Chapter 279 — Departure
The shortest distance between two points was a straight line — so naturally, the three of them took the rooftops.
By the time they reached the village gate, they had saved almost all the walking time.
Outside the walls stood a luxurious carriage.
Its frame gleamed like gold leaf, as though coated with real gold.
"Oh! Kabuto's already here!"
Naruto spotted Yakushi Kabuto before he even noticed the carriage. Kabuto's silver hair made him stand out — in all of Konoha, only Kabuto and Kakashi had that distinctive silver-white shade.
After the graduation ceremony and team assignments, Itachi had gathered Sasuke, Naruto, and Kabuto for a brief meeting. Before they left, Itachi instructed Kabuto to meet them at the village gate at exactly seven in the morning.
It was only 6:45 now.
Which meant Kabuto had been waiting for quite a while.
"Niisan, is that our employer?"
Sasuke pointed to the lavish carriage, visibly excited.
"It should be," Itachi said. "Let's go check."
He headed toward the carriage, Sasuke and Naruto following close behind.
As they passed him, Itachi nodded at Kabuto.
Kabuto bowed respectfully, then fell in step behind them.
Sasuke and Naruto paid him no mind — their attention was glued to the expensive-looking carriage.
A dark-skinned middle-aged man sat in the driver's seat. When he saw Itachi and the others approaching, he hurriedly stood up to greet them.
"Are you the honored Konoha shinobi who accepted our escort mission?"
His tone was extremely respectful, practically bowing as he spoke.
"Yes," Itachi replied. "Are you Muratani Tarō?"
He pulled out the mission request scroll and handed it over.
"My master is inside the carriage. You may show it to me."
The man accepted the scroll with both hands, unrolled it, and read it carefully. After confirming the contents, he bowed again.
"Please wait here, honored shinobi. I'll inform my master."
He jogged back to the carriage with the scroll in hand.
Naruto leaned toward Sasuke and whispered, "Sasuke, do you think his master is fat or thin?"
"…Why does that matter?" Sasuke muttered, not wanting to indulge him.
Bored, Naruto looked toward Kabuto.
"Kabuto! What do you think?"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses. "I think he's fat."
Naruto's eyes lit up. He thought the same!
"Exactly! Why do you think so?"
Kabuto answered calmly, "Because the weather is cool right now — no sun — yet he chooses to stay seated inside the carriage rather than come out. That suggests he's likely heavy and prefers sitting to moving."
Naruto nodded wisely. "Hmm. Just like me!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes. He spent enough time with Naruto to know when he was talking nonsense. He could tell Naruto was lying, but he didn't bother correcting him.
Kabuto simply smiled politely.
Naruto was about to keep guessing when the carriage curtain lifted.
"Look! He's coming out!" Naruto shouted, eyes wide.
Kabuto calmly pushed up his glasses.
Sasuke looked on curiously.
Itachi simply smiled — he had already met their employer the day before at the Hokage Building.
And indeed… Naruto had guessed correctly.
Kabuto's logic was spot on as well.
The middle-aged coachman stepped out again, lifting the curtain. A moment later, a round, plump face appeared in the doorway — the employer smiling broadly and waving at them.
Itachi nodded politely.
He walked toward the carriage, with Naruto and Sasuke quick to follow. Kabuto remained quiet behind them.
Naruto whispered excitedly, "See? I told you he was fat! Sasuke, you must've guessed thin, right?"
Sasuke shot him a sideways look. "I didn't guess anything."
Naruto snorted. "Even if you didn't say it, I know you guessed thin — and you were wrong!"
Sasuke ignored him.
Naruto would eventually wear himself out if left alone.
"Ninja-sirs, my master asks whether you intend to depart now."
The middle-aged coachman hopped down from the carriage. When he saw the group approaching, he hurried over, returned the scroll, and bowed again.
"We'll leave now," Itachi said, his expression shifting back to his usual professional seriousness.
"Understood. Do you require seats in the carriage?" the coachman asked.
Itachi considered. "Not for now. We may ride on top later. Your master won't mind, will he?"
"I'll ask."
The coachman quickly checked with the employer, then returned.
"My master says he does not mind. Please feel free."
As he spoke, he couldn't help looking again at Sasuke and Naruto.
They were so young — were they really reliable shinobi?
He had voiced this concern earlier, but his master had simply told him not to worry, so he held his tongue.
"Good. Then let's depart," Itachi said with a nod.
"Yes."
The coachman picked up the reins. With practiced ease, he began guiding the carriage forward.
The wheels creaked into motion.
Itachi leapt lightly onto a roadside tree and moved along the route from above — his speed easily keeping pace with the carriage below.
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