Chapter 103. Samui from Kumogakure

Chapter 103 - 103. Samui from KumogakureHanekawa exhaled a puff of warm breath. In such cold weather, he really didn't feel like going outside. But then, there was a knock at the door. When he opened it, as expected, it was Kurenai Yuhi. She had put on a thick white coat and a scarf, bundled up tightly. It made her look a bit chubby, but also quite cute. "Going for a run?" Kurenai asked. "Let's go." Hanekawa patted her head and said. "Mm!" Kurenai grabbed his hand and started pulling him outside. "Be careful, you two!" The voice of Shinku Yuhi, Kurenai's father, came from behind them. "It's slippery in the snow. Don't run too fast!" "Got it!" Kurenai replied without stopping. Bang! The door closed behind them. Hanekawa and Kurenai jogged down the street, snowflakes gently falling around them. It was early, and the cold weather left the streets deserted, with only the shops on either side of the street open. As they passed by the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, Hanekawa suddenly noticed Tsuchibashi standing at the entrance. He felt a surge of curiosity because, as the store owner, there was no reason for Tsuchibashi to stand outside greeting people. When Hanekawa caught sight of the look in Tsuchibashi's eyes, he immediately understood. Tsuchibashi was deliberately waiting for him, knowing that he passed by every day during his morning runs. Hanekawa gave him a slight nod, signaling that he would come by later. He continued jogging with Kurenai, and an hour later, they both returned home. Since it was the New Year, school was on break for a week. After breakfast, Hanekawa headed to the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore. As for Shinku and Kurenai Yuhi, he told a small lie, saying he was going to Konoha Hospital. It wasn't entirely a lie—after meeting with Tsuchibashi, he planned to go to the hospital to practice his medical ninjutsu. --- "Uncle Tsuchibashi," Hanekawa said as he entered the bookstore. "Did Kumogakure send new instructions?" "You've been in Konoha for nearly five years now, haven't you?" Tsuchibashi asked instead of answering. "More or less." Hanekawa's heart sank as he guessed, "Are they asking me to return to Kumogakure?" No way am I going back. If they really made him return... What Kumogakure? Never heard of it! I'm a ninja of Konoha, loyal to the Hokage! "You guessed half-right." Tsuchibashi shook his head. "Given your special circumstances, Kumogakure will be sending someone here to meet with you." Hanekawa was thoughtful. The so-called "meeting" was probably a way to assess his loyalty or to check if the seals in his body were still functioning properly. Fortunately, he had the A-rank perk 'Infiltrator', which made him confident enough to deal with any probing. "Where is the meeting?" he asked. Hanekawa looked troubled and said, "With my current status, I can't leave the village alone." "Don't worry, we won't make things difficult for you," Tsuchibashi reassured him, patting his shoulder. "Do you know the Cat Granny?" "The Cat Granny of the Ninja Cat Clan?" Hanekawa raised an eyebrow. Cat Granny wasn't a member of the Ninja Cat Clan herself but a human. She served three roles: as a liaison between the Uchiha Clan and the Ninja Cat Clan, a supplier of ninja tools to the Uchiha, and an information broker. Interestingly, Cat Granny's granddaughter, Towa, was the girlfriend of Kiba Inuzuka. "Exactly her," Tsuchibashi confirmed with a nod. "She has some connections with Kumogakure." "What?" Hanekawa exclaimed in surprise. Cat Granny, with her trustworthy appearance, has also betrayed Konoha? "It's not what you're thinking," Tsuchibashi clarified, noticing Hanekawa's misunderstanding. "She's not a spy for Kumogakure. It's strictly business dealings." S~eaʀᴄh the nôvel_Fire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I see," Hanekawa said, finally understanding. "Cat Granny and the Ninja Cat Clan live in the Neutral Zone, not far from Konoha," Tsuchibashi explained. "You can visit her to purchase ninja tools, then 'accidentally' encounter the Kumogakure ninja there." "Won't Cat Granny notice something suspicious?" Hanekawa asked with a slight frown. "She won't," Tsuchibashi said with a confident smile. "The Kumogakure ninja will hide their identities, and Cat Granny, being an experienced information broker, knows how to keep secrets." "I understand," Hanekawa said after a moment of thought. "When will the meeting take place?" After considering the low risk of exposure, he figured it wouldn't hurt to meet with the Kumogakure ninja—he was particularly intrigued by the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode. "Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock," Tsuchibashi replied, suddenly shifting the topic and rubbing his hands together. "Now, let's talk about your friend's new book." "As for the new book, my friend hasn't decided yet," Hanekawa answered honestly. "That's unfortunate," Tsuchibashi said, looking disappointed. "I'll let you know when he comes up with something," Hanekawa promised. Though he no longer needed money, he planned to keep publishing novels. He was curious about the effects of the B-rank perk, "Doujin Master." After parting ways with Tsuchibashi, Hanekawa headed to Konoha Hospital, pondering ideas for a new book. So far, he had published three novels: Demon Slayer Ninja, A Guide to Ninja Girls of Different Species, and Dark Beast. A new day had begun. Hanekawa arrived at Cat Granny's ninja tool shop, located within the Uchiha clan's territory. "Welcome, meow." At the entrance of the shop, a white cat greeted him in human language. "Hello," Hanekawa responded, examining the white cat. It somewhat resembled a fox but was dressed, spoke fluently, and had a pleasant female voice. "I'd like to see Cat Granny," Hanekawa said directly. "Cat Granny won't be at the shop until after 9 AM. She's currently in the Neutral Zone, meow," the white cat replied. "Could you take me to see her?" Hanekawa asked tentatively. "Sure," the cat agreed, then extended its paw. "But I'll need payment, meow." With an amused expression, Hanekawa took out a thousand ryo. "Not bad, meow," the cat said, displaying a distinctly human-like expression of happiness. "What's your name?" Hanekawa asked as he followed it outside. "Hinata, meow," the cat answered, walking gracefully and elegantly. No wonder, Hanekawa thought, finally remembering who this cat was. Cat Granny had two major companions: Hinata and Tahibi. These two cats were akin to elders of the Ninja Cat Clan. There was also another notable cat, Nekomata, often referred to as the king of cats. Could Nekomata be related to the Two-Tails (Matatabi)? Hanekawa wondered. After all, Matatabi was also a cat-like being. However, after some thought, he dismissed the idea—Matatabi was purely a chakra construct and couldn't have relatives. Half an hour later, Hanekawa reached the Neutral Zone. The Neutral Zone of the Ninja Cat Clan wasn't an independent dimension like the three Great Sage Lands of summoning animals. Instead, it was simply an abandoned, desolate area. "A human, meow!" "Is he a ninja from the Uchiha Clan?" "Pick me! Pick me! I can do a backflip!" "What good is a backflip? I can cook!" As soon as Hanekawa entered the Neutral Zone, he was surrounded by a group of cats of various colors and patterns. It felt like stepping into a cat café. "Quiet!" Hinata shouted. "He's here to see Granny, not to form a contract with a ninja, meow!" "How boring, meow," the group of cats muttered as they dispersed. "Don't mind them," Hinata said with a hint of helplessness. "They've been stuck in the Neutral Zone for so long, they're eager to go out and play, meow." Looks like the Uchiha Clan hasn't been good cat caretakers, Hanekawa thought. He continued following Hinata, passing through ruins and debris, until they arrived at a two-story wooden house. At the entrance stood another white-dressed cat, but this one had the kanji "忍" (ninja) on its forehead. "Tahibi, is Granny here, meow?" Hinata asked. "She's inside. She has a guest," Tahibi replied. Tahibi kept a stern expression and said concisely, "I'll take you to a room to wait, meow." Hinata glanced at Hanekawa and added, "Follow me, meow." "Thank you," Hanekawa replied, feeling a slight ripple of emotion. The early guest was most likely the Cloud Village ninja he was supposed to meet. He wondered who it could be. Hinata led the way and quickly brought him to a room on the second floor. Hanekawa opened the door and was momentarily surprised. Inside the room was a girl who appeared younger than him. She was kneeling on a carpet, with short, pale yellow hair, fair skin, and a delicate yet cold expression. "You can wait here, meow," Hinata said before turning and heading downstairs. "Are you Hanekawa?" the girl asked in a calm tone. "I am," Hanekawa responded, stepping inside and sitting across from her. "Who are you?" "Before answering your question, I need to confirm your identity," the girl replied, standing up and revealing her slender, fair legs. "How will you do that?" Hanekawa asked, already guessing what she intended to do. "There's a restriction placed on your body by Cloud Village. I'll know by checking," she said, walking over to him and placing a hand on his head. Hanekawa looked up at her with a calm expression. "I am Samui, a ninja from Cloud Village," she said, retracting her hand and introducing herself. In the original series, Samui was a jonin from Cloud Village known for her swordsmanship, calm demeanor, and vast knowledge. Of course, what stood out most was her strikingly impressive figure, rivaling Tsunade's. "Did you come alone?" Hanekawa asked, studying her. "No," Samui shook her head. "I came with Uncle Dodai." Hanekawa's brows lifted. Dodai? He was the proctor for the AB Combination's "Double Lariat" in Cloud Village, considered one of the Raikage's most trusted aides. "What's the purpose of this meeting?" Hanekawa asked curiously. "To give you a reward," Samui said, holding out her hand. "This is a Lightning Release Chakra Crystal." Hanekawa instinctively glanced at his First Hokage necklace, which housed a Wood Release Chakra Crystal. Essentially, chakra so highly condensed that it formed into a crystal—similar to the spiritual stones often found in cultivation novels. "You can use it to replenish Lightning Release chakra or forge ninja tools to enhance Lightning Release techniques," Samui explained. "Thank you," Hanekawa said, accepting it without hesitation. He planned to use it on his katana, the Thunderfire Sword. "I've heard you're quite skilled," Samui said, shifting the topic. "Not bad," Hanekawa replied modestly, startled by the sudden praise. "Yugito doesn't think highly of you, but she couldn't come. So, I'll fight you on her behalf," Samui said, stepping back and drawing a short blade. "Let's make this quick and settle it here." __ New entry: This Danzo Is Weird Patreon.com/rashta Be a member so you can read: New. 140 adv ch of This Danzo Is Weird 1. 230 adv ch of Talent System In Naruto 2. 550 adv ch of Qian Renxue's Younger Brother 3. 270 adv ch of Uchiha Madara's Cousin 4. 163 adv ch of WDQK: Divorcing Ling Qingzhu (Complete)