Seizing the Mangekyo?

"What the hell? Orochimaru???"

Kisame Hoshigaki was somewhat dumbfounded. He truly hadn't expected the boy before him to have such wild connections.

Orochimaru—the disciple of Hiruzen Sarutobi, one of Konoha's Three Sannin, the man who had nearly become the Fourth Hokage.

Though he had now defected, his reputation remained widespread. Even Kisame Hoshigaki himself might not be worthy of catching his attention.

Yet now, this sickly-looking boy in front of him claimed to have connections to Orochimaru?

His first reaction was disbelief.

"Kazama Kaguya..." Kisame Hoshigaki hesitated, his face full of suspicion.

He had wanted to tell him to stop bragging, but then he remembered that this boy even knew about the mysterious man controlling the Fourth Mizukage. Perhaps having unusual connections was only natural.

Kazama Kaguya shrugged. "Teacher Kisame, believe it or not—it's up to you. But if you really have a mission in Konoha, I really can give you a teeny tiny bit of intelligence assistance."

Upon hearing that, Kisame Hoshigaki froze, as though he had returned to that Ramen Shop in Kirigakure where he had been thoroughly screwed over.

He stared at Kazama Kaguya. After confirming something, his gaze gradually deepened, and the killing intent that had just subsided surged forth once more.

"So you're also in league with Orochimaru, that Konoha Rogue Ninja? Since when? How much information about the village have you sold?"

"Speak!"

Kisame Hoshigaki stared fixedly at the boy before him, his eyes like blades and his attitude forceful.

Whenever the protection of intelligence was involved, he always put duty first, impartial and iron-faced.

Beside them, Kimimaro shrank his neck at Kisame Hoshigaki's murderous words.

He was actually quite curious about Kisame Hoshigaki.

In his limited life, he had never seen anyone so contradictory.

He had clearly been set up and thoroughly deceived, yet he had still traveled thousands of miles to protect Lord Kazama, who was already a Rogue Ninja—only to decide that he would personally kill the person he was protecting three months later.

Being deceived, protecting someone, killing someone—three things that could never be connected had now all gathered in one person.

"What a strange person," Kimimaro silently concluded.

He poked at the firewood, trying not to make a sound as he quietly observed.

Kazama Kaguya ignored Kisame Hoshigaki's killing intent and calmly said, "Teacher Kisame, relax."

"I'm not in league with Orochimaru. We're cooperating—for the sake of a great future. And I haven't sold any information about the village, either."

Kisame Hoshigaki was nearly angered into laughter by the arrogance in Kazama Kaguya's words.

He looked down at the sickly boy, who only came up to his shoulders, disdain written all over his gray shark face. "Heh. Cooperating for a great future? Kazama Kaguya, I think you've forgotten that you only have three months left to live."

"Maybe not even that long."

Kazama Kaguya shrugged. He glanced at the survival time on the obelisk in his mind, which had once again dropped to one month, and mocked himself. "Maybe I'll suddenly drop dead in a month."

[Evolver: Kazama Kaguya]

[Status: Bloodline Disease outbreak. Estimated survival time: 1 month]

As the end of his life drew ever closer, Kazama Kaguya realized that he seemed to be growing more and more reckless.

Either erupt in death, or remain silent in death.

Silent? Resigned to fate?

Impossible.

What he needed now was a mad gamble that would leave him no path but survival.

One month. Only thirty short days.

If he could not obtain Hyuga material and evolve into an Otsutsuki bloodline, Kisame Hoshigaki would not even need to make a move. The backlash from All-Killing Ash Bones would turn him into a puff of ash.

But if he succeeded, he could change his name and call himself Otsutsuki Kazama.

At that point, he would no longer be that half-dead sickly wretch. He would have all the strength and methods he needed.

Kisame Hoshigaki could not understand where the boy's confidence came from. Hearing that he had not sold the village's intelligence, he withdrew his killing intent and snorted. "You're full of rotten tricks. If you suddenly dropped dead right now, I'd be quite happy."

"Then, Teacher Kisame, you might be happy a little too soon."

Kazama Kaguya had now completely figured out Kisame Hoshigaki's personality, and his tone became somewhat teasing.

He looked at Kisame's shark face and asked seriously, "So, Teacher Kisame, does your mission really not need any additional intelligence?"

"The price," Kisame Hoshigaki said concisely.

He had also figured out Kazama Kaguya's personality. The boy would not act without profit, and his belly was full of schemes.

If he casually accepted intelligence now, the price afterward might cost him even his underwear.

"You haven't even told me what the mission is yet, have you?"

"You didn't say what the price was."

"If you don't tell me the mission, how am I supposed to know the value of the extra intelligence?"

"If you don't tell me the price, I'm not telling you the mission."

Seeing Kisame Hoshigaki stubbornly refusing to budge, Kazama Kaguya was almost angered into laughter.

He knew Kisame Hoshigaki's mission wouldn't be simple. It might even be another opening to infiltrate Konoha, which was why he wanted to know.

But now, it seemed Kisame Hoshigaki had some lingering trauma and wouldn't speak easily.

The two stared at each other in silence, like a pair of fighting cocks.

In the end, Kazama Kaguya couldn't take it anymore and relented. "Then I'll offer three options for the price of the extra intelligence. Teacher Kisame, just choose one."

"Fine."

Kisame Hoshigaki took the opening without hesitation. "Since I need to protect you for three months, I can only take the mission that's been posted in the Anbu for a long time: seize a Mangekyō Sharingan."

"Seize a Mangekyō Sharingan? Are you going to your death?"

Kazama Kaguya was stunned when he heard the mission.

What kind of suicide mission was that? Was a Mangekyō Sharingan really so easy to seize?

Kisame Hoshigaki was strong, but compared to a Mangekyō Sharingan, he still fell somewhat short.

"If the Mangekyō weren't powerful, this mission wouldn't have gone unclaimed for so long."

Kisame Hoshigaki's expression turned grave. "Back then, Madara Uchiha was an awe-inspiring figure. The Hidden Mist higher-ups had long been tempted, which is why this mission was never withdrawn."

"I'm afraid the Hidden Mist higher-ups also have their eyes on the Byakugan," Kazama Kaguya said helplessly.

In this world, also known as the "Legend of the Eyes: Five Villages Brawl," no one could ignore the power of the Sharingan and the Byakugan.

Kisame Hoshigaki nodded in admission. "That's right. Back then, they besieged the Hyuga Main Family and seized one Byakugan, paying a great price. Now, the higher-ups can't stop thinking about the Mangekyō."

"The Mangekyō..."

Kazama Kaguya fell silent for a moment, then sincerely advised, "Teacher Kisame, a three-tomoe Sharingan would be manageable, but a Mangekyō... I suggest you don't throw your life away."

At this point in time, there were four pairs of Mangekyō Sharingan in the entire Ninja World. Konoha had two and a half pairs, but none of them were something Kisame Hoshigaki could obtain.

"The mission has already been accepted. Unless I try, I won't withdraw voluntarily." Kisame Hoshigaki's gaze was resolute. He was not the kind of man to retreat at the last moment.

So far, his understanding of the Mangekyō's strength was limited to written records.

When Madara Uchiha had been at the height of his glory, he had not yet become a ninja.

Now that he had risen to prominence, he had yet to fight a Mangekyō Sharingan head-on. He didn't want to casually declare it an opponent he couldn't overcome.

Seeing Kisame Hoshigaki's refusal to turn back until he hit a wall, Kazama Kaguya silently grumbled, No wonder you respected Itachi so much later. I've finally found the reason.

There was no other reason—he had simply been beaten into submission.

Most likely, Kisame Hoshigaki, like Orochimaru, would collapse the moment they met after being completely controlled by the Mangekyō's Genjutsu.

But now, before suffering the Mangekyō's brutal lesson, Kisame Hoshigaki was still very bold.

Kazama Kaguya knew his words couldn't shake Kisame Hoshigaki's resolve, so he didn't try to persuade him further. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I do have intelligence on the Mangekyō, and it's an exclusive piece. It's absolutely worth the price."

"The price."

Kisame Hoshigaki held out his hand. "You said it yourself—pick one of three. Don't try to cheat me again."