"Suzuki-sama, it's over here, nyaa!"
"It's that building, nyaa!"
Shiro and Kuro, the white and black ninja cats, chattered excitedly as they led Suzuki, their new master, toward the headquarters of the Ninneko.
Suzuki followed them effortlessly. He knew he probably should have left with Yugao, but in the end, he decided not to wake her. He simply left a message with the hotel staff and departed into the night with his two new familiars, heading straight for Sora-ku.
Many might be unfamiliar with it, as the history of the ninja cats was obscure. They were famously known as the historical partners of the Uchiha Clan, but after the Uchiha massacre, the Ninneko had relocated entirely to Sora-ku, an abandoned, hollowed-out city.
Suzuki wasn't entirely sure if his intelligence was up to date. In this era, unless you were a ninja or deeply connected, gathering reliable information was incredibly difficult. There was no internet, nor were there any major, reliable newspapers. It made him wonder if he should just establish his own intelligence network from scratch, especially now that he had these two cats.
He hadn't lied to them; he truly never intended to use cats for combat. Despite their keen senses, extraordinary flexibility, and unique claw-based fighting styles, using them as frontline soldiers was a waste of their true potential.
The true power of cats lay in their unassuming nature—in how perfectly ordinary they were in human society.
Cats were everywhere. They prowled on rooftops, loitered in bustling markets, and even dozed in the laps of daimyo. Instead of using them for petty assassinations, wasn't it infinitely better to have them infiltrate every corner of the world? They could gather an unfathomable amount of information, invaluable for both economic dominance and military intelligence.
Economics was his primary interest, of course, but the military aspect was just as vital. Despite Konoha's peaceful facade, Suzuki knew that if a war broke out, he wouldn't be able to escape the draft. With his standing, he could likely maneuver himself into a rear-guard position managing military logistics and supply chains, but there was always the risk of being forced to the frontlines as a commander.
Based on the historical records Hiruzen had given him to study, ninja warfare relied disproportionately on overwhelmingly strong individuals. If Konoha didn't have heavy hitters like Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Tsunade, Hatake Sakumo, Namikaze Minato, or Uchiha Shisui, the village would have been crushed.
Unfortunately... Suzuki mused.
Almost all of those legendary figures were dead or gone. So, who could Konoha rely on now?
The only answer Suzuki could find was the political powerhouses: the four clans led by Hiruzen and his former teammates—Sarutobi, Shimura, Utatane, and Mitokado. Those clans would undoubtedly be sent to the frontlines due to their sheer numbers. Yet, none of them possessed truly exceptional, world-altering talent. It made Suzuki realize that without anomalies like Naruto or Sasuke, Konoha was practically a sitting duck, vulnerable to attacks from all sides.
But military might isn't the only form of power.
Suzuki understood that power came in many shapes. Securing the absolute submission of the Ninneko was merely his first step.
As Kuro and Shiro guided him into the heart of Sora-ku, a welcoming committee was already waiting. At the entrance to a grand, weathered building stood several high-ranking figures, including the twin cats Denka and Hina, and the matriarch herself, Nekobaa.
"Denka, Hina, Nekobaa!"
"Look, everyone!"
His two kittens waved their paws excitedly at the trio.
"So, you are Suzuki Tanaka?"
The elderly woman, who sported distinct feline face paint and a cat-like demeanor, appraised Suzuki with sharp eyes.
"I am," Suzuki replied. He looked at her, his expression twisting into one of mild confusion. "You are Nekobaa? The leader of the Ninneko?"
"I am," Nekobaa nodded proudly.
"You aren't a cat, though."
"No, I am not."
"..." Suzuki stared at her.
"I know it might seem unusual," Nekobaa explained, clearing her throat. "But my role here is as a shopkeeper and a caretaker. I look after all of them."
"Oh. So you're their slave."
"..." Nekobaa fell dead silent.
Yet, could she argue? Not really. The role of Nekobaa essentially boiled down to handling all the inconveniences the cats couldn't manage themselves—scratching hard-to-reach itches, brushing fur, and cleaning up their... messes. It was a servile role, but because she held it, she commanded significant respect and authority among the formidable cat ninjas.
"Regardless," Nekobaa sighed, recovering her composure. "I never thought a disciple of the Third Hokage would choose cats as his animal familiars."
"Is that so weird?"
"Not weird, but..." Nekobaa smiled warmly. "I am just glad there is finally someone who can see how exceptional our cats truly are."
Historically, cats had always been sidelined in the shinobi world, often viewed as inferior to ninja hounds. The fact that an elite shinobi like Suzuki chose them—and chose them first—filled Nekobaa and the surrounding Ninneko with a massive swell of pride. They knew how talented he was, and they were honored.
"Is that so?" Suzuki said simply.
"Yes," Nekobaa nodded. "You came to visit Sora-ku, correct? Let me show you around. This place might look dilapidated, but I assure you, we harbor goods you won't find anywhere else in the world."
"Lead the way."
Nekobaa, flanked by a small entourage of cats, guided him deep into Sora-ku. She introduced him to the sprawling underground black market, showcasing a vast array of wares, from specialized weaponry to highly illegal contraband. Everything a rogue ninja could ever need was here.
Suzuki listened to her sales pitch quietly, but he felt zero interest in the illegal arms trade. The total market cap of this entire operation was far too low to be worth his time. He saw a much larger, more lucrative potential in the cats themselves.
However, watching the dynamic between Nekobaa and the cats, he decided to keep his true ambitions quiet for the moment. Unlike the pragmatic felines, Nekobaa was human. She likely still harbored nostalgic loyalty toward the Uchiha Clan—a connection Suzuki had absolutely no intention of entertaining. It wasn't that he hated the Uchiha, but the surviving members were entirely too troublesome. They were unpredictable mavericks, and Sasuke was a traumatized wild card.
"What do you think? Did anything catch your eye?" Nekobaa asked eagerly.
"No," Suzuki replied bluntly. "These goods might be rare, but they aren't that important."
"..." The entire feline entourage stared at him in shock.
"Instead of buying weapons," Suzuki continued, his tone shifting into something far more calculating. "I'd like to propose a different business venture."
"Such as?" Nekobaa asked, bewildered. The Ninneko's entire legacy was built on their ability to secure and supply black-market weapons. What else was there?
"How many cats currently reside in this city?"
"Er... a lot?"
"Can I hire all of them?"
"..."
Silence washed over the abandoned city.
Suzuki's vision was leagues above peddling illegal kunai. The black market was a logistical headache and small potatoes. He didn't just want a piece of the pie; he wanted to turn their entire intelligence network into a massive cash cow. His goal wasn't to buy weapons—he wanted to monopolize the very economy of the world itself.
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Unexpectedly, cats are the most useful pets for a ninja.