Had they won the war against Kumogakure?
Uchiha Itachi, Zabuza Momochi, and Haku walked along Konoha's bustling streets.
As the villagers' cheers and discussions kept reaching his ears, Uchiha Itachi understood what had happened.
Uchiha Itachi thought to himself, With Shihōin Naraku there, victory was only natural.
Remembering his battle with Shihōin Naraku, he could not help feeling some awe.
This was also why Uchiha Itachi had waited until now to return to the village after learning of the Konoha Crush Plan.
If Shihōin Naraku had remained in Konoha, Uchiha Itachi really would not have dared to return.
Even with his status as a spy personally acknowledged by Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, it still depended on whether Shihōin Naraku was willing to give him a chance to explain.
What was more, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already died in battle, making an explanation even more impossible.
So Uchiha Itachi had only set off back to the village after news arrived that Shihōin Naraku had led the ninja forces to the front.
"The Third died in battle, but where is Shimura Danzō?"
From what Uchiha Itachi knew of Shimura Danzō, with the Third dead, he would surely have been the first to step forward and fight for the position of Hokage.
Yet Shimura Danzō was nowhere to be seen, and Tsunade had unexpectedly become the Fifth Hokage!
Uchiha Itachi did not believe Danzo would start behaving himself. He had to be plotting something big in secret.
Unable to suppress his desire to return to the village, and with his younger brother calling for him as well, Uchiha Itachi had returned!
He had two purposes for returning this time: to warn Shimura Danzō, then see how his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, was doing.
"So this is Konoha."
Zabuza Momochi and Haku took in everything