Oh No, I've Become an Accomplice

"Deal!"

Ringo Ameyuri's face had been full of rage just moments ago, but she suddenly broke into a cheerful smile. She bit into the candy apple, her eyes narrowing with delight.

Dōmeki smiled too and gave the girl a thumbs-up.

"This..."

Kimimaro, who had been trained by the Kaguya Clan to fight and kill since childhood, felt his worldview shaken once again. So disputes between ninja could be resolved with nothing more than sweets?

For a moment, Kimimaro felt he had learned a great deal.

Seemingly noticing the colorful expression on the little Kaguya boy's face, Ringo Ameyuri planted her lightning swords in the ground and licked the candy. "When there's something tasty, eat it first! That's my motto! Besides, I'm about to die, so can't your big sister enjoy herself a little?"

"So, Ameyuri, are you planning to betray Lord Mizukage too?"

The sudden voice broke the somewhat harmonious atmosphere.

At some point, Kisame Hoshigaki had appeared atop a stone platform. He bared a mouthful of shark teeth at them.

"Isn't betrayal a long-standing tradition among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist?" Dōmeki rolled his eyes at the shark man.

Ringo Ameyuri muttered in displeasure too. "Exactly. Maybe you, Kisame, Lord Mizukage's most faithful dog, have already thrown in your lot with someone you can't let anyone see."

But as her words died away, Ameyuri found the atmosphere turning strange.

Kisame Hoshigaki actually stared at her wide-eyed without a word, while the red-haired brat gave her an admiring smile.

That's Ameyuri for you. She guessed it in one!

"No way!" Ameyuri was so startled that even the candy apple seemed to lose its flavor. "Kisame, did you really betray Kirigakure?"

Kisame Hoshigaki gave a terrifying smile. "Betrayal? This village was the first to betray me, along with this world full of slaughter and hatred!"

"Have you gone mad?!" Ringo Ameyuri swallowed the candy apple in one bite and tightened her grip on Raiga. She might speak of Kirigakure with disdain, but how could she so easily abandon the home where she had grown up?

"Kisame isn't the only traitor. Yagura's been put under someone's Genjutsu too."

Zabuza, who had fled in a sorry state, had somehow jumped out from somewhere as well. He stood beside Ringo Ameyuri and pointed the Kubikiribōchō at Kisame Hoshigaki.

"The mastermind?"

Ameyuri couldn't make sense of it all. And Zabuza, since when did you switch sides so smoothly? Weren't we just pointing our swords at each other?

"That's right!"

Zabuza formed a Hand Seal with one hand and fired a Water Gun Technique in one direction, forcing a white-haired man who was just as dumbfounded to jump out.

"Kakashi of the Sharingan from Konoha, you're the one controlling Lord Mizukage, aren't you? So it really was all a Konoha plot?"

"Huh? Controlling the Mizukage? Me?"

Kakashi felt an enormous, perfectly round pot being dumped on his head. How could a Jonin who was always short on chakra possibly be capable of controlling a village's Kage?

"As expected of best buddies whose souls are bound together! You even had time to ferret out Senior Kakashi while you were fleeing. Now that's a bond!"

Dōmeki was so moved that he wiped the corners of his perfectly dry eyes.

Is this really the time to joke around? You brat, you seem to know what's going on, so hurry up and help me explain!!!

Kakashi tried to persuade Dōmeki with his eyes, only for Dōmeki to remark, "Senior, are your eyes cramping? I told you long ago to use that thing less. Look how haggard you've become!"

Kakashi rubbed his forehead with a headache. He could only say solemnly to Zabuza and Ameyuri, "This matter has absolutely nothing to do with Konoha. The Third received word and sent me to find out the truth."

Zabuza sneered. "Who would believe that? Proving yourself is simple enough, though. Just help us kill Kisame Hoshigaki!"

Figuring that more fighting strength was always better, Zabuza's mind raced.

"How can Konoha get involved in a civil war in Kirigakure?" Kakashi flatly refused.

"Heh heh heh!"

Kisame Hoshigaki snorted. "Ringo Ameyuri of the Raiga, Demon Zabuza, and Kakashi of the Sharingan. Today, I'll let my greatsword Samehada drink its fill of your blood!"

Zabuza's face darkened as he spoke quickly. "Kakashi, Ameyuri, keep this guy busy. You, brat, come with me to deal with Yagura. Any problems?"

"Me, me, me!" Dōmeki raised his hand quickly. "I have a question!"

"When exactly did I become your comrade, Mr. Zabuza?"

"Brat, whatever your purpose for showing up here tonight, you know the Mizukage's secrets. Do you really think you can escape? That barrier outside proves the Mizukage intends to wipe us all out!" Zabuza explained the situation to Dōmeki at top speed.

Sorry, I helped Orochimaru put up that barrier! Dōmeki retorted silently.

But a small snake slithered down his hair to his ear and opened its mouth, speaking in Orochimaru's voice. "Heh heh heh, Shun-kun, the Three-Tails would make excellent research material too. Why not lend Mr. Zabuza a hand?"

Orochimaru, you've had a change of heart! Now that you have Kimimaro, you don't call me your most perfect disciple anymore!

Zabuza, however, didn't wait any longer for Dōmeki's answer and ran straight toward the top of the Mizukage Building.

"What a hassle!"

Kakashi and Dōmeki, both innocently dragged into this, sighed at the same time. One pulled down the covering over his left eye, while the other told Kimimaro, who had been watching, to run in a certain direction. Then each looked toward his opponent.

Karatachi Yagura stood atop the Mizukage Building, looking down over the entire battlefield like a god who held the whole world in his grasp.

No matter what happened on the field, not even the death of Hozuki Mangetsu of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist had caused his expression to change for a moment.

The lightning surrounding Dōmeki's body flickered once more. He darted past Kisame Hoshigaki and stepped directly onto the building's wall, running upward.

"Hey, aren't you going to stop those two?" Kakashi watched Kisame Hoshigaki with his scarlet left eye, three Tomoe spinning rapidly around the pupil.

"Heh heh heh! With just Zabuza and that brat?"

No one understood the true worth of a so-called Perfect Jinchuriki better than Kisame, once the Mizukage's trusted aide.

"Is that so? I hope you don't regret it!" Kakashi gave Ringo Ameyuri a look. At the same time, the sound of a thousand birds chirping rose from his right hand, faintly echoing the lightning unleashed by the girl's Raiga.

Kisame looked at the two Lightning Release experts and grinned, baring his shark teeth as he formed his Hand Seals. "Water Release: Great Exploding Water Colliding Wave!"

In an instant, a towering wave swept toward the two of them.