Landing – Whirlpool Country
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"Are you sure we should keep heading toward the center of the whirlpool? I've got a bad feeling. That current's only getting worse. This ship is going to break apart. People could die."
Kazuhiko's brows furrowed as he gripped the edge of the raft. Even without advanced perception techniques, he could sense the pull of the tides growing stronger. The sea surface near the center twisted violently, betraying the chaos beneath.
"It's better to confront the unknown than to leave everything to fate," Bai Ye replied, squinting into the spray. The storm hadn't abated, and no clear direction presented itself. Drifting aimlessly was no strategy, especially for two novices with no sailing experience.
If they were truly near the Whirlpool Country—as Bai Ye suspected—then heading toward the vortex's center might offer a view of land. That could mean safety, or at least shelter.
Snap!
The taut rope securing their makeshift raft gave out with a sharp crack, finally reaching its limit.
"I told you the raft would give out."
Kazuhiko moved in an instant, his reflexes honed by shinobi training. He caught both severed ends of the rope, trying to keep the vessel together through sheer strength.
"That was the waves, not the whirlpool. Don't act like you know everything," Bai Ye muttered, shifting his stance. "Forget the raft. Look over there—we're close to land."
As the raft rose on the crest of a wave, Bai Ye caught sight of land faintly visible on the right.
"Are you sure?" Kazuhiko asked, standing to confirm it for himself.
The moment he released the tension in the rope, the raft disintegrated, shattered by the pressure of the waves.
Now perched atop a broken plank each, they balanced like surfers at the peak of the tide.
"Let's go. If we get lost again, we might not make it back. There's nothing left for us out here."
As the wave carried them down, the pieces of the raft dispersed into the sea. Beneath them, only swirling water remained.
"Nature's terrifying," Bai Ye murmured, glancing back at the vortex. "How does something like that even form?"
At the eye of the maelstrom, the sea level dipped drastically—like a cyclone reaching into the ocean depths. It consumed everything drawn into its orbit, including the fragments of their raft.
Wooden planks spun in a death spiral and disappeared as they were sucked into the sea's gaping maw. Bai Ye watched in silence, making a mental note: When I get the chance, I'm diving to the bottom to see what's under that thing.
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Two hours later, they finally touched land.
"It looked so close from the waves," Bai Ye sighed. "But it took forever."
He closed his eyes, savoring the solid ground underfoot, then collapsed onto the beach with arms outstretched, lying like a fallen soldier.
He hadn't eaten all day and had spent hours exerting himself nonstop. It was more exhausting than his usual training regimen.
"I'll find some food."
Kazuhiko took advantage of the calmer weather and released his kikaichū. Without harsh wind and sea spray interfering, the insects spread quickly into the jungle interior.
He returned shortly with a bundle of fruit—and a dead wild boar in tow.
"You know how to cook?" Bai Ye asked, raising an eyebrow from his position in the sand.
"You don't?"
"I can make instant noodles."
Their eyes met blankly, the silence stretching.
"...Let's just look for people. Maybe someone around here can cook," Bai Ye finally said, stuffing fruit into his mouth. It only filled half his stomach, but it was enough for now.
Their mission had already fallen behind schedule. He'd hoped to return to the village before the New Year. Taking a detour for the sake of saving a little money had been a mistake. Smuggling passage on a black-market ship would have landed him directly in the Land of Water by now.
"I scouted while I was foraging. No signs of human activity nearby," Kazuhiko reported.
They left the remains of the fruit—and the boar—behind and headed inland. Kazuhiko led, his kikaichū guiding the way. Their route adjusted seamlessly based on the insects' feedback.
Compared to Bai Ye's solo trek earlier, their current pace felt like luxury. I need to beg Orochimaru for perception training when we get back. No way I'm going blind like this again, Bai Ye thought, trailing behind.
"This way—there's a building ahead."
Kazuhiko's voice carried a rare note of relief. After wandering so long, the sight of manmade structures was encouraging.
But just moments later, his face darkened.
"What is it?"
"There were buildings. But no people. Nothing alive."
The duo arrived within minutes. What they found were ruins—structures long abandoned, swallowed by time and nature.
"This... this is the Whirlpool Country," Bai Ye murmured.
The signs were unmistakable: the red Uzumaki clan emblems carved into stone, the spiral motifs etched into what remained of the walls.
Kazuhiko turned, recognition dawning. "These spirals... they're the same as the ones on our Chūnin vests."
Bai Ye nodded. "The Uzumaki clan's crest. We inherited their legacy, but this is what's left of them."
He went on to explain how the Uzumaki were wiped out during the last great war. Their sealing techniques were too powerful—too threatening. Other nations, jealous or fearful, conspired to destroy them.
Bai Ye scowled. "They said the clan was a threat. That was just a pretext. What they really wanted was their fuinjutsu. Think about it—even Sunagakure, one of the Five Great Nations, couldn't develop a reliable method to seal tailed beasts. But the Uzumaki could."
Their longevity, their vitality, and their unique chakra made them perfect hosts for jinchūriki. And their close ties to Konoha made them even more of a target.
"The truth is, exterminating them hurt Konoha just as much," Bai Ye said grimly. "And I doubt they all died out. Somewhere, there might still be survivors."
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