Facing Shikaku's assessment, Uzumaki Ryōta raised no objections. At this moment, he urgently needed someone with a sharp and strategic mind to help him deal with what was coming next—and Shikaku was the best possible choice.
"Transmit my order," Ryōta commanded.
"All chūnin and below in the village are to cooperate with the city's master shipwrights. At first light tomorrow, head into the forests within our borders and begin constructing a gigantic evacuation vessel."
"Yes, sir!"
"Makoto," he continued, "tomorrow I'll need you to coordinate with all the jōnin in the village—except the Barrier Division—to protect them, and prevent Kirigakure ninjas from landing and launching surprise attacks."
"Go inform them."
"Yes!"
Uzumaki Makoto responded and turned to leave, but paused mid-step and asked, "Then what about the city's defenses?"
Ryōta replied flatly, "The head of the Tsuchiya clan will remain here."
"Besides, my father and I are still here as well."
"Yes! Understood!" Makoto replied. "Then I'll leave it to Senior Qingichirō!"
The black–short-haired Tsuchiya Qingichirō nodded slightly, his expression solemn. "The Tsuchiya clan will give everything it has."
"I'm counting on you," Makoto said once more before leaving the restaurant.
After receiving this information, Shikaku also knew there was no time to waste. He coordinated with the Land of Whirlpools' plan while simultaneously sending the intelligence to the Uchiha jōnin responsible for border defense—Uchiha Hozuki.
That night, the area more than a kilometer outside Uzushiogakure became fraught with danger.
At this point, even Uzushiogakure's own ninjas dared not patrol with old-style oil lamps, fearing ambushes or traps set by Kirigakure operatives.
Not until early the next morning did the people of the Land of Whirlpools finally move out, gathering in an open area to begin constructing Uzushiogakure's very own "Noah's Ark."
All around, the Uzumaki ninjas were almost fully mobilized—more than five hundred chūnin and genin working under the orders of the village's veteran shipwrights, felling vast swathes of forest.
None of them stopped to rest. Axes in hand, some even using weapons directly to cut down trees. They were racing against time, aiming to build within two days a super-large sailing vessel capable of carrying tens of thousands of people—along with their personal belongings—to seek refuge in the Land of Fire.
In addition to the chūnin and genin, there were also jōnin present.
By Baixing's count, there were seven in total.
And that was with two Uzumaki jōnin still remaining in the village to maintain the barrier and sensory systems.
Including the current Uzushiogakure leader, the former leader, and the head of the Tsuchiya clan, there were at least twelve jōnin-level combatants in total. However, aside from the Tsuchiya and Shuiyuan clans, the other minor clans did not have jōnin among them.
The Tsuchiya clan specialized in Earth Release, while the Shuiyuan clan specialized in Water Release—quite fitting, given their names.
As part of Team One, assigned to the guard detail and not required to work, Baixing scanned the Uzumaki ninjas laboring in the distance. He folded his arms and leaned against the trunk of a large tree at the edge of the forest.
Nearby, Nawaki and Might Dai were stationed on other tree trunks, watching different angles.
Baixing reflected inwardly:
"So that's how it is."
"Uzushiogakure's strength wasn't as weak as people imagined."
"There must also be a considerable number of ninja boys and girls who haven't even graduated yet."
"And yet, such a powerful clan was wiped out before Konoha even had time to react."
"How absurd."
—Konoha's border forces could arrive in less than a day.
Which meant the destruction of the Land of Whirlpools had to be a lightning war: battles involving over a thousand ninjas, leaving Konoha's leadership no time to think or hesitate, as massive armies swept across the entire country at top speed.
In the original timeline, Nawaki's death seemed to miss Kushina's arrival in Konoha by a narrow margin—or perhaps Nawaki died, and not long after, Kushina arrived.
Given this boy's habit of constantly wanting to head to the battlefield, earn merit, and protect the village, Baixing had no doubt that—just like in canon—he would go to war and end up dead on the second or third day.
"Baixing, no danger at the two o'clock direction. The traps along the perimeter haven't been triggered," Nawaki reported.
Not long after he finished speaking, another young man in a tight green outfit landed on Baixing's tree.
"The six o'clock and four o'clock directions are clear as well!"
Might Dai flashed a thumbs-up, his white teeth gleaming.
Baixing: "..."
He nodded slightly. Ordering people around really did feel great.
"Be careful not to step on the Uzumaki's explosive tag traps," Baixing said, looking at Nawaki. "Especially you."
"Me? No way~ It's all explained in the books, okay? For traps like these, as long as I don't touch the ground while moving, I'll be fine~"
Baixing sighed inwardly. "And what if there are no trees? Or no aerial anchor points? Or if the explosive tags are disguised as rocks or fallen logs—places you'd step on?"
"..." Nawaki thought for a moment, scratched his head, and said, "Then I guess I'll just have to be more careful."
"Are you a human mine detector?" Baixing complained. "Come with me—I'll take you somewhere."
"Dai, you stay here and keep watch. If anything happens, move toward my position. And remember—don't trigger the traps."
"Roger!"
Baixing nodded, then leapt forward, crossing tree trunks until he landed on another branch. He glanced back at Nawaki.
"Come on."
Curious, Nawaki followed, the surrounding forest blurring past as they moved.
"Where are you taking me?"
"To give you a crash course on traps."
"I don't want to be collecting your corpse someday—Lady Tsunade treats my disciples pretty well, after all."
—Two medical ninjutsu, and an A-rank medical technique he was planning to figure out how to teach once they returned.
As repayment, he'd give this gambling little sister's younger brother some one-on-one tutoring.
Before long, they arrived at a patch of forest near the outskirts. Ahead, in a clearing, sat a half-man-high boulder and a collapsed, rotten hollow tree.
"Can you tell what kind of trap that is?" Baixing asked.
Nawaki immediately began recalling the deployment map of this forest area from the previous night. Stroking his chin, he thought for a while before blurting out an answer.
"It should be an explosive tag trap."
"If you step on the rock or the tree trunk, it'll explode."
"..."
Baixing glanced at the kid who was confidently spouting nonsense. Just as he was about to roast him, he suddenly sensed an unfamiliar gaze rising—someone was watching them.
"You're talking nonsense," Baixing said loudly.
"There's nothing at all in that area."
"I'm just telling you that if you ever set traps yourself, that kind of location is the worst possible choice."
"Only the open ground on both sides, and the surrounding tree trunks, are the best places to set traps."
"Got it?!"
Baixing deliberately raised his voice, leaving Nawaki completely baffled.
"???"
Just as Nawaki was wondering whether trap theory really included such a concept, a Kirigakure ninja decisively landed on top of the boulder.
"Hehehe—"
"As expected of Konoha ninjas. Your knowledge is indeed impressive."
"But unfortunately, what you've run into is Kirigakure's—"
Riiip—!
Above the boulder was a wire net so thin it was nearly invisible, painted the same color as the rock and disguised as part of its surface. Once triggered, it snapped tight and yanked the target upward.
At that moment, Baixing couldn't help but wonder if Kirigakure ninjas never bothered studying—how could they be so ignorant and still brag?
"I-it's the enemy!" Nawaki shouted. Last mission, he hadn't encountered any enemies at all—this was his first time facing a ninja from another country.
"Don't panic."
"He's a—"
Baixing abruptly yanked Nawaki aside, thinking to himself that of course Kirigakure wouldn't fall for something so simple.
The next second—
A Kirigakure chūnin appeared beside a tree trunk, kunai flashing as it slashed through the air—but it cut only empty space. The chūnin immediately retreated, landing on another tree branch.
"As expected of Konoha ninjas," he said coldly.
"You actually saw through my feint."
The Kirigakure chūnin from earlier dissolved into a Water Clone. Clear streams poured out of the trap, splashing over the collapsed hollow tree and the surrounding ground.
Within the flowing water lingered a trace of unmelted chakra, triggering a sensory trap near the tree.
Elsewhere, Uzumaki Makoto instantly received the signal.
"This is bad!"
"That's Water Release chakra!"
"Kirigakure ninjas have appeared!"
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