The next morning, a medium-sized wooden ship slowly departed Central Island, heading for the foreign island chain where Konoha's Shinobi Army was stationed. A diplomatic mission composed of several hundred Kirigakure jonin and Anbu was aboard.
Although Konoha had accepted mediation and begun preparing for peace talks, the navy's blockade of the Land of Water had not ceased. Nawaki had issued a strict order: Yagura and Uchiha Madara were never to be allowed to leave the Land of Water.
Therefore, after this Kirigakure delegation entered the outer island chain, it had to undergo multiple inspections by Konoha's Shinobi Army before being permitted to pass.
Aside from Rin Nohara, who was being used as a bargaining chip, everyone aboard disembarked one by one and underwent Konoha's rigorous inspection.
Though Tsunade desperately wanted to seize the chance to rescue her disciple, the Kirigakure delegation guarded Rin Nohara extremely tightly. Several jonin watched her closely aboard the ship at all times, and they explicitly warned Konoha that if they discovered any Konoha ninja attempting to board, they would immediately kill the hostage. With this threat hanging over them, Konoha's Shinobi Army could only watch helplessly as the Kirigakure delegation departed with their hostage.
Although they did not know why Kirigakure was bringing Rin Nohara to Konoha rather than conducting the exchange within the Land of Water, Konoha did not grow overly suspicious. After a series of examinations, including blood tests and chakra sensing, they confirmed that there was nothing unusual among the delegation!
They were only several hundred Mist Ninja. They posed no threat to Konoha at all; even civilian ninja from small towns in the Land of Fire could easily defeat them. In Konoha's view, the Kirigakure delegation had likely brought a hostage merely to ensure its own safety.
Tsunade and the