The icy seawater wrapped around Shinji Uchiha's silently gliding body like ink-black silk.
His Mangekyō Sharingan gave off barely perceptible fluctuations in the dark depths, guiding him precisely around any sensory barriers and patrol posts that might lie along the Land of Water's coast.
He chose a treacherous, seldom-visited stretch of shore strewn with jagged reefs as his landing point.
When his figure rose like a phantom from the waves and landed on the slippery rocks, surging chakra instantly dispersed the moisture around him, leaving no trace.
As he officially set foot in the Land of Water, a damp, oppressive atmosphere utterly unlike that of the Land of Fire greeted him.
The air carried the briny smell of the sea, along with something deeper-an unease that seemed to seep into the very marrow of the soil and buildings.
The thick mist did not linger all day, but it always spread when least expected, obscuring the distant view and seemingly concealing the true expressions on people's faces.
Shinji did not rush inland. Instead, like the most patient of hunters, he began lingering around several major towns and ports along the Land of Water's borders.
Disguised as an attendant to a merchant from overseas, he suppressed his presence to the utmost and adopted a slightly weathered appearance, blending in among dockworkers, small-time traders, and low-ranking ronin.
He did not keep his Mangekyō Sharingan active at all times, but his extraordinary powers of observation allowed him to readily pick out unusual information beneath the surface.
On the surface, the Land of Water seemed to be functioning without any major problems.
Ships came and went from the ports, merchants traded as usual, and ninja patrols appeared on schedule, maintaining basic order.
Yet Shinji keenly sensed an indescribable tension and panic lurking beneath this "order."