Uchiha's personal opinion

As the thick smoke dissipated slightly, the naval warships hit by concentrated fire from the main guns revealed their pitiful state.

The mast was broken, the oarsmen were all dead, poisonous smoke and flames spread everywhere, countless horrific craters covered the hull, seawater was pouring in, and the deck was littered with corpses. Only a few naval officers with Armament Haki or who had eaten Devil Fruits were able to save themselves—and before that, the marines were all lined up on the deck, ready to board!

The power of a single strike was enough to reduce a warship to such a state!

The rear admiral was stunned by the sight of the utterly ruined warship...

Is this still a pirate?

How come their firepower is even more ferocious than the navy's?

The Marine Rear Admiral, accustomed to asymmetrical battles with pirates, was completely caught off guard.

"Boom boom boom!"

The second salvo from the naval guns startled the still-dazed rear admiral.

"Spread out! Full speed ahead!"

The rear admiral, his face contorted with rage, stared at yet another warship engulfed in smoke and roared with heart-wrenching fury: "Main guns, fire back immediately!"

"fire!"

The scrambling navy soldiers began pulling the breechblocks, launching a chaotic counterattack against the Kirigakure fleet!

"They are all barbarians!"

With a heart as refreshed as drinking sour plum juice on a sweltering summer day, Pipa Juzo was beaming with joy, his smile almost bursting out of his otherwise ferocious face!

"Strong ships and powerful cannons are the foundation of a ninja village, and bravery and skill in battle are the root of a ninja!"

Pipa Juzo smiled at those around him and said, "From now on, as long as we persist in developing this belief, the whole world will eventually be ours!"

"That's right!"

"The Fourth Generation Lord is truly insightful!"

The Hidden Mist Jonin immediately flattered him.

"Full power to the boilers! Accelerate immediately to create distance, avoid direct confrontation with the enemy fleet, and prepare for cross-course bombardment!"

Unable to resist the urge to show off his skills, Juzo Biwa grabbed the microphone from the bow of the ship and gave the order himself.

"As ordered!"

At a single command, the Mist Shadow Fleet immediately sounded their horns and accelerated, sailing out of the navy's chaotic bombing zone at a speed that far surpassed that of the sailing warships!

Subsequently, with the flagship where Biwa Juzo was located as the lead ship, the Kirigakure ironclad ship turned its rudder at a 45-degree angle again and soon changed course to travel in the opposite direction of the naval fleet!

The rear admiral, who witnessed all of this, turned even paler!

This time... I'm probably doomed!

Even the most brilliant naval commander couldn't pull off such a maneuver, because the capabilities of sailing warships simply wouldn't allow it!

He also saw a lucky cannon shot hit the enemy ship right on the hull, but the black pirate warship was completely unharmed, as if the attack was completely ineffective!

After a minute of silence, the Rear Admiral pulled a Den Den Mushi from his pocket, handed it to his adjutant, and instructed, "Report the course and outcome of this battle to headquarters!"

He then stepped out of the command center and shouted, "All naval officers with an imposing presence, assemble before me!"

"Disband the fleet on the spot and break out individually!"

The enemy's two salvos turned our two warships into torches. If they continued to fight in this way, the annihilation of our entire fleet would only be a matter of time.

As a rear admiral and fleet commander, he would rather gather his men and go to sea than slink back and be sent to a military court. He was confident that he could inflict heavy casualties if he could break through the Kirigakure pirates' ship!

This is also his way of atoneing!

……

"Fourth Hokage, it seems like they can escape now!"

"A Kirigakure Jonin who was observing with binoculars said hurriedly."

"Ha...too late!"

Pipa Juzo sneered and said, "Fire a signal flare and have the motorboat fleet prepare to encircle them!"

Then, his eyes narrowed as he saw the naval officers leaping into the water, some swimming, some wading, and charging toward his fleet!

"Commendable courage..."

Pipa Juzo made a seemingly approving comment, then his expression became even more ferocious: "Utterly foolish!"

"Aim the secondary guns and launchers at the sea surface and begin clearing!"

Grabbing his Executioner's Blade, Juzo Biwa walked to the ship's side and asked, "Jonin, do you have the courage to fight?"

"Kill them all!"

The Hidden Mist Jonin cheered with murderous intent.

Chapter 496 The Alliance of Fugitives

As the fierce battle raged until dusk, the naval officers who had suddenly approached the Kirigakure fleet were finally wiped out after a bitter struggle.

The Hidden Mist ninjas who went to battle across the sea were all wounded and exhausted; even Juzo Biwa's Executioner's Blade was broken off at the root during the fierce battle, and he was currently collecting blood from corpses in an attempt to recover.

At this moment, neither the Hidden Mist ninja nor even Juzo Biwa felt any joy of victory; they were all silent.

Although the navy was defeated, the naval officers who charged into battle left a deep impression on all the Hidden Mist ninja.

Although the two sides were evenly matched in terms of fighting spirit, and the Blood Mist Ninja, who had emerged from bloodshed, actually showed more ferocity and bravery, the so-called 'Armament Haki' of these naval officers also left a deep impression on the Hidden Mist Ninja.

However, due to a lack of understanding of each other, the Navy suffered heavy losses at the beginning of the war; and after Kirigakure's Jonin personally led the battle, the Kirigakure Jonin also suffered heavy losses.

The black energy emitted by the naval officers could withstand attacks from conventional kunai and even explosive tags. Their physical strength was comparable to that of the Cloud Village Jonin who were proficient in Lightning Release chakra body tempering techniques. Even cluster rocket launchers could not cause them much damage. The gas-like power wrapped around their fists was enough to smash the body of a Jonin with a single punch. In particular, the leader's movement speed was no less than that of a Jonin's Body Flicker Technique!

A mere thirty-odd naval officers and soldiers, despite being surrounded by more than sixty Kirigakure Jonin and Special Jonin, managed to kill as many as twenty Kirigakure Jonin before being annihilated!

The surviving Kirigakure Jonin were all injured, with six of them crippled.

It can be said that the Hidden Mist Ninja suffered heavy losses in just one battle!

"...Where are the reconnaissance ninjas?"

With a gloomy expression, Juzo Biwa sheathed his guillotine, which had mostly recovered, and asked his subordinate, Kosuke Goto, a question.

Despite the heavy losses, Juzo Biwa would be even more unwilling to let those easy targets who were transporting the "heavenly gold" escape.

"...It was dispatched fifteen minutes ago."

Goto Kosuke's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he dared not raise his hand to wipe it away.

"Assemble the fleet and prepare for another battle!"

After uttering those cold words, Pipa Juzo instantly returned to the flagship.

"We must vigorously develop our military capabilities; we must never fight close combat again!"

This was the first thought that popped into Biwa Juzo's mind after he stepped onto the deck!

……

However, instead of receiving intelligence from the scout ninja, Pipa Juzo was greeted by a strange creature that was half the height of a person.

"I am Shinsaku of Mount Myōboku..."

The sage Fukasaku lifted his cloak, revealing his face.

Pipa Juzo took a deep breath, suppressing his doubts and unease, and quietly looked at the immortal from the holy land.

This is another world!

How did the hermits of Mount Myōboku end up here? Surely their lair isn't in this world?!

Could it be...?

A bold idea popped into Pipa Juzo's mind.

"You guessed right..."

Fukasaku seemed to have read what Biwa Juzo was thinking from his expression: "Mount Myoboku was destroyed by the Uchiha..."

Pipa Juzo opened and closed his mouth several times, but didn't know what to say.

We can't just say "please accept our condolences" or "take it easy," can we? After all, our own ninja village has also been conquered.

Therefore, the two losers in the ninja world suddenly felt a sense of sympathy for each other.

"The tyranny of the shogunate was unprecedented in the world..."

Pipa Juzo racked his brains and managed to come up with two rather literary phrases in an attempt to ease the tension.

Only then did Goto Kōsuke return to the flagship with the panicked reconnaissance ninja. However, upon seeing Fukasaku Sage's face, he dared not say anything more, but simply knelt on one knee to apologize to Biwa Juzō.

"...Your target is probably that fleet too, right?"

Fukasaku glanced at the scout ninja and immediately understood.

"That's right!"

"I can admit it very readily," said Pipa Juzo.

"That fleet has been captured by my Greninja Frog squadron, and all the crew members have been completely slaughtered..."

"That's what the immortal said."

"...Congratulations to Mount Myōboku."

Pipa Juzo's lips twitched, and he forced a smile.

"Mount Myōboku has already obtained what it wanted; those treasures are useless to us Greninjas..."

If Fukasaku Sennin has something to point out.

The ten loquats stirred my heart.

"...Therefore, I intend to give all the treasures to my friends in Kirigakure as a token of Mount Myōboku's goodwill."

As expected, the hermit Fukasaku said the words that Juzo Biwa most wanted to hear!

Although these gold and silver treasures are useless to the Greninja, the Hidden Mist ninjas are different. After all, they are still 'human' and have every opportunity to infiltrate this world through disguise to make purchases. Therefore, these gold and silver treasures are still very important to them—after all, plundering cannot obtain all the necessities.

"On behalf of the Blood Mist lineage of Kirigakure, I express my sincerest gratitude to Mount Myōboku for its kindness!"