Orochimaru's Hideout

The night was deep.

In the old house of the successive clan heads, deep within the Uchiha Clan Compound, the lights were still on.

Uchiha En sat at the table, having just returned from the testing ground on the Land of Fire's border.

He poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip.

"The Way of the Swordsman... unlimited stamina..." He set down the cup and clicked his tongue softly. "That's another identity I can use."

He was about to get up and wash.

Then his hand stopped.

A snow-white little snake slipped through the gap in the window.

It was no thicker than a finger. Its scales glimmered under the lamp as it slithered across the windowsill, coiled at the corner of the table, raised its head, and flicked its tongue.

Then it opened its mouth and spat out a slip of paper rolled into a thin tube.

The paper was still wet with snake saliva.

Uchiha En glanced at the little white snake and raised an eyebrow. "Orochimaru's messenger."

He picked up the paper and unfolded it.

There were only a few lines on it, written in Orochimaru's thin handwriting, which seemed to carry a chill.

The first line read: "Uchiha Itachi has taken on the task of tracking down the impostor. He is searching the Shinobi World for someone with both the Sharingan and spatial abilities."

The second read: "Pain is preparing to recruit more people. Security in Amegakure is tight."

The third read: "I have the Third Hokage's remains. Sasori tried to take them to make a Puppet, but I stopped him."

Uchiha En read through it line by line.

He set down the paper and tapped the table twice. After a long moment, he suddenly smiled.

"Itachi's looking for 'Tobi'?" he said slowly. "Go