Under Zou Hyuga's gaze, Kisame looked a little uneasy.
Whenever he stood before this President, he felt as though he was being seen right through. It was no illusion, but an undeniable fact: the President was a Hyuga ninja who possessed the Byakugan kekkei genkai.
Heaven only knew why Konoha kept such a low profile when it had a ninja this powerful.
After staring at Kisame for a long while, Zou Hyuga finally said in a quiet voice, "Kisame, have you considered taking those kids back to Kirigakure? You might be able to return to the village."
Kisame froze, then stared hard at Zou Hyuga. "Is it really time to return to Kirigakure?"
Zou Hyuga nodded slightly. "But before that, we need to meet a few of your old comrades from Kirigakure."
That only confused Kisame further, but he did not press the issue. He merely asked, "What happens to this place after I leave? A lot of the kids aren't ready to return to Kirigakure yet."
After spending several years at the Leyline Base, Kisame had come to feel at home there.
He cared even more about the orphans he had brought back from all over the Land of Water.
"I have arrangements of my own..." After a brief pause, Zou Hyuga added, "A new instructor will come eventually. Sending you back to Kirigakure this time might even give you a chance to become Mizukage."
Zou Hyuga immediately dangled a grand promise before him, though it might well become possible when the time was ripe.
The Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were Kirigakure's elite jonin, making them potential successors to the Mizukage in theory. And after the village's series of brutal policies, there were very few jonin left capable of taking the position.
Compared with the other ninja