Itachi Uchiha and Hoshigaki Kisame made their way together through mountain forests and across streams, their path rugged and uneven. Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled patches of light and shadow upon the two men.
As they drew closer to the Leaf Village, Itachi's heartbeat seemed to quicken slightly. He knew that this journey to the Leaf would by no means be a peaceful one. Moments later, like phantoms, Itachi and Kisame quietly reached the towering walls of the Leaf.
Standing side by side against the wind, they looked down upon the entire Village Hidden in the Leaves below. Dust and smoke lingered amidst the ruins, and the shattered walls and broken pillars bore witness to the fierce battle that had once raged there. Collapsed houses and wrecked streets lay in utter devastation.
Chapter 240