Master and Servant
The four people at the table gasped.
Especially Anjō, who knew Uroko's personality well and would never deliberately exaggerate or distort the enemy's strength, so what level of ninja was that Byakugan girl who could defeat Uroko, Elite Jonin?
If even the weakest link, the Byakugan girl, possesses such strength, just how powerful must Kakashi Hatake's team be?
What kind of mission, what kind of enemy, requires such a team to deal with?
He suddenly raised his head.
"Orochimaru," Uroko said calmly, "It's obvious they're looking for Orochimaru, because rumors say he's been hiding near the Land of Rice Fields... Only an enemy of this caliber would warrant such serious attention from Konoha."
"You are no match for either of them. To put it bluntly, even if all four of you were together, you wouldn't be able to Teuchi the weakest girl with the Byakugan all by herself. So after you finish eating, go back quickly and don't linger here. Also, if you encounter any of your fellow villagers, tell them this information as well."
"I order you to act quickly. If you encounter them, retreat and avoid battle. Do not make enemies of them!"
"Do you understand?"
The four men replied in unison, "Yes, sir!"
Ukon Uroko imperceptibly, then turned to leave.
"Oh, right," he paused suddenly as he reached the door, "be careful what you say in public from now on. Don't speak ill of strong people; words can cause trouble! Especially when discussing ninjas of Sakura Haruno's or the Uchiha's caliber—" [Note]
Before Kumogakure Ninja finish speaking, the door of the izakaya was suddenly pushed open, and the biting north wind interrupted him.
A woman with dark hair appeared at the door.
She has delicate features, a slender figure, and a vibrant, heroic spirit between her brows.
He was an ordinary citizen.
Uroko turned around and looked at her. He could tell at a glance from her appearance alone. The calluses on her hands, the distribution of muscles, the Forehead Protector representing the ninja village, and most importantly, the aura of Chakra were all absent from that woman.
So, how dare an ordinary civilian block the entrance to a ninja's lair?
Uroko frowned, intending to reprimand him sternly, but a sense of unease inexplicably rose within him, as if someone were loudly telling him not to do that!
In the awkward silence, the two faced each other for two seconds.
The black-haired woman frowned slightly, her expression remaining indifferent, and said softly, "Move aside."
Anjō was instantly enraged—how dare she! A mere commoner woman, blocking the doorway and refusing to move, and she even dares to speak to a ninja like that! That ninja is a great figure whom I, Anjō, as Special Jōnin, must treat with utmost respect!
He had intended to get up in a fit of anger and teach that woman a lesson on behalf of Lord Uroko, but as soon as he got off his seat, he suddenly realized the subtle tension in the atmosphere.
Yes... If Lord Uroko wanted to reprimand that rude woman and make way, he would have done it himself. He's not the kind of person who puts on airs and needs his subordinates to do everything for him to show off his status! Uroko's silence must have its reasons!
What is he afraid of?
Ukon Uroko wasn't really sure what he was afraid of.
All he knew was that his sixth sense, which had warned him on several occasions when he was on the verge of death, was telling him not to provoke that seemingly weak woman!
Either my infallible sixth sense failed, or...
The woman before him was so powerful that he couldn't see through her at all!
The winter wind howled, bringing a biting chill into the izakaya, yet sweat beaded on Uroko's forehead.
Kumogakure Ninja's expression appeared cold and hard, but his mind was racing, pondering and judging whether he should trust his rational judgment or the warning from his sixth sense.
If it's the latter, then what kind of background does this woman have that makes him feel uneasy?
The black-haired woman didn't receive an answer, her delicate brows furrowed even more, and she took another step forward.
Are you going to move aside or not?
She asked impatiently.
Uroko knew he had to make a choice.
This brief standoff has already attracted some attention. If it drags on any longer and draws everyone's attention, it will be too late.
"Excuse me," he forced an apologetic smile, stepping aside to make way. "Please come in."
The woman stepped into the house without hesitation.
Following closely behind her was a young man dressed like a nobleman, travel-worn but with a smile on his face.
He strode across the threshold, past Kumogakure Ninja, and followed behind the black-haired woman.
It appears to be a master and servant who have gone out.
Uroko broke out in a cold sweat, and his pupils shrank drastically when he saw the young nobleman!
"My lord?" Anjō cautiously tugged at Uroko's sleeve. "What's wrong?"
The Kumogakure Ninja Jonin was completely unable to answer Anjō's question.
Should I tell him that when that woman brushed past him, every cell in his body screamed, and the urge to run away erupted like a torrent?
Should I tell him that he didn't notice there was someone behind the woman at all before the man appeared?
Should I tell him that he almost thought his blood had frozen?
Uroko could only remain silent.
He didn't realize he was panting heavily until the man walked past.
The Kumogakure Ninja Jonin, suppressing his rapid breathing, gave Anjō and the others a look.
"Walk!"
The Kumogakure Ninja abandoned their half-eaten food and Earth Flow the izakaya looking somewhat disheveled.
Inside the izakaya.
The master and servant went straight to the bar and ordered drinks and food from the bartender.
"Wang Gai Di Hu." The young man, who looked like a nobleman, suddenly blinked, and an eerie Mangekyō pattern flashed in his eyes.
Startled by the coded message and the Sharingan, the bartender paused for a moment, and a triangular dart-shaped pattern appeared in his eyes as well.
"The pagoda suppresses the river demon," he said quickly, his expression blank and devoid of emotion.
In a moment of distraction, the bartender returned to normal.
He had no idea that, unknowingly, he had become a repository for storing intelligence, nor did he know that some miraculous things had happened in that brief moment.
He had even forgotten that a man and a woman who looked like a master and servant had just ordered food here.
"By combining an unthinkable code with the Mangekyō Sharingan, we have created an absolutely secure key. Using this method to transmit information is absolutely safe." The young nobleman smiled slightly, uttering words completely contrary to his public persona.
The black-haired woman ignored him, only glancing back to see Anjō and the others leave. A mocking smile appeared on her indifferent face.
"Hmph... Kumogakure Ninja."
The man turned to look, then shook his head dismissively. "It's good that they're scared away. It saves us from having to be wary of these malevolent insects when we're looking for Orochimaru."
"But wouldn't this completely expose the identities we worked so hard to establish? What about our good secret infiltration?"
"Or did you deliberately expose yourself?"
"Are you already tired of playing my maid... Sasuko?"
The man winked at the dark-haired beauty.