Several months later, inside the Hokage's office.
"Lord Hokage, traces of Hoshigaki Kisame have been found."
A purple-haired kunoichi stepped through the door and reported to Uchiha Fugaku.
Her name was Uzuki Yugao, once a member of the Anbu. Considering the need for help with sorting documents and intelligence files, Fugaku had asked her opinion and, with her agreement, had her leave the Anbu to serve instead as his secretary.
"Where was he spotted?" Fugaku asked.
"A day ago, within the Land of Iron. He wasn't alone—an old man with a hunched back was with him," Yugao replied.
"A hunched old man… That should be Sasori of the Red Sand," Fugaku immediately concluded.
"Summon Shisui and Hayabusa," he ordered after a brief pause.
Before long, two spore clones arrived—one disguised as Uchiha Shisui, the other disguised as a middle-aged man.
That middle-aged man was the second spore clone's cover identity: Yuki no Hayabusa, officially registered as a renegade from Kirigakure's Yuki clan who had defected to Konoha. Few knew of this arrangement due to his position within the Anbu, so there was little risk of Kirigakure's pursuit. And even if they did pursue—after Obito's bloody purges, the Hidden Mist had become so weakened they wouldn't dare challenge Konoha.
"Hoshigaki Kisame was seen with Sasori in the Land of Iron. You two will go, kill them both, and bring back Kisame's body," Fugaku commanded.
Kisame, with his monstrous chakra reserves and mastery of Water Release, was at least Kage-level. Sasori, the S-rank rogue of Sunagakure who assassinated the Third Kazekage, was also Kage-level.
Taking on two such opponents normally required multiple Kage-level shinobi. But Fugaku judged his two spore clones sufficient. The first, possessing Mangekyō Sharingan, was stronger than most Kage; the second, wielding a formidable Ice Release kekkei genkai, was likewise above standard Kage level.
"Understood," the two clones replied firmly. Loyal extensions of Fugaku himself, they obeyed his orders without question.
After brief preparations, they departed Konoha for the Land of Iron.
—
More than a day later, they arrived.
The Land of Iron was a neutral nation, untouched by the three great shinobi wars thanks to its neutrality. It had no shinobi—only samurai. These warriors trained chakra as well, but instead of ninjutsu, they infused it into their weapons to enhance their power in battle.
"This is where Kisame was last seen," a Konoha informant explained after linking up with the clones in a small town.
"Did anyone shadow them?" the first spore clone asked.
"Yes, but the operative has since lost contact. Likely killed," the informant answered, his face showing grief.
"My condolences," the first clone said softly. Death was an unavoidable risk of the shinobi life.
They searched the town for hours but found nothing. Kisame and Sasori had already moved on.
Outside the town, they widened their search. Shinobi seldom traveled openly on main roads; more often they slipped through forests to conceal their movements. Using this knowledge, the clones tracked subtle signs until—
"Found something," the second clone called. In the grass lay faint footprints. With the Sharingan, the first clone saw them clearly—even the nearly invisible ones.
"One, two, three sets… Three people. Two ahead, one trailing. Someone was following them," he analyzed.
"That must have been our missing operative," the second clone concluded.
They pursued the trail for half an hour until the first clone suddenly stopped. Ahead, the earth had been disturbed recently.
"Susanoo."
The orange-red skeletal hand of Susanoo burst from the soil, tearing it open to reveal a corpse. A man with a plain face, pierced fatally through the chest. Their missing informant.
The body was sealed into a scroll. But the tracks beyond had been erased—Kisame and Sasori, realizing pursuit, had wiped their trail.
Yet such tricks couldn't escape Mangekyō eyes. Unless they flew, no one could move without leaving traces. And the first clone's Sharingan would find them.
—
Two days later, beside a small river, they appeared: two men in black cloaks patterned with red clouds. Kisame and Sasori.
Their mission in the Land of Iron had been to assassinate a high-ranking official, which they had accomplished before collecting the bounty. Now they were preparing to leave.
Suddenly—crack!
An enormous orange-red skeletal hand burst from the ground, lunging at them.
Sasori reacted instantly, his puppet tail whipping out to block the attack. But against Susanoo's might, it shattered with ease.
"Tch…?" Sasori's voice was edged with surprise. Such a finely crafted weapon, destroyed so easily? He leapt back, pulling free from his puppet body and controlling more puppets with chakra threads to buy himself and Kisame time.
The puppets were smashed in moments. But they had retreated far enough to evade the strike.
"Who's there?" Sasori demanded coldly, his youthful puppet body glaring toward the source.
Kisame, meanwhile, unslung the massive, bandaged sword from his back, his shark-like face twisting into a vicious grin.
The skeletal hand vanished. From the earth rose two figures—the clones disguised as Shisui and Hayabusa. They had tracked their targets here and launched a sudden ambush.
"Uchiha Shisui… No, this must be another Uchiha with the Mangekyō," Sasori muttered, quickly realizing the truth. He knew well Shisui was dead; this was another Uchiha impersonating him.
"Konoha shinobi," Kisame said with a grin. "Sasori-senpai, looks like we've been hunted."
"Hunted?" Sasori sneered. Those who had once dared hunt him had all become part of his puppet collection.
"The Uchiha is mine. The other one's yours," Sasori said flatly.
He had once desired to make Fugaku himself into a puppet, but after learning even Nagato fell before Fugaku, he abandoned that fantasy. Another Mangekyō-wielder, however—perfect material for a puppet.
"Fine by me," Kisame replied, shark-eyes locked hungrily on the second clone.
"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A torrent of water gushed from his mouth, surging like a river toward the clones. They leapt into the trees to evade, but in doing so became separated.
Seizing the chance, Sasori rushed at the first clone while Kisame bore down on the second.