Itachi silently reached a conclusion.
He spent the past few days buying things all over town and drawing attention to himself to lull the enemy into a false sense of security.
Believing they fooled him with false intelligence, the enemy would inevitably concentrate their forces in Black Wind Valley.
That was exactly the outcome Deputy Captain Chikage wanted.
He wasn't planning to play hide-and-seek with the enemy. He wanted to catch them all in one sweep.
Itachi watched Chikage's retreating figure, his eyes filled with admiration.
Such courage-knowing danger lay ahead and walking straight toward it anyway.
As expected of a man who dared challenge Danzo in the Hokage's Office.
Itachi rose, chakra bursting beneath his feet as he became a blur and followed.
He had to remain vigilant at all times.
Elite assassins from Root might be lurking within the trap in Black Wind Valley.
He couldn't let anything happen to Deputy Captain Chikage.
Two in the afternoon.
The blazing sun hung overhead.
Black Wind Valley was as hot as a steamer.
The terrain was treacherous, with steep rock walls on both sides and only a narrow passage between them.
At the end of the passage stood an abandoned mine.
Scarface and more than a dozen rogue ninja had already taken up ambush positions around it.
They camouflaged their traps with branches and weeds, burying explosive tags along the only route through.
Several wagons loaded with rocks sat at the mine entrance, covered with tarps to pass as military supplies.
Skinny Monkey lay beside Scarface, sweating profusely in the heat.
"Boss, is that kid really going to come?"
"We threw that intelligence together so carelessly. What if he sees through it?"
Scarface glared at Skinny Monkey and wiped the sweat from his face.
"What do you know!"
"Konoha ninja