NIP Chapter 172 Departure, A Sharp Sword Under the Twilight
Chapter 172 Departure, A Sharp Sword Under the Twilight
Uchiha Kagami's smile deepened.
He knew that this was the most vivid response Danzo could give.
I glanced sideways at the figures busy on the deck, yet all working in an orderly fashion.
Uchiha Tokumitsu was leading his squad in the central area of the flagship, conducting final checks on the weapons and equipment.
Every person's movements were precise and efficient.
Check the blade, confirm the number of kunai and explosive tags, and check the reel.
The bay was silent, with only the tireless waves crashing against the rocks, as if playing an ancient and monotonous prelude to the upcoming expedition.
The sea breeze lifted the hem of his black outfit, making it flutter loudly.
"mirror."
Danzo suddenly spoke, his voice carried away by the sea breeze.
"Um?"
Uchiha Kagami stood beside him, his gaze also fixed on the distance.
"Tell me, what color is this sea?"
Danzo asked a rather strange question.
Uchiha Kagami remained silent for a moment, seemingly deep in thought.
"Blue during the day, black at night."
"No."
Danzo shook his head, his voice carrying an undeniable coldness.
"It has no color."
"It merely reflects the color of the sky, or perhaps, the color in the heart of the one who is watching it."
Uchiha Kagami turned his head and looked at Danzo's profile.
In the hazy sunset, the man's resolute profile resembled a rock carved by a knife and axe.
"mirror."
"It's time."
"Let this vast ocean witness the colors of Konoha."
After saying that, Danzo slowly raised his right hand.
That hand, with its prominent veins and thick calluses from years of training, exuded power.
Then, he swung it downwards with a sudden motion.
There is no language.
There is only one gesture representing going to war.
The signal was transmitted instantly.
next second.
The warship moved.
The Root ninjas untied the cables securing the ship.
The massive anchor was silently pulled up from the seabed without splashing a single extra drop of water.
"Whoosh—"
The huge black sails were unfurled at the same time, billowing out in the sea breeze.
Unlike ordinary sails that make a violent shaking sound, they only emit a low, muffled sound, like the breathing of a giant beast, and instantly take in the wind.
The entire fleet, like a herd of black sea monsters awakening from their slumber, silently glided out of the bay, their hulls cutting through the water with a soft, gurgling sound.
On the rocks by the shore, Nara Naofe and several of his Root ninjas stood side by side.
They stood motionless, like stone statues, silently watching the fleet depart in the distance.
Soon, the huge black outline merged completely with the dark sea and disappeared below the horizon.
Not a trace could be seen anymore.
It was as if they had never existed.
Only the few white trails slowly fading on the sea surface proved that what had just happened was not an illusion.
Nara Naoka slowly withdrew his gaze and straightened his clothes.
Then, everyone bowed deeply to the vast, empty sea.
"Our mission is to guard this place."
Nara Naoka's voice wasn't loud, but it was unusually calm.
He continued to gaze in the direction where the fleet had disappeared, as if he could pierce through the darkness and see the torrent of steel cutting through the waves.
"This is Konoha's first tentacles reaching into the sea, and also the most important rear route for our army."
"The Hokage has entrusted the rear to Lord Shikanobu."
"And Lord Danzo entrusted this coastline to us."
Upon hearing this, the ninja nodded heavily.
Nara Naoka turned away, looked back at the seemingly peaceful fishing village behind him.
"Pass down the order: the first squad will replace the second squad. The alert level for Bianchao Village remains unchanged."
"yes!"
The sea breeze blew by, lifting the hem of Nara Naofe's clothes.
His face bore the expression unique to the Nara clan—an expression that suggested he found things troublesome but felt compelled to do his best.
◆
The warship's command center is located in the middle and aft section of the hull, seemingly a world apart from the howling sea winds on the deck.
The heavy teak door blocked out most of the wind noise.
Danzo pushed open the door, and a scent mixed with the distinctive smell of ink from nautical chart paper, moisture-proof tung oil, and a faint aroma of tea wafted towards him.
The interior furnishings are extremely simple, but they have all the necessary amenities.
Apart from two sofas in the corner for resting, the room is fully equipped with bookshelves and a desk.
In the very center of the room, there was a huge rectangular wooden table.
A huge map of the sea was laid out on the table, with densely packed ocean currents, reefs and shipping routes marked on it with different colored ink lines.
The walls are covered with more detailed drawings, including a detailed topographical map of the Land of Whirlpools and its surrounding islands, and even structural cross-sections of several important ports.
A man was standing by a long table, his back to the door, his finger slowly moving across a map, as if making a final check.
He was dressed in black, tight-fitting clothes, just like any other Root ninja, and wore Root's signature white faceless mask.
With long, steady fingers, even as the ship swayed slightly in the waves, the pointer in his hand remained firmly stationary on a certain point on the nautical chart.
Upon hearing the door open, the man turned around, immediately put down his charcoal pencil, strode forward, and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Danzo, Lord Kagami."
"Root Intelligence Division 1, Navigation Team Leader, codename Tenmuro, reporting for duty."
Danzo nodded slightly, his gaze already fixed on the enormous sea chart.
"Condition."
His voice was brief and direct, without the slightest bit of politeness.
"Yes."
Tianyu straightened up and walked back to the long table. His voice was steady and clear, carrying the certainty unique to someone who had dealt with storms for many years.
"Please take a look, gentlemen."
His finger landed on a corner of the nautical chart, where the outline of the eastern coast of the Land of Fire was visible, and a red dot marked the village of Heianchao where they were currently located.
Starting from that red dot, a clear blue line extends straight towards an archipelago in the center of the nautical chart.
"This is our planned route, starting from Heisho Village, heading east all the way to the Land of Whirlpools."