The group immediately sprang into action. They climbed onto the tree trunks, leaping through the forest from one tree to another as they continued forward.
"Mr. Hoshigaki... about what you said just now..."
It was the same female ninja from before... Meiru.
"..."
Kisame turned his head and looked at her.
"Mr. Hoshigaki, it'll be all right after the mission is over, right?"
Facing the expressionless Kisame.
The corners of the female ninja's lips curved slightly, revealing a beautiful, kind, and somewhat mischievous smile. "I mean... eating together."
Kisame had the standard sharklike teeth of someone from the Land of Water.
The birthmark on his face looked like a shark's gills.
Combined with those round eyes that looked nothing like an ordinary human's...
He looked like a hybrid of a shark and a human.
In other words.
Kisame's looks were... beyond saving.
Meiru showed him goodwill.
Naturally, it easily reminded people of Nohara Rin.
No...
Nohara Rin was different.
Although Nohara Rin had been kind to both Kakashi and Uchiha Obito in the past.
She had never made her goodwill cheap by treating everyone that way.
In other words...
This female ninja, Meiru, was the legendary "saint."
Of course.
Kisame was incapable of distinguishing that.
He did not respond to her and looked ahead.
He also increased his speed.
As a result, Meiru and the other companions had no choice but to hurry to keep up with him.
Hiss!!
After an unknown amount of time, a dull sound suddenly shattered the quiet of the group's advance.
"?!"
Kisame swiftly looked toward the source of the sound. A kunai was nailed into their flank, with the Explosive Tag trailing behind it already burning.
"Spread out!!"
Kisame immediately ordered his companions to evade.
After that, an unending rain of kunai was thrown