Seeing the big orange cat curled up in pain, completely losing its will to fight, Takuya couldn't help but laugh.

Is this guy all bark and no bite?

No, it was just a fluke.

Takuya had kicked the tiger in the jaw, causing it to bite its own tongue, and the pain was so intense it lost the desire to fight.

It was no different from a man getting hit in his most sensitive spot and losing all his strength to fight back.

The difference was, the orange cat had bitten its own tongue—Takuya just gave it a nudge in the right direction.

"Takuya, are you okay?" Mikoto called out as she hurried over, having heard the sounds of the struggle and the cat's roar.

By the time she arrived, Takuya had already knocked the big orange cat out and tied it up with ropes.

"No big deal," Takuya said, patting the massive orange cat on the back as it lay there, its size still towering over him even while lying down. "This guy's probably the one that's been attacking the livestock. We should be able to get a higher reward for this, and selling it back in Konoha could fetch us a good price."

It's already over? Mikoto thought, both amused and a little disappointed.

She had hoped to gain some combat experience, but Takuya had wrapped things up in a flash.

The fight was quick and brutal—a kick to the jaw, and while the cat was still reeling from the pain, Takuya knocked it out cold.

Then he tied it up, and that was it. She hadn't even had a chance to help, just standing there like an extra.

"Mikoto, you don't have a summoning beast yet, do you? Why not make a contract with this one?" Takuya suggested.

The big orange cat was pretty strong, and Mikoto didn't have a summoning creature yet.

If she wanted, making a contract with it wouldn't be a bad idea.

"I'll pass," Mikoto said, shaking her head as she looked at the cat, which was about the size of a small house. "Uchiha usually form contracts with ninja cats. It makes it easier to buy weapons and gear from them later."

Contracting with the ninja cats was a tradition in the Uchiha clan.

Most skilled Uchiha shinobi formed contracts with the ninja cats, who provided them with various weapons and scrolls.

As long as you had the money, you could buy whatever you needed from them, often at prices much cheaper than what the village shops offered.

"Alright, then we'll just sell it when we get back to Konoha."

Even a high-paying D-rank mission would only bring in a few thousand ryo at best.

But if they dragged this big guy back to Konoha and sold it, they could easily get 300,000 ryo.

Summoning creatures and high-quality chakra weapons were always in high demand.

Takuya and Mikoto dragged the hog-tied orange cat back to Konoha, and along the way, plenty of people stopped and stared, stepping aside as they passed.

"Wow, that's one big tiger."

"Are those kids from the village? They must be pretty strong to catch a tiger that size."

"Are they bringing it back to butcher for meat?"

"You idiot, animals like this can be sold as summoning creatures for a high price. Is eating all you ever think about?"

The passing villagers' comments made Mikoto a bit embarrassed.

The fight had ended before she even arrived, and now it was Takuya doing all the work of dragging the tiger back to Konoha.

She felt useless, like she hadn't contributed at all.

"Hello, my name's San Eiroku. Are you planning to sell this summoning creature in Konoha?" a ninja asked, approaching them as he returned from a mission and spotting the big orange cat.

The demand for summoning creatures was higher than Takuya had anticipated.

They weren't even back in the village yet, and someone was already interested.

"300,000 ryo, and it's yours," Takuya replied.

He might not have been an expert, but he knew enough to recognize value when he saw it.

For him, the price was set—300,000 ryo, not a penny less.

"300,000?" San Eiroku blinked in surprise, then gave a wry smile. "Uh… could you lower it a bit? I just spent a lot on some new gear…"

"Sorry, but that's the price. If you can't afford it, I'll just take it to the village and sell it there," Takuya said firmly.

Good summoning creatures didn't lack buyers. Most of the ninja who coveted them were average joes with low talent and limited potential.

For these ninjas, having a decent summoning creature could significantly boost their combat power.

And in a tight spot, it could even save their lives.

Plenty of ninja liked sending their summoning creatures into danger while they made a run for it.

"I'll take it!" San Eiroku said quickly when he saw Takuya about to walk away, not even trying to haggle.

"300,000 ryo it is, but I'll need a little time to gather the money. I just got back from a mission," he added. "To make up for the wait, how about I help you haul this thing back to the village?"

Ninja work was dangerous, but it paid well.

As long as you weren't lazy and kept your expenses in check, you wouldn't be living in poverty.

Even a basic C-rank mission could pay a few thousand to tens of thousands of ryo.

But being a ninja also meant burning through money quickly.

Many ninja earned a lot but spent just as much, often leaving them with little savings.

Generally, a ninja's bank balance could be seen as a reflection of their skill—the stronger the ninja, the more money they made.

Of course, Tsunade was the exception.

Takuya figured you wouldn't find another jonin in the entire ninja world who could make as much money as Tsunade but still end up poorer than her.

"That's perfect," Takuya said, more than happy to accept the help.

Dragging the orange cat all the way from the pasture had been no easy feat.

"Take a break, kid. I'll handle it from here," San Eiroku said, grabbing the rope and starting to haul the tiger himself.

Though he was eager to make a summoning contract with the big orange cat, he couldn't do that until he had paid for it, and Ethan wasn't about to let him off the hook.

Otherwise, they could've saved themselves the trouble of dragging the cat all the way back to Konoha.

As they got closer to the village, more and more people were on the road, and several ninjas approached, asking about the big orange cat. But San Eiroku quickly waved them off.

This summoning creature's already mine. The price is set, so go find something else to spend your money on.

Back in Konoha, the transaction was quick—money in hand, cat delivered.

While their classmates were still waiting for the village to assign them teams, Takuya and Mikoto had each made a tidy sum, pocketing over 100,000 ryo in spending money.