On the ocean outside the Land of Waves, Hidan stood atop the water, three-bladed scythe slung over his shoulder, looking very annoyed. He was clearly waiting for someone.
When two figures finally emerged from the sea mist, the silver-haired cultist scowled. "Oi, oi, you guys took forever!"
"Yeah, well, can't be helped. Itachi-san and I were still on a mission in the Land of Grass. Got recalled by the boss—told to help you out here. We can't exactly fly like Deidara."
Kisame stretched his arms, taking in the moist sea air with visible satisfaction. A true Mist ninja, he relished this damp weather.
"What's the big deal? Doesn't look like we're facing any real enemies here."
Itachi's scarlet Sharingan glowed faintly beneath his cloak, his tone as calm as ever. After receiving Kakuzu's request, Pain had sent Itachi and Kisame to assist with sealing off the Land of Waves. Hinata's proposal—to surround the country with reef-like earth formations to block sea routes—was, by Akatsuki standards, optimal for their "handmade factory" plans.
"Tch. Ask Kakuzu. He's the one in charge of reef-building. From what I heard, the southern and northern sections are already done."
Hidan shrugged and led the way back to land. Once the two Akatsuki pairs regrouped, Kakuzu filled them in on the plan in detail.
Even Kisame raised a brow.
"Gotta admit, some people are just born to rule. This girl's really got a head for control."
He tapped his chin thoughtfully, then nodded. "Alright. I'll summon some reef sharks to patrol the sea around the reefs. Shouldn't take long."
"Here's the reef layout." Kakuzu passed over a scroll. "Make sure to leave three safe lanes for ship travel. We're enclosing the nation, not sealing it shut. Gotta keep emergency exits for us, after all."
The reef chain map was dotted with trap-like formations, and only Akatsuki would know the hidden paths within them.
"Heh~ Looks like the Land of Waves is as good as ours now," Kisame chuckled, handing the map to Itachi. "I'll go handle my part. You go take a break."
But before Itachi could leave, the ground beside them shifted. Zetsu's iconic Venus flytrap head poked up through the soil, and Black Zetsu's eerie voice echoed out.
"No rest yet. Itachi's got another job."
"What now? You again? Itachi doesn't even have summoning jutsu—what's he gonna do?"
Hidan scowled. He clearly wasn't a fan of Zetsu's appearances.
"Orders from the boss~" White Zetsu chimed in cheerfully. "If we're going to control the Land of Waves, we might as well do it perfectly. Meaning… Itachi, you're gonna give the daimyo a friendly little genjutsu push. Make him more… cooperative."
Kisame's eyes narrowed. He could guess where this order had really come from—someone who knew of Uchiha Madara. If they could mind-bend the local daimyo, they'd achieve total control.
"I understand. It won't take long."
Itachi nodded. With his Mangekyō Sharingan, he was the perfect man for the job.
"Alright. Continue as planned. Once Suigintou leaves the country, the Land of Waves will be ours."
---
[Training]
"Shinsaaran!!"
(Divine SandStorm)
In the forest, Naruto struggled to control his chakra.
"Shinsaaran!!"
Wind chakra spiraled along his arms, coalescing through the Saint Fist Gauntlets into a pair of howling tornados. But just as the energy peaked—pain exploded from his stomach.
The chakra flow broke.
The whirlwinds shattered like glass, slicing at his own face. Fresh blood trickled down his cheeks.
"Damn it…"
He collapsed backward, breathing hard. His body was covered in shallow cuts. His clothing was in tatters. It was clear this wasn't the first time he had failed.
Shinsaaran demanded an immense burst of chakra in an instant—far beyond Naruto's current control. Worse, it consumed his own chakra so quickly that the Four Symbols Seal couldn't convert the Nine-Tails' chakra in time. And Naruto, ever since the last incident, had become hyper-sensitive and fearful of drawing on Kurama's power.
Whenever he felt even a trace of it seeping out, he would reflexively pull back, disrupting his focus. And so the jutsu failed—again.
In theory, if he could tighten the focus of Shinsaaran—shrinking its area and adjusting its output—he could reduce the chakra cost. But Naruto's control was still lacking, even after all the "peeling fruit" training.
However—there was one upside.
Shinsaaran's power… was terrifying.
The area before Naruto looked like a tornado had ravaged it. Trees were slashed with deep gouges. Stones bore spiral etchings like erosion scars. Even the earth had been scored and ripped apart. The damage wasn't just superficial—it was absolute.
---
🌀 Custom Technique Reference (Condensed)
Orochi Pheasant (Hinata)
Amatsu-no-Habakiri – Divine Slash (Sasuke)
Shinsaaran – Wind/Storm Release AoE burst (Naruto)
Sakabatō – Mythical blade (Sasarin);
Shikon Jewel