Karura didn't answer Senba's question.
Instead, the sadness in her eyes deepened.
Seeing her expression, Isamu immediately scolded him.
"You brat!"
"If you don't know how to speak properly, then keep your mouth shut!"
Senba immediately protested.
"What did I say wrong?"
"I only asked about my brother and sister."
"Father, you're making too much of it."
"You still dare talk back?"
"Believe it or not, I'll beat you."
"Your Mother Karura's children are no longer in this world."
"Asking that is nothing but rubbing salt into her wounds."
Senba froze.
His siblings…
…were gone.
Only then did he understand why his father had reacted so strongly.
He quickly stood and bowed apologetically.
"I'm sorry."
"Mother Karura… Father…"
"I didn't know…"
"I didn't know they had already…"
"I'm sorry."
"I really spoke without thinking."
Karura gently shook her head.
"It's alright, Senba."
"You didn't know."
"You didn't mean any harm."
"I accepted it long ago."
Hearing how forgiving his stepmother was only made Senba feel worse.
How could any parent truly come to terms with losing their children?
He had unknowingly reopened that wound.
He really had been insensitive.
Just then, Mikoto finished preparing dinner and came to call everyone.
The moment she entered, she sensed something was wrong.
Senba looked guilty.
Karura looked sorrowful.
And Isamu was quietly comforting her.
She looked at her husband.
"What happened?"
"Senba…"
"Did you upset Mother Karura?"
"Uh…"
"I…"
Senba immediately found himself tongue-tied.
Seeing his reaction, Mikoto assumed he had offended Karura.
She sighed helplessly before walking over.
"Mother Karura."
"Are you alright?"
"If Senba offended you, tell me."
"I'll make sure to teach him a proper lesson."
Karura smiled gently.
"It's nothing."
"It isn't Senba's fault."
"It's my own issue."
"Are you sure?"
"If—"
"Alright, alright."
Isamu interrupted before Mikoto could continue.
"Your Mother Karura is fine."
"She simply remembered some things from the past."
"If dinner's ready…"
"…let's eat."
"Alright."
Since Isamu had spoken, Mikoto stopped asking.
The family of five gathered around the dining table, and Itachi was called over as well.
"Itachi."
"How are you feeling?"
"Are you alright?"
Isamu looked at his eldest grandson with concern.
"I'm fine, Grandpa."
"Thank you for worrying about me."
Itachi nodded.
Watching someone die so brutally for the first time had naturally been difficult for a five-year-old.
But he believed…
…he would handle it better in the future.
"I'm glad you're alright."
"Very well."
"Let's eat."
Although Isamu told everyone to begin…
No one actually picked up any food.
Only Senba happily dug into his meal without hesitation.
After several bites, he realized everyone else was simply watching him.
He awkwardly scratched his head.
"Uh…"
"Is nobody hungry today?"
"Well…"
"We already ate out earlier."
"So none of us are very hungry."
"Oh."
"So that's what happened."
"I was wondering why nobody was eating."
"So you all went out for a nice meal without me."
"What do you mean 'without you'?"
"Whose fault was it for not coming home?"
"Hurry up and eat."
"I have something to discuss with you afterward."
"Father."
"If you have something to say, why wait until I'm finished?"
"Fine."
"Then listen while you eat."
"I'm leaving Konoha tomorrow."
"I'm taking Mother Karura with me."
"I probably won't return for several years."
"And besides…"
Before Isamu could finish, Senba suddenly put down his bowl.
His expression darkened.
"I saw Danzo leaving our house earlier."
"Did that old bastard threaten you?"
"If he did…"
"I'll go settle the score with him right now."
"If he dares threaten my father…"
"…he's asking to die."
As he spoke, Senba stood up.
To him, his father was the pillar of the family.
He had even hoped one day to draw him into the Hokage's faction.
Even if that never happened, simply having Isamu remain quietly in Konoha was enough to deter countless people.
There was no way he would allow Danzo to drive his father away.
"Sit down."
"No one threatened me."
"And no one is capable of threatening me."
"This is entirely my own decision."
Hearing that, Senba slowly sat back down.
"But Father…"
"You've only just returned."
"Why leave so soon?"
"Our family hasn't even spent proper time together in Konoha."
"Forget touring Konoha."
"I've long grown accustomed to living quietly."
"The livelier a place is…"
"…the less comfortable I feel."
"Besides…"
"I haven't seen your mother for many years."
"After coming back this time…"
"Seeing that all of you are safe and well…"
"…my mind is finally at ease."
"It's time for me to find your mother."
"And enjoy the life that belongs to us."
"I understand…"
"But you haven't seen Lord Third…"
"Or Lord Fourth…"
"Or Kushina."
"There are also your old friends in Konoha."
"Why not stay a little longer?"
"Heh."
"Sometimes…"
"Not meeting is better than meeting."
"I already know how they're doing."
"There's no need."
"There will be opportunities in the future."
"And don't try to persuade me anymore."
"Once I've made a decision…"
"…no one can change it."
"I'm leaving tomorrow."
"…Alright."
Seeing how firm his father was, Senba knew there was no point arguing further.
"Leaving is only the first matter."
"The more important matter…"
"…is that I want to take little Itachi with me."
"What do you think?"
"You want to take Itachi?"
"This…"
Senba frowned.
Truthfully…
He didn't want his son leaving his side.
Especially not someone as gifted as Itachi.
Yet the one making the request was his father.
He couldn't reject it outright.
Objectively speaking…
If Itachi trained under the strongest person in the world…
His future would undoubtedly be limitless.
But there was one thing that troubled Senba.
His father had never liked Konoha.
Senba didn't want Itachi to grow up carrying that same resentment toward the village.
Caught between those two thoughts…
He found himself genuinely conflicted.