As night fell, the Kirigakure's patrol team led by Kisame patrolled along the coastline forest all day and finally set up camp in a clearing to rest.
No campfire was lit. A few Ninja gathered together, chewing on dry rations as they chatted.
"Whew, I'm exhausted." One chubby Ninja sighed, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Is this your first time on a mission like this, Kogawa?" asked a bald Ninja next to him, adjusting his Kirigakure's forehead protector with a grin.
The one called Kogawa nodded, "Senpai, I was just promoted to Chunin last week, so this is my first patrol mission."
A slightly older Kirigakure's Ninja chimed in: "You'll get used to it after a few more rounds. Right now, we're just patrolling the main island. Later, we'll have to do water-walking patrols on the sea. That's the real test of Chakra reserves and control."
Hearing that they'd eventually have to patrol on the ocean's surface, Kogawa forced a bitter smile, "I'll have to learn more from you senpais in the future."
The group laughed and chatted, creating a stark contrast with Kisame, who sat alone to the side.
After a full day of patrolling, the team had grown accustomed to their captain's silent demeanor.
This former Anbu Captain was strong but cold, never engaging in conversation unless it was mission-related.
While the other Kirigakure's Ninjas were talking, Miru once again approached Kisame. Just as she was about to sit down, Kisame's small eyes suddenly widened, and he leapt to his feet, drawing the sword from his back.
Under the moonlight, a mysterious figure in a black robe and a white three-eyed fox mask appeared silently at the edge of the camp.
The other Kirigakure's Ninjas finally noticed and hurriedly gathered beside Kisame, drawing kunai and other weapons, their guards up.
Kisame glanced at a kunai planted in the ground nearby, which is completely undisturbed, and his heart sank.
That kunai was part of a hidden perimeter alarm he had set up. If anyone approached, the thin wire connected to it would be triggered.
And yet, this masked figure had appeared in their camp without setting off any of the alarms.
'It's… Shura!' Kisame's small eyes trembled slightly as he stared at the fox mask gleaming coldly under the moonlight.
'This guy… wasn't he supposedly injured and forced to retreat by Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki? How does he look completely unharmed?!' For the first time, Kisame doubted the intel provided by the Mizukage.
"Retreat!" Kisame ordered coldly, making a snap decision, "You're no match for him! Get the intel back to the village!"
Everyone was stunned when they heard this, as they didn't even know who the other party was.
But they quickly obeyed Kisame's order, leaping into the trees and fleeing toward Kirigakure at full speed.
In an instant, only Shura remained in the camp.
'That girl next to Kisame… could she be…?' Earlier, while observing from the shadows, Menma had noticed the girl's concern for Kisame.
"Heh, interesting." A soft chuckle escaped from behind the mask. Menma leapt onto the treetops, following the fleeing Kirigakure's Ninjas northward.
Soon, the fleeing Kirigakure's Ninjas noticed the figure trailing them, effortlessly keeping pace as it darted between the branches.
A suffocating pressure radiated from behind, sending cold sweat down their backs.
Their instincts screamed that if they fell behind, this pursuer would kill them without hesitation!
So the Kirigakure's Ninjas pushed themselves to run even faster.
However, they soon discovered that no matter how much they accelerated, the mysterious figure maintained the same leisurely pace, as if toying with them like a cat with mice.
"Damn it!" One of the Kirigakure's Ninjas, overwhelmed by prolonged tension, panicked. He pulled out several kunai with explosive tags and hurled them at the pursuer.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of explosions lit up the forest behind them.
Everyone glanced back at the flames and smoke but didn't dare stop, continuing their desperate escape.
Then-
The masked figure suddenly appeared beside the Ninja who had thrown the kunai, now with a massive sword in hand!
Under the horrified gaze of the Kirigakure's Ninja, the Kubikiribocho swung fiercely across his waist, cutting him cleanly in half.
Blood and organs rained down from the treetops into the forest below.
'That's… Kubikiribocho!' Kisame glanced back and was struck with shock once again!
'Why is Biwa Juzo's Kubikiribocho in Shura's hands?!'
'Could it be that Biwa Juzo has already-'
'But didn't Mizukage-sama say that Biwa Juzo and Suikazan Fuguki had wounded Shura and forced him to retreat?'
Kisame's mind was in chaos. He didn't dare dwell on it further, urging the team to flee even faster.
Soon, the panicked Kirigakure ninjas found themselves at the edge of a cliff, a massive chasm hundreds of meters wide, with a bottomless drop below. Even for Ninja, jumping from this height would be a death sentence.
In their moment of desperation, Shura had caught up.
Under the moonlight, his black robes fluttered in the night wind, the white three-eyed fox mask gleaming coldly. The massive Kubikiribocho stood planted in the ground beside him, radiating a chilling aura.
Fresh blood still dripped from the blade, which was slowly being absorbed by the sword.
The overwhelming pressure emanating from Shura filled even Kisame and his remaining team with despair.
Despite being just one man, his presence made them feel as if they were surrounded by an entire army… with no hope of breaking through.
Seeing the enemy closing in, Kisame suddenly swung his sword… at his own comrades!
"Argh!"
Several Kirigakure's Ninjas were caught off guard by Kisame's sudden attack. They never expected that their team leader would actually attack them!
In an instant, four of them were killed.
Only Miru's shoulder was wounded by the Ninja Sword. She looked at Kisame in disbelief and slowly collapsed.
"Why...?" Miru gasped, staring up at him with wide, pained eyes.
Kisame's small eyes were bloodshot, and he said coldly, "To prevent the enemy from obtaining village intel."
"This... is my special mission-"
However, Miru just looked at Kisame with pity: "Captain Hoshigaki... your life... must be so hard."
Kisame's body trembled imperceptibly.
He had carried out special missions like this before, eliminating his own people to protect secrets. He should have been numb to it by now.
So why did his frozen heart shudder when Miru asked him that?
Was it because of her genuine concern? Or was it because he had begun to doubt the village's orders?
Kneeling on one knee, Kisame raised his sword to deliver the final blow on Miru.
Whoosh!
A kunai shot through the air, forcing Kisame to leap back.
He turned to see Shura slowly approaching.
From behind the white three-eyed fox mask, a deep voice echoed: "Killing your own comrades for a traitor's sake... Your life truly is pathetic, Hoshigaki Kisame."