The Tailless Beast Unleashed, Kisame's Interception

Water droplets slid down Kisame's dark blue coat. With an exaggerated broad-bladed sword slung over his shoulder, he swaggered into the middle of the street, his split grin exposing a mouthful of sharp teeth and an arrogant expression.

His pupil-less fish eyes swept across the group opposite him, pausing briefly on the ice sculptures Haku had created before finally settling on Zabuza.

"Well, if it isn't Zabuza Momochi?"

His opening words were unabashed mockery, and the smile on Kisame's face deepened.

"Running away from the village was one thing, but now you've brought a bunch of brats back to die?"

"What, couldn't make it out there, so you came back to kneel and beg Lord Mizukage for forgiveness?"

Kisame casually shifted Samehada on his shoulder. The bandages scraped against the blade, producing a piercing sound that bored into everyone's ears.

As if it had sensed the immense chakra ahead, the great sword reacted at once. Its body writhed beneath the bandages, already impatient to devour.

"That Executioner's Blade in your hand has truly disgraced the Seven Ninja Swordsmen."

With a cold sneer, Kisame raised Samehada and pointed its broad blade at the group from afar.

"Perfect. Today, I'll suck every last bit of chakra out of you trash and feed it all to my Samehada!"

At that provocation, Zabuza's eyes quickly reddened. A savage aura burst from his body, sending the shattered ice at his feet scattering and tumbling away.

He tore the bandages from his face in one motion. His sharp teeth ground with a grating crunch as he lifted the heavy Executioner's Blade in one hand, its edge pointed straight at Kisame's head.

"Kisame Hoshigaki! You stinking fish only fit to roll around in filth, and you dare bark at me?!"

Brutal killing intent swept up ice fragments from the ground, circling endlessly around him as Zabuza raised his sword and prepared to charge forward.

"Stand down."

Zabuza's raised foot hung in midair. Hearing those two calm words, he forcibly withdrew his step.

His chest heaved violently, and he forcefully suppressed the frenzy in his eyes. He turned toward Ye, remained silent for a moment, then finally lowered his head.

Clenching his teeth, Zabuza forced out the words through the gaps between them.

"Lord Ye, that bastard's mouth is too foul. Let me chop him down!"

"His sword is interesting."

Ye's gaze fell on Samehada resting on Kisame's shoulder, his tone still unhurried.

"With the little chakra you have left, you won't gain any advantage against him. Stand down."

Unable to defy the order, Zabuza could only shoot Kisame a vicious glare, then shoulder the Executioner's Blade and retreat to his original position.

Just then, the system's mechanical synthesized voice sounded punctually in Ye's mind.

"Ding. It has been detected that the host has encountered Kisame Hoshigaki's interception. Please make a choice."

"Option one: Have Zabuza forcibly engage him and temper a subordinate's resolve. Reward: three low-quality Soldier Pills."

"Option two: Have everyone take a detour, avoid a meaningless battle, and head straight for the Mizukage Building. Reward: B-rank Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet."

"Option three: Act personally and completely crush Kisame's confidence in his chakra from the front, destroying his will to resist. Reward: top-grade physique ability, Abyssal Sea Core, doubling the host's chakra recovery speed and maximum capacity once more."

Ye swept his gaze across the three options without lingering.

Was there even a choice to make?

The Sage Body had already placed his chakra at the pinnacle of the Shinobi World. With this Abyssal Sea Core added on, his total chakra would break past its current limit and far surpass any Tailed Beast.

By then, even he himself would find it difficult to exhaust the chakra within his body.

"I choose option three."

As Ye made his choice in his mind, the reward was issued accordingly.

His chakra pathways expanded continuously, and the chakra surging through them rapidly swelled. The immense vitality within his body underwent another transformation, while his recovery speed rose to a terrifying level.

Even as he merely breathed, his body absorbed the surrounding natural energy on its own, replenishing the nearly inexhaustible chakra within him.

Kisame still stood in the way ahead. Passing the people beside him, Ye walked straight toward him.

Those Mangekyo Sharingan that had struck fear into countless powerful figures remained unopened, and the ninja sword on his back never left its sheath.

His hands hung naturally at his sides as Ye approached the man known as the Tailless Beast with nothing but his bare fists.

On a distant watchtower, Ao locked onto Ye's figure with his Byakugan, cold sweat quickly soaking his back.

He was insane. This man was absolutely insane.

He had not even covered his body in a chakra cloak, yet he was actually facing Samehada with his flesh and blood.

Did he not know that if Samehada so much as grazed his skin, more than half the chakra in his body would be devoured on the spot?

Staring at the black-clad youth steadily approaching, the mockery on Kisame's face grew thicker, and the hand gripping his sword hilt tightened.

"You suicidal brat! Since you're in such a hurry to die, I'll grant your wish!"

With one foot, Kisame shattered the ice covering the ground. His massive body launched into the air with the force of the kick, diving straight at Ye's head.

A vast amount of Water Release chakra erupted from his body, gathering in the blink of an eye into the shape of a gigantic shark that enveloped both him and Samehada.

Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique, combined with a slash from Samehada itself, was Kisame's most prized opening move.

The instant the two sides clashed, this attack would not only inflict terrifying physical destruction, but also drain all the chakra from the enemy's body on the spot.

Tearing through the air before it, Samehada slashed toward Ye's head with horrifying force. The gale it kicked up made his black coat flap wildly.

Facing the broad-bladed sword crashing down upon him, Ye still did not dodge. He merely raised his right hand and casually pushed his palm toward the blade.

That seemingly casual movement erupted with terrifying force the instant his palm touched Samehada, compressing the air across the entire street until it twisted and warped.

The broad blade crashed heavily into Ye's palm, yet Samehada could not move downward another inch. A deafening collision rang through the long street.

Violent currents of air erupted outward from between them. Shops lining both sides of the street collapsed one after another, bricks and splintered wood flying into the air. The expected sight of the youth being cleaved in two never appeared.

Both hands clenched around the hilt, Kisame had originally been waiting for chakra to pour into his body, ready to enjoy the sight of his opponent collapsing once his strength ran dry.

But the next moment, the wild grin on his face vanished completely.