The Land of Waves was similar to the Land of Whirlpools, a small island isolated overseas.
The difference was that the Land of Waves was a country too poor to even support a ninja village. It had been seized by Gato's Kado Company and turned into a transit hub for smuggling and trafficking contraband.
Its residents were impoverished as well, barely surviving by fishing.
After landing in the Land of Waves, Zabuza and Haku had few thoughts upon seeing the sallow, emaciated civilians along the coast. But Shisui, born into the Uchiha clan and raised in Konoha since childhood, frowned.
The civilians here lived at an abysmally low standard. It was hard to imagine that this was the territory of the wealthy Gato.
Noticing Shisui's expression, Zabuza said matter-of-factly, "Lord Shisui, these civilians are actually doing fairly well. I've seen people in far worse conditions within the Land of Water. In refugee camps, I've even seen people eating their own kind..."
"I see." Shisui nodded, his expression growing much graver.
Zabuza smiled and said in an exaggerated tone, "If they weren't driven by life itself, who would be willing to start a war? They're all forced into it. If they don't seize their enemies' resources, they can't survive."
Shisui glanced at Zabuza. "I didn't expect you to understand so much."
"Of course. I was born in the Blood Mist Village. The year I graduated, I killed every one of my classmates and forced the higher-ups to change that brutal graduation exam. I just never expected the lofty Mizukage to be nothing more than a puppet under someone else's control."
After a pause, Zabuza said wistfully, "It seems Kirigakure will never escape its fate of being a puppet."
Hearing this, Haku poked Zabuza's shoulder. Zabuza came to his senses and hurriedly