Itachi set out at dusk.
He wore no ANBU uniform, changing instead into gray-brown traveling clothes with a straw rain cape over them. His ninja tool pouch was hidden inside his clothes, carrying only the necessary kunai, wire, and a few smoke bombs. By the time he left through Konoha's north gate, the sky was mostly dark. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance, and the wind carried the scent of damp earth.
Once outside the village, he quickened his pace. The journey from Konoha to the Land of Rain's border normally took two days. But Itachi chose a more dangerous route-through the dense forests in the northern Land of Grass, then south along the ridgeline. It was nearly a third shorter, but bandits and rogue ninja prowled along it, so ordinary ninja avoided it. Itachi chose it because he did not want to leave a trail. Danzo's Root also had outposts in the Land of Grass. Taking the main road would get him discovered sooner or later.
After nightfall, he began moving through the forest. Clouds completely obscured the moonlight, leaving everything pitch-black. Only occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the outlines of the treetops. Itachi had excellent eyesight, and the Sharingan's ability to track movement let him pick out every branch and rock even in the darkness. His footsteps were light, almost soundless whenever he landed.
After running for about four hours, he stopped beside a mountain stream and crouched to drink. The water was bitterly cold, rushing down from a ravine with the chill of the rocks in it. He glanced up at the sky and estimated the time. At this pace, he could reach the Land of Grass's border before dawn. Another half day would take him into the Land of Rain.
Just then, he heard something.
It