"What has you so panicked?"
Yagura frowned, displeased.
At this moment, he had been imagining the future that awaited Kirigakure and himself as Mizukage. Being abruptly interrupted naturally put him in a foul mood. His expression instantly turned cold.
Bad news?
What bad news?
Wasn't he perfectly fine?
Wasn't Kirigakure perfectly fine?
With his current strength, chakra reserves on the level of a jinchuriki, combined with the Water Mirror Technique and Clear Mirror Still Water Technique, leading Kirigakure toward greatness was only a matter of time.
"Mizukage-sama, something terrible has happened."
"One of our village's fishing islands was attacked. Nearly everyone stationed there was wiped out. The attackers called themselves the Kaguya Fleet!"
Yagura's eyes suddenly widened.
"What?"
"There's also another fishing port that was attacked. It was the Uchiha. They called themselves the Uchiha Fleet."
In the end, Uchiha Yashiro had failed to resist the Kaguya clan's invitation.
More importantly, Uchiha Yashiro knew that this might be the best opportunity the Uchiha clan would ever get.
The shinobi world had already entered an era of peace.
For the Uchiha clan to counterattack Konoha, it would be far too difficult.
Konoha was simply too powerful.
They had countless elite shinobi.
They had too many top-level ninja.
No matter how unwilling Uchiha Yashiro was, he understood the gap between the current Uchiha clan and Konoha was far too great.
And once Konoha finished reorganizing the situation inside the village, there was a very real chance it would take major action against the Uchiha clan.
At a time like this, the Uchiha clan had to find a relatively safe place.
Only the Land of Water fit that condition.
The opening of the Great Sailing Era had allowed Uchiha Yashiro to see hope.
The ocean was limitless.
There were countless fleets. Kirigakure and the Land of Water simply could not control all of them.
On top of that, with the Kaguya clan present, if Kirigakure wanted to deal with anyone, they would certainly prioritize the Kaguya Fleet first.
That would give the Uchiha clan room to survive.
For that reason, Uchiha Yashiro accepted Kaguya Den's invitation.
Kaguya Den used a large amount of intelligence in exchange for the Uchiha clan taking action against Kirigakure once.
Yagura, who had only just been immersed in joy, was immediately struck head-on by two pieces of terrible news.
"Kaguya!"
"Uchiha!"
"I'll have all of you dead!"
Yagura abruptly rose to his feet.
But because he was short, and his appearance leaned toward that of a child, no matter how one looked at him, he lacked any real imposing presence.
"Where are they now?"
"We don't know."
The ANBU shinobi shook his head.
"They fled immediately after the attacks. Their ships were extremely fast. We couldn't catch up."
"We still haven't found their bases."
Yagura's expression darkened.
If he couldn't find them, then he couldn't retaliate yet.
And what worried Yagura even more was this—
The defeated Samehada Fleet and Blastsword Fleet might very well join forces with the Kaguya clan and the Uchiha clan.
After all, both Fuguki Suikazan and Jinin Akebino hated the current Kirigakure just like the Kaguya clan did.
And the Uchiha clan were close allies of the Kaguya clan.
Under such circumstances, Yagura could not possibly feel safe leading a force of Kirigakure elites to the Land of Wind to settle accounts with Sunagakure.
He would be pinned down in Kirigakure.
All of his next plans would be affected.
The next day.
A piece of news spread across the entire Land of Water.
The Uchiha Fleet, the Kaguya Fleet, and the Ninja Blade Glory Fleet had formed an alliance and announced their rule over the Northern Sea of the Land of Water, declaring that they would collect sailing taxes from all passing vessels.
Uchiha Fleet, Captain Uchiha Yashiro.
Kaguya Fleet, Captain Kaguya Den.
Ninja Blade Glory Fleet, Captain Jinin Akebino, Vice Captain Fuguki Suikazan.
"Sailing taxes?"
"How bold!"
The Northern Sea of the Land of Water connected several countries.
To the south was the Land of Water.
To the north was the Land of Lightning.
To the west were the Land of Hot Water and the Land of Iron.
Aside from those, there were also many smaller countries.
On that vast stretch of sea, there were not many islands. In the past, they had all been occupied by the Land of Water, managed by the nobles of the Land of Water, with Kirigakure shinobi providing support.
And now, with the three great fleets issuing such an announcement, there was no doubt that they had already occupied all of those small islands.
They had forcibly seized what originally belonged to the Land of Water and Kirigakure.
But compared to before, Yagura's expression actually eased somewhat.
"If they flee, I have trouble chasing them."
"But if they occupy islands and stay fixed in one place, then I can attack whenever I want."
"These people are far too confident in their own strength."
"They think forming an alliance is enough to contend with Kirigakure?"
"They're that eager to seize benefits?"
"Then your deaths have arrived!"
But not everyone realized this point.
The moment the announcement from the three great fleets was made, it shook the entire Land of Water.
Countless people began discussing it, worried.
The daimyo of the Land of Water's face was gloomy.
"What exactly do Fuguki Suikazan and Jinin Akebino think they're doing?"
Below him, an official trembled.
The previous plan to support the fleets in the Land of Water had been proposed by him.
And now, without question, that plan had failed.
"They received benefits from my Land of Water, and now they do something like this?"
"That is the Land of Water's interest!"
"Do they think this is acceptable behavior toward me, their daimyo?"
The official below him explained carefully.
"Daimyo-sama, this truly cannot be blamed entirely on Fuguki Suikazan and Jinin Akebino. After all, they were attacked by Kirigakure, and both fleets collapsed."
"What they are doing now is probably something they were forced into."
"They definitely do not intend to target the Land of Water. Their main target should be Kirigakure."
"All of this trouble was caused by Kirigakure."
"If not for that, Kirigakure and the fleets existing at the same time would have been the best outcome for our Land of Water."
The daimyo of the Land of Water calmed down.
"Kirigakure and the fleets existing at the same time would indeed be better for the Land of Water. But the prerequisite is that the fleets obey the Land of Water's orders."
"Since Kirigakure caused this trouble, then let Kirigakure solve it."
"As for the fleets, we will observe the situation for now."
"I have already been disappointed once. I do not want to be disappointed a second time."
"I will not give a third chance!"
The daimyo of the Land of Water looked down at the official below him.
"This matter is not your fault. But Fuguki Suikazan and Jinin Akebino are still alive, yet they did not come to find me. Without communicating with the Land of Water at all, they seized the Northern Sea."
"That proves your communication with them was not sufficient."
"If next time, you fail to make up for this mistake, then there will be no need for you to come see me again."
The official's face turned pale.
That "no need to come see me" was not meant literally.
At the same time, the Weekly Report on Major Shinobi Events reached the Land of Water.
The interview with Jinin Akebino printed in it, because of the establishment of the three great fleets—especially the appearance of the Ninja Blade Glory Fleet and the announcement that it had seized the Northern Sea of the Land of Water—sparked widespread discussion.
Rasa immediately saw the number on his system panel begin to rise at an extremely rapid pace.