Meanwhile, inside Kirigakure, on the third floor of an unremarkable inn in the neighborhood near the Mizukage Building.
A figure stood quietly before a window with its curtains half drawn.
He wore a wide-brimmed bamboo hat and a long black robe, concealing both his figure and his face in shadow.
Only the occasional shaft of light slipping through the curtains illuminated the hard lines of his lower face and his tightly pressed lips, curved with a trace of coldness.
It was Sasuke Uchiha.
His gaze, sharp as a hawk's, pierced through the gaps beneath his hat and fixed firmly on the distant Mizukage Building, the symbol of Kirigakure's highest authority.
"Uchiha Itachi... is in there?"
Sasuke's voice was low and calm, betraying little emotion, but the icy killing intent within it seemed to lower the room's temperature by several degrees.
Not far behind him, another figure stood in the shadows-Shino Aburame.
He, too, wore dark clothing suited for concealment and a pair of sunglasses, his whole presence seeming to blend into the dim room.
"My insects tell me he's there." Shino's voice was as steady and flat as ever, yet carried a convincing certainty.
"His presence is faint, but it's definitely him.
The insects I raised wouldn't be wrong."
Sasuke's hat shifted slightly, as though he were nodding. He fell silent for a moment, then spoke again:
"We're going to infiltrate the building, Shino?"
It was not a question, but confirmation of their next move.
Shino adjusted his sunglasses. His gaze behind the lenses seemed to sweep over the security arrangements and chakra flow around the Mizukage Building outside. He was silent for a moment, apparently calculating and assessing the risks.
"If that's what you want."
His final answer was concise, without a hint of hesitation. "I'll cover you. I