Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 173 Beautiful scenery can only be appreciated after victory.

Tianyu's fingers were long and steady. Even as the ship undulated slightly in the waves, the pointer in his hand remained firmly stationary on a certain point on the nautical chart.

"Lord Danzo, Lord Kagami."

His voice, like him, was dry and emotionless, like a sophisticated instrument reporting data.

"Based on the last wind direction and ocean current information before departure, the climate in this sea area is relatively stable. During the time we were on our way, the wind was mostly easterly, which is conducive to our full-speed sailing."

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, given the capabilities of our fleet, we should be able to reach the waters near the Land of Whirlpools soon."

His pointer on the nautical chart started from the red dot representing Henshio Village, drew an almost straight solid blue line, and finally pointed to an island surrounded by a whirlpool symbol—the Land of Whirlpools.

"This waterway is the optimal route that the root team of Bianchao Village spent several years exploring. The sea conditions are stable, there are few reefs, and it is almost unaffected by seasonal storms."

Danzo Shimura stood by the table, his hands behind his back, his eyes fixed on the blue flight path and the Land of Whirlpools at its end.

He didn't speak, but the taut lines of his jaw showed that he was etching every word into his mind.

Uchiha Kagami stood beside him, his expression focused, his three-tomoe Sharingan glowing red in the dim light.

Just then, an ANBU ninja wearing a ferocious fish-face mask silently entered, carrying a tray with two cups of freshly brewed hot tea.

The warmth of the tea aroma instantly dispelled the somber atmosphere in the room.

"Please have some tea."

"That's very thoughtful."

Uchiha Kagami turned around, smiled, and accepted the cup. The warm touch from his fingertips eased his tense mind slightly.

"Um"

Danzo let out a deep sigh, his gaze never leaving the sea chart.

The ninja gently placed the other two cups of tea on the corner of the table, then, like a ghost, silently took a step back and disappeared back into the shadows.

Uchiha Kagami held his teacup, his gaze returning to the sea chart.

One is a water kingdom located east of the mainland, composed of countless islands.

The other is the Land of Lightning, located in the northeast, whose terrain is dominated by towering mountains.

Two blue dotted lines extend from these two locations, also pointing towards the Land of Whirlpools.

But unlike the straight red line, these two blue lines appear to be winding and long.

"Tenyu, what's the enemy's situation?"

"Yes."

"According to intelligence, the fleets of Kumogakure and Kirigakure have already set sail for Uzushiogakure."

The pointer on the map moved to the upper right corner, where the territory of the Water Kingdom was located.

He pointed to the flight path extending from Kirigakure, a winding, dotted line covered with numerous crosses representing dense fog.

"The journey from the Land of Water to the Land of Whirlpools is not only several times longer than our journey, but more than half of the sea is shrouded in thick fog all year round, with low visibility."

"Even though Kirigakure has experienced naval ninjas, their voyage still takes a long time in terms of distance."

As he spoke, he moved the pointer to the northeast corner of the sea chart, the area where the Land of Lightning was located.

"The situation in Kumogakure is similar, with a similarly long sailing time. Moreover, according to the Root squad from the Land of Hot Water, there are many reefs and waters along this route."

Danzo picked up his teacup, blew on it to cool it, and a smile curved his lips.

"So it seems..."

His gaze swept across the shortest and smoothest route on the nautical chart, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.

"With the speed of this fleet, and our advantage in distance from the Land of Whirlpools..."

"I suppose they won't arrive in the Land of Whirlpools any later than them."

"Yes, Lord Danzo, more importantly..."

The Tianyu indicator light was gently tapped at the intersection of the two dotted lines, on an uninhabited island in international waters.

"According to the intelligence, the Hidden Cloud Village and the Hidden Mist Village will first choose a rendezvous point in the outer sea near the Land of Whirlpools."

"They will meet here first, reorganize their forces, and then launch a joint attack on the Land of Whirlpools."

Uchiha Kagami's eyes lit up, and the rim of the teacup stopped at his lips.

"Two villages that distrust each other, and a hastily assembled allied force."

His voice carried a hint of contemplation.

"Just the process of merging and unifying will probably take them a lot of time."

Danzo, who had been silent all along, finally spoke.

His voice was hoarse, with a hint of sarcasm.

"It's not just about time."

"Mirror, the fighting power of an army does not depend solely on how sharp its swords are or how hard its fists are."

"It depends more on whether its will is unified."

"A coalition of two forces, each with its own ulterior motives and interests, will inevitably have a bloated and inefficient command structure, and its ninjas will be filled with suspicion and distrust."

"After all, who knows if the village that gets the sealing technique first will share it as agreed?"

A cold smile curled at the corners of Danzo's mouth.

"Such an army may appear powerful, but it is actually weak inside and full of flaws."

All the intelligence, analysis, and deductions ultimately led to an absolutely solid conclusion.

They have the advantage of going first.

They will arrive on the battlefield before the enemy.

Uchiha Kagami shrugged, a gentle smile appearing on his face.

"It seems we even have time to prepare a grand welcome gift for them in advance."

"Um."

Danzo uttered a short syllable from his nose, which was considered an acknowledgment of Kagami's statement.

He turned his head and looked at Tianyu.

"Continue to monitor, and report immediately if any changes occur."

"yes!"

Tian Yu bowed and accepted the order.

Danzo didn't say anything more and turned to walk out of the command room.

Uchiha Kagami downed his cup of hot tea in one gulp and followed.

As he reached the door, he glanced back at the operative with the fish-faced mask.

"The tea is very good, thank you for your hard work."

The ANBU ninja paused slightly, seemingly surprised, but quickly bowed in a standard manner.

The two walked out of the cabin side by side and returned to the bow deck of the flagship.

"call--"

The sea breeze, carrying a damp, salty smell, swept away the stuffy atmosphere in the cabin.

Uchiha Kagami couldn't help but take a deep breath, feeling his entire being invigorated.

"The air outside smells so much better."

He raised his hand to tidy up his slightly disheveled black hair, a look of contentment on his face.

"It's too stuffy in the command room; I feel uncomfortable after a while."

Danzo glanced at him, his eyes filled with the scrutiny one one might give to a bored person.

"A good commander should be able to adapt to any environment."

"Instead of letting the environment adapt to you."

"Hey, it's your first time sailing at sea, but you did go to the Land of Water a few years ago."

Uchiha Kagami smiled and shook his head.

"Um...."

"The view here is expansive, and you can see far into the distance, which always makes people feel more relaxed."

He gripped the cold gunwale and gazed into the distance.

The sun is slowly sinking below the horizon.

The last rays of sunlight painted the sky and the sea into a flowing, fragmented gold.

The pitch-black warship, like a silent behemoth, cleaved through the golden waves, resolutely sailing towards the unknown distance that was about to be shrouded in night.

The calm before the storm.

The scene was magnificent and beautiful, yet it carried a fleeting sense of melancholy.

Uchiha Kagami gazed at the scene with a distant look in his eyes.

"So beautiful."

He sighed softly.

"Sometimes I really don't want this beautiful sea to be stained red with blood."

Danzo didn't look at the scenery; his gaze remained fixed on the horizon, the area that represented the Land of Whirlpools.

"mirror."

His voice was carried away by the sea breeze.

"Beautiful scenery can only be appreciated after victory."

"In war, its significance is to become a battlefield."

Upon hearing this, Uchiha Kagami remained silent for a moment, then laughed.

"You're still so boring."

However, what they said is not wrong.

What's the point of something beautiful if you can't protect it?

Behind them, on the deck.

Many ninjas from Root and Anbu were also admiring the magnificent sunset.

Because they are also unsure how many more sunrises and sunsets they will see in their lifetime.

"When we arrive in the Land of Whirlpools..."

"This period of tranquility has come to an end."

Uchiha Kagami nodded.

His hand rested on the hilt of his knife.

Yes.

It's over.

The wind seemed to have gotten a bit colder.

Two silent silhouettes, at the bow of the flagship, merged into the wind along with this steel behemoth.