes practically sparkled with hearts.
Meanwhile, Minato was inwardly screaming: Cute... Absolutely adorable!
✧⁺⸜(●˙▾˙●)⸝⁺✧!
He tried his best to suppress his expression and not lose his composure, and coughed lightly.
"Alright, remember this, this cat-themed tool is crucial. It will help you communicate with cats freely within the Meow Demon Hall and find the Ninja Cat."
"Yes!"
They all put on their headbands and, led by Minato, headed towards the Meow Demon Hall.