"Itachi, is this your village? What a peaceful place." A few days after the Sand and Sound attacked, two uninvited guests appeared in Konoha.
The Mist's S-rank rogue ninja Kisame Hoshigaki and Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja Itachi Uchiha—both members of Akatsuki, the largest organization outside the Five Great Shinobi Villages.
Their stated reason for coming to Konoha was Itachi's hunt for the Nine-Tails. In truth, it was to tell Konoha that he, Itachi Uchiha, was still alive, and they were not to lay a hand on his younger brother, Sasuke.
Truly a gentle big brother—but only a good brother. While the two were eating some sweet, refreshing dango at a Konoha dango shop, several Konoha jonin entered: Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and Kakashi Hatake.
Dressed so conspicuously, Itachi and Kisame were easily marked as suspicious. After the Konoha Crush, the village was already on hair-trigger alert. Two figures in suspicious attire who clearly weren't local shinobi would naturally draw suspicion.
Which is why Itachi's real purpose wasn't the stated capture of the Nine-Tails. Who would be so brazen as to "sneak in" openly?
No, not sneaking in—walking in. They might as well have had a sign on their backs: "I'm suspicious—come hassle me."
Just then Sasuke also happened to pass by, looking for Kakashi. Seeing Itachi's silhouette felt familiar, so he followed as well.
"You're... Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja Itachi Uchiha, and the Mist's S-rank rogue ninja Kisame Hoshigaki!" A huge bead of sweat slid down the backs of Kakashi and the others. The three felt like crying without tears. S-rank rogues—none of them were enemies the trio could handle.
Any S-rank rogue ninja could stand alone against a village. Especially Kakashi, who'd encountered Kakuzu, understood how terrifying S-rank rogues were.
Even someone like Zabuza, roughly on Kakashi's level, didn't qualify as S-rank—at most A-rank.
Don't be fooled by "just one rank"—strictly speaking, jonin and Kage are also separated by one rank.
"Elite jonin" is a title, not a rank.
The two before them weren't much weaker than Kakuzu—especially Itachi Uchiha. In terms of trickiness he surpassed Kakuzu. With his three-tomoe Sharingan, Kakashi knew that all too well. Rumor had it Itachi's eyes were beyond three tomoe.
Had they known it was these two, they'd have called more backup. The three of them alone—there was little chance of stopping them.
"Itachi! You still dare come back!" Sasuke was the most agitated when he saw them. Three tomoe rose in his eyes as he stared at Itachi in the distance, but he didn't rashly charge.
He hadn't let rage cloud his head. He knew charging in meant getting killed.
"Itachi, that one looks a lot like you. Your brother? Want me to help you take him out?" Before Itachi spoke, Kisame did—and judging by his killing intent, he wasn't joking.
"This is my business." Itachi said simply, and Kisame's killing intent vanished. Among Akatsuki's teams, Kisame and Itachi were one of the most in-tune pairs.
For some reason, Kisame respected Itachi greatly and listened to him. Because he knew Itachi was a mole? Who knows.
Easily dismantling Kurenai's genjutsu and reversing it on her, Itachi stepped toward Sasuke, one step at a time.
Kurenai's genjutsu was quite strong by Konoha's current standards, but against the Sharingan—which was innately resistant to most genjutsu and could reflect it—she was at a huge disadvantage.
Weren't even figures like Orochimaru helpless against Sharingan genjutsu? Let alone Kurenai.
Elsewhere, Kisame had Asuma on the back foot. Asuma's strength was decent—and he was one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja.
But he was far outmatched by Kisame, especially with Samehada (the sharkskin blade) that absorbed chakra.
In weapons, physical power, and overall strength, Asuma was fully suppressed. If Kisame had killing intent, Asuma might already be dead.
"Itachi, what are you trying to do..." Kakashi blocked Itachi's path. Not knowing about Itachi's deal with Konoha's higher-ups, he still regarded the man who'd slaughtered most of the Uchiha with deep wariness.
"Tsukuyomi." Without wasting words, Itachi opened his Mangekyo Sharingan and spoke lightly to Kakashi.
After only one second facing Itachi, Kakashi—with three-tomoe Sharingan active—collapsed, seemingly for no reason.
"Kakashi-sensei!" Sasuke was shocked. How could someone of Kakashi's strength be felled in an instant? Itachi was stronger than Kakuzu or Orochimaru.
"Chidori!" Sasuke couldn't hold back any longer. He had no retreat—only head-on.
But from every angle, Itachi completely outclassed him. Even though Sasuke was far stronger than in the original, he still lagged far behind Itachi.
After only a few exchanges, Itachi floored him with a heavy punch, then pinned him by the throat against a nearby wall.
"Is this all your strength amounts to? How disappointing. You're a bit stronger than before, but still far too weak. Now, recall it—the memory of that night." Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan drew close to Sasuke's terrified face.
Just as he was about to cast Tsukuyomi again, Itachi suddenly let go of Sasuke and flashed aside.
A fraction of a second later, a golden figure and the blue sphere in his hand appeared at the spot where Itachi had just stood.
Naruto Uzumaki—and an Ultra Big Ball Rasengan.
"So that kid's the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki? He's really strong. A hair slower and you'd have been hurt, Itachi. The jinchuriki's jutsu isn't simple." Kisame slung Asuma aside with Samehada and eyed the golden figure.
"Sasuke... you okay?" Naruto kept both eyes locked on Itachi, wary of any move.
He didn't understand—against the Sharingan, never look in the eyes, especially the Mangekyo.
"Cough... not dying. Be careful. He's strong." Sasuke rubbed his neck and struggled up from the ground. Though hatred flickered in his eyes, this time he didn't dare to take the initiative again.
Itachi had already demonstrated his overwhelming power.
"Use Tsukuyomi twice...? But now isn't the time to take Naruto." Itachi kept his deadpan expression, stalemated with the two.
"Looks like I'm not late. I am the Toad Sage, Jiraiya!"
Poof—amid a puff of smoke, a toad appeared with Jiraiya standing atop it—the same white-haired sage who'd been hovering near Naruto.
"Leaf Whirlwind!" On Asuma's side, a green-clad figure appeared and lashed out with a fierce kick at Kisame with Samehada.
"Konoha ninja pop up like cockroaches—one after another. Annoying." Blocking Guy's flying kick with Samehada, Kisame grumbled.
"At least some decent ones showed up. Is that green-suited guy Konoha's green beast?"
"Retreat. That white-haired one is one of Konoha's Sannin—I'm not confident against him. And the Nine-Tails jinchuriki isn't weak. It'd be tough to take them down." Itachi moved back beside Kisame. His objective was already accomplished.
Dropping Kakashi and Kurenai had sent Konoha the message he meant to send. Those among the higher-ups who knew the truth would understand.
"Well now, isn't this Itachi? Leaving so soon? We've returned—aren't you going to welcome us?" Figures in black stepped forward, each with the Uchiha clan fan crest on their backs.
Led by Uchiha Musashi, the surviving Uchiha arrived—nearly twenty in all, every one with three-tomoe Sharingan in their eyes.
"Those eyes—the Uchiha! Impossible! How can they be here?" Jiraiya despised the higher-ups' decisions, but he knew the Uchiha's situation.
Why would the Uchiha appear in Konoha now? Especially... with the Third dead and Konoha badly hurt—what was their purpose? If they planned to strike Konoha now, he would stop them.
Sensing something, a young boy stepped out from among the Uchiha. But his eyes were different from the others—not three tomoe, but closer to Itachi's.
Was the Uchiha's current leader such a kid?
"Jiraiya-sama, don't misunderstand. Our entry into Konoha was approved by the village's higher-ups—the Konoha Council has consented to my entry. We're not here to make trouble. We only wish to return to our home—and rejoin Konoha." He pulled a document from his robe and waved it before Jiraiya's eyes—the Konoha Council's signed permit.
"It's genuine." At a glance, Jiraiya judged the document authentic. He didn't know the specifics, but he knew enough—their intent was friendly, not hostile.
(End of Chapter)
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