Itachi

Deep in a forest somewhere in the Land of Fire, sunlight spilled through layers of branches and leaves. A breeze stirred, rustling the leaves softly, mingling with the faint chirping of birds in the distance. Everything seemed so quiet and peaceful.

A young man leaned against a thick tree trunk, his head slightly bowed, eyes fixed on a crow perched on his arm.

The crow was unlike any ordinary bird of its kind-its eyes were a strange red, and the shape of a tomoe was faintly visible in its pupils.

It was proof that it had been controlled by the Sharingan, a Summoning Beast Uchiha Itachi used to gather intelligence.

The young man wore a loose black robe patterned with red clouds. It was the standard uniform of the Akatsuki organization. The Forehead Protector on his brow bore a deep slash that cut through the symbol of Konoha Village, marking him as a traitor to the village, a sign of a resolve from which there was no turning back.

He had an exceptionally handsome face, but two conspicuous tear troughs ran down it, making him look much older than he really was.

They also shrouded him in a gloom that never seemed to lift.

Uchiha Itachi.

Uchiha Sasuke's older brother.

The man who had slaughtered his entire clan with his own hands, leaving only his younger brother alive.

At that moment, he was receiving the intelligence relayed by the crow.

The information had been gathered through the crow's eyes and ears, then transmitted into the depths of his consciousness through its link to the Sharingan.

Strictly speaking, he currently counted as a spy planted by Konoha Village within the Akatsuki organization.

Although that identity sounded somewhat laughable-because he had never once sent any valuable intelligence to Konoha.

The last time