Kisame in the mirror raised Samehada and charged forward.
The two Samehada collided, producing a piercing screech of metal grinding against metal.
Kisame faced off against his reflection.
"See?" Yagura's voice came. "You can't even defeat yourself."
Kisame smiled easily. "I never intended to defeat myself."
He suddenly let go of Samehada, allowing the mirrored Kisame to slash at him.
The blade cut across Kisame's shoulder, spraying blood.
But Kisame's fist also smashed into his reflection's face.
The Kisame in the mirror dissolved into a stream of water and vanished.
Kisame picked up Samehada and turned to Yagura.
"I don't need to defeat myself." The wound on Kisame's shoulder healed rapidly. "Because I accept my darkness."
Yagura's expression changed.
Kisame continued, "You want to use my past to persuade me, but you don't understand."
"It is precisely because I have experienced that darkness that I know how fragile human nature is." Kisame looked at Yagura. "So I don't believe in your peace."
Yagura lowered his eyes despondently, his thoughts returning to the day he took office as Mizukage.
"It was my fault. I failed to keep my promise."
Kisame turned and headed deeper into the passage.
"I don't have time to play with a Water Clone."
"Wait." Yagura's voice came again.
Kisame stopped.
"If one day..." Yagura's voice was quiet. "If one day, you discover that the Eye of the Moon is also false, what will you do?"
Kisame fell silent for a moment.
"Then I'll keep living in that falsehood," he said softly. "Until I die."
Yagura's figure began to fade.
The Water Clone's chakra had run out.
"Kisame." Yagura spoke one last time. "If you want to catch me, then come."
Deidara scratched his head. "Which way do we go now?"
Kisame turned without a word and started