Chapter 107: Samui from the Cloud Village
Hoshikawa exhaled a puff of warm air. It was so cold he really didn't want to leave the house.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. He opened it, and sure enough, it was Kurenai. She was wearing a thick, white long-sleeved shirt and a scarf, bundled up completely. She looked a little chubby and very cute.
"Ready to go for a run?" she asked.
"Let's go," Hoshikawa said, patting her head.
"Yeah!" Kurenai grabbed his hand and pulled him out the door.
"You two be careful!" Shinku Yuhi's nagging voice called out. "It's snowy and slippery, don't run too fast!"
"We know!" Kurenai called back.
Bang! The door closed.
Hoshikawa and Kurenai ran down the street, facing the sparse snowflakes. It was early, and the weather was cold, so the street was deserted, save for the shops on either side. As they passed the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore, Hoshikawa noticed Tsuchihashi standing by the entrance. He felt a sense of unease, as the owner had no reason to be waiting outside. He understood the moment he caught Tsuchihashi's eye—he was waiting for him, knowing Hoshikawa went on a run every morning.
Hoshikawa gave him a subtle nod, letting him know he'd come back alone later. He and Kurenai continued their morning run, returning home an hour later.
Since it was the New Year, the Academy had a week-long break. After breakfast, Hoshikawa headed to the Konoha Knowledge Bookstore. As for Shinku and Kurenai, he told a little white lie, saying he was going to the Konoha Hospital. It wasn't entirely a lie; after meeting with Tsuchihashi, he would go to the hospital to grind his medical ninjutsu proficiency.
"Tsuchihashi-ojisan," Hoshikawa said as he entered the bookstore. "Is there a new order from the Cloud Village?"
"You've been in Konoha for almost five years now, haven't you?" Tsuchihashi asked, ignoring the question.
"Just about." Hoshikawa's heart skipped a beat. "Are you telling me to go back to the Cloud Village?"
Going back is out of the question. If they really told him to go back, he would just say, "What Cloud Village? I don't know it! I'm a ninja of the Hidden Leaf, and I am eternally loyal to the Hokage!"
"You're half right," Tsuchihashi said, shaking his head. "Considering your special circumstances, the Cloud Village is sending someone to meet with you."
Hoshikawa thought for a moment. "Meeting" probably meant checking his loyalty and making sure his seal hadn't been compromised. But with his A-rank Infiltrator trait, he wasn't afraid of them checking.
"Where are we meeting?" Hoshikawa asked, a difficult expression on his face. "In my position, I can't just leave the village alone."
"Don't worry, we won't put you in a tough spot." Tsuchihashi patted his shoulder. "Do you know Cat Grandma?"
"The Matriarch of the Ninja Cat clan?" Hoshikawa raised an eyebrow.
Cat Grandma wasn't a cat; she was a human. She had three jobs: she was a liaison between the Uchiha clan and the Ninja Cat clan, and she also sold ninja tools and information to the Uchiha. It was worth noting that Cat Grandma's granddaughter, Tamaki, was Kiba Inuzuka's girlfriend.
"That's her," Tsuchihashi nodded. "She has a connection with the Cloud Village."
"What?" Hoshikawa was surprised. What a surprise, Cat Grandma, you betrayed the Hidden Leaf!
"It's not what you think. She's not a spy for the Cloud Village," Tsuchihashi explained, sensing Hoshikawa's misunderstanding. "It's just business dealings."
"I see." Hoshikawa's expression returned to normal.
"Cat Grandma and the Ninja Cat clan live in the Land of Cats, not far from the Hidden Leaf." Tsuchihashi explained his plan. "You'll go to Cat Grandma to buy some ninja tools and then have a chance encounter with the Cloud Village ninja."
"Won't Cat Grandma notice something's up?" Hoshikawa asked, a slight frown on his face.
"No," Tsuchihashi said with a smile. "The Cloud Village ninja will be disguised, and as an information broker, Cat Grandma knows how to keep things confidential."
"I understand," Hoshikawa said, pondering the situation. If there was no risk of being exposed, it was a good idea to meet with the Cloud Village ninja. After all, he was very tempted by the Fourth Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
"Tomorrow morning at 8 a.m.," Tsuchihashi said, his demeanor instantly changing. He rubbed his hands together. "Let's talk about your friend's new book."
"My friend hasn't thought of a new book yet," Hoshikawa said honestly.
"That's a shame." A look of disappointment crossed Tsuchihashi's face.
"I'll come back when he has a new idea," Hoshikawa said. Although he wasn't short on money, he still wanted to keep publishing novels. He wanted to know what the B-rank Hentai Artist trait's effect was.
Hoshikawa said goodbye to Tsuchihashi and headed to the Konoha Hospital. As he walked, he pondered what his new book would be. He had already published three: Against the Demon Ninja, A Guide to Evaluating Diverse Ninja Gals, and Black Beast.
The next day, Hoshikawa arrived at Cat Grandma's ninja tool shop, which was located in the Uchiha clan's district.
"Welcome, meow." At the entrance, a white cat spoke, greeting Hoshikawa.
"Hello," Hoshikawa said, looking at the white cat. It looked a little like a fox but wore clothes, and its voice was a pleasant, feminine one. For some reason, it reminded him of a meme from his past life: 'Quick, transform!'
"I'm looking for Cat Grandma," Hoshikawa said, getting straight to the point.
"Cat Grandma won't be here until after 9 o'clock. She's in the Land of Cats right now, meow," the white cat replied.
"Could you take me to her?" Hoshikawa asked tentatively.
"I can," the white cat nodded, extending a paw. "But I'll need payment, meow."
Hoshikawa's face was a little strange, but he handed over a thousand ryo.
"Not bad, meow." The cat's face showed a human-like expression, like it was happily smiling.
"What's your name?" Hoshikawa asked, following it outside.
"Hina, meow." Hina walked with light, elegant steps.
No wonder. Hoshikawa finally remembered who this was. Cat Grandma had two powerful underlings: Hina and Denka. These two cats were elders of the Ninja Cat clan. In addition to them, there was also a cat named Nekomata, known as the King of Cats.
Hoshikawa pondered for a moment. Could Nekomata have some connection to the Two-Tails? The Two-Tails was named Matatabi and was a cat. But on second thought, it was unlikely, as the Tailed Beasts were pure chakra constructs and had no relatives.
After half an hour, Hoshikawa arrived at the Land of Cats. The Land of Cats was not a separate dimension like the three great summoning animal sanctuaries, but simply a desolate, deserted area.
"A human, meow!"
"Is he a ninja from the Uchiha clan?"
"Choose me, meow! Choose me! I can do a backflip!"
"What's a backflip good for? I can cook!"
The moment Hoshikawa entered, he was surrounded by a large group of cats of various colors. It felt like he had walked into a cat cafe.
"Quiet!" Hina shouted. "He's here to see Grandma, not to make a summoning contract, meow!"
"How boring, meow." The crowd of cats instantly dispersed.
"Don't mind them. They get lonely being in the Land of Cats for so long and want to go out and play, meow," Hina said, sounding a little helpless.
Looks like the Uchiha clan aren't very good cat slaves.
Hoshikawa followed Hina, walking through the area. The ground was littered with broken stones and ruins until they came to a two-story wooden house. At the entrance was another white cat wearing clothes, but it had the kanji for "ninja" on its forehead.
"Denka, is Grandma here, meow?" Hina asked.
"Yes. She has a guest," Denka said concisely, with a stern expression on its face.
"I'll take you to the room to wait, meow," Hina said, glancing at Hoshikawa.
"Thank you." Hoshikawa's heart fluttered. The early guest was likely the Cloud Village ninja he was supposed to meet. He wondered who it was.
Hina led the way, and they soon arrived at a room on the second floor. Hoshikawa pushed the door open and was taken aback. There was a girl in the room who looked a little younger than him. She was kneeling on the floor, with short, pale blond hair, fair skin, and a refined yet cold expression.
"You can wait here, meow." Hina turned and went back downstairs.
"Are you Hoshikawa?" the girl asked in a flat tone.
"I am," Hoshikawa said, walking in and sitting across from her. "Who are you?"
"Before I answer your question, I need to verify your identity." The girl stood up, revealing her slender, fair legs.
"How are you going to verify it?" Hoshikawa had a feeling he knew what she was going to do.
"You have a Cloud Village seal inside you. I can sense it," the girl said, walking in front of him and placing her hand on his head.
Hoshikawa looked up, his expression calm.
"I am a ninja of the Cloud Village. My name is Samui," the girl said, retracting her hand.
In the original series, Samui was a jōnin from the Cloud Village who specialized in kenjutsu. She was known for her calm demeanor, extensive knowledge, and, of course, a figure that rivaled Tsunade's.
"Are you here alone?" Hoshikawa asked, studying her.
"No," Samui shook her head. "I came with Dodai-ojisan."
Hoshikawa's eyebrows rose. Dodai was the proctor for the Cloud Village's A and B combination, the Liger Bomb, and was considered the Raikage's right-hand man.
"What did you want to see me about?" Hoshikawa asked curiously.
"To give you a reward," Samui said, extending her hand. "This is a Lightning Release chakra crystal."
Hoshikawa subconsciously looked at the First Hokage's necklace. It had a Wood Release chakra crystal on it. Simply put, this was highly condensed chakra that had crystallized and could be used as a spiritual stone from a wuxia novel.
"You can use it to replenish your Lightning Release chakra, or you can use it to forge a ninja tool that enhances Lightning Release ninjutsu," Samui explained.
"Thank you." Hoshikawa didn't stand on ceremony and took the crystal. He planned to use it on his samurai sword, the Raiken.
"I heard you're very skilled," Samui said, changing the subject.
"I'm alright," Hoshikawa said modestly, a little startled by the shift.
"Yugito-san has a bone to pick with you, but she couldn't come. She sent me to have a fight with you." Samui took a step back, pulling out a tanto. "Right here. Let's make it quick."
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