Next Stop: Sabaody!
After sailing for half a day, the sea became increasingly open, and more and more merchant ships came and went on the route. Occasionally, a few pirate ships could be seen keeping their distance, not daring to approach the sailboat flying the Uchiha Gunbai flag.
On the deck, several team members leaned against the ship's railing and chatted, their initial naiveté gone and replaced by a more mature composure.
"Next stop is Sabaody, right?" The girl with the ponytail, who had been remarking yesterday that going out to sea felt like a spring outing, looked at the distant sea with a more serious tone. "The battlefield described in textbooks, we're finally going to see it with our own eyes."
"Don't let your guard down," a teammate whispered a reminder. "Sabaody is a mixed bag, not only with pirates and merchants, but also with Marine bases and World Government spies. It's the most complex area in the first half of the journey."
The crowd's emotions subtly subsided, and the expectation in their eyes slowly turned into caution.
Rin stood on the side of the ship, continuously releasing her short-range Observation Haki to monitor the surrounding sea in real time and prevent any unexpected situations. She turned to look at Chunwu, who was standing at the bow of the ship, and spoke softly.
"The closer we get to Sabaody, the more eyes and ears we'll have. Spy agents from the Four Emperors, Navy patrols, and spies from underground forces will all be watching us."
"I know." Chunwu looked ahead, his eyes clear. "Therefore, we will maintain the highest level of alert from now on. We will not provoke trouble, nor will we deliberately avoid it. We will leave port immediately after resupply and will not linger on the island."
He knew very well that Sabaody was the true dividing line in the landscape.
Beyond this sea lies the turbulent New World, the focal point of all the top powers across the entire ocean.
But to his utter surprise, besides the lurking CP0 and the observing forces of the Four Emperors, there was another group of unexpected people who had already arrived at the Sabaody Archipelago and were quietly waiting for their arrival.
Sabaody Archipelago, Mangrove Area 32.
The trees provide ample shade, and shimmering bubbles float and drift in the air. The streets are bustling with traffic and the sounds of people are incessant. At the window of an inconspicuous street-side tavern, a few figures quietly take their seats.
Monkey D. Luffy rested his chin on his hand, gazing expectantly at the sea outside the window with bright, sparkling eyes.
"Zoro, have you heard? A group of really powerful brats have set sail from the West Blue!"
The green-haired swordsman, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slightly opened them upon hearing this and replied calmly, "I've heard about it, the new generation of the Uchiha."
"Mr. Natsu's people!" Luffy's eyes lit up even more, and he instantly perked up, leaning forward slightly. "They must be very strong! When they arrive, I'm going to fight them! And I'll ask them where Mr. Natsu is!"
Sanji to the side, shook his head helplessly, holding his wine glass, and muttered, "You, all you ever think about is fighting."
Usopp looked cautious, his brows furrowing slightly. "I've heard that the entire squad is made up of Jonin, with extremely strict discipline. They're young but already capable of handling things on their own; they're no ordinary rookie pirates."
Luffy didn't care about any of that; he was only looking forward to meeting again and having a match.
With his two years of training coming to an end, he was eager to spar with powerful opponents from all walks of life, and the new generation of Uchiha were undoubtedly the opponents he was most interested in right now.
Meanwhile, at a naval branch base on the same island.
The garrison officer, Rear Admiral general, held the latest intelligence report in his hand, his face grave.
The pages on the table clearly recorded the entire battle of Iron Reef Port, and between the lines was a brand-new assessment of the combat power of the new generation of Uchiha.
"Twenty-one men, pacified three hundred pirates in half a day, and captured the captain with a bounty of two hundred and thirty million." The officer muttered to himself, his tone full of disbelief.
"These are the geniuses mass-produced by the Uchiha clan? Their combat strength far surpasses that of an ordinary elite Marine squad."
The Adjutant beside him bowed and reported, "Reporting to the Rear Admiral, the target fleet has been confirmed to be heading towards Sabaody, and is expected to enter the port this evening. Headquarters has already issued orders to prohibit any proactive conflict, monitor the entire process, and only record without interfering."
The officer let out a heavy sigh, his eyes filled with apprehension and helplessness.
Headquarters explicitly forbids provoking them, the Four Emperors are secretly observing, and CP0 is following them closely to gather intelligence.
This seemingly peaceful bubble archipelago is now secretly rife with undercurrents because of a team of teenagers.
Half a nautical mile away in the deep sea, aboard the speedboat that had always been hidden and following them.
Uchiha Kei remained seated cross-legged, his fingertips gently stroking the hilt of his Tachi. His Observation Haki steadily locked onto the twenty-one vibrant and alive auras in front of him, without the slightest lapse in concentration.
The Night Owl Guard beside him spoke softly, "Young Master, the fleet is about to arrive at Sabaody. The island is rife with various factions. Should we set up an early warning barrier in advance?"
Qi shook his head slightly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Need not."
"Let them figure it out themselves."
"They should have been the ones to handle this crisis in Sabaody themselves."
The sea breeze is strong, and the sails are fluttering.
The Uchiha's new generation of sailboats cleaved through the last ocean wave, and in the distance, shimmering bubbles floating in the air and giant mangrove forests stretched as far as the eye could see.
The road ahead is under the spotlight.
The road ahead is the first encounter.
The grand saga of the new generation of Uchiha is about to begin in the Sabaody Archipelago.
The pier on Origin Island is constantly exposed to the sea breeze, and the damp, salty smell carries the breeze across the bluestone pavement of the entire harbor area.
Uchiha Setsuna sat alone in the duty room, a half-finished application for the expansion of the Earthly Chief Guard lying on his desk. The ink was neat, but he had stopped writing long ago.
The coarse pottery iced tea beside me sat for a while, until the temperature completely dissipated and it was ice-cold.
He raised his hand and rubbed his aching lower back. As he got older, the old ailment from years of working at his desk would flare up from time to time. Just as he was about to get up and stretch, the door was pushed open abruptly.
A Heavenly Star Guard on lookout duty at the port strode in. Though the young man tried to suppress his excitement, it couldn't be concealed in his voice.
Her voice trembled slightly as she announced, "Elder Setsuna! Lord Natsu Yin has returned! The ship has just docked at the pier!"
In Setsuna, his fingertips loosened their grip, and the wolf-hair brush landed steadily on the edge of the paper, splashing a little light ink.
He paid no heed to the scattered ink stains, grabbed the outer robe draped over the back of the chair and put it on his shoulders, hurrying towards the dock pier.
Uchiha Fugaku had already arrived at the seaside and was standing quietly on the side of the pier waiting.
Seeing the figure rushing towards Setsuna, he slightly stepped aside to make way for him, his calm tone concealing a barely concealed smile.
"Returning a few days earlier than originally scheduled, it seems the thorny issues in the other realm must have been resolved satisfactorily."
A gentle sea breeze caressed the sails, the mooring lines securing the hull tightened layer by layer, and heavy planks slowly fell, firmly connecting to the wooden pier and creating a passageway between the cabin and the shore.