Chapter 150: Chapter 149: Making Money and the Graduation Mission
Chapter 149: Making Money and the Graduation Mission
"To celebrate Minato and Kushina becoming apprentices of Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, and also to mark the one-year anniversary of the cat café's opening, let's have a barbecue tonight!"
Walking out of the Hokage's office, Tonari looked quite cheerful.
Don't be fooled by the fact that Jiraiya had only agreed to teach Minato and Kushina for a year. Once he spent some time with Minato, he'd understand what the term "irresistible charm" truly meant.
"Let's go! Let's splurge tonight! It's Tonari's treat!"
When Kushina heard they were having barbecue, she immediately lit up with excitement.
Hearing that he'd be footing the bill, Tonari's face twitched slightly in embarrassment.
"What's wrong? Not treating? It's your one-year anniversary celebration!" Kushina said, glaring at him with her fiery eyes.
"Alright, alright! Whatever you say, madam!" He immediately raised his hands in surrender.
Minato couldn't help but smile at the exchange.
Jiraiya, still not entirely sure of the situation, was beginning to notice how close these three were. His student, Minato, would face off against Orochimaru's student in a year, but their camaraderie seemed almost too good.
"Alright! I'll see you all at the barbecue place. I'm going to fetch Reika. You guys go ahead and start ordering!"
With that, Kushina hopped away joyfully.
Since Tonari's cat café opened, Kushina had often gone there to play. Upon meeting Reika, instead of sparking a rivalry between the two women, they hit it off immediately.
Reika's gentle demeanor seemed to resonate with Kushina, and the Uzumaki girl developed an inexplicable fondness for her. From their first meeting, they became fast friends.
Through Tonari, Reika also learned that Kushina was one of the last surviving members of the Uzumaki Clan in Konoha. This understanding deepened her bond with Kushina, as she felt a sense of kinship.
Kushina, in turn, never forgot to share interesting things or delicious treats with Reika, making her feel less alone in the village.
Watching Kushina's retreating figure, Jiraiya asked curiously, "Does that kid have a lot of money? Is he from some prominent clan?"
Minato, who respected Jiraiya as one of the Sannin and now his teacher, replied politely, "Jiraiya-sensei, Tonari is quite business-minded. He opened a cat café in Konoha and made a substantial profit. He used his earnings to purchase a lot of property in the village. As he puts it, he's practically Konoha's landlord."
Jiraiya blinked, stunned.
A cat café? Making that much money?
Minato chuckled and elaborated, explaining Tonari's pricing model:
Regular cat-petting sessions:
30 minutes: 2,000 ryō.
1 hour: 3,000 ryō.
Customers could also purchase membership cards.
Buying cats:
Ordinary breeds ranged from 50,000 to 150,000 ryō, depending on the type.
Specially trained cats that could understand human commands ranged from 150,000 to 300,000 ryō.
Ninja cats capable of using chakra started at 300,000 ryō, with no upper limit.
Tonari even offered custom-tailored cats, taking into account breed, chakra attributes, and strength level. According to him, with enough money, he could train a cat capable of passing the summoning beast exam and obtaining a ninja registration.
At first, many dismissed Tonari's cat café as a scam upon seeing the exorbitant price list.
However, Tonari stuck to his pricing and regularly strolled the streets with a cat in his arms, letting people pet it for free on occasion.
As the saying goes: petting a cat once is delightful; petting a cat continuously is addictive.
Gradually, people began visiting his café, and the number of customers grew. Members of prominent clans such as the Uchiha, Hyūga, Nara, and Yamanaka also began frequenting the café, partly to build a relationship with him.
Unexpectedly, they found themselves hooked.
For shinobi, who live in a constant cycle of killing and surviving in life-or-death situations, petting cats proved to be an effective stress reliever.
The cat café's business skyrocketed.
Eventually, Tonari introduced membership cards and even catered to customers who wanted to buy cats to take home. This led to a surge in demand for high-quality ninja cats that could double as pets and summons.
Business boomed, and Tonari's earnings grew exponentially.
Jiraiya was left dumbfounded.
"This kid is loaded?"
Minato nodded. "Not just loaded—he's super loaded."
Jiraiya's eyes twitched. "Then let's milk him for all he's worth!"
Hearing their conversation, Tonari smiled faintly.
Did Minato think this was the extent of his money-making abilities?
Too naive.
While Tonari's ventures in Konoha had been highly profitable, over the past year, he had secretly trained and deployed countless stray cats across the ninja world. These cats quietly gathered other strays in various towns.
Promising ones were brought back to Konoha for further training and categorized based on their potential.
Through this network, Tonari was establishing an intelligence system unique to him, covering almost every town in the ninja world.
Using Kakuzu's connections, Tonari infiltrated underground bounty exchange centers, selling information about notable ninja locations. The pricing varied based on the target's strength and position.
Initially skeptical, Kakuzu became fully convinced of Tonari's intelligence network after seeing its results. Their partnership was formalized.
Within a year, Tonari's intelligence network began generating revenue, with its growth promising even greater profits in the future.
In the underground world, people believed the intelligence system was Kakuzu's creation, unaware that the real mastermind was a young café owner from Konoha—a special jōnin named Tonari.
Kakuzu, despite his ruthless reputation, remained tight-lipped about Tonari's identity, staying true to his motto: "Paid to do a job, no questions asked."
Tonari's two employees were Reika, who required only shelter and safety, and Kakuzu, whose fees were high but manageable given the café's earnings.
---
That evening, at the barbecue restaurant, the group enjoyed their meal. The owner, a long-time patron of the cat café, even gave Tonari a 10% discount.
Jiraiya, embodying a classic envy of the rich, ate as much as Tonari, if not more.
---
The Next Morning
Before dawn, Tonari met Orochimaru at Konoha's gates.
The two set off together.
After the barbecue, Orochimaru had informed Tonari of an important mission requiring his assistance. Though apprehensive, Tonari knew this task was significant, given Orochimaru's involvement.
"Orochimaru-sensei, what's our mission? It seems we're heading out of the Land of Fire. Is the target outside?" Tonari asked.
Orochimaru didn't keep him guessing. "Our experiments have reached a bottleneck. To break through, I plan to collect some rare and valuable materials that might hold the key."
Tonari froze, realizing where this was going.
Orochimaru's piercing gaze lingered briefly on Tonari's bandaged left arm, almost as if he could see through it.
Suppressing a shiver, Tonari trusted in the Uzumaki Clan's sealing techniques to conceal his secrets.
Orochimaru continued, "Among the cells of Hashirama Senju, I've discovered a peculiar energy that doesn't align with standard chakra attributes. If it's not one of the five basic elements, my first thought is tailed beast chakra."
Hearing this, Tonari's heart raced.
Orochimaru had already deduced a key element of Hashirama's Wood Release—an insight that could revolutionize their experiments.
As Orochimaru outlined their target, Tonari realized their mission was far more dangerous than he'd anticipated.
Their first goal: the Eight-Tails of the Cloud Village.
---
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Chapter 151: Chapter 150: Infiltration and an Old Acquaintance
Chapter 150: Infiltration and an Old Acquaintance
At their speed, it only took a few days for the pair to reach the Land of Lightning and arrive at the closest town near Kumogakure.
In a small inn within the town, they made their final preparations for infiltration.
Kumogakure's geographical layout was vastly different from Konoha's.
Konoha was situated on flat plains with level terrain, while Kumogakure was located high up in the mountains, among the clouds. The tallest peak housed the office of the Third Raikage.
Although the terrain was steep and treacherous, infiltrating Kumogakure was actually somewhat easier compared to Konoha.
Konoha relied on man-made defenses: massive walls, barrier seals, and regular patrols by ninja to prevent intrusions. During the day, the prestigious Uchiha Clan, in charge of the Konoha Police Force, handled security. At night, the police force worked in tandem with ANBU, creating dual layers of defense, both visible and hidden.
In contrast, Kumogakure's natural geography provided innate advantages. Surrounded by mountains and dense forests, it was challenging for ordinary people to approach the village, making infiltration relatively easier.
"Orochimaru-sensei, what's our next move?" Tonari asked.
In response, Orochimaru tossed him a scroll.
"Face-Stealing Technique?"
Tonari's eyes lit up as he read the jutsu inscribed within the scroll.
To call it a ninjutsu would be an oversimplification. It was more akin to a disguise or transformation technique.
This… was practically a godsend for any master of disguise or espionage!
"With this technique, you'll infiltrate Kumogakure. Study it here; I'm going to gather two materials," Orochimaru said before departing.
Tonari delved into the scroll, reading its contents carefully. The more he studied it, the more he realized he had severely underestimated this technique. Had he known how powerful it was, he would've begged Orochimaru for it much earlier.
Why was it called the Face-Stealing Technique?
The reason was simple: it erased one's own facial features and characteristics while copying those of another.
In essence, it allowed the user to steal someone else's face, transferring it onto their own as a disguise.
However, it was a brutal jutsu. To achieve perfect camouflage, it required the user to remove and steal the target's face. The fate of the victim, needless to say, was grim.
Tonari had long been aware of Orochimaru's possession of such a jutsu. However, he hadn't expected it to involve actually taking someone else's face for perfect imitation.
Not only the face but also the target's physical features and distinguishing traits could be replicated, making this an outstanding disguise technique.
Its only limitation was the inability to copy the target's abilities. Otherwise, this jutsu would be utterly broken.
Even so, Tonari was impressed by the power of the technique.
With it, there was nowhere in the ninja world he couldn't go.
No wonder Orochimaru, in later years, traveled freely across the ninja world, assembling subordinates with unique abilities. It wasn't just his personal strength; the Face-Stealing Technique played a vital role in his ability to evade detection.
This likely explained how Orochimaru maintained his own appearance despite repeatedly switching bodies using the Living Corpse Reincarnation technique. Whether the body was male or female, Orochimaru always retained his signature look.
Tonari also realized that during the Konoha Crush, Orochimaru had used this technique to take on the appearance of the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, sitting next to the aging Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, without being exposed.
He even commanded the forces of Sunagakure without raising suspicion.
There was no denying it—this was a divine technique.
Obtaining it so casually felt surreal.
Though the process was brutal, the ninja world was inherently harsh, and Tonari had no qualms about using it.
---
Nightfall.
After barely mastering the Face-Stealing Technique, Tonari awkwardly disguised himself as a Kumogakure ninja. According to Orochimaru, the original owner of this identity had been a low-ranking ninja on a mission.
Orochimaru had wiped out the entire team, which was led by a female chunin. Orochimaru now wore her face as his disguise.
If not for Orochimaru's penchant for flicking his tongue out constantly, his impersonation would have been flawless.
Furthermore, Orochimaru had deliberately chosen a ninja who knew a bit of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode, making it easier for Tonari to stay in character and avoid suspicion.
"This disguise is primarily to avoid unnecessary trouble. Don't rely on it too much, especially since you're not yet familiar with it," Orochimaru advised.
Having extensive experience in infiltration missions, Orochimaru was keenly aware of potential pitfalls.
"I understand," Tonari nodded.
"Let's move out. First, locate the Eight-Tails jinchūriki. Don't act rashly. Confirm his identity and, if possible, find his weaknesses.
"Every night, we'll meet back here to exchange information. If it's inconvenient, use a summoning snake to communicate."
Tonari nodded again.
The two disappeared from the spot.
Unbeknownst to Kumogakure, two Konoha ninjas had silently infiltrated their village.
In truth, every major hidden village had spies from rival villages, whether they were ninja or civilians. Even Konoha wasn't immune to infiltration.
Root and ANBU maintained ongoing missions to uncover and eliminate enemy spies within the village.
By separating, Orochimaru and Tonari enhanced their chances of avoiding detection while allowing for greater freedom of action.
Tonari wandered aimlessly through Kumogakure, observing its layout.
Compared to Konoha, Kumogakure was less prosperous. However, it was leagues ahead of smaller villages like Kusagakure and Amegakure.
As night deepened, Tonari found a secluded alleyway.
"Summoning Technique!"
Bang!
A small puff of smoke revealed Little Blue, Tonari's loyal ninja cat.
"Meow—"
Little Blue arched its back and fluffed its fur, startled by Tonari's altered appearance.
Seeing the confusion in Little Blue's eyes, Tonari chuckled and peeled off part of his mask to reveal his true face.
Little Blue's eyes sparkled with recognition. It leaped into his arms, purring affectionately.
"Alright, Little Blue. We have an important mission now."
At Tonari's words, Little Blue's expression grew serious.
"We're in Kumogakure, one of the major villages where we haven't been able to establish our intelligence network. Conceal your chakra and gather the stray cats in the village. Train them as we've practiced, so they can serve as our eyes and ears."
"Meow!"
Little Blue nodded and disappeared into the shadows.
After extensive training, Little Blue had become an exceptional ninja cat, making it the perfect agent for expanding their intelligence network.
Additionally, the stray cats could assist in locating the Eight-Tails jinchūriki.
At this point, the Eight-Tails jinchūriki was likely Būrubi, the predecessor of Killer B. Known for his flamboyant hairstyle, Būrubi had initially shown promise as a jinchūriki but gradually succumbed to psychological pressure.
---
Three days later, Orochimaru's expert intelligence-gathering skills had uncovered Būrubi's identity, habits, and routine.
Unlike Konoha, which concealed Kushina and Tonari's jinchūriki status, Kumogakure openly acknowledged its jinchūriki as symbols of strength. This openness made Būrubi easier to locate.
After exchanging information, the pair devised a plan of action.
This was no ordinary S-rank mission. Infiltrating an enemy village and targeting its jinchūriki carried immense risks.
"Let's go," Orochimaru said, glancing at Kumogakure's hospital in the distance.
The hospital, a relatively new structure, was a response to Konoha's success with medical ninjas. However, its quality and resources were untested.
Tonari followed, and Orochimaru transformed into a snake, slithering into his sleeve.
Once inside, it was evident that the hospital lacked sufficient staffing or security.
The pair entered without resistance, heading straight to the top floor.
Tonari summoned his courage and pushed open the door to a consultation room.
The smell of disinfectant hit his nose.
"Can I help you?" asked the doctor inside.
Tonari's expression changed instantly.
"Shadow Snake Hands!"
The doctor froze in horror, his mouth opening to scream, only to be silenced by a snake.
In moments, Tonari subdued the medical staff, using the Face-Stealing Technique to assume the doctor's identity. Donning a white coat, he prepared to await his target.
Unexpectedly, the first visitor is not Būrubi but someone familiar: Dekai!
Full name, Dekai. After three days in Kumogakure, Tonari had pieced it together—this was none other than the future Fourth Raikage, son of the Third Raikage.
---
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