Water Country

Water Country was one of the Five Great Nations of the Ninja World and held an extremely lofty position throughout the ninja world. The other four nations known alongside it as the Five Great Nations were the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, the Land of Wind, and the strongest among them, the Land of Fire.

The reason these five nations were called the Five Great Nations was not only because of their vast territories and resources far surpassing those of other countries, but more importantly, because they possessed military strength that other nations found difficult to challenge.

This was a world of ninja. The strength of a nation's ninja symbolized that nation's military power. These five nations were the first in the entire Ninja World to establish ninja villages. All kinds of Ninjutsu, Secret Techniques, and numerous Kekkei Genkai formed the incomparably deep foundation of the Five Great Nations. Coupled with their enormous populations continuously supplying fresh blood to their ninja villages, more and more outstanding ninja emerged, and the quality of their village ninja far exceeded that of other ninja villages.

Konoha Ninja Village in the Land of Fire displayed this point to the fullest. From Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama in the beginning, to Senju Tobirama, the Ninjutsu Doctor Sarutobi Hiruzen, Konoha White Fang, the Sannin, and later the Yellow Flash, powerful figures had emerged one after another. The other four great ninja villages could not compare to Konoha Ninja Village in this regard. This was clear from the fact that Konoha had been the victor in the previous Third Great Ninja War.

This was an era filled with geniuses and powerful figures. It was an incomparably splendid era, but also a cruel and sorrowful one. The birth of victors meant the elimination of the defeated. Every powerhouse had risen by stepping upon the bones of the weak.

The Third Great Ninja War had ended several years ago, and the entire world had gradually returned to peace. Every ninja village that had participated in the war silently licked its wounds and accumulated strength, preparing for the next Ninja World War.

Water Country was the only nation among the Five Great Nations to maintain a closed-door policy, and this was inseparable from its geographical location. The entire country was an island nation, isolated overseas. It was extremely difficult for other nations to attack Water Country, so although Water Country had not been among the victors of the Third Great Ninja War, it had suffered the fewest losses.

However, although Water Country had suffered the fewest losses in the war, it was still extremely weak, because its main losses had come from civil war. Internal strife had severely drained the entire nation's strength. Thus, even during the Third Great Ninja War, Kirigakure had not sent many ninja to participate.

Especially in recent years, the Fourth Mizukage of Kirigakure had implemented a policy of exterminating Kekkei Genkai, brutally persecuted Meritorious Elders, and established an extremely cold-blooded system for ninja selection and advancement. Kirigakure was now known throughout the Ninja World as the Village of the Bloody Mist.

For these reasons, many outstanding ninja had defected from Kirigakure. Among the Five Great Nations, Kirigakure could be said to have the most Rogue Ninja, and the village's civil war had become even more severe. To avoid having its intelligence gathered by other villages, the entire country had become even more closed off than before, draping itself in an even more mysterious veil. It was nearly impossible for other nations to infiltrate the country on a large scale. Only a small number of spies operated in Water Country, and because it was isolated overseas, transmitting intelligence was also extremely difficult.

Just as its name suggested, the entire country was shrouded in a cold white mist. Perhaps because of the Bloody Mist Policy, the fog itself seemed to carry the scent of blood. Due to both the policy and the environment, the ninja of this country were especially cruel and cold-blooded. The most famous among them were the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, who struck fear throughout the Ninja World.

Dense mist enveloped the entire village and the surrounding mountains. The sky remained overcast, without a trace of sunlight. The villagers gradually left their homes. Some began their work, while others headed out of the mountains to attend the market in town. A new day had begun.

At this moment, on a patch of lush green grass on the village's Back Mountain, a young man in a black short-sleeved shirt stood quietly in the center of the field. Though small in stature, his entire body gave off an aura as immovable as a mountain. His black Long Hair extended to his neck, while the Bangs over his forehead faintly covered his Right Eye. His eyes were closed, as though he were gathering something.

Just then, a breeze swept past, lifting the hair covering his Right Eye. The young man instantly opened his eyes. Within his scarlet pupils, Three Black Tomoe slowly revolved around a Black Dot, appearing exceptionally eerie and mysterious. They were the Sharingan.

At the same time, "Whoosh!!!" The young man's body instantly vanished from where he stood. A powerful murderous aura swept across the grass in an instant. His figure appeared atop a Big Tree, and he violently kicked off the Tree Trunk with his right foot, causing his body to vanish once more.

"Whoosh!!!" His figure instantly appeared high in the air. His body had already stretched out, and at some point, six kunai had appeared in his hands, three in each hand. The rings at the ends of the kunai in both hands suddenly crossed and collided.

"Clang!!!" Sparks flew everywhere as four kunai shot from the young man's hands like lightning. His body was slowly falling, but he abruptly twisted his waist, using the strength of his abdomen to keep himself suspended in midair for a brief moment. In that instant, he fiercely threw the remaining two kunai in his hands. They were even faster than the kunai he had launched before.

"Clang!!!!!" The two kunai thrown afterward instantly caught up with the two kunai in front and collided with them. The four kunai immediately changed direction, while the struck kunai crashed into the two foremost kunai again. "Clang!!!!" Sparks burst forth as all six kunai shot violently in six different directions.

"Whoosh!!!!" The young man had already landed, half-crouched on the ground. He abruptly opened his Three-Tomoe Sharingan and saw that the six kunai had accurately struck the red dots marked on the surrounding trees. Even the red dot in a blind spot behind a rock had been hit precisely.

It was the Uchiha Clan's Shuriken Technique!!! This young man was Miao, and he was carrying out his routine morning training.

The young man slowly stood up and surveyed his surroundings. Then a faint smile appeared at the Corner of the Mouth. He was nearly eight years old now, yet the Chakra Amount within his body had already surpassed that of ordinary Genin and even approached that of Chunin. This was simply unimaginable for Ordinary People, but it was not too difficult for him, because he possessed the bloodlines of both the Uchiha Clan and the Uzumaki Clan. The Uzumaki Clan in particular was renowned for its vast Chakra Amount and tenacious vitality.

Although the Uchiha Clan was known for the Sharingan and excelled at Dojutsu and Fire Style, and although its Chakra Amount was far inferior to that of the Uzumaki Clan, it was still not something Ordinary People could compare to. As a Kekkei Genkai Family, ninja who possessed Kekkei Genkai generally had far greater Chakra Amounts than ninja of the same rank.

But at this moment, Miao suddenly recalled the secret of the Sharingan his father had told him about, and his heart sank slightly.