Those who received invitations from Fish-Man Island naturally included more than just Salasa, the "Sea Mother."
Just as Divine Harmony was taking Salasa away from the Dragon Folk territory toward the Black Ice Palace in the deep sea.
Someone lightly knocked on the door of the Sea Shadow's office in the Sea Ninja Village below.
Tengen Uzui and Shikaku Nara exchanged a glance.
"Come in."
"Oh, it's Clan Chief Shigenobu. Please, have a seat."
The visitor was tall and powerfully built, with silver-gray skin, gills on both cheeks, and sharp fangs.
He was the Hoshigaki Clan Chief who had come all the way from Kuri Village.
His ninja rank in the Sea Ninja Village was Jonin, so he was indeed qualified to speak directly with the Sea Shadow.
Shikaku Nara stood and yielded his seat to the other man.
"Lord Sea Shadow, please take a look at this."
Hoshigaki Shigenobu took a gold-and-red invitation from inside his collar and placed it on the desk.
"A unified invitation from Ryugu Palace?"
Tengen Uzui, wearing the Sea Shadow's bamboo hat, picked it up with some confusion.
After reading its contents, his expression turned even stranger.
"You were classified as Fish-Men?"
Shikaku Nara explained, "Lord Sea Shadow, the Hoshigaki Clan has indeed been classified by the World Government as a branch of the Fish-Man Race. Their records state 'Shinobi World Fish-Man Race.'"
Hoshigaki Shigenobu nodded. "That is the situation. What do you think? Should we accept the invitation?"
This had caught him off guard as well.
He had been at home teaching his son Kisame, who had just returned from school.
Then a Fish-Man claiming to be a Ryugu Palace steward had come to his door, leading a squad of Neptune Army Fish-Man warriors.
Unsure what to make of the invitation, he had