Outside the corridors of Hidden Leaf Hospital, the night wind carried a slight chill as it brushed against Sasuke Uchiha's cold face.
He looked back one last time at the village filled with peace and comfort, then unconsciously touched the curse mark on his neck, which was faintly throbbing with pain.
Before the man named Itachi Uchiha, the years of training he had undergone were nothing more than a joke.
This laughable game of playing house was finally over.
So-called companions, so-called bonds—they would only become stumbling blocks on the path of revenge.
Before absolute power, those weak emotions were worth less than nothing.
Without hesitation, he flipped out the window and landed lightly atop the wall behind the hospital. Like an agile night cat, he blended perfectly into the darkness.
He moved through the village's shadowed corners, his movements light and cautious. Even when stepping on roof tiles, he made not the slightest sound.
Not far away, two patrolling chunin leaned against a utility pole, yawning lazily as they chatted idly about Ichiraku Ramen's new flavor.
Sasuke stopped deep within the shadow of an eave, an undisguised sneer flashing through his eyes.
These guards, supposedly the backbone of the village, were riddled with openings beneath the perception of his Sharingan.
Holding his breath, he suddenly pushed off with both legs and leaped over their heads from more than ten meters in the air like a phantom. The faint breeze he stirred did not even move a strand of their hair.
He had simulated this stealth route in his mind countless times already.
He had thought leaving tonight would take some effort and had even prepared to force his way out if he was discovered.
Instead, it went unexpectedly smoothly.
The patrol blind spots, the gaps during shift changes, the