If a talented individual like Kakuzu were to escape, where would Chiba find someone to replace him?
The Next Day
The setting remained unchanged—same restaurant, same private room.
Chiba and Kakuzu sat across from each other once again.
Chiba smiled at Kakuzu. "So, have you thought it over?"
Kakuzu remained silent for a moment before responding, "I agree."
"However, I want a share of your research results. I'm not interested in being just a subordinate—I want to be a partner."
"That's fine. I agree to all your terms." Chiba accepted without hesitation.
After all, Kakuzu's primary role was to provide funding for him and Orochimaru.
Kakuzu nodded. "Alright, then. We have a deal."
"I'm glad to hear that," Chiba said with satisfaction. "I have a task for you."
"Go ahead."
"I need you to establish a laboratory in the Land of Fire and acquire the necessary equipment and materials."
Kakuzu fell silent. He hadn't expected that as soon as their partnership began, Chiba would start dipping into his wallet.
After another brief pause, he finally said, "Alright. How will I contact you once it's done?"
Chiba hesitated. While the Flying Thunder God technique was extremely useful for travel and combat, it didn't provide a means for real-time communication.
This was a common issue in the ninja world—delivering messages and intelligence still relied on couriers.
And traveling back and forth between Kakuzu and Konoha every day wasn't feasible.
After a moment of thought, Chiba had an idea.
He reached into his ninja pouch, pulled out a special kunai, and handed it to Kakuzu. "Keep this with you. I'll find a way to establish contact soon."
Kakuzu accepted the kunai without question. He didn't ask how Chiba planned to solve the communication issue, simply taking the weapon silently.
At first, he was unsure why a kunai was significant—until he noticed the familiar leaf-shaped marking on the handle.
A wave of unpleasant memories resurfaced. That very mark had left him powerless against Chiba before.
It had cost him an arm.
Although he had replaced it with one from a rogue ninja, the memory remained bitter.
"Alright, that settles things for now," Chiba said, standing up. "I still have some matters to attend to. Once I've sorted out the communication issue, I'll return."
With that, he left.
Journey to the Ninja Cat Clan
After leaving Tanchu Street, Chiba soared into the sky.
With his mission complete, he didn't immediately return to Konoha. Instead, he made his way toward the Ninja Cat Clan.
The anime provided little insight into the clan, but one thing was clear—the Uchiha and the Ninja Cats had maintained a close relationship for generations.
Whenever the Uchiha needed weapons or intelligence, they turned to the Ninja Cat Clan first.
Upon arriving at their settlement, Chiba found himself surrounded by curious feline eyes peeking out from various hiding spots.
These cats had long been accustomed to the presence of Uchiha, so they simply observed him in silence.
A sleek black cat stepped forward.
"Greetings, friend of the Uchiha. Have you come to see Granny Cat?"
Chiba wasn't surprised that the cat could speak.
In this world, talking animals weren't uncommon.
"Yes, I have some business with her. Can you take me to her?"
He then pulled out a dried fish he had prepared in advance and offered it to the cat.
The black cat took the fish with a satisfied purr. "Smart move, Uchiha kid."
Turning around, the cat flicked its tail. "Follow me. I'll take you to her."
Chiba nodded and followed.
Meeting Granny Cat
Deep within the settlement, inside a modest room, Chiba finally met Granny Cat.
However, she wasn't as old as he had imagined. Instead of the elderly feline he had expected, she appeared to be around 30 or 40 years old.
Then it hit him—this was still decades before the events of the main story.
Granny Cat looked up at him. "Chiba, what brings you here?"
"You know me?"
"Of course. I know every member of the Uchiha clan, especially someone like you—a so-called genius."
She smiled slightly. "Though, your reputation is… unusual."
"Most Uchiha earn recognition by awakening the Sharingan. But you? You stand out because of your taijutsu."
At first, Granny Cat hadn't paid much attention to him. In her experience, Uchiha who failed to unlock the Sharingan were doomed to mediocrity.
But reality had proved her wrong.
When she heard that a ten-year-old child had managed to battle Orochimaru—one of the Hokage's disciples—to a standstill, she began to take notice.
"Sharingan and taijutsu are merely tools," Chiba said. "What matters is how one uses them."
Granny Cat chuckled. "You're not wrong. But I've worked with the Uchiha for many years. I know the extent of their power."
Though she had never seen the legendary 'Shura of the Ninja World' in person, her mother had described him vividly.
A man who had taken the Uchiha's power to its very limits.
The nearly 200-meter-tall blue giant he commanded was beyond comprehension.
Compared to that, Chiba's taijutsu talent was… insignificant.
Still, everyone walked their own path. There was no need to remind him of that.
"You make a fair point," she said. "So, what brings you to me?"
Chiba got straight to the point. "I want a ninja cat as my summoning beast. Is that possible?"
Granny Cat blinked. "That's it? I thought you needed intelligence or something important."
She sighed.
"The Uchiha and the Ninja Cats have been allies for generations. If you want a summoning contract, just ask any ninja cat and see if they're willing."
Chiba chuckled. "Granny Cat, you're the leader here. It's only proper to ask for your permission first."
"Enough with the formalities," she scoffed. "You saw how many ninja cats were around when you arrived. Pick whichever one you like, and I'll call them over to see if they agree."
Though she found Chiba's politeness unnecessary, it was a simple request.
And it wouldn't be the first time a Uchiha had made one.