"The World Government is too much. If they want to control matters inside their own land, fine. But they even want to control the sea, even though the sea does not belong to them."
"The Marines are nothing but accomplices, dogs raised by the World Government."
"Kirigakure is just like the Marines, acting as the Land of Water daimyo's dog."
"The sea is free!"
"Treasure belongs to everyone!"
"The Land of Water daimyo and Kirigakure have forcefully seized things that should belong to everyone. Shameless to the extreme. We must take back what is ours and resist them!"
"From this day forward, the Red Fish Sailing Crew is established!"
"The White Wolf Sailing Crew is established!"
…
The sea was vast and boundless.
Dangerous.
Mysterious.
Filled with countless resources and treasures.
It had always drawn people's curiosity.
Countless people longed to explore the sea, catch fish and shrimp, salvage treasures, become wealthy overnight, and live the life of their dreams—eating meat by the mouthful, drinking wine by the bowl, beauties in their arms.
For a long time, people had attempted to go out to sea.
But first, the sea was too dangerous.
Violent waves, giant predators—any of them could take their lives at any moment.
Second, the Land of Water and Kirigakure forbade ordinary people from entering most sea regions.
But now, with the publication of The Pirate King, certain people's thoughts began stirring again.
"The past was the past. Now there must be many like-minded people. When there are many of us, our strength will be great. If we unite, we won't need to fear the Land of Water or Kirigakure."
The Land of Water daimyo looked at the intelligence reports placed before him, and his head throbbed.
One sailing crew after another was being established, bringing enormous trouble to the Land of Water.
If this continued for long, would the commoners of the Land of Water still be people of the Land of Water?
How many loyal subjects would he still have?
Without subjects, was he still a daimyo?
If everyone went out to sea, what kind of chaos would the ocean fall into?
The Land of Water's current troops, even with Kirigakure added in, could not possibly manage all of it.
"This is all Kirigakure's fault!"
"It is because Kirigakure offended Sunagakure that we are suffering this kind of retaliation."
"Sunagakure… what skillful methods."
"One story has thrown my entire Land of Water into turmoil."
"Right now, it is only ordinary people going out to sea. Once ninja start doing the same, the trouble will only become greater."
Just as the Land of Water daimyo was thinking this, news of a ninja sailing crew reached his ears.
"Fuguki Suikazan has established the Samehada Sailing Crew and recruited dozens of wandering ninja. They are active north of the Land of Water, have occupied over a dozen small islands, and have gained the allegiance of several hundred fishermen."
"Jinpachi Munashi has established the Explosive Blade Sailing Crew and recruited dozens of wandering ninja. They are active northeast of the Land of Water, have occupied several dozen small islands, and have gained the allegiance of several hundred fishermen."
These two pieces of news infuriated both the Land of Water daimyo and Kirigakure.
Two missing-nin from Kirigakure had not only returned to the Land of Water.
They had even recruited wandering ninja, built their own forces, and begun operating near the Land of Water.
What was this?
This was slapping the Land of Water and Kirigakure across the face in public.
"A provocation! This is absolutely a provocation!"
"Too excessive!"
"Two clowns!"
"Such nerve! They must pay the price!"
The Land of Water daimyo immediately issued an order, demanding that Kirigakure resolve these two sailing crews as quickly as possible.
As he wrote the order by hand, the Land of Water daimyo cursed furiously.
"Has Kirigakure become this useless?"
"Fine, they cannot win a war against another shinobi village. But now they cannot even deal with two missing-nin?"
"They actually allowed these two missing-nin to act so arrogantly."
"Does Kirigakure still need to exist at all?"
Yagura was still struggling over how to establish a newspaper when he received the Land of Water daimyo's order.
Strictly speaking, there should not have been a hierarchy between a country and a shinobi village.
The two were meant to have a cooperative relationship.
But after Kirigakure's defeat against Sunagakure, the village's situation had grown worse and worse. Gradually, in the relationship between the two, the Land of Water had taken the absolute upper hand.
"The Samehada Sailing Crew? The Explosive Blade Sailing Crew?"
"The two are being called two of the Four Emperors?"
"They are recruiting forces right near the Land of Water?"
Yagura's face darkened until it seemed water might drip from it.
"Excessive!"
"Arrogant!"
"Pass down my order!"
But in the next moment, Yagura realized something.
With Kirigakure's current situation, they might truly not have any good way to deal with these two sailing crews.
Kirigakure's strength was too weak now.
Fuguki Suikazan and Jinpachi Munashi were both former members of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen.
And both of them still had their ninja swords.
In the current Kirigakure, who could be their match?
"No one except me."
But there was no way he could personally lead a team to suppress the Samehada Sailing Crew and the Explosive Blade Sailing Crew.
The village's internal affairs were already more than enough to drown him. He simply could not spare the time.
"Mizukage-sama."
An ANBU ninja walked in.
Yagura hesitated for a moment.
"Lead a team to the north and northeast of the Land of Water. Investigate the situation of the Samehada Sailing Crew and the Explosive Blade Sailing Crew."
"Yes, Mizukage-sama."
…
…
Sunagakure.
One intelligence report after another was delivered into Rasa's hands.
Rasa first picked up the information from the Land of Water.
"The Samehada Sailing Crew? The Explosive Blade Sailing Crew?"
"The two are being called two of the Four Emperors?"
"Fuguki Suikazan and Jinpachi Munashi are quite good at making trouble. Given Kirigakure's current state, the two of them really can cause Kirigakure no small amount of trouble."
"Kirigakure deserves it."
"They surrendered, signed the agreement, and still created the matter with Genji."
"A village with no credibility deserves this."
"As for those several hundred captives, Kirigakure still has shown no intention of redeeming them."
"Do they expect to eat Sunagakure's dry rations for free?"
Rasa let out a cold snort.
"Once we obtain Kusagakure's Fire Prison Jutsu, send all of them to the mines!"
As he spoke, Rasa picked up the intelligence report regarding Kusagakure.
With Kusagakure's strength, there was no way they could stop Sunagakure's army.
Especially with Pakura personally leading the forces.
The chameleon would be restrained by Konoha.
But Kusagakure could not do the same.
By hiding their forms, approaching silently, and then launching sudden assaults with more than a dozen elite Suna ninja, there was no Kusagakure squad that could withstand them.
Kusagakure's defeat and surrender were only a matter of time.
Suddenly—
One piece of news drew Rasa's attention.
"Konoha ninja approaching the Land of Grass?"
Rasa frowned.
"What are Konoha ninja doing in the Land of Grass?"
"And not just one or two. There are many of them."
"Did Kusagakure request aid from Konoha? Has Konoha decided to support Kusagakure and oppose Sunagakure?"
"If that is truly the case, then don't blame me for being impolite."