> "Time's flown by… I wonder if those Saiyans have landed on Earth yet. I hope Piccolo and the others are okay."
"Man, I really wanna go back to King Kai's and train. Ten times gravity just hits different."
"You'll love it too someday, kid—it's great for boosting your power."
Naruto rolled his eyes.
> You think I'm a Saiyan or something? That's ten times gravity, dude—literal death for humans.
Ten times gravity didn't just mean everything weighed more—it meant your organs, bones, and muscles were all under ten times more strain. A normal person would be flattened into meat paste in seconds.
Even double gravity could snap an untrained human like a twig.
---
> "Mrrrow!" a white cat suddenly darted in front of Naruto, ready to bolt.
"Meow~" Naruto let out a high-pitched, goofy cat call.
> "Mrr-OW!"
The little white cat froze, then turned back to Naruto and circled him, sniffing like it was confirming his scent.
After some back-and-forth meow-speak, Naruto said:
> "Could you take me to Granny Cat, please?"
The cat blinked, nodded human-like, then shot off into the woods. Naruto followed without hesitation.
---
Soon, they arrived at a quaint old house, flanked by cat-shaped statues that looked like lucky charms.
As usual, Naruto glanced around in awe.
> "No matter how many times I come here… I can never remember how. This place is weird."
He pushed open the door with a creak.
Not even with his malice-sensing ability could Naruto find this place without help. It was simply hidden too well.
> "That's our secret, dear," came a raspy voice from inside. "Only cats can find our home. It's our pride."
Sitting at the counter was a plump old woman with half-closed eyes, a pipe in her mouth, and a gray outfit adorned with cat ears.
Granny Cat.
One of Konoha's legendary arms dealers. Once known as the personal weapons supplier of the Uchiha clan, her clan—the Ninkeneko, or Shinobi Cats—survived even after the Uchiha Massacre.
Naruto bowed respectfully.
> "Granny Cat."
Unlike most of the village, Granny Cat—and Teuchi from Ichiraku—were two of the only people in Konoha who didn't hate him.
And for Naruto, that kind of kindness deserved his deepest respect.
> "Naruto, back again?" Granny puffed on her pipe. "What'll it be today? Kunai? Shuriken? Maybe some explosive tags?"
Standard ninja tools—kunai, shuriken, smoke bombs, food pills—were her stock-in-trade. Konoha may have dabbled in tech here and there, but cold weapons still ruled the battlefield.
> "Actually," Naruto said, patting the heavy turtle shell on his back, "I wanna upgrade this—just a bit heavier. Also, I need two sets of wrist and knee weights. The good stuff.
He didn't want to double the shell's weight and stunt his growth. Better to shift the weight to other parts of his body.
Granny Cat chuckled.
> "Naruto, this is a weapons shop. What you're asking for, you could find anywhere in Konoha."
Naruto shrugged.
> "Except no one else will sell to me."
Why was Naruto's frog-shaped wallet always full in canon?
Because no one in Konoha would take his money.
Only Granny Cat and Ichiraku ever sold to him. Literally no one else.
Granny Cat sighed, blew a smoke ring, then nodded.
> "Fine. I'll get you a heavier version."
Poor kid...
She didn't say it aloud, but as the head of the Shinobi Cats—who had once worked directly with the Fourth Hokage—she knew who Naruto was. In fact, the Fourth's signature kunai were made by her.
She knew everything. And it hurt to see this boy treated the way he was.
Still…
> "That'll be 3,000 ryō," she said.
Kindness or not—business was business.
> "Here, Granny Cat," Naruto said, pulling out his fat frog wallet and handing her three Fukuzawa bills.
> "Leave the shell here. Come pick it up tomorrow."
> "Thanks!"
---
As Naruto turned to leave, the shop door creaked again.
Two figures walked in—one tall, one small. The red and white Uchiha clan crest on their backs made their identity clear.
The Uchiha brothers.
> "Granny Cat," the older boy greeted respectfully.
The little one followed his brother's lead, bowing too.
Granny Cat smiled warmly.
> "Well if it isn't Itachi and little Sasuke. What can I get you boys?"
> "Shuriken! Shuriken! I'm finally learning shuriken throwing from nii-san!" Sasuke chirped before Itachi could say a word.
Itachi patted Sasuke's head, smiling gently, then turned back to Granny Cat.
> "Twenty shuriken. Five kunai. Please and thank you."
> "That'll be 5,000 ryō."
Basic weapons weren't cheap. Compared to the specialty weights Naruto was buying, they were actually more expensive. Clearly, Granny Cat had given Naruto a serious discount.
It was the most she could do.
> "Don't keep touching my head! I won't grow tall!" Sasuke protested, red-faced.
Naruto glanced at them for a moment—then turned and walked away silently.
He didn't greet them. He didn't nod. Nothing.
Among the two Uchihas, one had no malice toward him.
The other—Itachi—gave off a faint, almost imperceptible trace of it.
It was subtle. Most wouldn't notice.
But Naruto had lived in the stench of hatred for so long that even the slightest wisp stood out like fire in the dark.
> Itachi Uchiha, huh? That's fine. I don't like you either.
---
> "Who was that guy?" Sasuke asked, frowning. "So rude. Didn't even say hello."
Despite his words, he felt… a weird sense of familiarity.
Something like curiosity.
But Sasuke being Sasuke, he'd never admit it.
Itachi said nothing, quietly watching Naruto's back disappear down the road.
No one knew what he was thinking.
Granny Cat exhaled gently and muttered:
> "Uzumaki Naruto… what a poor child."
---
Author's Note:
New arc kicking off! If you're enjoying it, toss me some power stones, reviews, or votes. Your support keeps this series going!