The Mist ninja ships hastily set sail, desperate to escape back to the open sea. However, the river was narrow—only one large vessel could pass through at a time, making it impossible for them to flee side by side.
Upstream, the flow of water had been temporarily blocked by a collapsed mountainside, slowing the ships' progress. Some of the larger vessels, loaded with cheaper supplies, had even run aground on the riverbed due to the lack of water.
But the Mist ninja came up with a clever solution—using ninjutsu to artificially create more water.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A massive surge of water erupted, propelling the lead ship—carrying their most valuable plunder—forward at full speed. If they could just make it past the river bend, they'd reach the ocean and escape.
Umino Yoru, riding his giant white falcon, "Hakujō" (White Wing), swiftly moved to intercept them.
"White Blood Demon, the Land of Fire and the Land of Water are not at war. Are you trying to start a shinobi world war?"
Momochi Zabuza, his eyes filled with fear, tried appealing to reason, hoping Yoru would let them go. But coming from a warmonger like Zabuza, the words sounded absurd.
As a high-ranking Mist ninja, Zabuza was well-versed in the Leaf's foreign policies—especially regarding the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen. If a Leaf ninja provoked a war, the Mist could simply file a diplomatic protest, and Hiruzen would likely punish the offender—maybe even hand them over to the Mist to "preserve peace."
"What diplomatic protest? I don't see any Mist ninja here. Just pirates. Isn't that right, dear pirate?"
Yoru played dumb, acting like he was fully intent on wiping them all out.
"RUN!"
Seeing that this reckless young ninja had no political sense, Zabuza panicked, fearing Yoru would unleash "Dust Release: Multi-Layered Infinite Explosive Annihilation—Zero Type" and obliterate them all.
Earlier, Zabuza had hoped Yoru would be too drained after using such a forbidden jutsu. But now, seeing Samehada—the sentient sword—so docilely supplying him with chakra, he knew Yoru could easily use the technique again.
"Damn traitor, Samehada!"
Zabuza glared at Yoru in the sky, ready to abandon ship and dive into the water at the first sign of danger.
Next to him, Ameyuri Ringo and Raiga Kurosuki had the same thought.
As fellow members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, they knew Samehada's abilities all too well.
"What a shame."
Yoru glanced at the Mist's flagship, packed with elite shinobi, but didn't recklessly pursue.
Onboard were three elite jonin and a crew of highly skilled Mist fighters.
In the Mist-Shrouded Forest, he might've stood a chance against them—but here, on the river, his bulky puppet armor was at a disadvantage. Meanwhile, the Mist ninja thrived in the water.
"Guess I need to add underwater functionality to the puppets."
He sighed, watching the flagship escape. If his puppets could dive, he wouldn't have let Zabuza and his men go. Why spare them now, only to fight them again in a future war?
As for Hiruzen's political games—well, he could always let Danzo handle it.
"White Blood Demon, are you really going this far? I've already sent out the intel. If you provoke a war, the Leaf will exile you!"
Zabuza, thinking Yoru was dead-set on killing them, summoned a swarm of sharks to carry messages and scatter in all directions.
"Zabuza, I'll let you go. But the loot stays."
Yoru pretended to hesitate, as if finally considering the consequences.
Relieved, Zabuza regained some confidence.
"No deal! This plunder is ours—we're taking all of it!"
He glared at the dozens of ships behind him, unwilling to surrender a single coin.
"Fine. If you won't take the easy way out—Samehada, give me chakra!"
Yoru "raged," forming hand seals as Samehada pumped chakra into him.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
A massive whirling water spear formed in his hands before he hurled it—not at the flagship, but at the second ship in line.
BOOM!
The spear pierced clean through the hull, sinking it instantly and blocking the river for the remaining ships.
"White Blood Demon, let's talk! Don't be rash!"
Zabuza, seeing Yoru so trigger-happy, immediately backed down, terrified the next attack would be aimed at his ship.
Yoru, still atop Hakujō, glared coldly.
"Zabuza, spare me the diplomacy. If the Leaf exiles me, I'll defect to the Mist—and pay you all a personal visit."
The Mist ninja paled, quickly agreeing to his terms.
"Now get lost."
Yoru turned Hakujō back upstream—where dozens of stranded ships awaited his claim.
"Hah…"
Zabuza exhaled in relief.
That monster is finally gone.
For the first time, he felt grateful for Hiruzen's pacifist policies. He used to think the Third Hokage was weak—but now?
If not for him keeping these Leaf maniacs in check, they'd have wiped out half the shinobi world by now.
Just that Dust Release alone could've flattened the entire Hidden Mist Village in one strike.