Main World.
Summer, Year 24 of Konoha.
Ocean Planet, central waters.
At the center of these waters lay a massive island. It had mountains, rivers, and plains, with enough land to build a small country. Countless islands of all sizes surrounded it, scattered across the sea like satellites. There were few natives on the island, only a few thousand, living in crude thatched huts and making their living by fishing and farming. They had never seen iron tools, never heard of chakra, and had even less idea what a Devil Fruit was.
Today, they saw.
More than a dozen massive iron ships sailed over the horizon, their hulls painted white. A flag flew from their masts-a red sun on a white field, with a golden character for "abundance" embroidered in the center. People in dark gray uniforms stood at the bows, swords at their waists and guns on their shoulders. Their gazes were sharp, their movements coordinated, like a precision machine.
The natives knelt in terror, muttering in an incomprehensible language. They thought these were messengers sent by the Sea God.
Nagato stood at the bow of the flagship, his dark red hair stirring gently in the sea breeze. His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan had faded, returning his eyes to their ordinary violet, but an indescribable depth still lingered within them. He held a thick document in his hand-the Ocean Star Conquest Plan. Dozens of Imperial officers stood behind him, their faces expressionless, but their eyes all held an excitement they could hardly conceal.
"Land." Nagato's voice was calm.
The dozen-odd warships slowly approached the shore. Soldiers jumped off, stepping onto the beach and advancing inland. There was no resistance. The natives knelt on the ground, not daring even to raise their heads. Nagato disembarked, crossed the sand, and approached them.