Uchiha Itachi merely shook his head lightly. He neither refused nor agreed, remaining silent.
His journey was not over yet.
He had no right to teach anyone else.
Even this brief seclusion was a rare chance for him to catch his breath.
Seeing his silent evasion, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not press him. He merely sighed softly, his eyes filled with helplessness.
The disturbance at the village entrance had subsided for now. Only the footsteps of ninja patrolling the cordon remained, leaving the atmosphere heavy and strange.
Watching the inexplicable exchange between Uchiha Itachi, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Kakashi, Tsunade frowned deeply. Their guarded looks and unfinished remarks clearly concealed secrets, so she took the initiative to break the stalemate.
"Enough. Stop speaking in riddles."
"Uchiha Itachi, tell us honestly. How exactly did you notice Uchiha Sen lurking nearby?"
"Since you could detect him, can you still track him now?"
Everyone's gaze immediately focused on Itachi, filled with confusion and curiosity.
Uchiha Itachi fell silent for a moment, his dark eyes flickering slightly, before answering evenly, "It was just an accident."
"An accident?"
Tsunade's brow furrowed even more deeply, her face full of bewilderment.
Kakashi and Jiraiya exchanged a look, equally baffled. Neither understood what he meant.
Beside them, Hiruzen Sarutobi saw that Itachi had reservations and did not want to discuss his secrets in public. He immediately stepped in with a gentle reassurance. "Itachi, there are no outsiders here."
"Everyone present is part of Konoha's core leadership. This concerns the village's safety, so whatever the truth is, you can speak freely."
With Hiruzen Sarutobi's encouragement, Uchiha Itachi slowly exhaled and finally recounted the entire strange incident.
"Just now, while I was chatting with Kakashi, I let my guard down, and a thought suddenly appeared in my mind for no reason."
"For