Kiri was in a state of ruin.
Explosions, destructions, and deaths.
The scent of blood filled the mist. Hence, the Bloody Mist.
Was it for the good or for the bad? No one knew.
"..."
The civilians simply watched. Spectated. With a numb expression.
After all, war and blood were already familiar to them.
In the west side of the village, where a forest lied next to the destroyed ruin of Terumi Seiji's office, two individuals were found. The civilians wouldn't have been capable of witnessing such a scene, if not for the trees having been slain and cut down due to the battle between Akashi and Yagura.
"What... is that... thing...?"
One civilian mumbled in horror.
Karatachi Yagura. He was in a form that no one recognized.
His jaw opened, revealing jaggy teeth. Out of his mouth, a terrifying voice echoed.
"I don't understand."
The crimson chakra, having engulfed Yagura's whole body, was wild and unkempt in nature.
With his hands and feet on the ground, Yagura, exhibiting an animalistic behavior, growled at Akashi with an evident conscience in him.
"Why are you trying to stop me? What is there to gain by helping that fool, Terumi Mei?"
"..."
"You are an outsider!! You've got nothing to do with this village!!"
Yagura roared in rage. Upon hearing it closely, one would find that humiliation was mixed into his tone.
That was because Yagura realized that Akashi was a step above him as a ninja. Such a truth didn't make sense to him, but that's how it was.
"I know you, Red Blade!! Aren't you also an orphan?! Haven't you seen, of how miserable this world is?!!"
Yagura didn't even manage to touch Akashi. Unlike him, who suffered multiple wounds, Akashi was completely unscathed, and reminding himself of that fact brought a chill in him.
He was forced to bring out this risky form. Relying on the power of a tailed beast, the power that wasn't his, hurt his pride.
He was the Mizukage! One of the five shadows of this world, those hailed as the greatest ninjas of all!
He's dealt with a good number of S-ranked ninjas in the past. None of them was his match.
Yagura's arrogance wasn't baseless. There was an actual strength to back it up... or so he thought, until he met Akashi today.
Yagura remembered his snorting self previously upon feeling Akashi's chakra, and felt a deep regret enter his mind.
"Hear me out. Yes, perhaps we can be allies even."
Therefore, Yagura had to give it a try. Resorting to this form meant that he was cornered, after all.
"I will, after uniting this village, bring the true calamity unto this world. Humanity shall be extinguished, and this accursed age shall be no more."
A deep desire was mixed in his tone.
"Isn't that what you want as well? Don't you hate this world just as I do?!"
Akashi frowned. The more Yagura spoke, the stranger this man appeared to him.
Yes, something was off about him. He was far too extreme and psychotic.
He's encountered many unhinged ninjas in the past, but never has he seen someone so genuine for a goal like... destroying the world.
'...A genjutsu?'
Akashi guessed, before shaking it off with a chuckle,
'Yeah, as if.'
"Is that all you got to say?"
Erasing those thoughts, Akashi spoke back.
Seeing that his words won't reach Akashi, Yagura tensed up. He bent his arms and legs as if about to leap.
Then, Yagura vanished.
The battle resumed.
__________
"Huff... huff..."
Suppressing the exhaustion that threatened to close her eyes, Mei moved relentlessly with Juzo by her side.
"Ao... needs to be retrieved. Zabuza... he is locked elsewhere. But..."
Hidan. That boy was in clear trouble. Mei had to find him as quickly as possible.
So they ran toward the direction Akashi pointed out.
Eventually, they arrived at the small house that lied at the outskirts of the village.
The door was already open. With a pale expression, Mei hurriedly rushed in, with Juzo following her from behind.
"M-Mei... Mei."
For some reason, Hidan and Gai were together.
Hidan, reacting quickly, pointed kunai at her, before lowering in relief upon seeing that it was Mei.
Gai was kneeling, hyperventilating.
Next to them was the corpse of an adult man. Based on the attire, he was a ninja.
Gai wrapped his head with his hands.
"We... killed this person."
Gai shook his head. His face turned green. His cheeks bloated.
"Hey... hey! Quit it—fuck! Great, you did it, kiddo!"
The owner of the house, Kirano, shouted, but to no avail. Gai ended up throwing up, causing him to groan.
Mei took in a deep sigh of relief.
"You are safe."
Placing her hand on her chest and easing the rapidly beating heart, Mei let out a breath. Carefully, she approached two kids.
"Ao probably brought Gai here. Kirano-san is trustworthy. But... Hidan, what happened to you? I don't recall ever introducing you..."
As if trying to assure herself, Mei placed her hands on Hidan's shoulders.
"I..."
Hidan was about to say something, in a shaky voice.
He wasn't able to let his voice out, however, as Mei and Juzo simultaneously turned to the entrance, sensing a presence.
"Reveal yourself."
Juzo growled.
From the woods ahead, a figure appeared, walking slowly.
"...Kisame?"
It was Hoshigaki Kisame, limping as he walked.
He was injured, but he didn't seem to have noticed.
Upon seeing Kisame's appearance, Hidan, clearly panicking, backed up before his back touched the wall.
Mei, seeing Hidan's reaction, understood.
"He was chasing you."
Her eyes then widened.
Akashi told her that his seal went off. Mei knew what that seal was about; it was keeping the puppet body that was to serve as the flesh of Sasori. It was to become a shell of an S-ranked ninja.
Yet, Kisame was alive. That meant that Kisame meant to survive against the puppet of that caliber.
...It seemed that Kisame's strength had been underestimated, for him to be in the rank of a chunin.
'Because of the discrimination.'
"...Hah."
As Mei thought to herself, Kisame, eventually stopping his walk, stared at the dead body.
Dropping his weapon, he sat down on the ground powerlessly.
He couldn't get anything achieved. He was welcomed by no one.
Kisame couldn't help but think that he was a failure.
"Terumi Mei... so you are free. And Biwa Juzo... I see."
Kisame finally spoke, albeit weakly.
"It's interesting how the situation isn't going as Terumi Seiji mentioned... not like I care at this point, anyway."
Kisame was tired. He didn't know anymore. He simply spoke what was on his mind.
"Biwa Juzo. Regardless of whether you were a betrayer or not, you were still a part of the Seven Swordsmen. So tell me, why was I tasked to kill that kid?"
"...Kill?"
"Yes. To kill a young, seemingly innocent child, together with that corpse next to you. His name is Masa, you probably know."
"I wasn't aware. You were a part of Fuguki's division after all. Ask him."
Juzo shook his head, clearly oblivious of this.
"...Heh, whatever."
Kisame sighed.
"I can't win against you two. Kill me, lock me, do as you wish."
"You... seem different from before."
Juzo remarked.
"It's hard to forget someone of a unique appearance like you. I remember that the last time I saw you, you were more like a puppet who listened to any order given without question."
"..."
"What changed you?"
"And what changed you?"
Kisame replied Juzo's question with a question of his own.
"Aren't we all the same? Unless you enjoy violence and the act of killing... there is no joy in belonging to this village."
Kisame stared at his hands that were trembling.
"Yet, I wanted to be accepted. I tried to become the bloodthirsty tool that they wanted. I couldn't. I am neither a human nor a monster."
Taking off the forehead protector of Kiri, Kisame placed it down next to him.
"I no longer have a purpose of life."
"...Is that so."
Juzo, lifting Kubikiribocho, held it against Kisame's defenseless neck.
"Then, that wish, I will grant."
He was about to swing the blade to give Kisame a painless, instant death.
Kisame closed his eyes, solemnly.
"Stop!!"
Then, someone interrupted him. Turning, Juzo saw the boy, Hidan, shouting at him.
Kisame was confused as he opened his eyes back up.
"...Why?"
Hidan was still afraid of him. Yet, Hidan was trying to stop Juzo from killing him.
"I... I don't know."
Hidan whispered.
"I just... don't want you to die..."
"Even though I tried to kill you?"
"You didn't!!"
Hidan shouted, causing Kisame to flinch.
"You were listening to an order!!"
"...Stop. Don't pity me, boy."
Lowering the blade, Juzo turned to face Mei.
"Mei-sama?"
"...Let him live."
Nodding without a question, Juzo backed.
"You idiots...!!!"
Kisame barked angrily.
"I am your enemy!!! What do you mean, let me live?!!"
Mei wasn't provoked. Instead, she approached Kisame.
"Hoshigaki Kisame, chunin. How about you join us?"
Then, she offered.
Pausing, Kisame stared at her in disbelief.
"...You think you are any different?"
Kisame then scowled.
"To me, there is no difference between you and Yagura. Whoever it be to rule Kiri, nothing would change for me. Even if this village were not to be the Bloody Mist, it will nonetheless be just as miserable to me."
"...What are you trying to say?"
"That I don't belong in this accursed hell hole!!!"
Mei grimaced. She couldn't fathom the degree of pain Kisame held in his heart.
There was nothing that she could do for him or about him.
But still... she didn't want to kill him.
"Then..."
Mei eventually stated,
"Live as you wish."
Just as she did so, Juzo suddenly raised his Kubikiribocho.
He was clearly tensed up.
"...Juzo?"
"They are back, Mei-sama."
Mei's eyes widened. Quickly turning her head, she noticed that three figures were standing some distance away from them.
Jinin, Jinpachi, and Fuguki. The three Swordsmen who ran away from Akashi.
Mei understood that Akashi wasn't someone to lose his targets that easily. Their presence here meant one thing: Yagura decided to interrupt the fight.
"It's a two versus three..."
Juzo frowned. He then shifted his eyes to Kisame, looking at him thoughtfully.
"Unless..."
"Kisame!!"
From afar, Fuguki shouted, calling Kisame out.
As Kisame turned his attention to the three Swordsmen, he saw Fuguki, his direct superior, glaring at him.
"What are you doing there, sitting pitifully?!! Get your weapon up and attack with us!!"
"Fuguki... san."
Kisame lowered his head.
"You heard that?! While the three of us deal with Biwa Juzo and Terumi Mei, kill that old man and two kids!!"
"...Why?"
Kisame asked, with a genuine curiosity.
"Why must I kill them? Do they serve any threat to you?"
Fuguki frowned, but nodded.
"Yes, of course—"
"NO, THEY DON'T!!!"
Kisame erupted in rage, surprising everyone.
"What can an elderly civilian and two kids without any training do to ninjas in the open?!! To the infamous Seven Swordsmen of the Bloody Mist?!! NOTHING!!!"
He stood up. Contrary to his previously weak self, Kisame's eyes blazed in rage and hatred as they headed toward Fuguki.
"For years, I didn't question. I listened to all your orders without a single explanation. After years, I am still not accepted. I am still sitting in the rank of a chunin. I am still an outsider, a tool to follow like a mindless fool. But no more."
For the first time, Kisame decided to do what he wanted to do.
"I will kill you myself, Suikazan Fuguki."
"...Hoshigaki Kisame, have you gone insane?"
"...Tch, just deal with him, Fuguki. He's a chunin anyway."
Jinpachi snorted.
"Make it fast. Should Red Blade find a way to reach us..."
Jinin said with his voice shaking a little as he touched a burned wound on his shoulder. The shock of facing someone as overwhelming as Yagura, if not more, still haunted him.
Mei and Juzo, looking at each other, nodded.
"You two!!"
Kirano, in this situation, pulled Gai and Hidan back.
"Don't just stand like that and run!!"
They quickly ran into the house and slammed the door close.
Just then, Kisame began to run toward Fuguki, screaming as he did so.
"FUGUKI—!!!"
BOOM.
Then, they froze.
There was a light earthquake that reached all the way to where they currently stood.
Everyone turned and saw that from afar, a dome of explosion arose.
"That's..."
Mei felt the goosebumps growing on her skin.
"Bijuudama..."
Tailed Beast Bomb. The fact that it was used meant that Yagura resorted to using the power of the three tails.
"Impossible...!! How?!!"
Fuguki looked visibly troubled; the warning that Jinin had made to him and Jinpachi now felt possible.
"Damn it...!!!"
Breaking the state, the three Swordsmen charged toward Kisame, Mei, and Juzo, planning to end the fight as quickly as they could.