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Chapter Thirty-Nine

(in a few chapters, some stuff about Miyako will be revealed, hope you'll enjoy. )

Konohagakure

After the Chunin Exams-or, more specifically, the unfinished Chunin Exams-and Invasion led by the missing Orochimaru, the village was left to clean up the mess. The rest of the Exams would be held after the village's recovery, which would hopefully be quick.

Tsunade's hand at the hospital did help with the patients, but most of the impact from the Invasion was the debri and destroyed buildings. A Shinobi could easily protect one to three civilians from an army of enemies, but a building is much more difficult to protect-not to mention the fact that protecting the people was a priority.

The aftermath led to the Shinobi forces jumping into overdrive. Academy students that were well on their way to becoming genin were sent on re-construction missions, where they helped clear small pieces of debris and assist any civilians to relocation. Most genin were sent to do the same thing as well, while more advanced groups were sent on C-Rank missions, to earn profit for the village. Chunins were sent on missions as well, mainly B-Rank. For the Jounin, they were put on border patrol and A-Rank missions. Any ANBU were sent to accompany these positions as well. Nobody from any foreign village was allowed inside, unless on diplomatic matters.

However, there was only so much a village could do with few manpower. Not to mention the large groups of civilians to protect.

That is why under unknown records, Itachi Uchiha and his partner, Kisame Hoshigaki, were able to sneak into the village undetected.

...-...

"Danzo-sama, guards on the twenty-fifth have caught a picture of a certain sight." A messenger pushed the photo in his hands without further explanation. He stepped back, fiddling with clammy, nervous hands."It's-"

"Itachi Uchiha, I see," Danzo stated. The picture was printed black-and-white in much haste, as a colored one would take too long. However, he could make out the crow on the man's shoulder, as well as the Uchiha's obsidian eyes boring straight at be camera. "I also see those guards compromised their own position out there."

"Oh, that," the messenger murmured while chewing on their fingertips.

Danzo paid no mind to that. No matter the guard, Itachi Uchiha would always sense those eyes on his back.

He could only imagine what he was trying to say by looking at the camera.

Do not harm Sasuke Uchiha.

...-...

A simple grab-and-go, which sounded easier than it actually was. Itachi's past experience in the ANBU helped him derive patterns to avoid and hidden spots to follow. With his own personal objective already acquired, the only thing left was to do his cover-up. There came in the jinchuriki.

He knew he'd be recognized by those jounins. And he planned to--word from a bird as to where they were hanging out, and so, he intentionally brought Kisame and him to that small restaurant. A simple hook-and-reel, as he'd put it, and he led them to an isolated area. All the while, Kisame had blindly followed, thinking they were to kill them.