Mukai piloted the War God Mecha in its fighter jet form, flying at high speed along the border riverbank.
With the assistance of the intelligent Komushi and the guidance of the Samehada, Mukai quickly found his target.
"Land, Komushi."
"Yes, Mukai. I will be on guard in my half-mecha form."
As the War God Mecha transformed from its airplane form into a semi-mech form, it hovered and slowly landed in the woods.
Mukai emerged from the War God Mecha and hovered in mid-air, propelled by repulsive force. The War God Mecha remained behind him in a protective stance.
The multi-barreled electromagnetic cannon on the arm rotated slowly, ready to fire at any moment.
Seemingly startled by the loud whistling sound of the War God Mecha through the air, Kisame Hoshigaki, with his distinctive appearance, stood among the group of Mist Ninja below.
At this moment, Kisame Hoshigaki was only wearing standard Kirigakure Anbu and ninja tools. He was protecting the others as they carried out a special mission for their superior Suikazan Fuguki.
This sudden appearance of a special creation made the Mist Ninja extremely nervous, and the slowly descending Mukai made them even more wary.
They did not launch an attack immediately.
Kisame Hoshigaki's attention was entirely focused on Samehada in Mukai's hand.
Just as everyone was on high alert, Mukai spoke:
" Kisame Hoshigaki, your superior Suikazan Fuguki, gave you a secret mission: to fight to the death, and if necessary, kill others to preserve the intelligence, right?"
Upon hearing Mukai's question, the other Mist Ninja looked at Kisame Hoshigaki, who had a shark-like face, with varying expressions.
"That's right. As Sunagakure, how do you know these things?"
Mukai casually tossed the Samehada in front of Kisame Hoshigaki:
"That's what your boss, the Suikazan Fuguki who made you fight to the death, even at the cost of killing your comrades, told me."
He not only betrayed Kirigakure by selling information, but he was also the first to flee during battle.
Mukai's words were naturally a mixture of truth and falsehood.
Kisame Hoshigaki's small eyes were filled with wariness and suspicion:
What do you want to do?
Kisame Hoshigaki did not pick up the Samehada, nor did he make a move. Instead, he scrutinized Mukai, who was hovering in mid-air.
Of course he knew Samehada, and he also knew what kind of person his superior Suikazan Fuguki, was.
Before he could ask any further questions, the other party unfurled the sealed scroll and shook out a pile of things.
"These are... the other six Ninja Blade!"
Seeing that the Ninja Blade, which once symbolized one of the top combat forces of Kirigakure, so easily captured by the enemy and even thrown on the ground like trash, was truly astonishing.
The numerous Mist Ninja present had no desire to resist.
These are the top combatants of Kirigakure!
The entire army was wiped out?
" Sunagakure... what exactly do you want?"
Kisame's wariness hadn't subsided, but beneath his usual cruel and numb tone lay a deeper confusion.
He had heard that the Land of Wind was undergoing a dramatic change, but he had not expected that its reach and military power had extended this far, becoming unbelievably powerful.
"I've come to rescue a pathetic ninja who is still worth saving. He's been bound by the corrupt and outdated ninja system and doesn't even know the meaning of his own existence."
Mukai landed slightly above Kisame Hoshigaki, looked directly into his small, bean-like eyes, and slowly spoke.
Confusion? Meaning? Ha.
Kisame Hoshigaki grinned self-deprecatingly, his shark-like mouth wide open.
"Meaning? Aren't ninjas just killing or being killed while carrying out missions? What meaning is there to speak of?"
"A person should live to do meaningful things, not become a knife that only knows how to kill."
Kisame Hoshigaki, your confusion is precisely where your value lies—you're still worth helping out.
You haven't fallen into the self-destructive madness like those seven lunatics.
Mukai's words precisely exposed the festering wound that Kisame had been trying to conceal.
He had carried out countless dark missions, killed his comrades, and murdered the innocent; he once believed this was the fate of a ninja.
It is the "authenticity" necessary to maintain the village.
What is he? A tool? A beast? Or a pathetic creature who doesn't even know why he's wielding a knife?
Kisame Hoshigaki was one of the few normal people in the original Hokage world.
"Shut up!"
Kisame growled, his Chakra involuntarily erupting and forming an unstable vortex on the water behind him.
"What do you know?! Without conviction, without a mission, without a village, what is a ninja?"
These words were less a question to Mukai and more a self-examination.
"Beliefs can be fabricated, tasks can serve lies, and the village's interests are often defined solely by the power desires of a few."
"And now, I have established a completely new system in the Land of Wind and the Land of Rain, one without nobles."
We should use technological advancements to enhance national strength, so that every Chinese citizen can live with dignity.
Kisame Hoshigaki: Chakra should not just be fuel for killing, but an energy source that drives civilization forward.
The power of every individual should not be wasted, but rather should be the cornerstone for building a new world together.
"Sweet talk... you're just trying to use power to achieve your new ambitions."
What difference is there between you and those village leaders, those ambitious nobles?
Kisame Hoshigaki seemed to be voicing accusations from within his body; he was furious, yet he didn't know who his anger was directed at.
"Ambition?"
"If you mean turning deserts into fertile fields, building energy networks, and saving people from a life of toil and hunger where they can only helplessly pray in the face of natural disasters."
So, yes. That's my ambition.
I will transform the entire Shinobi World into this state, where ninjas no longer need to wield their swords to kill their own kind, and people no longer need to live a life of constant uncertainty and struggle for survival.
Every child can grow up healthy and strong.
People who truly love each other don't need to be driven to their deaths by so-called missions.
This is my ambition.
The War God Mecha behind me, and my power itself, are both manifestations of this ambition.
In the future, I will create even more and better mechs.
Will you choose to fight against such a future, or join it?
Kisame Hoshigaki, tell me your choice.
Why are you looking for me?
Kisame's voice lowered, filled with deep weariness.
Because you have the strongest human touch.
Your true nature hasn't completely crumbled. You deserve my invitation to join me, to join my ambition, and together we will bring true peace to the Shinobi World!
Mukai didn't even pay attention to the reactions of the other Mist Ninja, and only responded to Kisame Hoshigaki.
Kisame remained silent.
The river breeze swept across his shark-like cheeks, cold and damp.
He recalled the ever-present stench of blood in the Kirigakure, the bewildered or resentful looks in his companions' eyes before they died, and the growing emptiness within his own heart.
"If this can be considered ambition, then include me in that ambition!"
" Kisame Hoshigaki, I am at your service."
"Very good, you've made a wise choice. Samehada is yours; you can use it for now, just keep working on it."
Mukai landed the Martial War God Mecha on the ground and shouted to the bewildered Kirigakure:
" Miru, come out! The rest of you, your lives are temporarily spared."