25. This is the path that leads to your death (Seeking investment!)

The battle of ninja is a battle of intelligence. Who could have imagined that Kisame, without relying on explosive tags or hand signs, could trigger explosions on his enemies merely through physical contact? Such a bizarre technique gave him a formidable ability to kill on first encounter.

“I’ll fight you to the death!”

Steel Shinobi, already at the end of his strength, unleashed the last of his Lightning Release chakra, charging at Kisame like a beast wreathed in lightning, throwing caution to the wind.

With a light movement, Kisame dodged the attack. At the same moment, the shark’s tail lightning whip appeared behind him, crackling with an even more dazzling electric light.

A sweeping tail strike!

A tail… a tail?

Reflected in Steel Shinobi’s pupils was a shark’s tail wreathed in lightning—the very last sight he would see in this world.

With a thunderous crack, the shark’s tail lightning whip struck Steel Shinobi in the chest, sending him flying backwards, his internal organs shattered. He died on the spot.

Meanwhile, outside the forest.

Iron Shinobi, looking completely at ease, toyed with Mei Terumi and Yugiri Ringo as a cat toys with mice, pushing them to their limits.

He was adept at Lightning Release and shurikenjutsu, wielding a giant wind demon shuriken that could be thrown to wound foes or split into four sharp blades for use as swords.

Suddenly, a bright flash of lightning erupted from the forest.

“Haha, looks like Steel Shinobi has already dealt with that shark-faced fellow. In that case, I’d better hurry up—no more time to play with you two.”

Casting a glance toward the forest, Iron Shinobi withdrew his gaze, a cruel smile on his lips.

Kisame!

Mei Terumi faltered, her heart turning cold as ice. It was her stubbornness that had driven the team into such dire straits, and now she had caused Kisame’s death, filling her with boundless remorse and regret.

But with the enemy pressing in, she could only force herself to fight on, pushing through her grief.

At last, Mei Terumi seized upon a flaw in her opponent’s defense.

With a swift movement, the water whip in her hand snaked out, binding Iron Shinobi tightly.

Seeing this opportunity, Yugiri Ringo charged without hesitation, blue lightning blazing from her palm—a technique reminiscent of Chidori, crackling with power.

“Die, you bastard!”

She struck out, landing her Lightning Release attack before Iron Shinobi could break free from the water whip.

They’d done it.

Both Mei Terumi and Yugiri Ringo’s faces lit up with joy at the sight.

But just as Iron Shinobi’s body fizzled with a sizzle and dissolved into a mass of lightning, their joy froze on their faces.

A Lightning Clone.

When did he…?

So this is the strength of a Jonin?

Crackling arcs of lightning shot out from Iron Shinobi’s clone, paralyzing Yugiri Ringo who was just a step away. The current also traveled along the water whip, striking Mei Terumi at a distance.

“It’s over,” Iron Shinobi’s true form appeared behind Yugiri Ringo, declaring coldly as he kicked her flying.

He then hurled several shuriken charged with Lightning Release chakra, whistling toward Mei Terumi.

Thud!

Mei Terumi was too slow to dodge; a shuriken pierced her abdomen, leaving her gravely wounded and collapsing to the ground.

Both of their lives now hung by a thread.

“Why hasn’t Steel Shinobi come out yet?”

Having defeated his enemies, Iron Shinobi looked toward the forest in confusion.

Whoosh.

Suddenly, the Needle Finger shot out from the forest like an arrow loosed from a bow, aimed straight at Iron Shinobi’s face.

What is that?

Startled, Iron Shinobi dodged in haste, but the needle still slashed across his cheek, drawing blood and sending a searing pain through the wound.

Clearly, Kisame had coated the Needle Finger with poison.

Iron Shinobi finally realized something was wrong. He had thought Steel Shinobi had long since finished off the enemy, but clearly that was not the case.

“Come out here!”

Seizing his wind demon shuriken, he charged into the depths of the forest.

“Mei Terumi!”

Struggling to her feet, Yugiri Ringo crawled over to Mei Terumi’s side. Together, the two women looked anxiously toward the woods, uncertainty in their eyes.

Not long after, deep within the forest, there came first the sound of an explosion, firelight and falling trees, then more flashes of lightning—until at last—

With a sharp whistle, Iron Shinobi’s wind demon shuriken flew out, spattered with blood, and embedded itself in the trunk of a great tree.

The forest fell silent once more.

What… exactly happened?

Mei Terumi and Yugiri Ringo stared, dumbstruck, until a familiar figure slowly emerged from the woods.

It was Kisame.

His expression was calm, his whole body spattered with his enemies’ blood. In each hand he dragged the corpses of Steel Shinobi and Iron Shinobi, and he walked up to the two women.

“Kisame, you…”

Mei Terumi was utterly stunned, forgetting even her pain. Yugiri Ringo’s mouth hung open, her face filled with disbelief.

A mere genin had single-handedly defeated two Jonin, each with a bounty of thirty million ryo. No one would believe such a tale.

Kisame Hoshigaki—just how deeply had he hidden his strength?

With a thud, Kisame tossed the corpses of the Iron and Steel duo aside, then crouched down to examine Mei Terumi’s wound.

“A penetrating wound like this looks frightening, but you’re lucky—it missed your spleen, liver, and other vital organs. You should be able to pull through.”

As he spoke, he disinfected Mei Terumi’s wound, then shot a chakra thread from his fingertip.

With swift, deft movements, he manipulated the thread like a butterfly flitting through flowers, suturing Mei Terumi’s wound in her abdomen.

The bleeding stopped.

Footsteps sounded behind them—it was Sakura Yuki approaching.

“We’re saved… thank goodness…”

She murmured in relief, tears welling in her eyes. She could hardly believe that the two powerful Cloud defectors had actually been defeated by Kisame.

But just then, Kisame suddenly stood up, placing his ninja blade against Sakura Yuki’s throat.

“Kisame… I—I truly didn’t have the money to issue a high-level commission, so I deceived you. And I underestimated the enemy’s strength. But…”

Sakura Yuki’s eyes dimmed as she spoke, but then her gaze grew resolute.

“But I truly had no other choice! I did it all to protect the villagers of Snow Village! If this is my fate, then even if I die—I have no regrets.”

She gave a desolate smile, raised her pale neck, and closed her eyes, waiting for death.

Two lines of tears slid from the corners of her eyes, falling silently onto the snow.

After hearing her confession, Kisame was silent for a moment. Then he bared his rows of sharp teeth in a smile.

“I understand what you mean.”

He withdrew his blade from Sakura Yuki’s neck.

“Kisame…”

She opened her eyes, overcome with emotion. After all these days together, this man before her finally understood her struggles and pain.

But in the next instant, a cold gleam flashed in Sakura Yuki’s eyes.

With a dull thud, she collapsed before Kisame.

In her last moments, Sakura Yuki struggled to lift her head, looking up at Kisame’s merciless face.

“I gave you at least two chances to confess—that was also your chance to survive. But you clung to your wishful thinking, using kindness and innocence to win my comrades’ trust, plunging this team into peril. Because of your selfishness, my companions were gravely wounded and nearly lost their lives.”

Kisame looked down at Sakura Yuki at his feet and said slowly, “That is the path that led to your death.”