S.H.I.E.L.D.'s New York Division-
Nick Fury sat in his office, reading through the report Coulson had sent regarding the Iwa ninjas.
"The Land of Earth, one of the Five Great Shinobi Nations, has ninjas capable of controlling gravity with their jutsu."
"If such a fundamental physical phenomenon like gravity can be mastered by ninjas, then isn't it possible that magnetism could also become a form of ninjutsu?"
Fury considered this. Various natural forces like wind, fire, lightning, water, and earth had already been harnessed by ninjas. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility for other forces to be utilized as well.
However, as he thought about the classification of ninjutsu, Fury shook his head. He didn't know to what extent the Iwa ninjas had developed their understanding of gravity.
After reviewing the information, Fury decided not to concern himself further with the matter for now.
The Iwa ninjas had yet to make any appearances. For now, this information would be classified for future use. What he needed to focus on now was preparing the Insight project.
…
Three days later-
West Coast, New York-
Today was the day of the Firestone Music Festival, and Killer Bee, who had been working as a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D., had received an invitation to perform at the event as one of the guest artists.
The host looked down at their cue card and excitedly announced, "Up next, we have 'Killer Bee', bringing you his latest rap song!"
On stage, lights flashed, and a burst of smoke filled the air. In the next second, Killer Bee leaped into the air and landed in the center of the stage.
Wearing a performance headset, he immediately started his show. His hands moved in rhythm with his hip-hop dance, his body flowing with energy.
"Let me do a quick intro."
"My name's Killer Bee."
"The strongest rapper in the shinobi world."
"My unique rhymes will leave you hooked."
"From the A-B Combo, the bond between brothers is supreme."
"They call me the Killer Bee, and my finishing move is the Lariat."
"The twin blades on my back are my weapons, and I aim to be the perfect jinchuriki."
"With the greatest presence, I've arrived here and discovered new horizons."
"Killer Bee is flying high, ready to take down enemies."
As he reached this point in his rap, Bee drew the twin blades from his back and began to twirl them expertly, showcasing his sword techniques.
The audience erupted in thunderous cheers. Initially, many had assumed Killer Bee was just a young performer dressed in cosplay. Little did they know, he was an actual shinobi.
Many in the crowd shouted in amazement, "This ticket was worth every penny! Even if the price tripled for a ninja performance, it'd still be a steal!"
A large number of spectators immediately pulled out their phones to record the performance and post it on their social media accounts like Facebook and YouTube.
Down in the crowd, Skye and Simmons held up support signs, while Ward and Fitz waved glow sticks enthusiastically.
Skye turned to Simmons and said, "Simmons, don't you think he's super cool right now?"
Simmons shouted back, "I'm not too used to this environment, but Killer Bee is amazing!"
On stage, Bee sheathed his twin blades and continued rapping:
"When I rap, you better keep your head up."
"As everyone screams and cheers, they also clap."
"When I step on stage, they all say, 'Let Go!'"
"If you run into me, bro, that's tough luck for you."
"SAY K TO THE I."
"TO THE L L E R."
"BEE, I go by Killer Bee."
Down below, Skye waved her support sign, shouting, "Killer Bee! Killer Bee!"
The entire venue was filled with cheers, the atmosphere electric.
Meanwhile, Ward mentally noted the words Killer Bee used at his performance—A-B Combo, brotherhood, Lariat, perfect jinchuriki—storing them for later reflection.
The music festival was lively, but Coulson was not at the scene. Instead, he drove his Lola to a Japanese restaurant.
Pushing open the door to a private room, Coulson took off his shoes, walked to the low table, and sat down across from Kabuto Yakushi. The table was filled with a variety of Japanese dishes, including assorted sashimi and sake.
Coulson smiled, "It seems you have a fondness for Japanese cuisine."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses and responded warmly, "It's similar to the food from where I come from."
"Let's eat first. We can talk about other matters afterward."
Coulson nodded, picked up his chopsticks, grabbed a slice of sashimi, dipped it in some wasabi, and placed it in his mouth.
"The flavor is quite good."
Kabuto smiled, poured himself a cup of sake, took a sip, and gestured for Coulson to continue eating.
Coulson's eyes landed on a dish of fugu (pufferfish) sashimi. He commented, "Fugu—deadly poisonous. But if you avoid the toxic parts, it's still a delicious delicacy."
Coulson picked up a piece of fugu without dipping it in soy sauce and ate it. Kabuto, observing Coulson's action, smiled, picked up a piece of fugu himself, dipped it in soy sauce, and ate it.
"Adding a little seasoning can change the flavor—just like in life."
Coulson nodded thoughtfully, and the two continued eating without further conversation, focusing on the food before them.
After they had eaten their fill, Coulson wiped his mouth with a napkin and spoke. "To be honest, I didn't expect you to reply to my message, let alone invite me to dinner."
Kabuto, with a gentle smile, responded, "I knew why you were trying to reach me."
Coulson asked, "I heard you left Konoha and followed Orochimaru, becoming a rogue ninja."
Kabuto nodded. There was no need to deny it, as he and Orochimaru had appeared at S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters before, taking the Sound Four with them.
"I'm working for Orochimaru now, doing tasks for him."
Coulson thought for a moment before asking, "Will you leave again?"
Kabuto shook his head. "That place will be my final destination. I don't think I'll leave again."
Coulson then inquired, "How should S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Sound Village coexist?"
Kabuto smiled, "You blew up the Sound Village base, and we destroyed the S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters."
"Both sides suffered losses, so let's put this matter aside for now."
"I reached out to you because I have some matters that require your channels."
"After all, we worked together for a time, and the cooperation was pleasant back then."
"From what I know about your organization, I'm sure you don't want certain things out in the open."
Hearing Kabuto's words, Coulson's smile faded, and he became more serious.
The conflict that had been shelved could be reopened at any time. It was clear that the Sound Village had other priorities at the moment. Perhaps it was due to the pursuit by Konoha, inquiries from the Hidden Mist, or other reasons altogether.
###
For those interested in supporting me and getting early access, I've already uploaded all chapters (a total of 1,473) on Patreon. You're most welcome to check it out here:👉 patreon.com/gfdsa