Uchiha's personal opinion

Sakazuki snorted and said, "As for what these changes represent, I think you gentlemen should already know!"

The ripples in the calm zone signify the impending disappearance of shipping lanes; the anomalies in the Triangle Current indicate a high likelihood of problems with the World Government's 'Triangle Rapid Support System'; and the changes in the magnetic field are even more alarming—meaning the threshold for entering the ocean has been further lowered! Many rural peasants no longer need even the cheapest logging needles; all they need is an inexpensive and easily copied nautical chart to embark on their sea voyages in a canoe!

The Five Elders could easily figure out what those "lowly people" were after they went to sea and what they planned to do!

If countless lowly people from member states were to flood the ocean, how many nails could the navy, even if it were made of steel, possibly hammer?

After all, the problem of pirates cannot be solved as long as the injustices of the world are not fundamentally changed; the Five Elders are well aware of this.

As for proactive change, there has never been a case throughout history where a ruling class turned its sword against itself, let alone the Celestial Dragons, a world noble family accustomed to luxury and debauchery.

"...Is that really the case?"

This time, the Five Elders did not cut off communications. Instead, they whispered among themselves for a long time in front of the two admirals before asking, "Does the Navy have any specific assessment or statement?"

"Humph!"

Sakassky was immediately enraged.

"There are no arrangements yet, and this intelligence is of great importance. We cannot assign ordinary naval personnel to investigate it, otherwise, no matter what the truth is, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Sengoku continued, "Therefore, I urge the highest authority to arrange for CIPHER POL to conduct a covert investigation!"

Although Sengoku and Sakazuki's relationship was rather strained, at least this time their good cop/bad cop dynamic worked quite well, effectively shutting down all the Five Elders' potential remarks.

"...This concludes today's meeting. Remember to arrange for personnel to relieve the siege of Impel Down!"

A hurried voice came from the television screen, then the screen went dark.

"Hey Hey hey!"

Sakazuki immediately panicked: "Don't rush off! They haven't said when they'll allocate funds to build ships and recruit soldiers!"

But the screen, now completely off, could not respond.

"A bunch of bastards!"

Sakazuki cursed viciously and got up to leave.

"Aren't you going to talk?"

"Warring States Period," he suddenly spoke up.

"What do you want to talk about?"

Sakazuki stopped in his tracks, tilted his head, and looked at Sengoku, who was sitting calmly in his chair, saying, "What? Do you expect me to congratulate you on your upcoming promotion to Fleet Admiral?"

"Besides, even if you become the Fleet Admiral, what then? Can you secure funding? Can you lead shipbuilding? Can you initiate a massive conscription?"

You can't!

Sakassky's tone was full of resentment.

"But so what? Even a strategist praised by all couldn't completely wipe out the pirates, could he? Didn't he just hold onto his base and keep retreating while constantly achieving victories?"

"Kuzan, whom you always had high hopes for, is still holed up in Impel Down getting bombed, while you—"

"Humph!"

After letting out two cold laughs, Sakazuki didn't say anything more.

Because the expression on Sengoku's face had changed.

"I don't want to hear what you said today again..."

Warring States said slowly.

"Understood! As you command! After all, you will soon be the esteemed Marshal of the Warring States Period!"

Sakazuki forced a smile, then strode towards the door, tossing out before leaving, "However, your so-called supreme justice now seems to be nothing more than a paperhanger!"

……

The first to notice the anomaly in the world were not actually the navy, but the small pirate crews that were being chased and forced to flee.

Although Vice Admiral Cooper led the fleet to carry out the Buster Call targeting the Kirigakure Pirates, for those smaller pirate crews, even the aftershocks of a major battle were enough to completely crush them into dust, and the Marines never minded 'borrowing the heads of their fellow countrymen'.

So, while some small pirate crews were panicking and running around aimlessly under the threat of the Buster Call, a small and inexperienced pirate crew, without Log Pose, inadvertently entered the Calm Belt. After wandering around the edge of the sea for a while, they were able to return to the safe sea area with the help of a sudden ripple.

—A sailboat miraculously sailed back from the windless zone unscathed!

As a result, the news spread rapidly among pirates in the East Blue.

Subsequently, a few pirate crews that had unintentionally drifted from the Grand Line into the East Blue began to claim that the Memory Pose had generally malfunctioned for unknown reasons, causing deviations in magnetic field navigation. After verification by other pirate crews, it was found to be true!

The anomaly was subsequently discovered by the naval fleet carrying out the Buster Call, as they had already rescued no fewer than ten merchant fleets that had become lost due to malfunctioning memory pointers.

If only one or two fleets had gone astray, it could be explained by the captains' lack of skill. But now, so many merchant fleets have gone astray outside the operational area of ​​the naval fleet carrying out the Buster Call—and they've even come directly from the Grand Line to the East Blue. Even if Vice Admiral Garp is slow-witted, he can see that something is definitely amiss.

However, Vice Admiral Garp couldn't figure it out either, since the accounts of the lost captains were all very consistent—

"I just followed the shipping route, and then somehow I ended up in the East China Sea!"

Left with no other option, Vice Admiral Garp had to report the matter and wait for an investigation by the Navy Headquarters or the World Government.

As for his fleet, it was busy clearing out the pirates who kept coming to its door, and had no time to deal with the rampaging 'Kirigakure Pirates' and the Revolutionary Army that was gradually spreading like wildfire.

……

Uchiha Tokumitsu, who was stationed on the island where the Divine Tree was planted, also sensed a slight change in the pirate world.

Perhaps due to the effect of the Divine Tree, as its roots grew deeper, the power of the storms in the Demon Triangle began to decrease significantly. According to the static calculations of the Uzumaki Ninja, it would only take about a year for the various abnormal sea conditions in the Demon Triangle to completely subside!

In addition, the ninjas of the Second Legion discovered another anomaly: the various giant sea kings that originally lived in the Calm Belt began to migrate outwards, and even the ironclad ships that they had always ignored were now being targeted by the sea kings.

"Let's contact Hanzo's First Army and see if there's anything unusual on their end..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu rubbed his temples, looking somewhat troubled. "Imperial City is in the Calm Belt. If something unusual happens there too, it means that the pirate world has indeed changed."

After speaking, Uchiha Tokumitsu couldn't help but look back again at the Divine Tree behind him, which, although tall, still resembled a sapling.

"Also, let the six tailed beasts work hard and help wipe out those sea monsters, consider it a recruitment of them for battle..."

"As ordered!"

Fugaku Uchiha, who came to report, bowed respectfully, but then asked, "Should the two holy lands issue a conscription order to them?"

"...Not for now, let's wait a bit."

Uchiha Tokumitsu closed his eyes slightly and said softly, "Even when harvesting leeks, you have to wait until they grow a bit taller before you cut them."

"I respectfully obey Your Majesty's will!"

Fugaku Uchiha bowed again without showing any emotion, then took his leave.

After he left, the island of the Divine Tree returned to silence. Uchiha Tokumitsu sat on a chair covered with gnarled roots, lost in thought.

What do you think?

Suddenly, Uchiha Tokumitsu seemed to speak to thin air.

"If we were to evaluate this using your human language..."

At that moment, a small slug emerged from under the rubble to the left of Uchiha Tokumitsu. "That means it has ulterior motives."

"Of course, I had no intention of sowing discord among the royal family and clans. I hope Your Majesty will understand..."

Finally, the slug sage's clone added a sentence.

"What I mean is, Slug Sage, how do you view these unusual changes in this world..."

Uchiha Tokumitsu sighed slightly and said with some helplessness, "As for Fugaku's thoughts, it's not hard to guess. He's just a little resentful after being completely out of the running for clan leader."

"His Majesty's magnanimity is truly unlike that of an Uchiha!"

The slug fairy seemed somewhat surprised.

Uchiha Tokumitsu was speechless.

"In my memory, after the Otsutsuki clan descended to earth, the Divine Tree they planted did indeed have a very significant impact on the environment of the ninja world..."

The Slug Sage's tentacled gaze fell upon the giant 'sapling' behind Uchiha Tokumitsu, seemingly sensing and pondering this divine tree that appeared somewhat strange after its modification: "Moreover, after the Goddess of the Rabbit swallowed the fruit of the divine tree, the barbaric land destroyed by the divine tree became a complete dead zone, and even after thousands of years, there has been no change whatsoever..."

"After Takamagahara relaxed its blockade of natural energy, the surrounding wilderness has begun to recover some vitality."

Uchiha Tokumitsu said calmly.

"Gao Tianyuan..."

The slug sage was taken aback at first, then remembered that the so-called Takamagahara referred to the former Mount Myōboku.

"Natural energy is the energy born from the heavens and earth and all things in nature. It is not surprising that it can restore life to barren lands."

"However, Your Majesty is well aware of the vastness of the Wilderness. With the total amount of natural energy in the Ninja World, it is impossible to fully restore it."

"Therefore, what was lost in the ninja world was gained in the pirate world."

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded, agreeing with the Slug Sage's statement.

"By the way, how's the construction of the new holy site going?"

"It's alright, I guess..."

The slug sage twitched its two tentacles slightly and said, "It's just that I can't summon my main body using a summoning spell, so the progress can't be accelerated."

"That's good……"

Uchiha Tokumitsu nodded slightly.

The construction progress of the two sacred lands' 'branch' is actually quite important, especially the Slug Sage with his extraordinary recovery ability. In Uchiha Tokumitsu's eyes, he is simply a universal perpetual power bank. If he could join the Ninja Army's combat sequence, it would undoubtedly be a huge boost.

Although the Slug Sage's attitude seemed rather indifferent compared to the more actively involved Ryuchi Cave lineage, Uchiha Tokumitsu still believed in that saying—

"Everything has a price!"

Chapter 515 First to Enter Mary Geoise, He'll Be King

Black Zetsu, focused solely on saving his mother, was unaware of all the elaborate tricks Uchiha Tokumitsu had up his sleeve.

At this time, the filial son was actively cooperating with Ashura to search for the whereabouts of Tobi and the group of rebellious White Zetsu, but after several months, they had no results.

Although Ashura, who was in charge of leading the team, appeared relaxed and unconcerned, and even fulfilled his duties as the Director of the Independent Commission Against Corruption by investigating several political ninjas suspected of reselling salted fish during the pursuit and investigation, he still had no clue about Afei's whereabouts.

Black Zetsu was extremely anxious about this, but he couldn't show it to others, nor could he get too close to Ashura, who had a special identity. Naturally, he didn't know much about the recent developments in the ninja world—after all, Ashura's indifferent personality meant he wasn't the kind of person who was keen on inquiring about things.

Therefore, Black Zetsu was unaware that even the Gedo Mazo and the Tailed Beasts, essential for saving the Mother Goddess on the moon, had been tormented to another world by Uchiha Tokuko. Even if it could find another scapegoat in the future, it would no longer be able to unleash Infinite Tsukuyomi.