The torrential rain merged with the mist, forming an endless curtain.
Kisame Hoshigaki, covered in wounds from sharp spikes and drenched in blood, lay pinned beneath Hikari's blade. His limbs sprawled weakly, and the once-vibrant deep blue chakra core within him had been drained to a dim flicker by Samehada's relentless devouring.
"Cough, cough—"
His arms struggled to push himself up, but a crushing force—tons of weight—pressed down on his back, pinning him to the water's surface, utterly immobile.
"Huff, huff— Samehada, even you've betrayed me?!"
Kisame's roar was thick with bitter resentment. If Samehada hadn't turned on him, he wouldn't have been taken down so easily. He hadn't even had the chance to unleash his trump card, the "Samehada Fusion."
Samehada, still greedily siphoning chakra, seemed to sense Kisame's emotions. Its massive jaws, clamped onto his shoulder, slowly loosened, and its jagged teeth, stained with blood, pulled free from his body.
"Samehada…"
A flicker of hope sparked in Kisame's eyes. His nearly depleted chakra core began to glow faintly again. If Samehada changed its mind, he might still have a chance to fight.
"Samehada!!"
Hikari retracted her tailed beast cloak and gripped the sword's hilt with her right hand, channeling chakra into Samehada.
"Grrr~!"
The delicious purple energy surged into its body, and Samehada's spikes relaxed in bliss, like a curled-up hedgehog unfurling at the scent of food.
"Argh!"
Kisame let out a pained scream as his faintly glowing chakra core dimmed once more.
Samehada's serrated teeth sank back into his flesh, biting deeper, as if proving its loyalty to its new master. "What a fine blade," Hikari remarked.
Orochimaru crouched on the water's surface, his golden eyes studying the living weapon with undisguised fascination.
"Care to trade?"
"What do you think?"
Hikari rolled her eyes.
Her Lightning Release chakra mode, Three-Tails' no-hand-sign water techniques, and tailed beast cloak all consumed massive amounts of chakra. Her biggest weakness was her limited chakra reserves compared to those chakra-behemoth monsters. Samehada's ability to absorb chakra was like giving wings to a tiger for her.
Unless someone offered her a pair of Rinnegan, there was no way she'd trade.
"Pity," Orochimaru sighed, shaking his head, dismissing the thought. His gaze shifted to Kisame, still pinned beneath Hikari's blade. "This shark freak has impressive physical strength and chakra. Perfect for experiments—"
"He's yours."
Catching Orochimaru's hint, Hikari lifted Samehada and handed Kisame over without hesitation.
Orochimaru had been the main force in their fight against Kisame. She'd claimed the most valuable prize—Samehada—so letting Orochimaru have Kisame was no big deal. They'd likely work together again in the future, so there was no need to hoard all the spoils.
Kisame's abilities were completely countered by Samehada. Even if Orochimaru accidentally let him escape later, he'd pose no threat to her.
Kisame, sprawled on the water, listened as the two divvied him up like a slab of meat. Despair filled his eyes.
"Generous as always," Orochimaru said with a magnetic chuckle. He opened his mouth and retched, spitting out a slimy scroll.
Hikari, hefting Samehada onto her shoulder, wrinkled her nose and stepped back. That storage method was downright disgusting.
Noticing her retreat and slight grimace, Orochimaru didn't mind. He rinsed the scroll in the water and tossed it to her. "The implant—"
He paused, glancing at Kisame, who was clearly eavesdropping, and continued vaguely, "You helped me hold off those two, so the deal's complete. The right arm is sealed in there. I didn't even get a single eye this time. Danzo got off cheap."
So trustworthy?
Hikari caught the damp scroll, mildly surprised. She unsealed it to confirm it was indeed the arm before tucking it away.
Orochimaru's eyes flickered at her lack of trust but said nothing. Given her displayed combat prowess, she had the right to make slightly offensive moves.
His hands flew into seals.
Five different chakra clusters ignited on Orochimaru's fingertips. "Five Elements Seal!"
He pressed his hand to Kisame's chest.
Sizzle!
It was as if a red-hot brand had seared his skin. Kisame groaned in pain as white smoke rose from his chest. When Orochimaru's hand pulled away, five elliptical symbols were etched into Kisame's blue skin.
Hikari, still wary of Kisame, watched as his chakra was locked tight within his core, unable to break free despite its frantic surges. She nodded, satisfied, and stepped back two paces, leaving Kisame to Orochimaru.
Still cautious, Orochimaru bit Kisame's shoulder, injecting a curse seal venom that paralyzed his body. His thoroughness made him seem less like a reckless evil scientist and more like a seasoned tactician.
The battlefield grew quiet.
---
Cho, who'd been watching Hikari's fight, saw Kisame's pitiful state and felt some relief from the pressure of facing Itachi Uchiha. "Yato's already taken that guy down."
"So fast? Not bad for one of Konoha's Legendary Three!" Arashi said, still awed by the tsunami-summoning power he'd witnessed. He hadn't expected Orochimaru to defeat Kisame so quickly.
"No, it was Yato who took him," Cho corrected.
Arashi and Iwakuma turned to her, stunned. Even Itachi, pretending to stay focused on his standoff, and Ryoma Aburame, were drawn to her words.
Kisame's strength was undeniable—the vast lake beneath them was his doing, proof he could clash with a village's Kage. If Hikari had defeated someone like that, didn't that mean she was on par with Danzo or even the Third Hokage?
"This guy's getting ridiculous," Arashi rasped, his voice dry, not Orochimaru's magnetic rasp but the kind of hoarseness from lingering too long in a desert. Having faced Kisame and survived two fights against Hikari, who'd defeated Kisame, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of fear.
Good thing she's on my team…
---
Amid the group's shock, Itachi's hand slipped into his sleeve, forming seals unnoticed. Without warning, he spewed flames.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Though surprised, Ryoma and the others hadn't lost focus on Itachi. They scattered to dodge the attack, only to realize the house-sized fireball wasn't aimed at them.
Whoosh!
The flames incinerated the swarm of parasitic insects in the air, which crackled and fell, creating a massive gap in their formation.
Itachi's crimson Sharingan met Ryoma's briefly. He crouched low, darting behind the fireball to escape the insect encirclement.
---
Back with Hikari.
Hikari stood to the side with Samehada as Orochimaru wrapped bandages around Kisame, sealing him tightly. A "Seal" character appeared at the center of the white bandages.
He was too cautious.
Whoosh!
A massive, elliptical fireball suddenly soared from the distance.
The roaring flames evaporated the relentless rain, sending wisps of mist into the air. Even from afar, its searing heat was palpable.
Such fierce chakra nature transformation.
Was this the Uchiha clan's Fire Release?
Having sealed her sole prize, Orochimaru sensed the approaching blaze. He slapped his hands to the ground.
"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"
Like Hikari, Orochimaru was adept in all five chakra natures, excelling at elemental counters.
A towering water wall rose, amplified by the environment's abundant water. The colossal barrier clashed with the flames, which flared one final time before fizzling out under the rain.
Sizzle…
Scalding steam filled the air.
Orochimaru licked his lips. His infrared perception was disrupted by the sudden heat, and the rising mist obscured his vision.
"Caw, caw, caw!"
Countless crows circled above, their wings beating as they converged into a figure cloaked in black with red clouds.
Crimson Mangekyo Sharingan glared down.
Sensing the enemy overhead, Orochimaru didn't dare look up. He tracked Itachi's movements through the water's blurry reflection, his chakra surging wildly.
Itachi gave no quarter, unleashing a lethal strike.
His right eye widened, pupil locking onto Orochimaru's head as blood vessels spread outward.
"Amaterasu!!"
"Arghhh!"
Black flames erupted atop Orochimaru's head without warning. The searing pain of his burning scalp drew a wretched scream as he plunged into the lake.
Drip.
Blood tears fell from Itachi's eye into the water. He closed his stinging right eye, grabbed the bandaged Kisame, and fled the spot.
Boom!
A monstrous fish crashed where they'd stood, its tons of force sinking the water's surface and sending waves surging outward.
Splash!
Samehada shrank back to Hikari's side, its gaping maw spitting out water in distaste.
Step, step, step…
Ryoma, Iwakuma, and their team arrived, slightly late but not by much.
The clash had lasted mere seconds—three or four at most. Their backup was impressively timely.
Hikari, Ryoma, and the others regrouped.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
Hikari nodded, then glanced curiously at Ryoma. His head shimmered with an aura of concern and friendliness—emotions she hadn't expected from the usually stoic, wooden man. Why did he suddenly seem… normal? Even his goodwill toward her had inexplicably grown.
With enemies nearby, she pushed the thought aside and shielded Samehada behind her, eyeing Itachi in the distance as he unwrapped Kisame's bandages.
Knowing Itachi's undercover status, she had no desire to keep fighting. This mission's haul was already massive: Thunderstone, Ink Thunder Crystal, Black Thunder Secret Technique, Samehada, Danzo's right arm. If her shadow clone got destroyed, she'd lose a fortune in loot.
The loss would be catastrophic.
Rain pattered down.
Itachi's right eye remained closed, blood washed away by the rain, streaking down his pale cheeks. He pressed his hands to Kisame's body, unraveling the bandages one by one.
"Lord Itachi, just escape on your own!"
Kisame's face twisted in a bitter smile. The Five Elements Seal and curse seal venom still bound him, rendering him completely immobile. Even at full strength, he'd be useless against a jinchuriki wielding Samehada—worse, he'd be a walking chakra battery for the enemy.
"Shut up."
Itachi frowned at Kisame's condition. He crouched, hoisted Kisame onto his back, and secured him with the remaining bandages.
Kisame's eyes softened with complexity, but he fell silent, resting on Itachi's back.
---
Meanwhile…
"Pfft!"
Orochimaru emerged from the water, unscathed. He glared at Itachi's reflection in the lake, his golden eyes brimming with near-tangible killing intent.
Those strange black flames, imbued with Yin Release, could burn even water, impossible to extinguish. If not for his Great Snake Substitution Technique, Itachi would've killed him instantly.
This was the Mangekyo's power!
A genjutsu space indistinguishable from reality, unquenchable Yin Release flames.
Repeatedly outplayed by Itachi, Orochimaru's obsession with the Sharingan reached its peak. He failed to notice the space behind him warping.
"Watch out!"
Cho, ever vigilant with her ripple sensing, shouted a warning.
But it was too late.
Silently, a hand pierced through space, grabbing Orochimaru's right shoulder. Eerie ripples distorted the area it touched, spreading across his body.
At the vortex's center, Orochimaru's eyes widened. His body twisted spirally, yet he felt no pain.
A space-time ninjutsu?
Orochimaru's mouth opened as if to scream, but no sound came. Even his head warped in the vortex-like space.
Rip!
Two pale hands tore through his mouth. A slime-covered Orochimaru ripped free from the distorted husk, fleeing the eerie ripples in panic.
Whoosh!
The shed skin twisted and vanished, leaving only a mysterious ninja with wet, disheveled hair. He wore an orange mask with a single eyehole and wave-like patterns, his body materializing as he stepped onto the water.
Splash, splash, splash!
The rain passed through the mysterious figure, rippling the water beneath as if he were a mere illusion.
It's Uchiha Madara!
Lord Madara!
Itachi and Kisame's hearts skipped a beat.
As a Konoha spy who'd just relayed Akatsuki intel to Ryoma, Itachi felt a pang of guilt facing the mastermind. Kisame, Madara's mole in Akatsuki tasked with retrieving the Sage's treasures, had failed and lost Samehada. He had even less confidence than Itachi.
Both were former Anbu, trained to perfection, their mental resilience unmatched.
They controlled their heartbeats and expressions, betraying nothing.
Hikari, sensing the tense emotional auras above everyone's heads, gripped Samehada tightly, her heart sinking.
She'd only come to mine some ore and head home to heal her eyes with a Sharingan.
What the hell was going on?
Looking at the flooded Thunder Drum Mountain peak, swarming with four or five Kage-level shinobi, even the disciplined Hikari couldn't help but want to curse.
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