It took two days to reach Torishima Island’s coastline, and Raidou only knew they’d made it by the sailors’ ratcheting tension. The Eastern Sea was a challenge for a reliable navigator under favorable conditions, but the dense fog shrouding Mist made it downright treacherous. Jagged sea stacks made the currents swirl unpredictably. Strange reefs and whirlpools marked the presence of underwater caverns. Sandbars rose to scrape the ship's shallow draft. They all had comforting names, Raidou learned, like Drowner’s Bar and Widow's Revenge.

When turbulent clouds swallowed the moon, erasing the last glimmer of light, the captain threw down the anchor and refused to go any further.

“Y’can swim from here,” he growled, squaring his shoulders like he expected a fight. Nervous sailors gripped long boat-hooks and edged in front of the few life rafts, prepared to defend them from thieving ninja.

Usagi snorted loudly.

“This is sufficient, Arakida-senchou,” Kuroda said. “We’ll meet you at Satsujin-Sha Cove in two days. Leave by sunrise if we don’t arrive.”

The captain didn’t relax, precisely, but he did breathe again.

It was a matter of minutes to collect supplies and Fukuda, and disembark. Eizo, Team Thirteen’s muscular veteran, fell into lockstep with Fukuda, and was immediately flanked by the rest of his team. Kuroda took point with the two Intel agents. Raidou and Team Six assumed the rearguard.

It wasn’t Raidou’s favorite thing in the world to wave-walk on a black ocean, and not only because of the poor light. Even the smallest wave was a balance challenge. The ship receded behind them. Ahead stretched grey nothingness. Raidou glanced down at his feet, leaving choppy ripples, and wondered how much truth there was in the rumors of Kiri’s blood-thirsty sea monsters.

The group reached slick cliffs, and navigated the transition from ocean to breakers to barnacled rock with only a few wet feet. The cliff-climb necessitated less chakra use and more muscle, as they kept their presence concealed. Even Kuroda was breathing a little hard when they finally made it to the top.

Kakashi inhaled the leaden, iron-salt air. “Smells like blood.”

“Welcome to Water Country,” said Fukuda, with a tired shark’s smile.