"Lord Mizukage, all of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist have been sacrificed. The Ninja Blades have also been taken by the people of Konoha."
A male voice spoke from outside the door of the Third Mizukage's chambers. A Kiri Ninja knelt on one knee, too afraid to enter.
"Worthless. Worthless indeed. You can't even handle such a trivial matter," came a calm voice from inside.
The Third Mizukage's tone was surprisingly even, lacking the anger the ninja had anticipated. It was impossible to discern whether he was upset at all.
The Mist ninja couldn't fathom how the Mizukage remained so composed despite the loss of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and their blades. Still, it spared him from trembling in fear.
After a long silence, the voice spoke again.
"I know. You can go now."
The Mist ninja wiped the sweat from his forehead, bowed, and retreated without another word.
"I'll have to waste more of my eye power again," Madara Uchiha muttered in a distant cave, reaching for the scythe beside him.
Leaning on the scythe, he moved toward the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and opened a hidden compartment filled with glass jars containing eyeballs. Without hesitation, he grabbed one jar at random, which held a Three Tomoe Sharingan.
With the jar in one hand and the scythe in the other, Madara returned to the stone platform. He set the scythe aside and removed the exposed eyeball from his socket with practiced ease.
Blood trickled down his face, but he showed no reaction to the pain. He opened the jar, skillfully inserted the new eye, and blinked as his vision returned.
As if this routine was second nature, he immediately closed his eyes again, channeling power at an alarming rate.
The Sharingan he used wasn't his own, which was always a limitation. This crude method was a necessary stopgap to maintain his control.
As his pupils consumed more power, his hold over the Third Mizukage strengthened once more.
The Third Mizukage, now with his eyes closed, stepped out of his chambers.
A few days had passed, and Madara had no choice but to act. Any further delay, and Nagato might return to Konoha. Who could say when the next opportunity would arise?
Leaving the gates of Kirigakure, the Third Mizukage headed toward the Land of Fire, his body wrapped in crimson Chakra as he accelerated.
...
"Finally, we're here."
"How long will we be staying in the Land of Waves?" Minato asked as the port of the Land of Waves came into view after days of sailing.
"We'll be boarding the ship early tomorrow morning," Ichirō Aso replied, implying they would have one night to stay.
"That's good. I want to eat something different. I'm tired of eating fish every day," Nawaki said, earning unanimous approval from the group.
The Samehada on his back, too conspicuous for public view, had been carefully rewrapped in bandages.
"As long as you're treating, I'll eat anything," Minato said, flashing a knowing smile. He was well aware of Nawaki's stinginess.
"Why is it just me treating?" Nawaki's face instantly changed. You could toy with his emotions, but not with his money—only Misaki was an exception.
"Nawaki, you've got such a good weapon. Can't you treat us to a meal?" Konan stepped forward, grabbing Nawaki's cuffs with both hands and shaking them. Her adorable pleading could melt anyone's heart.
Yahiko's eyes were practically turning into hearts.
"Sorry, I'm not buying it and I earned this blade with my own abilities," Nawaki said stubbornly, firmly breaking Konan's grip.
"What a cheapskate! Sister Misaki must be blind to have fallen for someone like you," Konan huffed, walking off in anger.
Convincing a miser like Nawaki to part with his money was truly an impossible task!
"Talking about money ruins friendships, and talking about friendships drains your wallet. Just call me Lord Nawaki from now on," Nawaki said with a smug grin.
If they expected him to treat them, they could forget it—there was no way.
"Lord Nawaki, I've got a newfound respect for you today," Minato said, surprised. He hadn't thought Nawaki could be so calculating.
"It's understandable he doesn't want to be called brother."
"I've got a newfound respect for you too, Lord Nawaki," Yahiko and the others chimed in together, while Shishi and his trio burst out laughing.
They had never seen this side of Nawaki before. On missions, he was usually serious and skilled in his craft.
"It's nice to meet you all. I'm Nawaki," Nawaki said, pretending to introduce himself formally, drawing even more laughter from the group.
"Why don't I treat you all to a meal?" Ichirō Aso offered after laughing.
Though he was only a Genin, his missions had a high risk factor, so his pay was relatively good. He liked how down-to-earth Nawaki and the others were.
"No, no, we were just joking. After all these days of you taking care of us, it's only right that I treat you," Minato said, politely refusing Ichirō's offer.
How could they let someone else pay? Besides, none of them were lacking financially, especially since Kawakaze was always generous with his disciples.
"Yes, Minato should pay—he's the richest," Nawaki said, perking up at the idea.
"Lord Nawaki, I don't know you well enough to take you along," Minato replied, rolling his eyes. He'd had enough of Nawaki's antics.
"No way! We're like brothers," Nawaki said shamelessly, throwing his arm around Minato's shoulder. In the process, the Samehada on Nawaki's back bumped into Minato's side.
"Eeek, shameless!" Yahiko and the others jeered, immediately starting to tease Nawaki.
"Go away! What do you have to do with this?" Nawaki glared at them, then turned back to continue his "bonding" with Minato.
With all the commotion, the ship slowly docked. There was no sign of the wealthy merchant Gatō, and the shipping industry in the Land of Waves remained free.
Ichirō led the group off the ship, familiar with the Land of Waves due to its role as their information relay station.
"It's almost noon. Let's eat first and then find a place to stay," Ichirō said, seeking the group's input rather than deciding on his own.
"Okay, whatever you say," Minato replied without hesitation, indifferent to the order of events.
"I want to eat some mainland meat," Nawaki said, lowering his expectations. He could tell the Land of Waves wasn't prosperous and doubted it had everything he might want.
"No problem," Ichirō said confidently, patting his chest. He led the group to a shop he often visited. Having felt the same way after long stints at sea, he understood Nawaki's craving for variety.
The group remained in high spirits, and no unruly locals approached them for trouble.
After walking for about ten minutes, they arrived at a rabbit meat restaurant under Ichirō's guidance.
"This rabbit meat is good—very chewy. I come here every time," Ichirō said as he led the group into a private room.
The proprietress, a woman with a charming presence, kept sending flirtatious glances at Ichirō as he pointed out the dishes. It seemed this might be one reason for his frequent visits.
However, the food truly lived up to his praise, leaving everyone satisfied.
After the meal, Minato paid the bill, proving he was not as stingy as Nawaki.
The group then found a hot spring to relax in, unaware that danger was drawing closer.
A massive turtle with three tails, its body covered in spikes, was hurtling through the sea toward the Land of Waves at incredible speed.
Each swing of its limbs propelled it forward far faster than any ship. One of its eyes was open, while the other remained tightly shut, as if it had suffered a serious injury.
The open eye displayed the distinctive pattern of a Mangekyō Sharingan.
"It's getting close. My eyes are there," a voice muttered.