"ε=(ο｀))) Alas!"*
"Is the man I like really this naïve?!"
The sudden sigh echoed through the stone room, startling everyone present. It came out of nowhere, making it clear that someone else was there.
Hearing the voice, Kisame felt a sense of familiarity and quickly looked around. However, apart from the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, who was blocking the door, and the young man calling himself Uchiha Madara, there was no one else in the room.
"Who's there?! Stop hiding and show yourself!"
Unable to find the source of the voice, Kisame tightened his grip on Samehada, raising it defensively while scanning the area.
At that moment, the young man with Sharingan seemed to sense something. Without hesitation, he leaped forward, rolling to the side just as Yagura, still under his control, pulled a black staff from behind and swung it down at the spot where "Uchiha Madara" had just been standing.
Clang!
The sharp sound of metal striking metal rang through the room, followed by a voice from outside the door.
"Oh? You actually sensed my presence."
"It seems your pupil power has really improved."
"Survivor of the Uchiha clan's rebellion!"
In the darkness, a flash of scarlet appeared, catching everyone's attention. Then, a young man slowly stepped into view. Upon seeing him, "Uchiha Madara" stiffened in shock—he never expected this person to appear here.
"You…!"
"Konoha's Hokage—Uzumaki Raiden!"
Kisame's face also showed disbelief as he recognized the red-haired youth standing before him. Years ago, he had conducted extensive research in preparation for an assassination attempt on this very man.
And now, Kisame could clearly tell that the so-called Uchiha Madara was just as shocked. It was likely that the assassination order Mizukage had issued had been aimed at Raiden. These two had crossed paths before!
"That's me."
Raiden's expression remained calm as he turned toward Kisame.
"Kisame, in this world, there are indeed many falsehoods… but there are also truths stronger than steel."
"If you deny all truth just because of the lies you've encountered, then you're straying down a dangerous path."
"On my way here, I met a blonde girl—she's been looking forward to seeing you."
"You should be able to feel that longing, right?"
Raiden stepped aside, revealing a path behind him. A blonde girl slowly walked into the stone room, her expression confused as she took in the situation. Upon seeing Yagura, she immediately bowed in respect before shifting her gaze toward Kisame.
She said nothing.
Kisame instinctively loosened his grip on Samehada, his eyes darting away from hers as he stared at the ground.
"Uchiha Madara" immediately noticed the shift in atmosphere. The girl Raiden had brought with him was clearly a critical piece that could disrupt his plan. If she continued to influence Kisame, things would get out of hand.
He needed to remove her—now.
With a murderous glint in his eyes, his scarlet Sharingan locked onto the girl, attempting to control her with his powerful genjutsu.
But just as he activated his eyes, a black figure moved in front of him. Before he could react, a lightning-coated blade slashed toward his face.
"Did you really think I'd let you pull cheap tricks in front of me?"
"You must be Uchiha Kiyoshi's grandson."
"You barely escaped with your life—wouldn't it be better to just live quietly?"
Raiden had moved so quickly that "Uchiha Madara" couldn't anticipate it. The Sharingan wielder hurriedly activated his Mangekyō, allowing the blade to pass harmlessly through his intangible form.
Raiden narrowed his eyes. He immediately adjusted his attack, pressing his lightning-infused blade against the intangible figure's chest.
In an instant, an electric web burst from Raiden's body, weaving around his opponent and trapping him. The net contracted, sparking violently.
But just as quickly, "Uchiha Madara" vanished from within the lightning trap. At the same time, Yagura sprang into action, launching an iron staff attack toward Raiden's back.
Raiden didn't even look. He spun around, grabbed the staff with his left hand, and swung Yagura straight into the stone wall. A deep crater formed where Mizukage's body crashed.
His gaze, however, remained fixed on "Uchiha Madara," who had managed to escape the lightning net.
"A space-time jutsu… interesting."
Raiden clenched his left fist, condensing chakra. When he opened his palm again, a small black sphere floated above it.
"The range is a bit tight, but if I control the power, it should be fine."
Seeing this, "Uchiha Madara's" pupils shrank. Though he didn't know exactly what technique Raiden was preparing, the overwhelming sense of dread flooding his instincts told him he needed to leave—immediately.
Without hesitation, his body blurred into nothingness. A water mirror formed behind Yagura's embedded figure, and within seconds, both of them disappeared without a trace.
Raiden activated Kagura's Eye, scanning for their whereabouts, but even after extending his range for miles, he found no trace of them.
"Hmph… they escaped faster than expected."
Kisame, meanwhile, was still processing everything. The mysterious "Uchiha Madara," who had tried recruiting him moments ago, had just fled without a fight.
This forced Kisame to reevaluate Raiden's strength. More importantly, he became increasingly curious about why Raiden was here in the first place.
"Alright, now that the nuisance is gone…"
"Kisame, I came to the Land of Water for two reasons—one was to travel."
"The other… was you!"
Raiden's gaze locked onto Kisame.
"Me?" Kisame pointed at himself, bewildered. Konoha's Hokage came all this way for me?
"Yes."
"I like you, Kisame."
"You've carried the darkness of your nation and your village on your back. Despite growing up in such an environment, you still hold a shred of hope for the world."
"You may feel lost now, but I will give you a new home, a new life… even a new world!"
"Kisame—come to Konoha. Be my right-hand man!"
Raiden's voice was firm and commanding, carrying an undeniable allure.
The blonde girl gently grabbed Kisame's arm, looking at him with hesitant hope.
"Mr. Kisame… No matter where you go, will you take me with you?"
Her eyes held longing and trust. Along the journey with Raiden, she had experienced warmth and camaraderie unlike anything in Mist Ninja Village. She had already been moved by people like Obito and Rin.
She had come to admire the Land of Fire.
Kisame clenched his fists.
"A new life. A new world."
"You easily forced 'Uchiha Madara' to retreat… You're more trustworthy than him."
"I killed my superior with my own hands. Mizukage is nothing but a puppet."
"There's nothing left in this village for me."
"I will follow you!"
The blood in his eyes gradually faded as he turned to the girl beside him.
"But you're the Hokage of Konoha. Is it really okay for you to take in a rogue ninja from Mist Ninja Village?"
Kisame voiced his concerns, though in truth, he wasn't asking for himself. He was thinking of the girl beside him. Kisame was no fool—he could sense her feelings. He didn't want to disappoint her again.
He believed he still had value. Even if it was Uzumaki Raiden, he wouldn't discard him so easily.
But the girl was different. To Raiden, she was likely insignificant. Kisame didn't want her to become a casualty of his decisions. Though he had chosen to follow Raiden, it was impossible for him to be without doubts.
"Don't worry—no one can force me into a decision I don't want to make."
"Come with me."
Raiden gave a reassuring smile before turning and leaving the stone room.
Outside, Mist Ninja Anbu had sensed the disturbance and were quickly closing in.
Raiden had no intention of letting this escalate into an international conflict. Lightning flickered around him as he wrapped Kisame and the girl in its glow. In a flash, the three of them disappeared.
The Mist ninja arriving at the stone room only heard the crackling remnants of electricity in the air. When they entered, all they found was the bloodied corpse of the Watermelon Mountain Puffer Ghost. Uzumaki Raiden and the others were already long gone.
A Peaceful Shore in the Land of Water
Under the warm sun, Raiden reclined on a deck chair along the coastline, a fishing rod planted firmly in the sand beside him. The fishing line was stretched taut—clearly, something was hooked.
Yet, he showed no sign of reeling it in. A straw hat shaded his face, and the quiet sound of snoring suggested he was enjoying an afternoon nap.
Beside him, Kisame stood silently, Samehada strapped to his back as he gazed out at the calm sea. The girl clung lightly to his arm, resting her head against him. For the first time in his life, Kisame felt a deep sense of peace.
A little further away, Uchiha Itachi, Kakashi, Obito, and Rin played along the shoreline, their laughter ringing through the cool spring air.
Despite the lingering chill of the season, they paid no mind to the temperature, fully immersed in the moment.
"Master Raiden, the fish is hooked. Why don't you reel it in?"
Kisame glanced at the fishing line, still pulled tight.
"Oh? There's a fish?"
"I almost dozed off and didn't notice."
Raiden lazily lifted the brim of his hat, shielding his eyes from the sun. Sitting up, he stretched before reaching for the fishing rod with his right hand. He gave a few slow tugs on the line, then let it slacken slightly.
"Kisame, have you ever fished before?"
Raiden asked casually as he struggled playfully against the sea's pull.
"No, I haven't. Not even once."
"I've been training for as long as I can remember."
Kisame shook his head lightly.
At that moment, Raiden abruptly handed the fishing rod to him. Kisame instinctively grasped it, looking at Raiden in confusion.
"Give it a try."
Raiden didn't offer an explanation. Instead, he leaned back into his chair.
Kisame hesitated but tightened his grip on the rod. Since this was a task given to him by Raiden, he wouldn't take it lightly. He began pulling on the line, intending to use his strength to haul in the fish.
But just as he was about to apply force, the girl beside him gently placed her hands over his.
"Mr. Kisame, if you pull too hard all at once, the line will snap. Slow down."
"Like this—pull it toward you gradually."
"This fish is big. You need to let it tire itself out first before you can reel it in properly."
"Let the line out a little to avoid breaking it from the strain."
The girl spoke softly, guiding Kisame's movements as she demonstrated how to fish.
Kisame didn't resist. He carefully followed her instructions, adjusting his movements to match her guidance.
Watching them from the side, Raiden stretched and let out a contented sigh.
This peaceful, ordinary moment—it was the kind of life he had always longed for. And now, he was finally experiencing it.
Having mastered the power of Kurama, he stood at the peak of the ninja world. The only real threats left were those hiding within Akatsuki. To track down Black Zetsu and the organization's full membership, he would have to rely on Orochimaru's connections—or wait for Akatsuki to make a move themselves.
For now, his focus was on strengthening his own foundation.
Deepening Kisame's bonds with people was one way to solidify his strength.
After traveling through the Land of Water, he planned to visit the Land of Rain to confront Akatsuki firsthand. But before that, he needed to return Itachi and the others to Konoha.
"Speaking of which… Naruto should be seven years old by now."
"I should bring him a few gifts when I get back."
(End of this chapter.)