The Land of Water was a vast and intricate territory, composed of countless islands scattered across its expansive seas. Each island held its own customs, and some even had distinct languages and writing systems. For centuries, this diversity had posed a challenge for any ruler wishing to consolidate the land under a single authority. Uchiha Su, however, had a vision.
He began constructing bridges, connecting the smaller islands to the larger, main islands of the Land of Water. By doing so, he ensured that the culture, language, and governance of the Land of Water would naturally spread to these remote islets. Over time, these islands were brought fully under his control, not through brute force alone, but through the subtle influence of infrastructure and shared culture.
Once the bridges were in place, Uchiha Su dispatched ninja patrols across every region, including the newly connected islands. These patrols maintained order, resolved disputes, and ensured that the laws of the Land of Water were uniformly respected. Over several years, this systematic approach allowed Uchiha Su to achieve a feat unprecedented in the history of the Land of Water: complete control over the entire territory, including its surrounding islands.
Among these islands, one small but notable territory brought Uchiha Su an unexpected boon. It was home to a Kekkei Genkai family known as the Chōtan. The Chōtan did not possess overwhelming combat strength, but their genetic talent was exceptional: they could manipulate ocean tides to enhance the quality of weapons, making them far less prone to chipping, breaking, or dulling during combat. To Uchiha Su, this was a godsend. Such a rare ability was invaluable, perfectly suited for creating top-tier weaponry.
Recognizing their potential, Uchiha Su relocated the entire Chōtan family to the Hidden Mist Village. Near the village's coast, he established a massive arsenal, ensuring the family's talents would be fully utilized. To protect the facility, he stationed two hundred elite Ninjas, whose sole mission was the security of the arsenal.
The Hidden Mist Arsenal became a marvel of both efficiency and quality. Weapons were produced using assembly-line methods, allowing for high-volume production while maintaining superior quality compared to Ninja tools from other nations. While these mass-produced weapons were slightly less refined than those forged individually by the Chōtan, the sheer scale of production more than compensated. Over time, the Hidden Mist Arsenal came to supply nearly thirty percent of all ninja tools in the world—a proportion steadily increasing each year.
Uchiha Su also expanded the country's technological capabilities. Hidden Mist General Electric Co., Ltd. developed early computers, rudimentary by modern standards, but already functional for data analysis and research. Uchiha Su sent a prototype to Orochimaru, who praised it highly. For scientists and tacticians, such computers were indispensable. The country had also become fully electrified. Telephones had been introduced for domestic use, though international communication remained impossible. Other nations were still largely closed off, and Su recognized that war—or some monumental shift—would be the only means to establish broader contact.
By March of Konoha Year 29, late spring had arrived. Uchiha Su led an inspection tour of the Land of Water, accompanied by two hundred Ninjas from the Hidden Mist Standing Army. The main roads of the country, once dirt paths that left travelers caked in mud, had been transformed into smooth concrete roads, praised by merchants, villagers, and nobles alike.
As seii taishōgun, Uchiha Su kept taxes unusually low. Agricultural tax was just one-tenth, a fraction compared to neighboring countries, where rates could reach four, five, or even seven-tenths. Commercial taxes were slightly higher, but never so burdensome as to stifle commerce. Su understood that excessive taxation could choke economic growth, undermining the very prosperity he sought to establish.
Nevertheless, with low tax revenue, the nation faced financial strain. Fortunately, some Great Nobles were extraordinarily diligent and loyal. Their contributions were staggering—ninety-four percent of their annual income went directly to the state. This wealth financed roads, bridges, arsenals, pensions, military expansion, research, and infrastructure. Without their support, the sweeping changes Uchiha Su enacted would have been impossible.
In the realm of the Ninja Village, Su implemented transformative reforms. He established the Hidden Mist Standing Army, a force of three thousand elite Ninjas who did not perform external missions. Their salaries were guaranteed by the Village. Their daily focus was purely on training—perfecting hand signs, refining Ninjutsu, and developing techniques to maximize lethality.
Maintaining such an army was costly, but Su deemed it essential. A well-trained, long-term standing army would dramatically increase the village's combat effectiveness. Other nations relied on temporary units—Ninjas who only fought when summoned and operated in loosely coordinated teams. In contrast, Su's Standing Army functioned as a cohesive, disciplined force, ready to act at a moment's notice.
The two hundred Ninjas accompanying him on the inspection tour wore a new uniform, personally designed by Uchiha Su: military-green attire, caps engraved with the Hidden Mist emblem, and uniform buzz cuts. Headbands and flamboyant hairstyles were forbidden. The goal was unity and professionalism, signaling that the Standing Army was not a collection of individual warriors but a single, disciplined entity.
Uchiha Su was not only concerned with the military but also with the well-being of the common people. Life for ordinary citizens had improved dramatically under his rule. Nobles no longer held the unchecked power to harm or kill without consequences. Each noble had assigned protectors—Ninjas with autonomy to arrest or prevent crimes. Should a noble attempt murder, the offending party was immediately escorted to the Hidden Mist for judgment.
Uchiha Su disliked prolonged disputes. Justice was swift and unambiguous. Noble criminals were placed in the village's vegetable market and executed at noon, leaving no room for debate over charges. Critics might call this harsh, but the common people had no complaints. Su remembered the days when these citizens lived timidly, their heads bowed in fear of offending any passing noble. Now, they walked freely, laughing, chatting, and showing pride in their homeland.
During Su's inspection, villagers lined the roads, waving and pointing with excitement. Some even stepped in front of the army, bowing and thanking him directly. Uchiha Su acknowledged their gestures with a slight nod, satisfied by the visible proof of his reforms' impact.
The Hidden Mist had transformed from a fractured collection of missions and temporary forces into a unified, industrial, and militarily formidable state. The arsenal, the Standing Army, the roads, bridges, and infrastructure—all reflected Su's meticulous vision. He had not only consolidated his authority but had laid the foundation for the Land of Water to dominate in peace and war alike.
Even foreign nations, still struggling with their internal conflicts and feuds, could not match the hidden might of the Hidden Mist. While some continued to underestimate the Land of Water, Su knew the truth: every road, every bridge, every weapon forged, and every Ninja trained contributed to a system that would soon make the Land of Water unchallengeable.
The Hidden Mist Arsenal, with the Chōtan family's unique talents, became the centerpiece of this new era. Weapons created here were unparalleled, enabling the Standing Army to train with the best tools available. Meanwhile, the infrastructure improvements allowed for rapid troop deployment, trade expansion, and cultural unification across the islands.
In his mind, Uchiha Su envisioned the future. One day, the Hidden Mist would not just be respected; it would be feared and admired as a nation capable of unmatched strategic, economic, and military power. He had transformed the Land of Water from a scattered collection of islands into a cohesive, thriving, and formidable state. And he did so not by raw oppression alone but by combining intelligence, strategy, innovation, and ruthlessness where necessary.
As he rode through the villages with the Standing Army at his back, Su saw the proof of his efforts reflected in the people themselves: confident, prosperous, and loyal. These were not mere subjects—they were citizens of a new era, united under the vision of the Third Mizukage. And in that unity lay the true strength of the Hidden Mist.
For Uchiha Su, the Hidden Mist Arsenal was more than a weapons facility—it was the symbol of his vision, the foundation of his power, and the proof that under his leadership, the Land of Water would never again be vulnerable. The Standing Army marched, the villagers cheered, and the sea waves lapped against the coasts of the newly connected islands, as if the Land itself acknowledged its new order under the Mizukage.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)