The next day, it was still dark.
The night shrouded Konoha still carried the last hint of deep ink. The village was completely silent, with only the occasional barking of dogs breaking the tranquility before dawn.
In the Senju mansion, the candlelight in the bedroom belonging to Senju Chen has long been extinguished.
The young man was already dressed neatly, wearing a black suit that was easy to move around, which perfectly outlined his slender and tall figure. He did not carry too much baggage, only a half-full scroll backpack and Thunder God Sword straddling his back.
He stood in the courtyard and took one last look at the mansion that had been carefully decorated by Kushina and himself. The red silk and satin hanging from the eaves fluttered gently in the morning breeze, as if they were still telling the joy and bustle of yesterday.
The excitement is still in my ears, but it is in the past after all.
Senju Chen's face didn't show much emotion, but in the depths of his clear eyes, a touch of warmth that no one noticed flashed, and was soon replaced by his usual calmness. He didn't alarm anyone, and he didn't leave a single word.
Just like that, I quietly closed the door of the Senju Clan, turned around and melted into the mist before dawn.
On the empty streets, there were only patrolling ninjas on duty at night, walking at a regular pace. When they saw the figure of Senju Chen, they subconsciously straightened their backs and bowed from a distance, their eyes full of respect from the bottom of their hearts.
Senju Chen responded with a smile and a slow pace.
He enjoyed the silence that belonged to dawn alone, and also enjoyed the moment of freedom from the center of the whirlpool of power. The banquets at yesterday's wedding, the sincere or false smiles on the faces of the senior officials, were all left behind by him with the cool morning breeze.
After passing through the village gate, the ninja guarding the gate immediately opened the passage respectfully after seeing the person coming clearly, without even asking a question.
When Senju Chen's figure completely disappeared on the dense forest path leading to the outside of the village, the gentle smile on the corner of his mouth slowly faded away, and was replaced by a slightly playful arc.
"You really think highly of me."
He whispered to himself, and his eyes swept across the dense crown of a giant tree dozens of meters away behind him. There were several faint auras there, like gangrene attached to the bone, quietly following him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi That old man still doesn't trust me.
No matter what, it just so happens that the journey is long, and it would be nice to have someone to accompany me to relieve my boredom.
In the next two days, Senju Chen felt like a real traveler.
He walked unhurriedly along the Land of Fire business road, traveling during the day and finding a beautiful place to camp at night. He would build a simple tree house with Wood Release, catch plump fresh fish from the river, and use his superb cooking skills to cook mouth-watering outdoor meals.
The aroma of grilled fish, mixed with the aroma of secret sauce, spreads unbridled in the forest.
He would even hum an off-key tune, lean under a tree, and watch the sunset leisurely, as if he was completely unaware that in the shadows dozens of meters away, several pairs of eyes were staring at his every move.
"Captain... what is he going to do?" A young Anbu Ninja was lying in the bushes, smelling the overbearing smell of grilled fish, and his stomach growled unsatisfactorily.
"Shut up." Anbu, known as the captain, scolded in a hoarse voice, "Stay vigilant and don't be fooled by appearances. Lord Hokage asks us to follow, then we will complete the task properly."
Two consecutive days of tracking made them feel unprecedented pressure.
The other party doesn't seem to be in a hurry, but more like on an outing. That kind of leisurely pace, that kind of leisurely stroll, conveys a message all the time: I have discovered you, but I don't care.
They all know the nickname "Black Lightning" from Senju Chen's famous Shinobi World, but this feeling of being ignored makes them more aggrieved than being directly provoked by the other party.
The third day, afternoon.
The team entered a canyon area with complex terrain, rugged rocks, and trees blocking the sky.
Senju Chen's footsteps finally stopped.
He stood on a huge rock, turned around, and cast his eyes precisely on where Anbu Captain was hiding, with a bright smile on his face.
"Guys, you guys have been following me for two days and it's been a hard work. Let's call it a day."
Anbu Captain was shocked when his whereabouts were revealed, and he immediately made a gesture. Four Anbu members appeared from different corners, vaguely surrounding Senju Chen.
"Senju Lord Chen, we don't mean any harm." From the perspective of Senju Chen's position or reputation, it is indeed correct for the other party to call Senju Chen "sir".
The captain then said in a deep voice, "Lord Hokage is just worried about your safety and sent us to protect you."
"Guards?" The smile on Senju Chen's face grew thicker, "Is it a guard or a surveillance? Hokage's thoughts, I'm too lazy to guess. Just think of you as guards! However, I just don't know if you can keep up with me."
Before he finished speaking, dazzling lightning suddenly erupted from his body!
Zila--!
Lightning Body Tempering!
The blue-white electric arc, like a dancing silver snake, instantly wrapped around his limbs. The violent energy brought his body activity to an incredible level, with muscles, bones, nerves... every cell beating crazily under the stimulation of thunder and lightning!
"What?!"
Anbu Captain's pupils suddenly shrank to the size of a pinhead.
The next moment, Senju Chen's figure moved.
That's not the speed that ordinary ninjas should have!
His figure turned into a blur of electric light, leaving a series of crackling arcs on the spot. He broke out of their encirclement in an instant and rushed towards the depths of the canyon!
"Chase! Don't lose track!"
The captain roared angrily, and the four of them tried their best to exert Body Flicker Technique to the limit, turning into four black shadows and chasing after him.
However, the speed they were so proud of seemed so ridiculous in front of Senju Chen's lightning-shrouded figure.
The distance between the two sides was quickly widened at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Just when they were about to completely lose sight of their target, the lightning flashed in front of them.
Flying Thunder God Technique!
The figure of Senju Chen, just in their sight, disappeared without a trace like water vapor evaporated by the sun. Along with the violent Lightning Release Chakra breath, it was also annihilated.
After continuing to follow for another day.
There were only four Anbu Ninja left in the canyon, panting and stopping in place, looking at each other with shock and frustration written on their faces.
"Captain... there is no... no trace left."
"Chakra reaction... completely disappeared..."
"Is this the speed of "Black Lightning"?"
The captain lowered his hands feebly, and it took a long time before he squeezed out a sentence through his teeth.
"Go... go back... return to Lord Hokage."
At the same time, hundreds of miles away.
In a hot spring hotel in a prosperous town, Senju Chen was shirtless, leaning comfortably by the steaming pool, enjoying the comfort of the warm spring water soaking his body.
He picked up a glass of juice on the stone table next to him and drank it in one gulp, with a satisfied smile on his face.
"A day of freedom like this is what suits me."
"Just in time, let's take a look at the 'scenery' along the way, and by the way, we can also check out the future site selection of "Food Is Heaven"."
Senju Chen felt a lot more relaxed after no one was following or watching him.