Kisame, Do You Want to See a Bigger World?

Lin Feng's movements came to a halt, and the distorted ripples in the surrounding space stilled along with him.

He did not turn back, standing calmly at the edge of the rooftop, letting the sea breeze buffet his armor.

"Kisame."

He spoke, his voice not loud, yet it clearly cut through the whistling wind.

"Are you questioning my actions?"

There was no change in the expression on Kisame Hoshigaki's shark-like face, but his right hand, gripping Samehada, tightened instinctively.

"I wouldn't dare," Kisame's voice was raspy. "I only wish to know what kind of future I shall see... by following Lord Madara."

He had slaughtered his comrades, killed his superiors, and even personally ended the reign of the Third Mizukage, staking the entire fate of Kirigakure Village on the man before him.

He needed an answer.

An answer sufficient to provide a destination for a heart that had been submerged in darkness for far too long.

"The future?"

Lin Feng finally turned around slowly, his purple Rinnegan gazing calmly at Kisame.

"You are now the Fourth Mizukage, with the entire Land of Water under your control. Is such power not enough to satisfy you?"

Kisame bared his sharp teeth, his smile tinged with self-mockery.

"Mizukage? It is nothing more than a larger cage. Before, I killed for Kirigakure; now, I kill for the Akatsuki. If that is all there is to it, how is this any different from the past?"

He took a step forward, a fierce aura radiating from his body.

"Lord Madara, you allowed me to see the possibility of a world without lies. I want to know just how vast that world... truly is."

Lin Feng looked at him, a hint of approval showing in his eyes.

This was the Kisame Hoshigaki he had set his sights on.

A fierce shark that refused to be a king in a mere pond, yearning instead to swim in the boundless ocean.

"Kirigakure, the Land of Water... these are all too small."

Lin Feng extended a hand, as if to grasp the distant horizon in his palm.

"So small that they aren't even worthy of being a corner on my chessboard."

Kisame's breath hitched.

"The Five Great Nations, the Five Great Ninja Villages—this foolish system of territorial division, mutual suspicion, and constant warfare for ridiculous interests has been wrong from the very beginning." Lin Feng's voice turned deep, filled with a subversive power.

"What I intend to build is a unified, absolute New World where order is maintained by true strength."

"In this world, there will be no distinction between nations, no prejudice between villages. All ninja, all Kekkei Genkai, will serve the same goal—development and progress."

He pointed toward the Kirigakure Village below, which had already begun to rebuild and regain its vitality.

"The industrial reforms you are pushing here are merely a start, an insignificant experiment. I intend to promote this model to the entire Ninja World!"

Kisame's massive frame began to tremble uncontrollably.

It was not out of fear, but because an indescribable excitement was surging wildly through every fiber of his being.

Unify the entire Ninja World?

Abolish the system of the Five Great Nations?

What a mad, what a... blood-boiling ambition!

"As for you," Lin Feng's gaze fell back upon Kisame, "did you think I made you Mizukage just so you could help me manage this village?"

"No."

"I am giving you a chance to personally shatter the old world that once forced you to kill your own comrades. The position of Mizukage is merely the first step on your path."

Lin Feng's words struck Kisame's heart like a heavy hammer.

Killing his comrades... that was the nightmare of his life.

"You mean..."

"I need the sharpest blade to sever the rotting flesh of the old era," Lin Feng's voice was filled with allure. "And you, Kisame, have the potential to become that blade."

He walked slowly toward Kisame and reached out, placing a hand on his shoulder.

A warm and majestic life energy instantly poured from Lin Feng's palm into Kisame's body.

This was the "Life Feedback (Yang)" rewarded by the system.

Kisame felt a warm current sweep through his entire body, and the hidden injuries and fatigue from his successive battles and the forced exertion of Chakra were washed away in that instant.

His physical state was even better than it had been at his peak!

"This... what is this?!"

Kisame looked at Lin Feng in shock; such a method was completely beyond the scope of medical ninjutsu—it was more like a miracle bestowed by a god!

"A small reward," Lin Feng withdrew his hand, his tone indifferent.

"Work hard, Kisame. The heights you can reach in the future go far beyond that of a mere Mizukage."

"The world I envision requires pioneers like you."

Kisame knelt on one knee, planting the massive Samehada before him, his head bowed low.

This time, his submission came from the heart.

"I, Kisame Hoshigaki, am willing to offer everything for the new world created by Lord Madara!"

"Very good."

Lin Feng nodded with satisfaction.

"Continue to push forward with the five-year plan for Kirigakure. As for the issuance of Tailed Beast bonds, let Kakuzu handle it; he is more adept at that than you."

"Are you... leaving already?" Kisame looked up.

"My business here is finished." Lin Feng turned back toward the edge of the rooftop. "My pieces are still waiting for me to move them across the shinobi world."

A spatial vortex manifested once more.

"Remember, Kisame." Lin Feng's voice drifted from the vortex, carrying an indisputable majesty.

"From this day forward, your gaze must be fixed upon the entire world."

As the words faded, Lin Feng's figure vanished completely.

Only Kisame remained, kneeling on the rooftop, feeling the unprecedented power surging within his body and the heart in his chest that had begun to burn with fervor once again.

He slowly stood up and walked to the edge of the roof, overlooking the village below, which had already taken on a brand-new appearance.

This was the starting point of the new world.

Konoha Village, Hokage Office.

A month had passed since the Nine-Tails Incident.

Under the leadership of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, the reconstruction of the village was proceeding in an orderly fashion.

Yet, the atmosphere inside the office was suffocating.

Namikaze Minato sat in the Hokage's chair, a gentle smile on his face, though a trace of exhaustion lingered between his brows.

Seated to his left and right were the two newly appointed Hokage Assistants—Fugaku Uchiha and Shimura Danzo.

As for the two newly appointed advisors to the Fourth Hokage, one was the elder of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Nensa, while the other was the representative of the Hokage's faction, Nara Shikaku, who served as the captain of the Konoha Jonin squad by virtue of his exceptional strategic mind.

"Regarding the request from the Kumogakure delegation to sign a peace treaty with Konoha, I believe it is acceptable," Minato said, breaking the silence.

"I object."

Shimura Danzo's single eye was as sharp as a hawk's.

"Kumogakure is ambitious and has never abandoned its covetous eyes on our Konoha's Kekkei Genkai. This so-called peace treaty is merely a facade for their infiltration."

"Lord Danzo is overthinking it," Fugaku Uchiha said in a steady voice. "Konoha has just experienced a major upheaval and truly needs a peaceful external environment to recuperate. Moreover, demonstrating our strength and unity to the outside world can also deter those petty villains."

The "unity" he spoke of carried a pointed meaning.

Ever since the Uchiha clan had "rendered meritorious service in saving the village" during the Nine-Tails Incident, and Fugaku had taken the position of Hokage Assistant, the Uchiha's status within the village had risen to an unprecedented height, even faintly showing signs of rivaling the Hokage faction led by the Fourth Hokage.

"Lord Fugaku is right! Only a stable transition period can resolve the current predicament facing Konoha!" Uchiha Nensa chimed in.

"Lord Minato, Lord Fugaku, Lord Danzo, although Konoha won the Third Shinobi World War, we are in urgent need of rest and recovery. I have communicated with Lord Jiraiya; he has finished his training abroad and will return to Konoha tomorrow. I have also been in contact with Lady Tsunade. Although she indicated she would not pay too much attention to news from Konoha, I believe that if a crisis occurs, she will return immediately. Konoha currently possesses the combat power of the Sannin, three shadow-level figures; we need not fear any invaders. Only peace can restore Konoha's vitality. We also possess powerful combat strength; as long as we show that we seek peace through struggle, we can achieve true peace!" Nara Shikaku explained.

Listening to the debate, Minato rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

For the past month, scenes like this had played out almost every day.

Danzo represented the radical hawks, while Fugaku acted as a steady moderate concerned with the big picture. The two were at odds on every issue, and with the two Hokage advisors being a pure Uchiha clansman and a member of the Nara clan respectively—though fortunately, the Nara clan had always been firm supporters of the Hokage faction—it kept his decision-making as Hokage from becoming completely gridlocked.

"Alright, this matter..."

Just as Minato was about to make a decision, an Anbu ninja suddenly appeared in the center of the office via Body Flicker.

"Lord Minato, urgent intelligence!"

"The Hyuga Clan compound has been attacked by unknown individuals! Lady Hinata... has been abducted!"