Kisame's heart suddenly tightened. Indeed, after realizing that Suzuko's father had serious problems, he didn't dare imagine what Suzuko's future would become.
Even though earlier he had seemed calm, as if he had everything under control.
But were those arrangements, those reassurances, really useful? Judging by the personality of his superior, Suikazan Fuguki, even a trace of suspicion was enough for him to order a killing.
No… sometimes suspicion wasn't even needed. Just being in a bad mood was reason enough to pick someone at random and kill to vent his anger.
At that thought, Kisame fell silent. In this situation, if he wanted to guarantee absolute safety, there seemed to be only one path left, resolute resistance, outright defection.
But that would take immense determination and courage. Could he… really do it?
Tobi saw his expression and laughed softly, "Kisame, are you starting to think about defecting? Don't feel guilty for having such thoughts. Because, that's what a normal person would think."
"People act for profit and avoid harm. Today you raised your blade against others; tomorrow, others might raise theirs against you. Life is fragile, everyone wants to live well. You're no exception."
Kisame suddenly realize, this mysterious masked man seemed to understand him deeply. More deeply than ordinary empathy.
A strange, absurd feeling welled up in him. But somehow, it also felt strangely familiar, as if he had experienced this very moment somewhere before.
He couldn't help but open his mouth, his shark-like face fixed on the masked man, "You came here specifically to persuade me to defect from Kirigakure… and join the Akatsuki?"
Under the mask, who knew what expression the man wore, but his voice returned to calm.
"You guessed right. That's exactly my purpose in coming here, to invite you to join our organization."
"As for Akatsuki, you should've heard of us by now, given how much attention we've attracted lately."
"We… are an organization that loves peace. Among our members, there are no lies or betrayal. What we stand for, above all, is truth."
After pausing, Tobi's tone grew solemn, "I told you before, you're a good man. Good men will live peaceful lives. I swear I'll make sure of that."
Kisame's whole body relaxed a little. Though the masked man seemed mysterious and strange, he could feel a deep, genuine kindness from him.
It was something he hadn't felt from anyone else in all of Kirigakure, except Suzuko.
However, that didn't mean he'd lost all of a shinobi's alertness. He had already spotted a flaw in the masked man's words.
"You said that in the Akatsuki there are no lies or concealment. Is that true?"
Tobi spread his hands, his voice sincere, "Of course it's true."
Kisame's tone softened, "Then prove it to me. I don't want to join an organization where the one recruiting me hides behind a mask, refusing to show his face."
"With your face covered, skulking in the shadows, how can you call that 'truth'?"
Kisame expected the masked man to refuse. After all, if he chose to conceal his face, it must've been for a reason. Surely he wouldn't take it off just because of a single comment.
But he was wrong.
Tobi's tone even carried a hint of amusement, "If that's what you want, then I'll show you… the real me."
"It's just, this is a top-level secret. So you'll have to keep it to yourself."
Kisame blinked, surprised, "You're really willing to show me? How do you know I'll keep your secret?"
Tobi said, "I don't need any guarantees. I believe you're someone who can keep a secret. So…"
Tobi raised his hand and, very openly, began to lift his mask, slowly revealing the face beneath.
Half of it was horribly scarred.
Kisame stared at that face, it looked somewhat familiar, like he'd seen it somewhere before, but he couldn't place where.
Tobi, or rather, Uchiha Obito, spoke, "Because of the height difference, this face you see is part of a transformation jutsu I'm using. It's what I'll look like as an adult. Actually, you've seen my real appearance before, Kisame. Guess who I am?"
Kisame's eyes widened in shock, "You look like… like Uchiha Obito."
Then his tone shifted from disbelief to conviction, "That's right, you are Uchiha Obito! The one they call the 'Black Fang of Konoha' in the legends!"
Little Obito, wearing the ruined face of big Obito, looked slightly displeased, "Kisame, don't call me by that ugly nickname. But now you believe me, right? I've revealed all my secrets to you."
Kisame felt his worldview collapse a little, "I heard that you threw a shuriken from eight miles away and hit Uchiha Madara, and then somehow survived after being in his hands."
"But if you were actually part of the Akatsuki all along, one of Madara's own… then that whole story was never real. You and Madara were on the same side from the start."
"No wonder you became a legend of the new shinobi era in such a short time, it was all just an act."
Obito looked even more annoyed, "Who said I'm Madara's subordinate? Can't it be an equal partnership?"
"And besides, who was acting? Kisame, use that shark brain of yours. With Madara's arrogant personality, do you really think he'd obediently play along in some performance for me?"
Kisame froze, then nodded. It was true, given what he'd seen just now, Obito had clearly been watching everything from the start, yet neither he nor Jonin Nishimura had sensed a thing. Such ability was beyond his comprehension.
He nodded slowly, sighing, "Didn't think you'd become this powerful already. It hasn't even been that long since I last saw you."
After saying that, he suddenly understood something else, "So that means… Konoha and Akatsuki have been in league all along. Both Uchiha, guess that makes sense."
Obito said, "It's not what you think. In the beginning, my involvement with Akatsuki was personal. Of course, things may change in the future. After all, I'm technically part of Konoha's higher-ups now."
At that, Kisame finally grasped the situation and gave a bitter laugh, "Now that I know such top-secret information… even if I didn't want to join, I guess I have no choice, right?"
Obito, however, lifted his gaze toward the sky, "No. I don't force my comrades, Kisame. The choice is entirely yours."
Kisame couldn't help asking, "If I refuse, aren't you afraid I'll tell someone about this?"
Obito glanced toward Suzuko beside him, "Rather than worrying about you, I'd be more concerned for your little girlfriend."
"But… I told you before, good people live peaceful lives. Even if the information leaks out, I won't blame you. Just like joining or not joining Akatsuki is your choice, revealing my identity to you was my choice. I'll bear whatever consequences come."
After a pause, Uchiha Obito extended his hand toward Kisame.
"So, Kisame, tell me your answer. I promise, if you refuse, I'll turn around and leave. And no fourth person will ever know what happened today."
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