Kisame Hoshigaki

"Lord Ao!"

The distant ninjas stared in terror at the bizarre scene before them. They did not even know what had happened!

C4 Karura was a creation Deidara had developed after suppressing himself within the organization for a long time, made to commemorate Sasori.

Using Sasori's appearance as a model, he created a life-sized clay doll. Its first explosion had little destructive power, but it produced a shockwave that spread the true killing move—Invisibly Small Clay Spiders—across a certain range.

These Clay Spiders were roughly the size of human cells. They entered every part of the target's body, and once they exploded, they destroyed the opponent's body at the cellular level. They were impossible to guard against.

Earlier, when Deidara had thrown those large white creatures in All directions, it had only been to draw away the Lightning Style ninjas and prevent the explosion from being stopped in advance.

This move actually had an amplified version with a far wider blast radius, but he had not used it because he was worried it would catch the Six-Tails Jinchuriki in the blast and turn him directly to ashes.

Deidara was very satisfied with C4's effects. Looking down at the ninjas below, he said, "Could you please Hand Over the Six-Tails Jinchuriki obediently?"

He was answered by a barrage of ninja tools and long-range ninjutsu. The people below attacked Deidara in the sky like they were venting their rage. "Don't even think about it!"

"Looks like you won't listen obediently, hmm." Deidara dodged their attacks while continuing to make and drop all kinds of clay bombs. "That Shark-faced Bastard should be starting his move about now, right?"

At that moment, the Six-Tails Jinchuriki Utakata and his student and girlfriend, Hotaru, were being protected inside their home by a group of Anbu. No matter how much commotion there was outside, they did not go out.

Ao had ordered that Utakata must never be allowed to join the battle unless absolutely necessary. Since news of Ao's sacrifice had not yet reached them, they naturally would not act rashly.

But just because they did not go out did not mean no one would come looking for them. Thanks to Deidara drawing most of the ninjas' attention, Kisame eventually found Utakata's residence after taking several twists and turns.

"Who goes there?!" The Anbu hidden on the roof at least served some purpose, shouting out a warning.

Kisame ignored him completely. He drew Samehada, wrapped in bandages, from his back and swung it. The wooden wall immediately shattered, leaving a hole large enough for two people to pass through side by side.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh. Four Anbu surrounded Kisame.

Yet Kisame paid them no attention. His small eyes peered through the hole at the people inside.

A girl with light yellow hair. She looked weak, so she was probably not the target.

A young man radiating a lazy air, holding something resembling a smoking pipe. He matched the intelligence report's description of Utakata.

There were also two Anbu standing in front of them, gripping ninja swords in both hands.

"You're... Kisame Hoshigaki!" The Squad Leader standing before Utakata recognized Kisame.

"Someone still remembers me." Kisame raised Samehada in one hand and pointed it at Utakata. "He's my target. I advise you not to throw your lives away."

Kisame spoke from the heart. He had killed too many Kirigakure comrades in the past. To keep them from falling into enemy hands and leaking secrets, he had been forced to mercilessly kill his own comrades.

Few people knew that beneath Kisame's cold and ruthless exterior, he was actually somewhat gentle. Being stained with his comrades' blood again and again had left him lost.

He killed his comrades to prevent secrets from leaking and protect the village. But protecting the village should have been for the sake of protecting his comrades. If it was to protect his comrades, then what did it mean to kill them with his own hands?

Kisame could not understand it. He merely repeated the same thing over and over, until one day, a female ninja from the code unit looked at him with pity before she died and said, "Your life has been hard, hasn't it?"

For the first time, Kisame felt heartache. He began to question what his existence was even for. To endlessly slaughter comrades who trusted him?

One moment, they would be talking about what they wanted to do after the mission. The next, he would drive a blade through their bodies. That time, Kisame felt as though the blade had pierced his own heart.

That damned ninja world was simply like this. All kinds of cruel events always forced all kinds of people to contemplate the meaning of life and the truth of the world, yet their own knowledge and mental horizons limited their judgment. Even the logic in each of their minds was deeply flawed.

Kisame was one of them. Having questioned the meaning of his own existence, he easily believed in the Eye of the Moon Plan that supposedly aimed to create a world without pain.

Perhaps, in his eyes, even such an illusory goal was more worth looking forward to than the world as it was now.

So Kisame had worked diligently toward that goal, right up until today's invasion of Kirigakure.

Yet when he faced Kirigakure ninjas once more, even though they were no longer his comrades, Kisame still did not want to kill them.

Of course, the Kirigakure Anbu clearly had no intention of wasting thought on guessing Kisame's feelings. Even if they knew, they would not compromise.

The Anbu Squad Leader stood firmly in front of Utakata. "Lord Mizukage entrusted the village and Utakata's safety to us. But the village has been destroyed like this, so even if we have to stake our lives on it, we will keep you here!"

"Then there's no helping it." Kisame understood the priorities. No matter what, he had to complete the mission of capturing the Six-Tails.

The Kirigakure Anbu surrounding Kisame said nothing more. As usual, they flicked their hands, sending Kunai, Shuriken, and Senbon flying at him.

Kisame swung Samehada. The massive blade, like a door panel, swept all the hidden weapons aside. Then he stepped forward and smashed Samehada toward Anbu A in front of him.

Anbu A barely managed to brace Samehada with his sword held crosswise, but he was clearly struggling.

Then the bandages wrapped around Samehada suddenly burst apart. The vicious barbs beneath them rose and stabbed into Anbu A's shoulder.

Anbu A cried out in pain and lost his grip on his ninja sword. Samehada viciously shaved off a chunk of flesh, and he collapsed to the ground. "My... Chakra..."

The Squad Leader hurriedly warned, "Samehada absorbs Chakra! Don't let that sword touch you!"

Having absorbed Chakra, Samehada swayed its body and made an odd sound, as though complaining that it had not eaten its fill.

While Kisame struck Anbu A, Anbu B behind him gripped his sword in both hands and thrust it toward Kisame's back.

Kisame ignored Samehada's complaint and spun fluidly, kicking Anbu B's ninja sword away.

Anbu C and Anbu D on either side seized the opportunity and attacked as well.

Kisame released Samehada and rapidly formed hand seals with both hands. Two Water Clones appeared and blocked the attacks from both sides.

The Squad Leader stopped watching as well. He helped the injured Anbu A into a corner, then joined the battle.

Utakata picked up his Bubble Pipe, dipped it into the bamboo tube at his waist, and blew out streams of bubbles.

Even Hotaru was ready at any moment to use the Water Style ninjutsu Utakata had taught her.

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