Dusk settled over the village as Sasuke returned from the academy, walking alone into the silent Uchiha district.
Just past the gate, he felt it. A gaze from the rooftops to the east.
He looked up.
A cat stared back at him.
It wore a blue vest, a small scroll strapped across its back. Its ears were sharp, its fur patterned like a tanuki's, and the kanji for nin was marked clearly on its forehead.
"Sasuke-sama."
The cat spoke without hesitation. With a few light bounds, it landed beside him. "Your commissioned chakra weapons are finished."
"Thank you, Tabi," Sasuke replied, taking the scroll from its back. In exchange, he handed over a bottle of matatabi drink.
The cat uncapped it instantly, inhaled deeply, and froze in bliss.
The ninja cats had served the Uchiha for decades. Raised by the old weaponsmith known as Granny Cat, they acted as messengers, scouts, and intermediaries for specialized commissions. Their settlement lay far beyond the village, in a ruined city long abandoned.
Trustworthy. Discreet.
That was why Sasuke had used them.
A fully chakra-conductive metal blade was not something a child could purchase openly in Konoha, no matter how much money he had. And there were few people he trusted to handle such a request.
It had taken over two months.
Sasuke unfurled the scroll. Smoke billowed, and when it cleared, two weapons lay in his hands.
The first was a katana. White steel, faintly luminous, thin and long, its edge razor-clean. The blade measured just under a meter. Red and white cord wrapped the hilt.
The second was a short dagger, compact and balanced.
"A fine blade," Sasuke said quietly, sliding the katana back into its sheath. "Does it have a name?"
Tabi finally tore its gaze away from the bottle. "No, Sasuke-sama. Granny Cat said the owner should name them."
"I'll think on it."
He examined the dagger next.
Long blades dominated open combat. Short blades thrived in danger. Up close, in chaos, where distance vanished. It could serve as a backup, a throwing weapon, or something else entirely.
Sasuke nodded, satisfied.
"Tabi. I have another request."
The cat straightened. "Please speak."
"I'd like Granny Cat to help me collect ninjutsu scrolls," Sasuke said. "All five chakra natures. Rank doesn't matter. Higher is better, but basic techniques are fine."
Fire would remain his core. But abandoning lightning would be a waste. As for the other elements, he wanted reference, not mastery.
Tabi thought for a moment, licking its paw. "Granny Cat has some. Mostly D-rank, maybe C-rank. Anything higher will take time."
"That's fine."
"I'll relay it." The cat gave a small bow. "Then I'll be going."
With a puff of smoke, it vanished.
Sasuke practiced briefly with the new weapons, adjusting to their balance, before continuing his usual evening training.
The next morning, after breakfast and conditioning, Sasuke took the dagger and headed toward the village's back hills.
It was the weekend. No academy classes.
Today marked the start of a different kind of training.
As he walked, he noticed the change in his body. Two months of disciplined routines, nutrition, and stretching had reshaped him. He stood taller now, limbs longer, frame lean but solid.
"Look, that's Sasuke-senpai."
He glanced sideways. Two younger girls whispered nearby, not bothering to hide their interest. When he looked back, they waved cheerfully, then giggled among themselves.
He didn't react.
At the base of the back hills, Sasuke felt it again. Multiple gazes. Controlled. Professional.
He continued walking, expression unchanged.
Within seconds, the attention faded.
The back hills were still within Konoha's territory. Civilians lived here. Shinobi trained here. But the terrain made it ideal for concealment, and patrols were constant. ANBU watched this area day and night.
Sasuke disappeared into the trees.