Chapter 27: A Blade on the Long Road
Kisame Hoshigaki was doomed to a bad end—and Naruto had miscalculated.
Because Naruto defected early, Obito never got the chance to declare war during the Five Kage Summit. That single change had a domino effect, shifting the course of many hidden moves behind the scenes.
Originally, once war was declared, the Five Great Nations would've united to protect the Jinchūriki—specifically the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails—out of mutual interest. Obito had anticipated this, which was why Kisame's original mission wasn't just to capture Killer Bee, but to fake his death, infiltrate enemy lines, and locate both Jinchūriki in one grand stroke. When the time was right, Akatsuki would strike and take them both.
But Naruto's unexpected turn had changed the game.
Konoha no longer protected him. With the Nine-Tails effectively removed from alliance custody, the "two-in-one" capture strategy was no longer necessary. Instead, Obito pivoted. New plan. No more subterfuge. This time, Kisame would strike directly—defeat Killer Bee outright and drag him back to base.
Divide and conquer. A simple strategy, but brutal.
The battlefield was a wasteland of shredded trees and torn-up earth. Water pooled around the ruins of the forest, still rippling from the intense chakra clash that had just ended.
Killer Bee collapsed onto the muddy ground, completely spent. His chakra had been drained, his body bruised and battered. Even the mighty Eight-Tails had been silenced.
"Hah…hah…" Kisame panted, standing bare-chested in the moonlight. His blue skin glistened with sweat and blood. "Damn, that octopus bastard was a pain in the ass... but now you'll be much more cooperative."
Samehada, his massive living sword, writhed with satisfaction in his grip, gorged on chakra. But it had been a performance. The sword's so-called "betrayal" was staged—a deliberate trick, part of the act.
Unlike last time, there was no need for a dramatic reversal. No heroic sacrifice by White Zetsu. This time, it was clean and quiet.
Footsteps rustled from the underbrush.
"You really pulled it off," White Zetsu appeared from the shadows, his voice casual. "Kisame, you're as reliable as ever."
Kisame looked over, hoisting Killer Bee's unconscious body onto Samehada's back. "Where's the boss?"
"Obito's occupied. He can't come right now," Zetsu explained. "He's focused on Sasuke—getting ready for the eye transplant."
Kisame's eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
Zetsu went on. "Anyway, there's a fallback base about a hundred miles east of here. An old village we used before. Head there. Obito will meet you once he's done."
"Got it." Kisame adjusted the weight on his back and started moving.
"One more thing," Zetsu added, his tone dropping. "Yugito's squad is already sniffing around. They're hunting for Bee. Raikage's in a fury. He knows we're after his brother again."
Kisame laughed. "That guy… He's even worse than Gai when it comes to taijutsu. All muscle, no brakes. If Itachi were still around, this would've gone smoother."
Zetsu nodded. "We're stretched thin. When we have the Eight-Tails locked down, we'll rally our strength to go after Naruto. Sasuke will be ready by then—he'll have Itachi's Mangekyō. New power. A new weapon."
Kisame gave a thoughtful hum. "Itachi's little brother, huh? Even if he inherits the same eyes, it doesn't mean he'll see the world the same way. Still… Akatsuki's future is looking pretty damn interesting."
Zetsu smirked. "Then I'll leave it to you, Kisame."
With that, he melted into the earth, gone.
Night fell hard.
Alone, with Killer Bee's limp body slung over Samehada, Kisame set off down the road. A hundred miles of terrain lay ahead—dense woods, cliffs, hidden streams, and potential ambushes. He didn't care. He'd walk the entire thing barefoot if he had to.
It was funny, in a way.
He'd always thought of himself as a monster. The Tail-less Tailed Beast. He lived by the sword, trusted no one, and cut down whoever got in his way. And yet, there was still something like loyalty burning in his chest—loyalty to Akatsuki's mission, to Itachi's final wishes, to the warped vision of peace Obito kept spouting.
But lately, he wondered: what if everyone was wrong? What if peace really couldn't be forced?
He shook the thought off. No point in doubting now. He had a job to do.
As he trudged through the night, Kisame glanced up at the moon. It was full, pale, and watching silently—like some distant god.
He remembered his time in Kirigakure, the bloodshed, the missions, the betrayal. He remembered the fear in the eyes of those he'd cut down. And he remembered Itachi—always calm, always calculating, always carrying burdens Kisame could never understand.
"Itachi… I wonder what you'd say if you saw me now."
Silence answered.
He shifted Killer Bee's weight and kept walking.
Somewhere out there, Naruto was still moving too. No longer a comrade of Konoha, no longer under anyone's flag. A rogue element—stronger than ever, more determined than ever. The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki who now walked his own path.
And Sasuke… that kid had rage in his bones, hate in his heart, and Sharingan in his eyes. With Itachi's power, he would be even more dangerous. Maybe one day, Naruto and Sasuke would clash again. Maybe that would be the battle to end all battles.
But that wasn't Kisame's concern.
His mission was now.
The road stretched ahead, dark and quiet, but Kisame didn't falter. Step by step, mile by mile, he carried the Eight-Tails deeper into enemy territory, deeper into the dark plans of Akatsuki.
One man, one sword, one captured beast.
And somewhere along this hundred-mile road… fate would come knocking.
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