Land of Whirlpools: Breaking the Deadlock

The next day, everyone in the Hot Spring Street woke up later than usual.

The morning mist was thick, and although the shops on the street had opened one after another, the shopkeepers' movements were tinged with a lazy weariness. Even the stray cats that used to chase and play at the alley entrances were quietly lying on the walls, only occasionally wagging their tails.

Last night's chaotic battle at the dock was like a high fever that drained the energy of the entire town. Now that the fever has subsided, all that's left is exhaustion.

Jotaro Uzumaki walked along the wet cobblestone path, through the still-steaming Hot Spring Street.

He hurried back from the neighboring county before dawn, his sleeves still damp with dew, and a scroll of documents sealed with wax tucked into his belt.

His original purpose for going out this time was to smooth things over with a few old acquaintances in the Land of Land of Hot Water before the four from Konoha arrived in the Land of Whirlpools.

However, the trip did not go smoothly. He visited many places but was turned away everywhere. Even Fukurokuju, who was his closest friend, refused to see him and only sent him a message.

A storm is coming; take care of yourself.

He was well aware of this, otherwise he wouldn't have come to visit. Jōtarō was extremely anxious and wanted to continue to see them, but he couldn't leave the four from the Land of Fire waiting, so he had no choice but to rush back to the Hot Spring Street overnight.

But when he rushed back early in the morning, he found that the usually bustling street had suddenly become very quiet, and he had a vague premonition that something big had happened.

He first went to the inn where Enma was staying.

Enma a well-known genius boy in the clan; Jōtarō met him when he was still an infant.

That was such a lovely child, as innocent and carefree as Hikaru Minamoto, his pure and innocent smile like a little sun, winning the love and care of everyone in the clan.

As I've grown up, I smile less often, and I've developed a more mature and earnest demeanor, but I've also become more outstanding.

With his exceptional talent, he became the youngest Sealing Jutsu, and with his sharp Gozu, he became the youngest Diplomat in recent years.

The only downside... is that I take things too seriously, that's all.

According to seniority, Enma his nephew.

His nephew was just as serious as he had been described before, even more self-disciplined than his elder. He should have been practicing his skills in the courtyard long ago.

He stood at the door for a moment, but heard neither the sound of something cutting through the air nor the muffled thud of a Kunai thrown at a target.

Pushing open the door, I saw a bulge in the blankets inside.

Uzumaki Enma woke up, but didn't get up.

He lay in bed, looking up at the ceiling, his eyes half-open and half-closed, his expression dazed, as if he didn't really want to get up.

Hearing the door open, he slowly sat up, his hair a mess like a haystack blown by the wind.

"You woke up so late." Jōtarō sat down by the door, casually placing the documents on his lap. "Were you thieves last night?"

Enma raised his hand, scratched the back of his head, and replied weakly, "Uncle's back... Please let me wash my face first, we can talk after I've washed my face."

Seeing his nephew looking even more dejected than after being beaten up the night before, Jōtarō became even more certain that something must have happened last night.

He sat cross-legged on the porch, waiting for Enma to return from washing up.

During this time, he took the tea brought by the innkeeper and sipped it slowly.

After Enma sat down next to him, cleared her throat, and began to tell her story, starting with her encounter with Uchiha Izuna at the Izakaya.

At first, he spoke clearly and logically, explaining how Izuna approached him, how he met the current Clan Head of the Ise clan, and how he ended up at someone else's victory celebration banquet to freeload.

But when he talked about the massive brawl at the dock last night involving thousands of people, he got flustered first.

He gestured for a long time, talking about the three-year-old feud between the Yakuza, the workers' march and petition, the strongholds in the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water, and how Izuna used a fan to send everyone flying.

Then, the eldest daughter of the Tsuchigumo Clan proposed to Tamaro in public, and the story ended with Hashirama covering his face and crying in Hashirama, Tsuchigumo Clan agreeing to marry him, which was the reason they came to the Land of Hot Water to choose a husband.

Jōtarō listened and fell silent.

He struggled to find the words, "Is this really something that can happen in an afternoon?"

Enma gave Dead-Fish Eyes. "Haha, Uncle, I wanted to ask that too."

Jōtarō went through this tangled mess in his mind again.

He had served as a close advisor to the Land of Whirlpools' Ruler for many years and had seen all sorts of absurd situations.

But like this, Yakuza, workers, Merchants' Association, Foreign Ninjas, the four giants of Konoha, Tsuchigumo Clan, all for completely different reasons, stumbled onto the same dock on the same night, ultimately creating a chaotic mess where everyone was indistinguishable from each other.

He had never seen anything like it before.

After thinking for a while, he decided to abandon his thoughts on this tangled mess and ask Enma a question first.

"So," he looked at Enma and asked, "Did you go to see Luotai? What did he say?"

Enma nodded. "I went, it didn't go very smoothly, but Uncle, you don't need to worry about the goods anymore. The Merchants' Association of the Land of Whirlpools said they are willing to cooperate with us."

"Oh?"

Enma got up, took a wooden box out of the cabinet, and opened the lid.

Inside, stacks of name cards, draft contracts, and orders were neatly piled up. There were cards from the Chamber of Commerce President, cards from Hiroyama, cards from several shops under the Ise Family, and cards from all kinds of merchants, big and small.

The papers varied in size; some were made of fine Xuan paper, while others were simply torn corners from account books. The handwriting was either neat or messy, but each one clearly stated that they wanted Uzumaki Enma to come to their place to set up a seal and reinforce the warehouse, and the price was up to him.

"This is only a part," Enma said. "At last night's banquet, there were more than ten shops under the Merchants' Association alone. Later, several people sent their employees to deliver deposits before dawn, and I haven't had time to register them yet."

Jōtarō looked down at the box full of orders, then looked up at his nephew.

"You went out for an afternoon and ate your way through the entire Commercial Street of the Land of Hot Water?"

Enma immediately corrected him. "They practically chased after me and gave it to me; I didn't take on any of the work."

Jōtarō slammed the wooden crate shut, took a deep breath, and said, "You can't handle these orders alone. We need more people. I'll have someone from Quhai's side send over."

Enma was taken aback. "Given the village's situation, can you spare any people?"

"We have to pull them out, even if we can't!" Jōtarō said irritably. "These orders have opened the door for the Uzumaki Clan in the Land of Hot Water. If the clan can't seize this opportunity, then we deserve to be wiped out!"

He stood up, about to leave, when he suddenly realized something and looked at Enma.

"You say you didn't solicit any customers, so could it be that Izuna helped you get these orders?"

Enma nodded. "You could say that, but that wouldn't really be called lobbying... right..."

Jōtarō was silent for a moment, then asked, "Why is Uchiha Izuna helping us?"

He said he simply loves peace and doesn't want to see people fighting and killing, which is why he did it. He also said he would be happy as long as they could enjoy banquets, make friends, and soak in Hot Springs in the future.

Enma paused here, then added, "Also, he was responsible for what happened with the Tsuchigumo Clan last night. At the time, I didn't understand why he insisted on keeping the Tsuchigumo Clan in the Land of Hot Water, but I always felt that he was trying to secure a way for our Land of Whirlpools to survive."

Jōtarō narrowed his eyes slightly. He asked, "Why do you think that?"

"Because he only suggested that the Tsuchigumo Clan stay and settle in the Land of Hot Water after he learned that the Tsuchigumo Clan had participated in the operation against the Land of Whirlpools."

"At that time, the Ninjas from the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning had all been killed, and the Tsuchigumo Clan had also revealed their true intentions, saying that they came here for the Land of Whirlpools. They spoke so frankly, probably hoping to use this information to exchange for a way out."

"Actually, the Tsuchigumo Clan can also be considered victims after the young lady was captured. In addition, given the information they revealed, they would not be held accountable for leaving on the spot."

"But Izuna immediately stepped forward and condemned the Tsuchigumo Clan of Land of Whirlpools, implying that they should stay in the Land of Hot Water."

"After the Tsuchigumo Clan of Land of Whirlpools was exposed, they dared not do it again under public pressure. And once the Tsuchigumo Clan has truly established a foothold in the Land of Hot Water, it will not be so easy for the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water to pass through the Land of Hot Water in the future."

"I think that's probably what Izuna was thinking."

Jōtarō stood there, deep in thought.

He understood what Enma meant, but he knew that public pressure alone could not suppress an ambitious family.

He had heard of the Tsuchigumo Clan; like their own Uzumaki Clan, they were a family that started out using Sealing Jutsu and secret arts.

He could guess why they were plotting against the Land of Whirlpools.

It wasn't for their family, nor for their safety—those were just excuses. They were simply there to rob.

They coveted the Sealing Jutsu of the Land of Whirlpools and wanted to possess them.

Enma obviously didn't know this, otherwise, given his personality, he would definitely go to the Tsuchigumo Clan to demand an explanation.

But his analysis was correct.

As long as they haven't taken any substantial action, they are innocent; they are just a pitiful team who accidentally came to the Land of Hot Water and ended up having their young lady kidnapped by the Land of Water.

The reason they are currently restricted and forced to serve as a dowry squad in the Land of Hot Water is entirely due to their fear of Uchiha Izuna.

If he truly demonstrated the Strength to blow away everyone on the entire dock, then he could have used that wind to kill everyone present at the time.

Anyone who has faced this power directly would not have the intention to use fallacies or fallacies.

If Izuna really insists that they came out to work for the states of Lightning and Water.

Then the Land of Fire would send Konoha to eliminate dissidents and wipe them out before the Uzumaki even begins.

The states of Lei and Shui will not only fail to protect them, but will also distance themselves from the situation and even shift the blame further away.

In this situation, the path that Izuna pointed out to them was their only way to survive, and they had to take it.

But if they continue down this path, the Tsuchigumo will never be able to return to the Land of Fire; they will be bound to the Land of Hot Water.

Once the Land of Hot Water has its own local Shinobi Clan, it will find itself in the same predicament as the Land of Whirlpools.

The Tsuchigumo Clan must unite with the Uzumaki Clan for survival.

The plans of the Lightning and Water Kingdoms to send troops from the Land of Hot Water will be completely thwarted, and a natural Barrier will be established along the northern sea route of the Land of Whirlpools.

In addition, there's the Konoha faction represented by Izuna, who supposedly intervened for the sake of peace.

The Land of Whirlpools will become the toughest piece of meat to eat in the world.

Of course, this is all on the premise that Konoha is truly acting "for the sake of peace."

"For peace..." Jōtarō repeated softly, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Jōtarō didn't believe that Izuna was helping them only because of such unfounded ideas. But he was indeed helping the Land of Whirlpools overcome its difficulties, and whatever reward he asked for in the future, the Uzumaki Clan would accept it.

"Enma."

"Exist."

"I will first write a letter to inform the lord about the order. You should get dressed and wait here. I will accompany you to visit Konoha shortly."