By nightfall, Mikoto and Raizen arrived at a place filled with ruins.
With a pass and proof of intent, they were allowed to leave the village.
Konoha didn't restrict its shinobi too tightly.
Nearly all of the Uchiha clan's ninja tools were purchased from Granny Cat's shop.
As a result, the ninja cat clan and the Uchiha shared a close relationship. They treated the Uchiha as honored guests and even provided them with intelligence—one of the clan's important sources.
"It really is desolate."
Raizen looked around.
It was clear this place had once been prosperous.
For some unknown reason, it had fallen into ruin and become the wasteland it was today.
Compared to the bustling village of Konoha, this place felt utterly lifeless.
Mikoto nodded in agreement.
She had felt the same the first time she came.
She led Raizen forward. They passed crumbling walls and the occasional scurrying rat.
After about ten minutes, they reached a surprisingly grand building.
An old signboard hung above the entrance, barely legible with the faded characters "Empty District."
"This is the place."
Inside was a maze of underground passages.
But Mikoto had clearly been here many times. She navigated the turns with ease and soon encountered two ninja cats dressed in clothing.
"It's Mikoto. Is the one behind you the new Uchiha you've been talking about?"
"He doesn't look much different from other Uchiha, meow."
One of the cats studied Raizen closely, noting only that he seemed a bit more muscular than average.
"Take us to Granny Cat."
Mikoto spoke briefly with the two cats, handing them several boxes of matatabi drink—their favorite.
The cats happily led the way.
Soon they arrived at a spacious, clean area.
The walls were lined with pottery jars and ninja tools.
Mikoto approached an old woman smoking a pipe and wearing a dark gray cat-ear headpiece—Granny Cat.
Raizen saw no sign of a little girl nearby.
It seemed her granddaughter, Kō, hadn't been born yet.
Kō was quite attractive. In *Boruto*, she became Inuzuka Kiba's lover.
Though they dated for over a decade, they never married.
"What kind of ninja sword are you looking for?"
Granny Cat turned, exhaling smoke as she asked Raizen.
Her nose was brownish-black—perhaps paint or some other substance.
"Preferably metal with good chakra conductivity, high durability. Shape doesn't matter much, just make it long."
Raizen stated his requirements plainly.
Since the clan was paying, he might as well ask for the best.
Granny Cat listened to Raizen's requirements, told him and Mikoto to wait a moment, and sent a ninja cat to fetch a sword that matched his specifications.
I'm going to restock some supplies."
Mikoto took out a sealing scroll and asked Raizen to stay put while she went to purchase more ninja tools.
Shinobi consumed a lot of gear on missions. As a jōnin, Mikoto not only maintained order in the Police Force but also handled high-difficulty assignments for the village.
Jōnin were a scarce resource.
Raizen wandered around for a bit, found a quiet corner, and began channeling chakra to continue running "Lightning Release: Iron Body."
Since Mikoto had taken out a sealing scroll, she was probably buying a large quantity. Rather than stand idle, Raizen decided to keep training.
Thin threads of electricity spread through his body.
Even in these quiet moments, Raizen continued to grow stronger.
"What a coincidence."
He had only been practicing for a short while when he heard footsteps. Looking up, he saw Uchiha Uzuki entering with the man he had seen at the hospital.
The Uchiha were treated as honored guests by Granny Cat, but that didn't mean the shop served only them.
"Is he one of your clansmen?"
Yamada Hiro noticed the Uchiha flame fan emblem on Raizen's robe.
"Yes… that's Uchiha Raizen."
Uchiha Uzuki nodded.
After the secret clan meeting last night, Raizen had left immediately.
She never expected to run into him here.
"Then you two talk. I'll go pick out some shuriken."
Yamada Hiro flashed a grin, showing his white teeth. He scratched his head and walked deeper into the shop.
He assumed Raizen was just a clansman of Uzuki's and didn't think much of it.
"Alright."
Uchiha Uzuki gave a soft nod.
Uzuki could feel the coldness in his tone and sensed the awkwardness.
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