Obito turned around, putting his back to Itachi.
"When you've made up your mind, come find me here."
"As long as you're willing to work for me."
"At the very least, I can guarantee that your little brother, Sasuke, will survive."
With that, the air around Obito warped again.
A black vortex appeared, swallowing his body bit by bit.
He left without a hint of haste, carrying himself as though everything was under his control.
Itachi had just finished working through his third contingency plan.
He raised his head, ready to ask about the precise timing of the raid and the personnel involved.
Instead, the clearing was silent.
The man wearing the orange Spiral Mask had already vanished.
Not a trace of chakra remained in the air.
Itachi blinked and put his kunai back in his Ninja Tool Pouch.
Why did he leave without even saying goodbye?
Weren't we just discussing a partnership?
He didn't even leave a way to contact him, just said, "Come find me here."
The training ground is huge. Who knows when you'll show up?
Itachi shook his head, finding the man who called himself Madara Uchiha thoroughly unreliable.
He didn't even understand basic negotiating etiquette.
Still, the information he had brought was genuinely dangerous.
The Higher-Ups might be planning to strike during the relocation.
He had to tell Deputy Captain Chikage immediately.
Only someone like Chikage, who could exploit the rules to their fullest, might be able to find a way out of this trap.
Itachi bent down, picked up the shuriken scattered on the ground, wiped them clean, and returned them to his Ninja Tool Pouch.
After putting his ninja tools in order, he turned and ran toward the Uchiha Clan Compound.
The sunset's lingering glow spilled over Konoha's streets.
Itachi slowed his pace