"I'll take the black cat that brought me here. I think it's a good choice," Chiba decided after a moment of thought.
He didn't dislike cats, but he wasn't particularly fond of them either. His attitude toward them was neutral.
"You mean Xiao Hei?" Grandma Cat was briefly surprised but then nodded. "Alright."
She then turned to a white cat at her feet and instructed, "Xiao Bai, go fetch Xiao Hei and bring him here."
"Meow, understood, Grandma," the white cat responded in a voice as sweet as that of a young girl.
With that, the white cat leaped out of the window.
Moments later, Xiao Bai returned, leading a black cat—none other than the one who had guided Chiba earlier.
"Grandma, Xiao Bai said you needed me?" Xiao Hei asked as soon as he entered. Then, noticing Chiba, he added, "Oh, you're still here, Uchiha kid?"
Chiba smiled and nodded.
"Yes, I called you here to find you a long-term meal provider. Are you interested?" Grandma Cat said nonchalantly.
A long-term meal provider?
Chiba was speechless. He was just looking for a ninja cat, not a life partner.
And if he were looking for a partner, he'd prefer someone wealthy and generous, like Tsunade. Living off someone else's wealth didn't seem like a bad idea.
Xiao Hei was momentarily stunned but quickly realized what Grandma Cat meant when he saw Chiba.
Most Uchihas chose their psychic beasts from the Ninja Cat Clan due to their long-standing friendship. The meaning behind Grandma Cat's words was obvious.
Without hesitation, Xiao Hei gracefully leaped down, walked over to Uchiha Chiba, and raised his head.
"You want me to be your psychic beast, right?" he asked. "Just so you know, we ninja cats aren't fighters. I can only help with errands."
That was exactly what Uchiha Chiba needed.
After all, there wasn't a single ninja in the world who summoned a cat for battle—except for that one in the Hidden Cloud Village.
But that was different. That cat was no ordinary feline—it was a tailed beast.
"That's fine. I don't need you for fighting," Uchiha Chiba assured him.
Xiao Hei nodded. "Alright, in that case, let's talk about my benefits."
He then laid out his conditions.
"First, I require three bags of dried fish every day—double on holidays and the New Year. Second, I get four rest days per month, and you are not allowed to summon me during my breaks."
"Do you agree to this?"
Chiba was momentarily taken aback by how simple the demands were.
"Deal," he said quickly, afraid Xiao Hei might change his mind.
"Great, let's sign the contract then," Xiao Hei said eagerly.
In truth, he had long wanted an owner. Many Uchiha had visited the Ninja Cat Clan before, but none had chosen him due to his plain black fur.
Now that he had finally caught a suitable candidate, he needed to secure the deal.
Both the human and the cat thought they had made a great bargain, leaving no one at a loss.
After leaving the Ninja Cat Clan, Chiba sensed the Flying Thunder God mark he had left earlier. Kakuzu was still in Tanchu Street.
Without hesitation, he activated the technique.
Inside a hotel, Kakuzu was meticulously calculating the costs of setting up a laboratory and acquiring the necessary equipment.
When he saw the figures, he was stunned.
Just the lab and basic instruments would cost between 60 to 70 million ryo.
And that was just the initial investment—future funding would be inevitable.
Considering that the average bounty mission paid between two to three million ryo, this was a massive expense.
Though his current savings could cover the startup costs, he was concerned about the ongoing financial demands.
With a deep sigh, Kakuzu put down his pen.
"Why do I feel like I've been tricked into boarding a pirate ship?" he muttered.
Suddenly, he sensed another presence in the room.
Without looking, he knew who it was.
Uchiha Chiba.
The kunai with the Flying Thunder God mark was still in his ninja pouch.
"You're back. Did you need something else?"
Kakuzu glanced up to see Chiba standing there, looking rather pleased with himself.
"Nothing major," Chiba replied. "I just solved our communication issue."
He then turned to the small black cat perched on his shoulder.
"Xiao Hei, from now on, you'll be responsible for delivering messages between me and him."
"Leave it to me," Xiao Hei meowed confidently.
Hearing the unfamiliar voice, Kakuzu turned to look.
That was when he noticed the black cat on Uchiha Chiba's shoulder.
"A ninja cat?" Kakuzu observed before shifting his gaze back to Chiba. "So this is why you left earlier?"
"That's right," Chiba confirmed. "I came to introduce Xiao Hei since he'll be our messenger from now on."
He then addressed Xiao Hei again.
"Do you remember his chakra signature?"
"Of course, meow," Xiao Hei responded.
"Good. Now sign a contract with him as well."
Kakuzu had no objections, and Xiao Hei also agreed without hesitation.
Once the contract was signed, Chiba looked at the black cat.
"Alright, you can return now. I'll summon you when needed."
"Sure, but don't forget the dried fish next time," Xiao Hei reminded him.
"Don't worry, I won't."
With that, Chiba deactivated the summoning technique.
A puff of smoke appeared, and the black cat vanished.
Turning to Kakuzu, Chiba said, "Alright, everything's settled. I'll be heading back now."
"Oh, and let me know when the lab is finished."
Kakuzu nodded. "Understood. I'll have the cat inform you when it's done."
Before he could say anything else, Chiba disappeared once again.
Now alone in the room, Kakuzu sighed.
To be honest, he was a bit envious of Chiba's teleportation technique.
If he had such an ability, his money-making efficiency would skyrocket.
After all, traveling was what consumed most of his time.