Chapter 464: Battle Encounter in the Land of Hot Water (Part 1)
After receiving Kawakaze's message, Yahiko immediately contacted Konan and Kakuzu.
Once he explained the situation, both agreed without hesitation. Dropping everything at hand, they each led a squad of elite shinobi toward the Land of Rice Fields.
Yahiko had initially planned to take over the Land of Hot Water sooner, but now there was no rush. Instead, he decided to use the time lag to his advantage—waiting for Kirigakure to wipe out Yugakure before leading his forces into the Land of Hot Water. By then, there would be no one left to interfere.
With his plans set, Yahiko found himself with little to worry about. The Land of Rice Fields had no shinobi village, so he simply led his forces straight to the Daimyō. Under overwhelming military pressure, the Daimyō surrendered immediately.
Yahiko, in a show of goodwill, spared his life. However, the Daimyō was demoted to a local official, effectively stripping him of any real power. With no change in the figurehead, Yahiko had little to manage himself.
After days of battle, he finally found some time to rest in the Land of Rice Fields.
...
Meanwhile, in the Land of Hot Water, the Kiri forces remained unaware of Akatsuki's movements and continued their advance.
After a brief stop in the Land of Waves, Yagura Karatachi led his main force ashore in the Land of Hot Water the following day. The soldiers stationed at the docks—mere pretenders at best—didn't even have time to raise the alarm before being swiftly eliminated by Kiri shinobi.
"With this level of negligence, we can take the Land of Hot Water in a single day," Shin Aoki remarked.
He wasn't exaggerating. Even putting raw strength aside, these soldiers lacked the most basic sense of vigilance.