On the boundless sea, a giant Sea King broke through the waves and cruised slowly onward.
Dozens of Uchiha elites stood atop its head, led by Fugaku Uchiha. With them were Deidara, Sasori, Kisame, and Hidan of Akatsuki.
"Hey! How much longer until we get there?"
Hidan impatiently rapped the Sea King's rough hide with the shaft of his Bloody Scythe and shouted at Fugaku, who stood ahead with his hands behind his back.
"I'm sick of bobbing around on this damned sea! I want to get ashore! I want to have some fun!"
Deidara chimed in, "Exactly, Uncle Fugaku. Art needs land for a stage. Being stuck at sea is boring!"
They had been wandering the Grand Line for nearly a full day since leaving Marineford.
Used to solid ground beneath their feet, Hidan and Deidara were thoroughly fed up. The damned sea was too boring. Land was where the fun was.
They had originally wanted to stay a while longer after seeing how many powerful fighters this world held.
Now, though, it seemed best to head back soon. Life at sea was too dull!
Fugaku frowned and ignored their complaints.
He scanned the horizon ahead with suspicion, then looked down at the sea chart in his hand.
"This should be the right direction," Fugaku murmured, glancing around at the endless sea.
"Our heading is right. At the Sea King's speed, we should already be able to see the outline of the Yarukiman Mangroves on Sabaody Archipelago. Why is there nothing but open water ahead?"
The Sharingan's long-range vision could not match the Byakugan's, but it was more than enough out at sea.
If Sabaody Archipelago was within normal sight, he could not possibly have missed it.
Yet now, there was nothing but blue sea and sky.
A sense