On the vast ocean, a small ship was cutting through the waves, moving at an incredible speed toward its destination.
Jiraiya stood on the deck, feeling the sea breeze brush against his face, bringing a sense of coolness and freshness that calmed his previously anxious mood, 'At this speed, we would likely reach Kirigakure in about a day.'
Kakashi stood beside him, his expression as listless as ever, his dead-fish eye fixed on the small yellow book in his hands. He hadn't had a chance to read it during their rushed journey.
Although the author of the book was right beside him, Kakashi had no intention of discussing the plot with Jiraiya, mainly because the latter wasn't in the mood.
"By the way, I'm quite curious about what kind of 'sincerity' Konoha is offering. Could you satisfy my curiosity?"
As the two continued to enjoy the sea breeze, Mei's voice reached them. She had approached, her long, wavy auburn hair fluttering in the wind. With a graceful gesture of her right hand, she exuded an air of mature charm.
Jiraiya didn't answer the question directly. Instead, he offered an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, Mei-dono, but this matter is of great importance. We must discuss it directly with the Yondaime Mizukage."
"Is that so? What a shame."
Though Mei said it was a shame, her expression remained relaxed and smiling. She could tell that in these negotiations with Konoha, Kirigakure held the upper hand.
"Speaking of which, I heard Kirigakure has been on high alert recently. Did something happen in the village? If there's anything we can help with, Kakashi and I would be more than willing."
Kakashi nodded subtly in agreement.
Mei glanced at the two, fully aware of their intentions. "It's just a couple of troublesome rats. The matter has already been resolved. It won't be long before Kirigakure resumes normal interactions with the outside world."
Kisame's defection had been a significant blow to Kirigakure. No one had expected the ever-loyal Kisame to betray the village. And Sasori, though severely injured, had managed to escape her pursuit.
But such information was best kept from other villages.
"Is that so? That's good to hear."
Not having gathered any useful intelligence, Jiraiya's expression remained unchanged, still wearing a faint smile.
"Mei-sama, there's a ship approaching us."
Ao emerged from the cabin, the veins around his right eye, which is covered by an eyepatch, bulged slightly.
"A ship?" Mei was puzzled. In such a vast expanse of ocean, what were the odds of a ship heading straight for them?
Moreover, to reach Kirigakure quickly, they hadn't taken the usual route, which meant the other ship was deliberately targeting them.
"Ao, can you see the details of the other ship?"
Ao shook his head and said, "No, it's too far away. I can only sense unfamiliar chakra, and it's quite strong."
"It seems they're coming for us. Call Chojuro out. We might have a fight on our hands."
"Understood." Ao immediately went back into the cabin to fetch Chojuro.
"Mei-dono, don't worry. We'll help if it comes to that."
Jiraiya flashed a confident smile. It had been a while since the Toad Sage had engaged in a real fight.
---
On the other side.
On the patrol ship of the Land of Waves.
Natsu was also using her Byakugan to monitor the approaching Chakra.
"Captain Inabi, there's a ship heading toward the territorial waters of the Land of Waves. And they're not following the designated route. They're trying to cut straight through."
Hearing this, Inabi, the captain of the Land of Waves' maritime patrol, frowned deeply. He glanced toward the port of the Land of Waves, where several large transport ships were unloading cargo, and a few more were preparing to set sail.
'If the intruding ship was allowed to pass, it would undoubtedly disrupt the normal operations of our fleet and potentially damage the transport ships.'
"We can't let them through. They'll disrupt our fleet's operations. Since they're not following maritime rules, we'll teach them the rules of the Land of Waves."
"Bring the ship closer!"
Inabi spoke with a stern expression. He wouldn't allow anyone to disrupt the order of the Land of Waves.
"Yes!"
Beside him, several Uchiha Clan's members responded with equal fervor. After patrolling the seas for so long, they were finally going to take action!
The patrol ship quickly accelerated toward Mei's vessel.
Natsu, who was standing by, was speechless and felt that her ears were almost numb.
But her expression soon turned to one of alarm as she shouted: "Captain, the one on the opposite ship is Jiraiya... It's Jiraiya and Kakashi!"
The Sannin of Konoha, Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Tsunade, might have earned their title after losing to Hanzo of the Salamander, but over the years, they had shed the shame associated with the title and turned it into a symbol of their status and strength.
Right now, the title of Sannin represented the pinnacle of Konoha's power.
"Jiraiya and Kakashi? In this case, it will be a bit troublesome."
Inabi's brow furrowed, but he didn't order the patrol ship to stop. Instead, he turned to one of the Uchiha: "Sogen, light the signal flare. Report this situation to Naruto-sama immediately."
"Yes!"
The Uchiha named Sogen responded loudly, then ran outside to light a signal flare and summoned a crow to deliver the information.
"Next, let's test the strength of the legendary Sannin!"
---
On Mei's ship.
Everyone looked up at the signal flare rising into the sky and exploding in the distance, a sense of foreboding settling over them.
They could now see the dark silhouette of the approaching ship.
"Ao, can you see who's on that ship?"
Mei asked the man beside her.
Ao stared intently at the silhouette and said, "There are only six people on that ship, but they're all strong... Wait, there's a Hyuga among them!"
Ao suddenly exclaimed, having spotted a pair of pure white eyes.
"What!"
Everyone was shocked. Mei and her companions immediately drew their kunai and distanced themselves from Jiraiya.
Kakashi also reacted instinctively, pulling out a kunai and pointing it at Mei and the other two.
"We need an explanation! "
Jiraiya sighed, raising his hands in a placating gesture: "There must be some misunderstanding..."
As the two sides faced off, a commanding voice rang out from the approaching ship.
"You are about to illegally enter the territorial waters of the Land of Waves!"
"Turn back now, or face the consequences!"