After traveling for half a day, the group reached a small seaside town at the border between the Land of Fire, the Land of Waves, and the Land of Water. The vast expanse of the blue sea stretched before them, reflecting the sunlight like a beautiful painting coming to life.
Shisui and Tenga stood in amazement, mesmerized by the sight of the sea as it was their first time seeing such an expanse of water. As for Ryou, he didn't feel much.
"So, this is the sea…" Shisui murmured. "It's even more beautiful than I imagined." Tenga, equally captivated, nodded in agreement. "It looks great!"
Daichi broke the moment by unfurling a scroll that had a detailed map of the Land of Waters. "Alright. This is where our mission truly begins."
He pointed at a marked location on the map. "Our target is Miyama Village, located on Miyama Island. It's a short distance from here, but the only way to get there is by boat. That means we'll need to blend in to avoid suspicion."
Daichi glanced at the three of them and instructed, "Transform yourselves into ordinary guards. I'll pose as a businessman while you three act as my escorts. We need to look unnoticeable. If anyone asks, we're just heading to the island for trade."
Ryou, Shisui, and Tenga nodded in unison, focusing their chakra to perform the Transformation Jutsu. In a flash, their appearances changed.
Ryou took on the disguise of a middle-aged man with a stern, intimidating demeanor. Shisui and Tenga chose to appear as young guards, carrying ordinary swords. Daichi transformed into a burly man donning nice clothes.
Satisfied with their disguises, Daichi continued. "The mission is straightforward. We'll enter the village, retrieve the intelligence scroll, and retreat.
The village is near the border of the Land of Water, so there's a chance we may encounter Kirigakure-Nin. If that happens, stay calm and act natural. Don't draw unnecessary attention."
"Understood, Sensei." Ryou, Shisui, and Tenga exchanged a solemn glance before nodding in agreement.
Ryou know how dangerous it will be if they encounter Mist Ninja. While he was strong, he wasn't invincible. If they were to be surrounded by a group of Jonin-class enemies, even he would be powerless.
"Good. Let's move. We'll get a boat at the nearby dock." Daichi instructed, leading the way as the three followed behind.
After renting a medium-sized boat from the town port, they set off across the sea waters. With Daichi at the helm, the boat glided smoothly with no issues.
---
As their boat drifted across the sea, Daichi noticed Shisui and Tenga were slightly tense while Ryou looked relaxed, enjoying the sea breeze.
To ease their nerves, Daichi spoke reassuringly. "Relax. Don't worry too much. Kirigakure is primarily engaged in battles in the Land of Whirlpools and the Land of Swamps against our Konoha and Kumo.
The Land of Waves isn't a major conflict zone."
Hearing Daichi's words, Ryou's doubts were cleared. He had been wondering why they hadn't seen any Konoha teams along the way—it was because they were fighting somewhere else. If not for that, they might have even crossed paths with Mist Ninja.
Shisui, looking thoughtful for a moment, asked. "Sensei, why are we fighting the Mist Village? What's causing this conflict?"
Daichi sighed, "It's not Konoha that's picking a fight with the Mist. It's the other way around. They've been stirring trouble, using the aftermath of our war with Iwagakure. They're fishing in troubled waters, taking advantage of the war."
Shisui's brows furrowed. "But why? Is losing so many people worth taking the risk?"
Daichi nodded, "After the Second Ninja War, the Land of Fire and the Land of Lightning imposed heavy sanctions on the Land of Water. Those sanctions crippled their economy, cutting off vital trade routes and resources.
This dealt a heavy blow to a village like Kirigakure, which relies heavily on outside resources to sustain itself.
Unlike Konoha, which has rich natural resources and a steady economy, the Land of Water doesn't have the same advantage. Without trade, their ability to fund the Kirigakure has plummeted.
Without resources and money, they can't cultivate their ninja forces like we can. Pushed into a desperate situation, their only option now is to invade the other nations and get the resources they need."
Tenga clenched his fists, his expression grim. "So they're attacking other nations because they have no other choice? That's no excuse for starting the war and making others suffer."
Ryou chuckled softly, "You're so funny, Tenga. What you're saying is like telling someone who has no food not to fight for it, just starve and die."
Tenga blinked, taken aback by Ryou's words. "What? I didn't mean it like that at all!" He looked slightly embarrassed as he said the words.
Ryou's gaze shifted toward the vast horizon as he spoke. "I'm not blaming you, Tenga. I'm just saying that's how the world works.
You've been fortunate enough to be born in a village that has everything, but only when you go outside will you understand how cruel the world is."
Ryou continued, his tone a little more serious. "Only when you're truly pushed to the edge, with nothing left to lose, will you feel desperate. And desperation breeds war. People will fight for what they need to survive, even if it means taking it by force. It's how nature works!"
Hearing his words, the atmosphere grew quiet. Even Daichi looked contemplative as he could sense the cold, harsh reality of the world from his words.
Shisui asked, "Is there no way to end these conflicts? To stop the wars and live peacefully?"
"There is. If you become strong enough, Shisui. Strong like the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, or Madara Uchiha. When they were alive, there was no war.
Because there was no one strong enough to oppose them and start a war." Ryou didn't explain further, knowing that Shisui, with his mature mind, would understand the deeper meaning behind his words.
Daichi had to admit, Ryou was unusually mature for his age. His understanding of the world is even better than his own, but that's what worries him. Knowing such things at a young age wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Daichi shook his head and said, "Alright, you three. You're not of the age to discuss such matters. Focus on the mission and stay alert. Keep your eyes on your surroundings."
--
After about an hour of travel, they finally reached Miyama Island. The group disembarked onto the sandy shore, the dense greenery of the island stretching before them, covered in fog.
The Island was vast, much larger than Ryou had expected.
At that moment, Daichi pulled out the map scroll once more, unrolling it against the flat surface of a nearby rock. "Alright," he said, pointing to a marked area on the map. "We've landed here, on the eastern edge of the island. The Miyama Village is on the western side, which means we'll need to cross the entire island to reach the other side."
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