Chapter 204: Hina~

Nighttime, atop the treetops of a giant tree.

"You've been getting stronger,"

Utakata said quietly, leaning against the trunk and gazing up at the bright crescent moon in the sky. "Isn't it about time we left here?"

"With no more Tailed Beast chakra to collect, there's no point in my staying," Link replied, perched casually on a nearby treetop. "In about two days, once I've used up most of that chakra, I'll head back to the village."

Their underground base was well-hidden but only lit by lamps, and most of the time Link preferred to be above ground anyway. Almost no one ever came to the surrounding redwood forest, so it was peaceful—perfect for catching a breeze and admiring the moon before bedtime.

Utakata closed his eyes, savoring the cool summer-night wind. "Even though I've cooperated with you so much, I still can't know what we're actually doing?"

Link did not answer.

"Even if it's a lie, that's fine," Utakata said, opening his eyes. He didn't really care whether Link was telling the truth. Whether it was because the Tailed Beast inside him had quieted down, or because Link treated him as an equal while also needing his power—either way, he felt himself lifted from the pit of loneliness.

No one can resist loneliness.

All he needed was a single lie, and he'd be willing to strive for whatever goal Link set for him.

"In this world," Link said, voice tinged with what sounded like a sigh, though his face showed its usual mild smile, "there's no such thing as truth or lies from the start—only a cruel reality."

"I don't have anything in particular I want to do right now." (This was a lie.)

"I'm just… not satisfied with who I am at the moment."

He jumped down from the treetop. With a thud, he landed, then walked off without looking back. "As long as that Tailed Beast stays inside you, I'll keep needing you."

"Is that so?" Utakata murmured, sitting there a while longer. He blew some bubbles and watched how the moonlight shimmered through them in a hazy glow, which strangely put him at ease. "Well, that's good, then."

Thinking of Link—so young yet unexpectedly mature and gentle—the corners of Utakata's mouth curved faintly. "I guess I'll keep on living as your tool, for now."

He didn't dislike that sort of life.

…

A few days later, near Nekobaa's Ninja Tool Shop.

[It's true—people stuck in loneliness really can't refuse a helping hand,] Link thought, recalling the sight of Utakata standing at a distance by the seaside when they parted. It left him feeling a certain calm.

The world of the shinobi was harsh. Those born with extraordinary talent or bloodlines didn't necessarily enjoy better lives; instead, they often faced a different kind of torment. In this world, a special gift could feel more like original sin than a blessing.

Jinchūriki, especially, were forced to bear Tailed Beasts from a young age, constantly influenced by them. Any emotional upheaval could hurt others, isolating the host even more.

They often don't even know who they truly are, or why they live. Lost in the fog of uncertainty.

Wanting to feel needed, Kabuto Yakushi and Kimimaro willingly offered themselves to Orochimaru. Utakata wasn't so different.

Link found it both surprising and inevitable that it was so easy to sway a strong Jinchūriki like Utakata. After all, this world was rotten at its core, and "ninja" was a rotten profession.

He had seen and experienced so much that...

Tap. He came to a stop as a ninja cat approached. He greeted it with a gentle smile and tossed over a matatabi drink and some cat treats. "I'm here to pick up the equipment."

Hina deftly leapt into the shadow's arms. While being petted, she savored the drink and nibbled at the treat with an expression as content as an old man relaxing in a rocking chair. Lazily, she said, "About that intel you asked me to look into last time—sorry, but there's no info at all. The Land of Rain's in total lockdown, nya."

"They're blocking all information, huh? That's all right."

Link outwardly seemed unbothered, though he had a pretty good guess of what had happened—likely Hanzō was gone, Amegakure was being rebuilt, and Akatsuki now ruled the Land of Rain. After all, in the manga, Pain alone had destroyed the village. If even the ninja cats, who could gather intel by sending out cats everywhere, couldn't smuggle out any information, then that place was sealed tight.

As Link pondered this, the man and the cat passed through the empty streets, arriving at the ninja tool shop. Hina hopped down, clinging to her cat mint drink, looking forlorn. "Ugh, after this deal wraps up, who knows when you'll be back again, nya?"

"I'm supposed to keep watch over this passage, nya. I can't just leave," she said, a note of sorrow in her voice.

Meeting Link had been wonderful: good food, good drinks, and no pushy demands that grated on her nerves. Plus, those emotionless shadow jutsu gave her all the company she could ever want. They even knew multiple massage techniques, adjusting them to suit her. She felt like she'd become a cat who couldn't live without a human—er, no, without a shadow.

[If only I could have that jutsu,] Hina thought for the first time in her life, envying humans a little. She craned her neck to watch Link enter the ninja tool shop, letting out a heartfelt sigh. "Ah…"

Life isn't easy—cats can only sigh about it.

Inside the ninja tool shop:

"Kans!" Nekobaa called to her granddaughter.

The young woman skillfully laid out an array of scrolls. "Please take a look, sir."

Link glanced over them. "I trust you." He paused, then went on, "Nekobaa, there's something else I wanted to ask you."

"Go ahead," Nekobaa answered kindly. After all, he'd been a big customer, spending quite a lot.

Scrolls weren't cheap, and neither was intel. Both cost plenty, and as a black-market dealer—albeit an honest one—she didn't care where the money came from as long as it ended up in her pocket. Raising cats was expensive; training ninja cats was even more so. Ever since the Uchiha Clan was wiped out, she'd had few customers of this caliber.

"I'd like to adopt a ninja cat," Link said.

Kans, who was busy tidying the scrolls, glanced curiously in his direction. It was rare these days for anyone to want to adopt a ninja cat.

Compared to well-trained, obedient, and loyal ninja dogs, the ninja cat clan… well, they followed their own whims. If they didn't want to work, they simply wouldn't. They had little sense of a strict master-servant bond, needed careful care and feeding, and were often lazy and gluttonous. If they were in a bad mood when summoned, they might do nothing at all.

Most importantly, the difference becomes crystal clear in direct comparison: ninja dogs are satisfied as long as they have something to eat, never shrink from tasks, and come running whenever you call—even risking their lives for their master.

"You want a ninja cat? How many?" Nekobaa asked, suddenly amused. "Though I have to say up front, I can't force them to serve you."

Link thought for a moment. "I think Hina would be perfect—"

He'd been planning this for a while now. Among the ninja cats, Hina was unusually responsible, and he'd already set his sights on her.

~~~

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