Inside the command tent on the Land of Hot Water front, Nara Shikakaku was analyzing the Mist's possible attack routes with Yuka.
The Mist ninja hid in the sea. They came and went whenever they pleased, which made them extremely troublesome.
Nara Shikaku suddenly entered the tent.
"Commander-in-chief, Deputy Commander, Commander Fox has entered the camp!"
Yuka found it strange.
If the fox was coming, why had he not informed her first?
Yako entered the command post and exchanged a few brief greetings before saying:
"Squad Leader Shikakaku, the war in the Land of Hot Water should end quickly.
I've developed an instant-movement system that allows Konoha ninja to ignore distance and appear in any town. This will expand the operational range of Konoha ninja and strengthen Konoha's influence.
Compared to this reform, the war in the Land of Hot Water has become insignificant. Or rather, the entire structure of future shinobi wars will change because of it.
I came to the Land of Hot Water front to deal with the Mist as quickly as possible, so Konoha can put more energy into constructing the Flying Shrine system."
"The Flying Shrine system?"
After hearing Yako's explanation, Nara Shikakaku immediately understood what he intended to do.
Konoha's previous mission system had nobles going to Konoha Village to issue missions, after which Konoha would dispatch mission teams to complete them.
The average mission took around a month to finish.
This was especially true for missions in the great vassal states, which consumed even more time.
If Konoha ninja could instantly appear in the capital of the Land of Rivers or the capital of the Land of Hot Water, then the entire mission system would undergo a fundamental transformation.
Nara Shikakaku furrowed his brow deeply, rapidly calculating the gains and losses involved.
Yako said, "Deputy Commander Yuka, the Uzumaki clan excels in sealing techniques. I want the Uzumaki clan to join the Church of the Three Calamities and accelerate shrine construction."
The Church of the Three Calamities was growing larger and larger. Hidan was sometimes too fanatical, too extreme. Bringing in other forces could restrain Hidan and prevent his faction from becoming too dominant within the Church.
Every person who sacrificed their soul to the Three Gods could be controlled by Yako on the level of the soul.
But those methods of control were only to be used as a last resort.
Yuka quickly ordered Uzumaki Kaichō to gather the Uzumaki ninja.
After explaining the Church of the Three Calamities to the Uzumaki ninja, Yako recruited thirty volunteers from among them to join the Church.
These Uzumaki ninja were skilled in sealing techniques. After a week of training, they could be sent to coastal towns and fishing villages to construct shrines.
As clan leader, Yuka was the first to take the leap, leading the Uzumaki ninja in sacrificing to the Three Gods.
After the sacrifice, they too could borrow part of the Three Gods' abilities—in other words, borrow Yako's power.
For ordinary chunin, even for jonin, Yako was no different from a god of shinobi.
Another week passed. With Yako personally participating and the Uzumaki ninja working hard, many shrines were set up in the major coastal towns of the Land of Hot Water.
Yuka returned to Uzushio Village and placed a shrine inside it.
In Yuka's view, everything about the shrine was good except for the need to sacrifice one's soul.
Fox said that the soul was the purest form of spiritual energy. Only after sacrificing one's soul could a person withstand the power of the Three Gods.
The soul was the favorite food of the Three Gods.
Looking at the ruins of Uzushio Village, Yuka secretly swore that one day, she would rebuild Uzushio Village and allow the Uzumaki clan to continue living and growing here.
Deep within the sea, Commander-in-chief Yagura stood inside the cabin of a large ship, staring at a map of the Land of Hot Water.
Yagura suddenly turned his head.
From the wooden planks of the ship, a pitcher plant sprouted.
The pitcher plant opened, revealing Black and White Zetsu within.
Zetsu said, "Commander Yagura, I recently discovered that Konoha has withdrawn the Guardian Ninja from the Land of Hot Water Daimyo!
It seems Konoha is under so much pressure from the war that they've even pulled away the Daimyo's Guardian Ninja.
This is an opportunity—a precious one! Launch an attack while the chance is there and test Konoha's true condition."
Yagura Kokkuri asked, "What about Sarutobi Hiruzen? What about Fox? Where are those two now?
If Konoha is under enough pressure to withdraw the Guardian Ninja, then those two should be entering the battlefield, shouldn't they?"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen is still in Konoha Village," Zetsu said. "As for Fox… Fox is too strong. I don't dare approach him.
I can only infer where he is afterward from traces left behind.
Based on the traces we have, Fox should not be in the Land of Hot Water."
White Zetsu thought to himself—
'Actually, Fox is in the Land of Hot Water.'
Pain had said they should incite Yagura into launching a full assault, force Fox to appear, and create an opening for Ōnoki and the Raikage.
Yagura stared at the map in thought.
After waiting through the entire night, a Mist ninja entered the cabin and brought a scroll.
Yagura saw that the scroll reported chaos in the Land of Hot Water's capital. The Daimyo's samurai had been killed, and the Guardian Ninja had disappeared.
He nodded repeatedly.
It seemed the Akatsuki ninja hired by Ōnoki had not lied to him. Konoha Village really was under enough pressure to transfer away the Guardian Ninja.
When Kirigakure attacked the Land of Hot Water, Kumogakure was attacking the Land of Hot Water as well, while Iwagakure was attacking the Land of Grass. Konoha was being struck from multiple directions.
As far as Yagura knew, Kumogakure and Iwagakure were also fighting hard. Their casualties were no lower than Kirigakure's.
"Gather the troops! Target… the capital of the Land of Hot Water!"
The messenger ninja immediately left the cabin.
Yagura thought for a moment, then said, "Have the Six-Tails Jinchūriki come see me!"
Hearing that Yagura intended to deploy the Six-Tails, Zetsu spoke before the pitcher plant closed.
"Commander Yagura, I will inform the Tsuchikage and the Raikage of your resolve…"
Yagura brought all his forces.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, the Hōzuki clan, the Kaguya clan, and other great clans all mobilized. He also brought the Six-Tails Jinchūriki.
Kirigakure had obtained part of the Uzumaki clan's sealing techniques, but their research progress had always been slow due to a lack of sealing geniuses.
Unlike Kumogakure—with B and Ryuuren. Though both Jinchūriki had died, they had left behind a vast sealing legacy that helped Kumogakure's Jinchūriki sealing techniques develop.
Yagura sent three groups of two hundred Mist ninja to harass other directions and create the illusion of diversionary forces.
Then he personally led fifteen hundred Mist ninja toward the largest port in the Land of Hot Water—Ryojō Port.
Ryojō Port was the place where Kirigakure and Konoha had signed their humiliating ceasefire agreement at the end of the Second Shinobi World War.
Yagura Kokkuri thought to himself that this would be the place where he led Kirigakure to wash away their past shame.
It was only twenty kilometers from the capital of the Land of Hot Water.
Once they captured Ryojō Port, they could point their blade directly at the capital.
At that point, they would be able to test Konoha's true condition.
If Konoha really was under so much pressure that even the Guardian Ninja had to be sent to the battlefield, then they would seize the opportunity to occupy the capital of the Land of Hot Water.
They would besiege the city and strike the reinforcements, surrounding the capital while slaughtering the Konoha forces sent to support it.
Ryojō Port was extremely quiet.
Seeing more than a thousand Mist ninja, every noble, official, merchant, fisherman, and resident hid inside their homes, crouching in corners as they prayed for a miracle.
They prayed that the Mist ninja would not kill them.
In a place unknown to the Mist, a robed believer walked out of a great hall and arrived beside the shrine in the courtyard.
Inside the hall stood three divine statues. On the believer's clothing was also the emblem of the Church of the Three Calamities, resembling a trident.
After the prayer, sealing marks suddenly lit up across the shrine.
A figure appeared with Body Flicker Technique.
The believer quickly said, "Leader Fox, you've arrived."
"Mm. I'm here."
Yako walked toward the courtyard exit.
Through the gate, he saw countless Mist ninja leaping across the rooftops.
And behind Yako, batches of Konoha ninja were appearing one after another.
In only a short time, the courtyard was packed full of Konoha shinobi.
Yako said, "Spread out. Don't block the other ninja from arriving."
With that, Yako slowly walked out of the courtyard.