You know, if they were exposed, they definitely couldn't win against hundreds of enemies.
As the heir to this nation, he hadn't even had the chance to exploit the people, and his gun hadn't even been drawn. If he died like this, it would be truly pitiful.
"Hmm, when the time comes, the clan leader and elders just need to use explosive tags, blasting them in large swathes. Then, scatter some more explosive tags around to divert their attention," Uzumaki Jun explained.
"I estimate there won't be many ninjas guarding the ships, and they probably won't stay for long."
After all, they were one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. To crush a small, weak nation like theirs, they'd never expect the ninjas of Uzushiogakure to charge out roaring and break their defenses. Even less would they believe that...
Someone was hiding in the grass, waiting to ambush them!!!
And this was their advantage. As long as Uzushiogakure acted carefully and cautiously, without foolishly shouting "For glory!" and rushing in to die, they might have a chance at victory.
Uzumaki Jun sighed. If they won this time, it would truly be a victory built on money! If he hadn't known how to produce sea salt and secretly sold some, they wouldn't have been able to gather so much money. After all, in ancient times, salt was extremely valuable.
But Uzumaki Jun didn't dare sell too much. If others discovered that Uzushiogakure had large quantities of salt, it wouldn't just be Kirigakure attacking—it would be all Five Great Shinobi Villages joining forces.
Don't doubt it, profit moves people. Why did ninjas carry out missions? For profit. Why did shinobi wars happen? Again, for profit.
As for Konoha, they probably wouldn't act openly. Instead, they'd talk about generations of friendship and mutual exchange.
Then, the foolish higher-ups of the Uzumaki clan would be moved and hand over their techniques to Konoha. Or, after Uzushiogakure was destroyed, Konoha would condemn the Five Great Shinobi Villages and, as Uzushiogakure's ally, take over its legacy.
Thinking of this, Uzumaki Jun felt furious. There was a phrase in his heart, should he say it or not? Sooner or later, he'd deal with them.
When Hashirama sold the tailed beasts, why didn't the Five Great Shinobi Villages say anything? As for the smaller villages, why didn't they approach Uzushiogakure but instead went to Takigakure?
Was it because the Uzumaki clan wasn't small enough or didn't have money? Uzumaki Jun had another phrase in his heart, should he say it or not?
He guessed that, on one hand, Hashirama considered them good brothers. With Konoha's protection, Uzushiogakure didn't need a tailed beast. After all, if they gave one to Uzushiogakure, wouldn't it just be Konoha's?
Damn it, it seemed people had long considered Uzushiogakure as part of Konoha. On the other hand, Uzumaki Jun suspected Tobirama's underhanded schemes.
The Uzumaki clan had massive chakra reserves and vitality capable of suppressing tailed beasts. If Uzushiogakure had a jinchūriki, wouldn't that mean they'd have a "Uzukage"?
What would that make him, the older brother? If his elder brother were alive, he wouldn't dare act out of respect for his sister-in-law. But if his brother wasn't around...
Who would care about you? Don't doubt it, this was the same man who dared to scheme against the Uchiha, Hashirama's close allies and fellow clan founders.
If he hadn't conducted experiments on Uchiha clansmen, how would he have known that activating the Sharingan would release a sinister chakra in their minds?
Did the Uchiha tell him? Or did the Uchiha willingly offer their clansmen for experimentation? Don't joke around!
So, to ensure only Konoha could have jinchūriki, while other villages couldn't, he would definitely scheme. This was also why, in the early stages, other villages lacked sufficient knowledge of sealing techniques and hadn't received help from the Uzumaki clan.
Thus, at that time, only Mito Uzumaki was a jinchūriki. To obtain jinchūriki, other villages would inevitably come to Uzushiogakure. If they could trade, fine. If not...
Heh!!! The significant progress in sealing techniques in later years was probably related to Uzushiogakure's destruction.
Uzumaki Jun strongly suspected that this was also why Konoha schemed and stood by without helping. They probably thought that one Uzumaki was enough, just enough to serve as a jinchūriki, and it had to be Konoha's Uzumaki.
As for the rest, to prevent other villages from getting them, Uzushiogakure might as well be destroyed!!
Moreover, Kirigakure had imported two tailed beasts from Konoha! Were they just going to leave them lying around as decorations?
So even if they didn't have jinchūriki now, to obtain sealing techniques and Uzumaki clansmen, they would definitely attack.
After all, it wasn't their territory. If things went south, they could just destroy it and release the nuclear weapons (tailed beasts). What could Uzushiogakure do then?
Damn it, they didn't even have a Kage-level fighter now. If it came to that, they'd have to rely on the elders using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
This was a technique that, once activated, was nearly impossible to counter!
Hadn't the Third Hokage later used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal too? If the Fourth learned it from Kushina, then who taught the Third? No need to say, he must have stolen it.
This crafty old man was up to no good. He probably waited silently for Kushina and the Fourth to die before appearing to "selflessly" raise the naive Naruto. What a schemer!!
To release the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, one first had to obtain the Shinigami's mask. Right now, the mask was still in the Uzumaki clan's shrine, not yet taken by Konoha.
See? This was a classic case of killing you, seizing your wife, and taking your family's assets!
But sealing a tailed beast was no easy task. Aside from Mito, the Uzumaki clan currently had no Kage-level fighters. If a mere jōnin could seal a tailed beast, why did they need Minato back then?
Just have a group of jōnin learn the Dead Demon Consuming Seal and charge into battle roaring, using it on enemies. One jōnin for one Kage-level enemy or tailed beast, what a bargain!
Uzumaki Jun shook his head. It seemed he really had to prepare defenses against the tailed beasts. Otherwise, if Kirigakure released their two tailed beasts to wreak havoc, wouldn't they be finished?
What were tailed beasts? They were chakra entities. Even if they threw gasoline bombs, the beasts would just roll around, lose a layer of skin, and be fine.
If all else failed, they'd have to throw lives at the problem. Otherwise, if they let their guard down and Uzushiogakure was destroyed, he'd have to flee for his life, avoiding not just other villages but also Konoha, because...
One jinchūriki was enough.
And without much confidence, Uzumaki Jun didn't want to confront Konoha. After all, they had a bunch of cheaters. Not worth it, not worth it!
"Just pour this gasoline on Kirigakure's ships," Uzumaki Jun said to the clan leader and elders. "Then use fire-style jutsu."
The ships of this era were still wooden. The gasoline fire should burn them, right?
If it didn't work, they'd have to throw lives at the problem. No matter what, these ships had to be destroyed here.
"What should we prepare these next few days?" the clan leader asked, nodding. "Just wait here?"
"No, first, set up some bait for them," Uzumaki Jun said after thinking. After all, there were still 100 million explosive tags waiting for them ahead.
They couldn't let them escape. And why had they told the citizens to hide? To create the illusion that Uzushiogakure's people were fleeing!
So, they needed to scatter clothes and luggage in the water! They also had to leave random items along the roads to create the scene of a nation in flight.
This was a huge task! After all, an entire country fleeing couldn't just be represented by a few scattered items. They had to use these things to lure Kirigakure's forces into the explosive trap.
"In that case, let's act now," the clan leader said. "Kirigakure's vanguard will probably set out soon. We need to move quickly."
...
"Captain, we're about to enter Uzushiogakure's waters," a ninja with Kirigakure's forehead protector said, standing at the bow and complaining to the captain.
"The war's almost over. Why start another one?"
"Shut up, Tayu," the captain said coldly, glancing at him. "As shinobi, we just follow orders."
"Got it, got it," Tayu said dismissively, waving his hand. "It's not like anyone else is listening anyway."
"Enough, Tayu," another teammate said helplessly. "We're just the vanguard. Our job is to scout a safe location for the main force to set up camp and gather intel on Uzushiogakure's current situation."
"But this is still war," Tayu muttered. "I've had enough. I hate war."
"With the war nearing its end and Konoha's victory all but certain, the Second Mizukage hasn't achieved much. There's already discontent in Kirigakure," another teammate, pushing up his glasses, said to Tayu.
"So, to quell the unrest, the Mizukage launched this invasion of Uzushiogakure. On one hand, Uzushiogakure is weakened from aiding Konoha in the war. On the other, its proximity to the Land of Fire makes it a strategic foothold to monitor Konoha."
And to prepare for the next war, he added silently.
"Abisu, it's so pointless," Tayu said, shaking his head gloomily.
"I just hate war. War is... too terrible. Juppei's parents died in the war. And Yōma, Kaisō... they're all gone."
Tayu's eyes welled up with tears as he shouted, "So why start another war? It was all about to end, to end! Don't you get it?"
"..."
Hearing Tayu's words, the entire team fell silent.
The captain sighed and said calmly, "This is the life of a shinobi, Tayu. Do you... understand?"
That's right. No one liked war, but shinobi had no choice.
"I don't understand. I hate war," Tayu roared at the captain. "How can you all just calmly start another war? Why?"
"Shut up, Tayu," the captain snapped, seeing Tayu losing control in his anger. "Shinobi follow orders. There's no 'why.'"
"..." Tayu calmed down, especially at the captain's cold, furious tone. He knew that during war, no words undermining morale were allowed, especially on this ship with other teammates. His words had already dampened their spirits. If this continued... the captain would...
Definitely kill him.
"I don't understand. I don't understand anything," Tayu muttered, tears dripping onto the deck.
Why did there have to be war?