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After all, some important figures from the Land of Fire occasionally visit Suba-chō, so the defense forces here cannot afford to be weak.
Choosing to act in such a location would be unwise—it would easily draw the attention of Konoha's ninja.
"Whether they act or not has nothing to do with us. Our mission is to recover Uchiha Sasuke," Ye Dou said plainly.
After a pause, he added, "Besides, their real target is Naruto Uzumaki. They don't get to choose the battleground."
"I see... then let's hurry," Metkay said with determination.
Metkay was nothing if not straightforward. He didn't feel it was shameful, even as a jōnin, to ask a simple question when needed.
Elsewhere.
After Konoha's agents caught wind of suspicious activity, Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki (the "Dried Persimmon Shark") had already begun their pursuit of Naruto Uzumaki.
However, they weren't in a rush—after all, Jiraiya of the Legendary Sannin was standing protectively at Naruto's side.
"The Legendary Sannin... this just got complicated, Itachi," Kisame muttered with a wry grin.
Itachi replied calmly, "If we confront him head-on, we'll both be killed. At best, it would be mutual destruction. Even with reinforcements, that outcome wouldn't change."
Perched on a rooftop at the edge of Suba-chō, Itachi and Kisame observed Naruto and Jiraiya from a distance.
Kisame couldn't hide his wariness. Though he had never fought Jiraiya directly, the man's reputation was fearsome—he had once led Konoha's elite forces during the Third Great Ninja War, clashing regularly with Kirigakure's special units.
Kisame shifted uneasily. "So, what's the plan? Are we going in?"
He knew better than to make the first move against someone like Jiraiya. If they were going to act, the success of the operation would depend entirely on Itachi.
"No matter how strong someone is, they all have weaknesses. He's no exception," Itachi said, narrowing his Sharingan.
His eyes scanned the crowd until they locked onto a woman nearby. In an instant, his Sharingan cast a subtle genjutsu.
"See that woman? Have her lure Jiraiya away and keep him occupied."
Kisame raised a skeptical brow. "That simple? You think it'll actually work?"
They watched as the genjutsu-bound woman sauntered toward Jiraiya, giving a seductive glance. To Kisame's disbelief, the Sannin, grinning like a fool, immediately followed her.
"This guy's a Sannin?" Kisame muttered. "Mad ghost? More like pervy ghost... I can't tell if he's fearless or just brainless."
"Let's go," Itachi said coldly as he stepped from the shadows, once Jiraiya had fully vanished from sight.
At the same time.
Uzumaki Naruto, who had just been unceremoniously ditched by Jiraiya, returned to the inn alone, grumbling under his breath. Once inside, he sat down and began meditating, trying to refine his chakra.
His mind drifted to Sasuke. The Uchiha's performance during the Chūnin Exams had left a deep impression, especially the Chidori that Kakashi had taught him. It made Naruto feel left behind—like Kakashi was playing favorites.
Jiraiya had promised to teach him a jutsu even more powerful than Chidori, which was the only reason Naruto had agreed to leave the village.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
The sudden knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts. Thinking it was Jiraiya, Naruto opened the door casually—only to find two unfamiliar figures standing before him.
One of them wore a Konoha forehead protector… but with a clean slash through the metal. A missing-nin.
What caught Naruto's eye most was the man beside him—he had the same eyes as Sasuke. The Sharingan.
"Come with us, Naruto Uzumaki," said Uchiha Itachi, half his face hidden beneath the collar of his Akatsuki cloak, the red clouds ominous against the black.
His tone was calm, direct, and without room for argument.
"Who are you? Why do you have the same eyes as Sasuke?" Naruto asked, tensing. Instinct screamed danger—these men were beyond his level. He had to escape.
"If he runs, it'll be troublesome. Just to be safe, let's take a leg," Kisame said, his shark-like eyes glinting with menace as he reached for Samehada.
Naruto stepped back, and when Itachi didn't respond, Kisame took that as silent approval.
Step by step, Kisame approached, dragging his massive blade behind him with a hungry rasp.
Among Akatsuki, Kisame was one of the more talkative members—but that didn't make him any less of a monster. While his words could be flippant, his actions were always deadly. If he said he'd cut off a leg, he meant it—and would stop at one only because he said so.
Suddenly, Itachi spoke.
"Long time no see, Sasuke."
Kisame and Naruto both froze.
At the far end of the corridor, emerging from the shadows like a ghost, stood Uchiha Sasuke—his expression cold, eyes burning with hatred.
"I've finally found you, Itachi," Sasuke said through gritted teeth. "Today, you die!"
Chirp!
A surge of chakra exploded around him as he formed his Chidori. Lightning sparked violently around his arm, illuminating the hallway with blinding light, swallowing even the artificial glow of the lamps.
"It's Chidori!" Naruto thought, eyes wide.
The tension snapped, the fight was about to begin.
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