The Frustrated Messenger Knocking at Night

Yan Uchiha's face was full of disdain.

There were things he couldn't even be bothered to waste his breath on. He'd never had much fondness for this Uchiha crowd anyway.

But to put it bluntly...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's methods were so dirty they made him sick.

Itachi's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

If he hadn't had that talk with Jin last night, the kid probably would have been utterly lost.

But things were different now.

After mulling it over all night, he'd figured out one thing: whenever something didn't make sense, all he had to do was look at who benefited.

The Uchiha's reputation was in the gutter. Who pocketed all the benefits?

Was there even any need to guess? Obviously, it was the village leadership—the faction led by Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"So that's what this was all about."

"No wonder I always felt something was off. It was this simple all along."

After casually dropping those two remarks, Itachi shut his mouth tight.

He might have been young, but there was nothing wrong with his brain.

Even when he understood something perfectly, he still had to watch his mouth.

If this blew up, it would be no laughing matter.

Across the table, things were different.

Teuchi and his daughter vaguely sensed something was wrong, but they couldn't quite put their finger on it.

"Jin, what's with stopping halfway through?"

"Just spell it out already. Are you trying to drive us crazy?"

"Well?"

Ayame couldn't hold back anymore.

She hated things that made her rack her brains.

Even little Itachi had figured it out, while her own head was still a muddle.

It made her squirm.

But Jin Uchiha merely glanced at her, sighed, and shook his head.

"If you can't figure it out, let it