Inside the interrogation room, Ebisu was gradually transforming into a fervent supporter of Yuuki-kun.
The female Ninja who had previously informed Ebisu had returned to the Military Police Force and received another errand.
Such tasks were rarely voluntarily taken by Uchiha Ninja in the Military Police Force; they were troublesome and the rewards were quite ordinary.
Normally, only new recruits who had just joined the Military Police Force and civilian Ninja with little Ninjutsu inheritance would accept them, as they provided points for the Ninjutsu Pavilion.
The points given were very few, and what used to be a sought-after errand gradually became unappealing even to some civilian Ninja.
The Ninja assigning the task clearly recognized this clan member and advised, "Izumi, if you're really feeling bad, you can take a few days off. There's no need to deceive yourself like this."
Upon hearing this, Izumi immediately showed a sweet smile, but the sadness in her eyes could not be erased.
"No need, I need to work now!"
Unlike most people's desire for gossip and entertainment, Izumi's heart was gripped by a name briefly mentioned the moment she heard the news.
[Uchiha Itachi, an Anbu agent secretly planted in the Uchiha Clan by Hiruzen Sarutobi, has now defected and is an A-rank rogue Ninja of Konoha Ninja Village.]
The scene of her eating dango with Itachi at the dessert shop yesterday at noon was vivid in Izumi's mind, and her heart was filled with secret joy when she bid farewell to Itachi.
Izumi, who understood Itachi well, knew that for someone like Itachi, not refusing was essentially agreeing, not to mention that Itachi was the one who initiated it yesterday.
Overnight, an unexpected change occurred; Itachi became a rogue Ninja of Konoha.
Recalling yesterday's experience, Izumi's heart was troubled for a long time, "Itachi-san, was this your last act of kindness to me?"
Those caught in the situation cannot see the full picture and can only make wild guesses.
Before last night, Itachi was also kept in the dark, so Itachi's actions were simply a clumsy attempt to accept Izumi and get closer to her.
All day, Izumi sought out tedious and simple tasks, trying to stop herself from recalling that powerful, gentle, and shy figure.
Contrary to her wishes, the more she tried to forget, the clearer the memories became; bits and pieces about Itachi constantly appeared in Izumi's mind.
"Izumi, some things are not as simple as they seem. Perhaps you can go to Itachi's house and ask."
Disturbed from her thoughts, Izumi turned her head and saw that it was the clan member who had assigned her the task, now only a receding back.
There are not many fools in this world, and Izumi, enlightened, did not let her love for Itachi cloud her judgment. Combining the information she had gathered, she realized that things might not be as simple as she had imagined.
Fugaku, as Itachi's father, might indeed know some secrets.
With anticipation and nervousness, Izumi rushed towards Fugaku's house.
At Fugaku's house.
Fugaku looked at his son, Sasuke, who was crying and repeatedly asking, "Why?"
"Why did my brother do this?"
Words such as these showed that Sasuke's feelings for Itachi were indeed deep. Sasuke's highly infectious crying and expressions made Fugaku almost want to go forward and comfort him.
However, looking at Mikoto, who was also somewhat sadly weeping while holding Sasuke, Fugaku sat stiffly to the side, watching the crying mother and son.
Where did Yuuki-kun see that Sasuke possessed talent surpassing Itachi's???
Sasuke will graduate and become a Ninja next year, right? Itachi was already an Anbu at the same age, but Sasuke can't even control his own emotions!
Fugaku greatly admired Yuuki's ability to discern people, which far exceeded his own.
Not to mention Deidara, whom Fugaku didn't know where Yuuki had 'kidnapped' him from, even Yakushi Kabuto, an ordinary civilian Ninja from the orphanage, Fugaku could tell with his own eyes that he was a breathtaking genius, similar to the Fourth Hokage.
So where exactly was Sasuke's talent? Could it be crying?
Fugaku truly couldn't see any special talent in Sasuke, well, except for a good memory; he got a perfect score on yesterday's theoretical exam.
Just then, a light knocking sound passed through the courtyard and reached the ears of the three.
"Knock knock, knock knock knock~"
Hearing the knocking, Fugaku wanted to tell the mother and son to stop crying; mainly Sasuke, as Mikoto was an adult after all.
However, Fugaku found that he didn't need to remind them. Hearing the knocking, Sasuke instantly stopped crying, quickly wiped away his tears, and immediately adopted a poker face.
This was very Uchiha!
Stubbornly trying to save face!
But how was this different from the usual clan members?
"Mikoto, take Sasuke back to rest. No special training tonight."
Because of Yuuki's past words, Fugaku had placed his hopes on Sasuke. During the day, he had specially formulated a series of special training based on Sasuke's strength, planning to start 'leveling up a new character' tonight.
After tonight's events, Fugaku's enthusiasm for 'leveling up a new character' plummeted.
Sasuke, just let him grow up happily, no need to pay too much attention to him. Perhaps Yuuki-kun was just joking at the time!
Mikoto obediently took Sasuke towards the inner room. Fugaku didn't put on airs and personally went out to open the door for the visitor.
Who could it be, so late?
The moment he opened the door and saw Izumi standing outside, Fugaku was visibly stunned.
So fast!?
Fugaku's stunned only lasted a moment, then he said, "It's Izumi-kun. Come in and chat."
After they were seated, Fugaku poured Izumi a cup of tea, then explained, "Mikoto hasn't been feeling well recently, so the tea is a bit cold. Please forgive us, Izumi-kun."
Izumi was nervous; she hadn't even picked up the teacup. Her tightly clenched fists showed her state.
Fugaku didn't mind Izumi's impoliteness towards this girl who was very close to Itachi, and gently asked, "Izumi-kun, visiting so late, is there something you need?"
Perhaps it was Fugaku's unusually gentle tone, or perhaps it was Fugaku being Itachi's father, that slightly eased Izumi's nervousness.
Gathering her courage, Izumi finally asked, "Uncle Fugaku, is there a hidden reason behind Itachi's defection?"
Fugaku seemed to be recalling something, remaining silent for a long time before saying, "Izumi-kun, I apologize on Itachi's behalf for the trouble he has caused you."
After apologizing, Fugaku continued, "Itachi has always been exceptionally outstanding, and I have always considered him my pride. However, his excellence far exceeded my expectations. Itachi has always been the Sandaime's spy. He deceived everyone: me, Mikoto, and Sasuke."
After a slight pause, Fugaku said with guilt on his face, "If Itachi said anything to you, please forget it. Fortunately, last night's incident exposed Itachi. He deceived everyone, including you, Izumi-kun. Everything Itachi has shown these past years was deliberately faked!"
Please forget it!
Everything was deliberately faked!
Izumi recalled the bits and pieces of her time with Itachi over the past few years, especially Itachi's shy and clumsy behavior yesterday.
Fake!
All fake!
Itachi-san, have you been deceiving me all this time?
Izumi now regretted coming to Fugaku. The truth was not what she had imagined and hoped for. If she could, she wished she were still being deceived by Itachi.
Until death!
Izumi didn't doubt the truthfulness of Fugaku's words, but precisely because of this, she couldn't accept such a reality.
Scenes with Itachi appeared in her mind, and Izumi tried to find a flaw, a moment when Itachi let down his guard with her.
Just a little, even if only a little, I will grasp it tightly!
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 40 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
[patreon.com/TripleCrown07]
Thank you so much for your support!!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"