The sky was dark. The lights at the city gate were lit, casting a dazzling white glow.
The guards at the gate checked the documents of the people leaving the city one by one, favoring some and neglecting others.
They would demand a bribe from those who seemed soft and affluent but would quickly let go of those who appeared fierce or dirt poor.
The line was long, and waiting was a tedious task.
Seiya, bored, observed the various scenes of life at the city gate.
The crowd was noisy, filled with all sorts of trivial matters.
However, the most common topic of conversation was still the impending arrival of the Uchiha of Slaughter.
Most of the people leaving the city tonight, and even today, were fleeing out of fear of Itachi Uchiha's terrible reputation, preparing in advance to avoid the risk of being massacred.
Some were anxious, and some were fearful, but their emotions were relatively stable.
After all, Itachi Uchiha had not yet arrived in Suigyoku, and there were no rumors that he would definitely slaughter a specific group of people.
Suddenly, Seiya noticed a woman near the back of the line who seemed out of place.
The person was wearing a black coat with a hood and kept her head slightly lowered, her face hidden in the shadows, making it difficult to see clearly.
Of course, this attire was normal; most people traveling long distances would wear a coat to ward off the wind and sand.
The key was that the woman was very quiet.
Everyone else was chatting, but she said nothing. Even when someone tried to strike up a conversation, she ignored them.
The woman stood there silently, moving forward as the line moved, occasionally glancing around under the cover of her hood.
This vigilant, high-alert posture was distinctly different from everyone else in the line.
Seiya sensed something was wrong and couldn't help but look at the woman a few more times.
The woman's face was obscured by the shadow of the hood, making it impossible to discern her appearance or age.
However, it was clear that the woman's entire body was tense.
Her arms were positioned very naturally, subtly shielding several vital points on her upper body; her stance was just right, making it convenient for her to exert force and leap at any moment.
The woman was a professional, highly likely to have received systematic Shinobi training.
Seiya made his judgment and was no longer curious.
He was just about to look away when the woman suddenly raised her head, and her eyes met his.
The visual contact lasted only a moment before the woman lowered her head.
Seiya caught a quick glimpse of her.
She looked to be around twenty to thirty years old, with short light blue hair, a plain appearance, and a look of panic in her black eyes.
Seiya didn't think much of it, only admiring the woman's keen perception.
She had only been watched from afar for a few moments, yet the woman had noticed.
To show that he meant no harm, Seiya immediately turned his head and looked elsewhere.
However, a short while later, rapid footsteps sounded, quickly approaching.
Seiya was startled and turned to look.
The woman, with a fierce expression, was sprinting all the way from the back of the line.
Is the local temperament so aggressive?! A few extra glances are enough to provoke a fight?!
Seiya secretly clicked his tongue.
Yugito Nii immediately shielded him, Samui, and Karin behind her.
But the woman did not stop at all. Instead, she rushed through the crowd, ignoring the guards, and ran directly out of the city gate.
This desperate attempt to escape shocked everyone.
Under everyone's surprised gaze, the woman quickly disappeared into the distance.
Seiya looked toward the back of the line, but there were no pursuers.
"What was wrong with that lady?" Seiya wondered.
Yugito Nii frowned slightly. She subconsciously connected this to Itachi Uchiha.
After all, the only major, unusual event in the city today was that Itachi Uchiha was coming.
The woman's frantic escape was likely related to Itachi Uchiha.
At the same time, Karin whispered her report, "Yugito-nee, I sense two abnormally powerful chakras in the westernmost part of Suigyoku!"
Yugito Nii's eyes narrowed.
"Itachi Uchiha arrived so fast! Nearly twice as fast as expected!"
"We can't slowly wait in line anymore. Let's go!"
As she spoke, Yugito Nii followed the woman's example, rushed out of the line, and led the way.
Karin and Samui followed closely behind. Seiya, protected by [Purification], was responsible for the rear guard.
In the blink of an eye, the four people slipped out of the city gate, leaving the others to stare at each other in confusion.
The abnormal behavior of two people in quick succession quickly ignited the fear of the crowd.
Driven by panic and fear, more people soon disregarded the line and rushed out of the city gate.
At this point, order was completely lost, and the area by the city gate descended into chaos.
Meanwhile, the instigators of this panic were already several miles away.
Karin, in charge of vigilance, was operating at full power.
Under her powerful sensory ability, all the chakra within a ten-kilometer radius was completely exposed.
Among them, the chakra of the woman who fled first was the most conspicuous. She was consistently not far ahead of their small squad.
It was unclear whether it was a case of great minds thinking alike or a destiny set by fate.
It was obvious that both parties had the same idea, choosing the most efficient direction to move away from Itachi Uchiha.
Karin immediately reported this important piece of information.
Seiya's mind raced, and he felt a hint of curiosity.
He was doing his best to flee from Itachi Uchiha because of his identity as an Uchiha descendant.
Otherwise, there would be no need to be so anxious.
After all, there was no indication that Itachi Uchiha was coming to Suigyoku to kill people. Maybe he was simply passing through?
Most people in the city thought this way and had no intention of leaving Suigyoku to take refuge.
Otherwise, the city gate would have been completely blocked.
Most people felt worried and afraid about the news of Itachi Uchiha's arrival, but only a little bit, far from enough to disrupt their normal lives.
Even those who chose to leave Suigyoku were only doing so as a precaution, without excessive panic.
However, the woman at the city gate was distinctly different.
Her terrified demeanor, as if facing a mortal enemy, suggested that she was certain that Itachi Uchiha was coming to kill her!
Where did this certainty come from?
Seiya couldn't figure it out, but he suddenly thought of the other woman-the middle-aged woman who tumbled down the stairs at the inn during the day.
The middle-aged woman at the gate and the middle-aged woman at the inn reacted in a strikingly similar manner.
Could these two middle-aged women be the same person?!
Seiya quickly dismissed this idea.
After all, the middle-aged woman at the inn had run away in a hurry at noon.
The timing of the two women's escapes didn't match up.
Then, Seiya had a flash of inspiration and a bold guess-
The middle-aged woman at the gate is an Uchiha descendant!
Only an Uchiha descendant would be so afraid of Itachi Uchiha!
It was true that the Uchiha clan was massacred, but what if there were survivors?
Seiya's interest was instantly piqued, and he shared his guess. Yugito Nii pondered it briefly and nodded in agreement.
"Seiya, go catch up to her. If she really is an Uchiha, we will bring her back to Kumogakure."
"Okay!"
Seiya responded. The tomoe appeared in his eyes.
Lightning Release Chakra surged in his legs, and he accelerated to chase after her.
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