A few days later, Naruto and Shisui arrived in the Land of Rivers by ship.
As a buffer zone separating the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers was filled with mountains and waterways. Its rainfall could not compare to the prosperous Land of Fire, but compared to the Land of Wind, it was practically paradise.
Therefore, in every great ninja war, Sunagakure had sought to seize the Land of Rivers, only to return empty-handed each time.
After all, for Konoha, which commanded the Land of Fire, the Land of Rivers was neither particularly important nor expendable. But they could not allow Sunagakure to obtain this strategically significant territory. Suppressing Sunagakure's development was the top priority.
Combined with its status as a buffer zone and the weakness of the small ninja villages within its borders, this place had become a lawless land of chaos.
Naruto had no plans for the Land of Rivers for the time being. A country whose governing costs exceeded its gains would only burden the Land of Whirlpools. Unless he possessed the national strength of the Land of Fire, he would not consider expansion.
They had come to the Land of Rivers for only one reason: to obtain Danzo's Mangekyō Sharingan and complete a pair of Mangekyō Sharingan.
Originally, he had planned to have Shisui lead the Uchiha squad on the mission. But considering Shisui's history, he might somehow provide Danzo with more Sharingan material, so Naruto had simply decided to personally bring Shisui along to hunt Danzo down.
The moment they left the harbor, Naruto sensed several malicious Chakra signatures.
He gave Shisui a look. Shisui used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from the spot, soon returning while carrying several ninja dressed as residents of the Land of Rivers.