The Letter Arrives

Konoha.

The Uchiha Clan's headquarters.

Itachi didn't go to Root today; he stayed home to rest, something he hadn't done in a long time.

Free from the distractions of official duties, I savored the new meatballs launched by Gansu Gan and flipped through my childhood photo album.

There has never been a happier time.

"Itachi, what are you doing? Koizumi's here to see you." Uchiha Mikoto, wearing an apron, walked over. "Looking at the photo album again? You really never get tired of it!"

"How could I get tired of looking at them? These are all wonderful memories," Itachi said with a smile, watching his mother walk over.

"Alright, alright, you can watch it anytime you want. As long as you marry Koizumi, I promise I won't care about you. Hurry up and change your clothes, Koizumi is waiting for you outside!"

"Mom, I understand!" Itachi looked at his mother, who was rummaging through drawers and cupboards to pick out clothes for him, with a wry smile, and said, "I can go out wearing this outfit."

"What nonsense are you talking about? Koizumi put a lot of thought into it. If you dress so casually, you'll make Koizumi sad. Just wait... and try this on!" Mikoto took out a brand new gray squirrel-colored kimono.

"Itachi, don't we look like we're going to a festival?" Uchiha Izumi asked with a smile, looking at Itachi's profile.

She was wearing a pink and white kimono, and the two of them really looked like they were dressed for a festival.

"Where are we going today?" Itachi asked with a smile.

"A new dessert shop has opened in the shopping street near the Ninja Academy. How about we check it out?"

She had an extremely accurate grasp of Itachi's preferences.

"Then let's go!"

Itachi nodded, and the two walked leisurely towards the Yakushi Hospital.

Suddenly, the cawing of crows echoed from the sky.

"Huh?"

Itachi suddenly stopped, looked up at the crows circling in the sky, and gently beckoned with his hand.

The crow swooped down like an arrow and landed steadily on the weasel's forearm.

Quan puffed up his cheeks, looking very unhappy. It seemed something was about to happen again, especially since they had finally gone out together for the first time this month.

The weasel expertly took the slip of paper from the cylinder on the crow's leg, glanced at the line of text on the outside, and frowned in surprise.

He begged a few strips of meat from the butcher shop next door, fed them to the crows, and then flapped his wings and flew away.

"That greedy little devil..." Watching the crow fly away, Itachi chuckled to himself, then turned to notice the sulking Izumi, blinked, and his smile deepened.

"Izumi, there's nothing I need to handle today. We just need to deliver a letter to the Ninja Academy on our way."

"Really?" Quan's eyes sparkled.

"Of course, I've never broken a promise."

Itachi nodded.

Ninja Academy.

"Teacher Hitomi, are you also going to see the Principal?"

"Yes, Shuriken and wooden stakes much faster than expected lately. We need to get some funding from the Principal to buy more. What about you, Iruka-sensei?"

Iruka sighed heavily upon hearing this and said, "Two students were fighting in the classroom, and one of them broke his head. The parents came and made a scene, and I can't handle it. The headmaster is there trying to calm things down and told me to come and find the Principal right away."

"You've had a tough time too!" Tong said with a look of sympathy.

She was just a practical training instructor, unlike Iruka who had to worry about the students; all she had to do was teach her classes well.

"Well!"

Iruka sighed, walked to the door of the Principal's office, stopped, straightened his clothes, and prepared to knock.

"Boom!!!"

A sudden, rumbling thunderclap emanated from the Principal's office, the terrifying sound shattering the glass behind the corridor.

It should be said that all the glass on one floor shattered amidst the thunderous roar.

Iruka's face was contorted, and even with his hands covering his ears, he still felt like he was seeing stars. The sudden thunderous sound had shaken his internal organs, causing them to churn. When the thunder subsided a little, he lay down on the corridor and vomited.

In comparison, although Hitomi Kaguya beside him also looked pained, she was much better off than Iruka, at least she didn't vomit.

"That thunder... it's Lord Katsuki."

Hitomi Kaguya suddenly rushed forward and knocked on the door.

Back when she was still with the Land of Water, she witnessed the battle between Katsuki and the Mist Ninja, and the thunderous roar of that battle is still unforgettable.

"Lord Katsuki, are you alright?"

The door wasn't locked; it opened with a knock. The huge office was completely empty, not a soul in sight. The windows were wide open, and a gust of wind rushed in, sending pieces of paper fluttering like snowflakes.

"What happened? There's such a loud noise."

"Was that thunder? There aren't any clouds in the sky. Is it Heavenly Thunder?"

"Look! All the windows on the top floor are shattered!!"

The school was in chaos, but fortunately the teachers reacted effectively, gathering the students together for protection and contacting the Police Force.

"Itachi, was that thunder just now? I think I saw a flash of silver light fly by."

Quan asked curiously.

Just now, one of Itachi's clones took the so-called letter to the Ninja Academy, and a huge noise came from the school shortly afterward.

"It's thunder, Heavenly Thunder," Itachi replied with a smile, while inwardly wondering what Shisui had written in the letter he sent to Lord Katsuki that had caused such excitement in the Lord Katsuki.

However, we still need to inform the Lord Hokage about this, otherwise who knows what kind of commotion it will cause. After all, given Lord Katsuki's status, every move he makes will attract a lot of attention.

Hokage Building.

Orochimaru was reviewing documents at his desk, looked up, frowned, stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of the Ninja Academy.

"What happened? Was that thunder just now from Katsuki?"

"It's still unclear. We've sent people over to investigate, but it will take more time." The voice came from the corner, but no one could be seen.

"Quack quack..."

A flock of black crows circled outside the window, then suddenly merged together. A weasel in a kimono stood on the windowsill and Teuchi the window.

"Lord Hokage"

"Itachi, is something the matter?"

Orochimaru looked at Itachi, who was dressed in a kimono, with a rather strange expression.

"I just came to tell you something," Itachi said softly. "Shisui sent a letter back via crow, addressed to Lord Katsuki. One of my clones delivered the letter, and then..."

"As a result, Lord Katsuki drove away through the window of his Thunder Chariot. Judging from the direction, he probably headed north. Even my clone was crushed along with him. I don't know what was written in the letter; I just came to tell you."

With that, the weasel's body disintegrated, transforming into crows that fluttered away.

"A letter? Uchiha Shisui?"

Orochimaru looked puzzled, frowned, and thought for a moment before saying, "Send someone to check on Uchiha Shisui's whereabouts."

A reply came shortly afterward.

A voice came from the shadows. "Uchiha Shisui accepted a mission to the Land of Grass. According to the calculations, if I'm not mistaken, he should be in the Land of Grass now."

"The Land of Grass... It seems something interesting has happened there! Tell the Anbu about this, and have Kuyue send someone to keep an eye on her teacher, making sure he doesn't do anything rash," Orochimaru ordered.

"Yes." (To be continued)