The Journey Begins
A brand-new Uchiha Gunbai banner rose into the air, fluttering in the cool night breeze, firmly occupying the highest point of the island.
This is the first clan flag that the new generation of Uchiha raised themselves in the first half of the Grand Line after leaving the West Blue.
Twenty-one teenagers stood on the harbor, gazing at the flags fluttering in the wind, their eyes shining with an ever-growing determination.
After a brief rest, the sailboat raised its sails again and set sail, cutting through layers of waves, continuing its journey towards a treacherous New World.
The Gunbai -shaped flags unfurled steadily in the night breeze of Iron Reef Port, covering the entire harbor in the darkness.
The Uchiha youths each performed their duties, methodically cleaning up the battlefield.
Some were responsible for counting and imprisoning the pirate prisoners, some for registering the island's supplies and terrain data, and others for re-investigating potential hazards along the coastline, thoroughly incorporating this newly cleared island into the observation log.
Chunwu finished writing the last line of the task record, closed the book, and stood up.
The cool touch of the stone steps still lingered on his clothes. He looked up at the sea. The sea route was dark and vast under the night sky, with waves surging into the distance, the direction leading to Sabaody and the New World.
Rin followed beside him, her gaze sweeping over the team members who were playing around and resting. She said softly, "Everyone is in great shape. No one panicked in this battle, and no one made a mistake."
"It's just the right amount of experience for us." Chunwu's tone was calm, without a trace of pride. "The Hyena Pirates are more ferocious than experienced, which is perfect for us to hone our combat skills. It's not a real tough battle."
He knew all too well the team's weaknesses.
All members possess solid Jonin foundations, and their Clan Academy's tactics, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu are all top-notch. However, none of them have experienced real life-or-death battles or clashes with the top forces of the sea.
Tonight's crushing victory was just an appetizer; the real danger never lay with the ordinary pirates in the first half.
Rin nodded slightly, understanding the principle perfectly.
She raised her hand and rubbed her temples. The continuous use of Observation Haki had taken a toll on her, and there was a hint of fatigue in her eyes.
"Should we head straight to Sabaody?"
"Rest for one night, and set off at dawn." Chunwu turned to look at the fleet. "Traveling overnight can easily lead to fatigue, and at sea, the worst thing is to underestimate the enemy and be careless."
Moreover, Iron Reef Port has a special location, near the intersection of multiple shipping routes, and there is a high probability that passing forces will pass through. It would be more prudent to stay overnight to observe the situation."
Lin nodded knowingly, and was about to turn around to arrange the shifts when his gaze suddenly stopped.
The evening breeze weaved through the cracks in the rocks, bringing with it a faint scent that seemed completely out of place in this sea.
It's not the everyday life of fishermen, nor the violent aura of pirates; it's a cold, deathly stillness that hides in the shadows year-round, concealing all its sharpness.
Almost instantly, she unleashed her Observation Haki again, her senses instantly covering the near-shore waters, and a deep frown suddenly settled between her brows.
"What's wrong?" Chunwu keenly noticed the change in her expression, Three-Tomoe Sharingan instantly and quietly activated, a fleeting crimson light flashing in his eyes.
"Three nautical miles offshore, there's a hidden presence pausing to observe." Rin lowered his voice, speaking rapidly. "The other party is extremely well hidden, showing no malicious intent, nor approaching to probe; it seems to be following and observing."
Chunwu looked towards the dark sea in the direction she sensed, but all she could see were undulating black waves, with not a single ship or light in sight.
The fact that it could conceal itself from the senses of two three-tomoe Uchiha clans and stalk them from a distance indicates that it was no ordinary pirate or a passing merchant ship.
The answer is already self-evident.
"CP0," Chunwu uttered three words calmly.
Starting from Whiskey Peak, they traveled seemingly unnoticed, but in reality, they were constantly under the watchful eyes of the World Government.
It was to be expected that Mary Geoise would not allow a small, elite Uchiha team to venture alone on the Grand Line, and would secretly send people to follow and monitor them.
"Should we actively drive them away?" Rin's fingertips twitched slightly, Chakra quietly flowed around her.
"I can take two people to flank them and force them to reveal their location."
"No need." Chunwu raised his hand to stop her movement, his tone calm and resolute. "They only dare to observe, not to make a move. Outside the West Blue, no force dares to rashly declare war on the new generation of the Uchiha. That would be a real pretext for war."
He saw through it all; the other side's goal was never to ambush them, but simply to probe their strength, their tactical habits, their reactions in the moment, and to uncover the true trump card of the Uchiha clan's mass-produced geniuses.
"Then let them see." Chunwu gazed into the darkness of the deep sea, his eyes utterly calm. "Our trials are an open journey. Since they want to record them, let them record them."
Rin frowned slightly. "Letting them follow us will always be a hidden danger."
"The hidden danger isn't in following us, but in our weaknesses," Chunwu said softly. "The more they observe, the more wary they'll become. Appropriately displaying our strength is more intimidating than constantly hiding."
In the midst of their hushed conversation, aboard a small, shadowy speedboat in the distance, the CP0 agent who had been lying in wait for days was writing down the latest intelligence.
He witnessed the entire Battle of Iron Reef Port, and the words he wrote became increasingly solemn and cold.
The new generation of Uchiha executed tactics flawlessly, Genjutsu to silently clear the field, demonstrating an extremely high level of teamwork.
Captain Uchiha Chunwu's combat power far surpasses that of other pirates with the same bounty, his mentality is extremely calm, without the arrogance of youth, and his judgment in battle is accurate.
No one in the crew underestimated the enemy or acted rashly; their discipline far surpassed that of other pirate forces of the same age along the Grand Line.
After writing this line, he paused slightly, his fingertips resting on the paper.
The other party had clearly noticed his presence, but showed no intention of driving him away, probing him, or starting a war.
It is confidence, composure, and utter disdain.
He finally added a last sentence, "The target has extremely strong psychological qualities, an outstanding overall perspective, and seems to possess a strategic vision that should not exist among combat forces of the same level, making him of extremely high observational value."
The moment the intelligence was encrypted and sent, the nearshore sea remained calm and still, as if no undercurrents had ever stirred.
The night passed peacefully in Iron Reef Port.
At dawn the next day, the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon, and the pale golden morning light blanketed the entire sea.
The sea breeze was clear, dispelling the darkness and cool dampness of last night.
All twenty-one Uchiha members have assembled, with ample supplies and in high spirits.
The three hundred captured pirates were imprisoned on the spot according to their clan rules and handed over to the West Blue shuttle ship for further handling. The temporary observation point on the island was completed, and all procedures were carried out in an orderly manner.
"Raise the sails and set sail."
At Chunwu's command, the anchor was slowly raised, the sails unfurled in the wind, and the sailboat once again broke through the waves, heading at full speed towards the Sabaody Archipelago.