The massive and ferocious Samehada swung down. Uchiha Itachi transformed into several crows as black as ink, scattering with caws.
Seeing this, Kakuzu and Pakura immediately rushed forward.
The crows merged back into Uchiha Itachi, a kunai appearing in his hand, and he also charged forward. The three of them began to "dishonorably" gang up on him.
Under the siege of three Kage-level experts, Hoshigaki Kisame had no time to form hand seals and perform jutsu.
As everyone knows, Hoshigaki Kisame's jutsu basically require hand seals. Although his hand seal speed is fast and the number of seals is not many, it still takes time.
After a brief exchange, Hoshigaki Kisame was hit by Kakuzu's punch and Itachi's kunai.
In the taijutsu clash, Kisame's main defensive target was Pakura. Getting hit by Scorch Release was no joke.
Of course, Hoshigaki Kisame did not know that the three of them had no intention of killing him, at least not at first.
Hoshigaki Kisame realized that he couldn't go on like this. He gritted his teeth and took a kick from Uchiha Itachi, using the force to fly backward and crash into the forest of the river valley.
Ignoring the injuries and pain on his body, Hoshigaki Kisame began to form hand seals and perform a jutsu.
However, Kakuzu and Pakura's pursuit was too fast. There was no time for Kisame to perform a more powerful ninjutsu. He could only barely manage a Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique.
Kakuzu directly released his wind-style Earth Grudge Fear mask, and Pakura used a fire-style ninjutsu. The two of them cooperated to use a combination ninjutsu.
The rolling waves of fire directly evaporated the滔滔 water waves created by Kisame, and a large amount of white water vapor filled the air, obscuring the view.
Uchiha Itachi leaped high into the air and spewed out orange-red fireballs the size of millstones from his mouth, smashing into the dense fog.
Hoshigaki Kisame dodged while swinging his sword to slash, surviving this round of attacks.
The next moment, Kakuzu used Wind Release: Pressure Damage, and a high-pressure wind ball wrapped in a fierce wind swept out...
The dense fog was quickly dispersed. Hoshigaki Kisame barely avoided a direct hit from the high-pressure wind ball, but he was still sent flying a great distance.
Pakura and Uchiha Itachi rushed up through the devastated river valley forest, launching a continuous series of attacks, giving him no chance to breathe.
Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been repeatedly injured, was exhausted from dealing with the two's attacks.
After catching up, Kakuzu did not rush to attack, but circled on the periphery, using his rich combat experience to find an opportunity to strike.
A few breaths later, Hoshigaki Kisame revealed a major flaw.
Kakuzu immediately struck. Two fists with black blood vessels shot out from a tricky angle.
Hoshigaki Kisame barely dodged one fist, but he had no way to avoid the other and was hit solidly.
Hoshigaki Kisame, who had been thrown out, was just about to get up when Uchiha Itachi's kunai was already at his neck, and Pakura's orange-red fireball was floating at the side of his temple.
"I've lost. You can kill me now."
Hoshigaki Kisame closed his eyes and calmly accepted death.
"Who said we were going to kill you?" Kakuzu walked up to Kisame and said in a deep voice.
"Not kill me? Then what is your purpose?" Hoshigaki Kisame, lying on the ground, opened his shark-like eyes, his face full of confusion.
"Let him up," Kakuzu waved his hand.
Uchiha Itachi withdrew his kunai and took Kisame's Samehada. Pakura withdrew her fireball and stood up.
Samehada was quite smart. It knew what the situation was now, and it also knew what kind of person Uchiha Itachi was, so it did not launch an attack.
Hoshigaki Kisame, who was tough and only slightly injured, stood up from the ground.
"The reason we did this was to recruit you."
"Ha? What are you trying to do?" Hoshigaki Kisame was a little confused.
So you three beat me up to get me to join you. This is... too reasonable.
Most of the Akatsuki members, even the peripheral ones, had to go through this.
They were all rebellious and lawless rogue ninja. If you didn't beat them up first and show your strength, how could you talk?
"World peace," Kakuzu said with a serious expression.
"You're also for peace?" Kisame was even more confused.
"Mm, but our leader's ideals are different from the Akatsuki's."
"Now, let me explain our leader's ideals to you..."
Thus, Kakuzu recounted what Kageyama Kogetsu had once told them in his own words.
"I think our leader's ideals are more in line with reality. The Akatsuki's ideals are a bit too extreme."
"Kisame, what do you think?"
"Don't rush me. I'm thinking."
Hoshigaki Kisame recalled the Akatsuki's ideals, that leader's ideals, and the ideals of the group before him, constantly comparing them...
In terms of reality, the ideals of the group before him were indeed more in line with reality. The general plan had already taken shape.
The Akatsuki's ideals were ruled out first. Using Tailed Beast weapons to deter the world might be feasible, but if someone violated it, the number of deaths would be great.
A Tailed Beast Bomb fired by all nine Tailed Beasts combined could probably wipe out a small country in one shot.
Would the leader who held the power of life and death over the world not be corrupted by time?
If he was corrupted, wouldn't the world be at his mercy?
That leader's ideals sounded very beautiful, but was there really a jutsu that could put the entire human race into a dream world where their wishes came true?
If there was, what would sustain the vital signs of the humans trapped in the dream world?
"Who is the leader you speak of?" Hoshigaki Kisame couldn't make up his mind for a moment and asked, looking up.
"It's me."
The four of them looked up and saw the air in mid-air blur. A figure with his hands behind his back appeared and slowly descended...
"It's you!" Hoshigaki Kisame's expression was surprised, his shark-like eyes wide.
As expected of a figure renowned in the ninja world. This stealth and breath-concealing technique is too amazing.
He probably arrived not long ago, but I didn't notice him at all.
And this flying ability, with no chakra fluctuations at all, as if it were the flying instinct of a bird. How did he do that?
"Lord Kogetsu," Uchiha Itachi knelt on one knee.
"Itachi, don't be so polite. Just call me Brother Kogetsu as before," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a slight smile.
Uchiha Itachi's heart warmed. He stood up and smiled, "Yes, Brother Kogetsu."
"Your mother and brother are doing well, and the other clansmen are also doing well. Don't worry."
"Thank you for your care, Brother Kogetsu."
"You're welcome. It's what I should do."
Isn't it what he should do? He's become their stepfather, so he's also half the head of the Uchiha clan.
Kakuzu and Pakura did not greet him, as they had just parted not long ago.
"For the esteemed Hokage's Advisor to go to such lengths to plot against me, it's truly an honor," Hoshigaki Kisame grinned.
"Plot against you?"
"Not at all."
"This was their plan. I just happened to be free after they reported it to me, so I came over to hold the fort and prevent any information leaks from White Zetsu."
Kageyama Kogetsu smiled and slowly landed on the ground.
Kakuzu nodded, "Yes. Pakura and I have already recruited nearly a thousand like-minded people."
"After investigating and studying your experiences and character, we felt that there was a possibility of recruiting you. We were going to do it sooner or later, it just happened earlier."
Hoshigaki Kisame's smile did not change. "I see. In any case, it is an honor to be valued by you all."
"You're a smooth talker. Then tell me your answer," Kageyama Kogetsu said with a faint smile.
"I'm quite tempted, but I have one doubt."
"What doubt?"
"How can I believe that you can achieve it?"
"I can't prove something that hasn't been achieved. How should I put it? Believe it or not."
Although he appreciated Hoshigaki Kisame, it wasn't a must-have recruitment. The so-called peace plan was just a side project.
"I think it can be proven. At the very least, the strength of the person I pledge my loyalty to can't be weaker than mine, right?" Kisame grinned, a silent smile on his face.
Kageyama Kogetsu gave a thumbs up and praised, "Challenging me?"
"Commendable courage!"
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