Chapter 170: The End of the Tailless Tailed Beast
After Kisame's defeat, Ren appeared before him in a flicker of movement. He still bore the terrifying visage from his attack—his body wreathed in scarlet energy, his eyes a solid, burning red without pupil or white, staring down at the broken form of the Shark of the Mist.
"The attack earlier... it wasn't composed of chakra, was it?" Kisame gasped, not needing to look to know who stood over him. He struggled to turn his head, his body a mangled wreck. "And that red energy emanating from you... what is it?"
Without Samehada to heal him, his wounds were fatal. He was living on borrowed time.
"It was originally the Nine-Tails' chakra," Ren explained calmly, seeing no harm in answering a dying man's question. "But after I refined it, it is no longer pure chakra. It has been converted into another form of power." He raised the sword, Ryūko, which glinted ominously. "This blade, 'Flowing Light,' is unique. It can not only channel any chakra to enhance its edge but also transform that chakra into a different energy. I call it 'Blood Qi.' The demonic specter you faced was a manifestation of this Blood Qi, not chakra. Hence, your absorption techniques were useless."
"Another form of power... I see," Kisame coughed, a bitter, self-mocking laugh escaping his lips. "No wonder my Great Shark Bullet could not absorb it. As expected of the man who destroyed Kumogakure... I was... outmatched."
"Enough talk," Ren said, the scarlet energy around him receding, his eyes returning to their normal, sharp focus. "Itachi has a significant head start. If I don't pursue him now, he may truly escape. So..."
Ren placed the edge of his sword against Kisame's neck.
"Goodbye, Kisame Hoshigaki."
A flash of cold steel. A spray of blood. Kisame's head was cleanly severed from his body. His face, until the very end, held that same wry, accepting smile, as if he felt no pain at all.
So this is it... Kisame's fading consciousness drifted. Itachi-san... you were right. A man can only truly see himself clearly when he is about to die. It seems... I was a hopeless person all along. But... not entirely... That world Tobi spoke of... I would have liked to see it with my own eyes... But... that's no longer possible.
His head hit the muddy ground, his eyes closing for the last time. Another core member of Akatsuki had fallen to Uchiha Ren.
***
Far away, in the heart of the Land of Rain, the Deva Path of Pain opened its eyes.
"What is it?" Konan asked, noticing the shift in his demeanor.
"Kisame... has been killed."
"What?" Konan's paper features showed genuine shock. "The team of Kisame and Itachi was assigned to capture the Four-Tails. Even facing one of the Five Great Villages, those two should have been able to retreat safely. What happened?"
"I do not know the details yet. I am attempting to contact Itachi, but he is not responding. It seems they encountered significant trouble."
"Should we send Zetsu to assist?"
"Yes. We have lost too many members already. I have already contacted him to rendezvous with Itachi. I can only sense Itachi's general direction—the Land of Earth—but not his precise location. However, I fear the situation is dire."
"What about Deidara? Should we recall him?"
"Not yet. He and Tobi were sent for the Three-Tails. They should have succeeded by—" Pain stopped mid-sentence, his Rinnegan eyes widening imperceptibly. A new, jarring sensation had reached him. "Deidara... he... How is this possible? Two members lost on the same day... Uchiha Sasuke?"
"Deidara is dead too?" Konan's voice was tight.
"Not killed. He self-destructed. During the mission to capture the Three-Tails, he encountered Uchiha Sasuke. Deidara underestimated him. His clay bombs were neutralized by Sasuke's Lightning Release, and in the end, he chose to detonate himself in a final attempt to kill Sasuke."
"And did he succeed?"
"No. Uchiha Sasuke survived, though severely injured. Tobi did not engage him; he merely retrieved the Three-Tails and withdrew."
"He let Sasuke Uchiha go? What is he planning?" Konan's tone was icy.
"Hmph. Regardless of his plans," Pain's voice turned cold and absolute, "it appears that Kisame and Itachi likely encountered the Eagle team—specifically, Uchiha Ren. Their goal also seems to be the Tailed Beasts. If Sasuke could locate the Three-Tails, it stands to reason that Ren could find the Four-Tails. I believe Kisame fell when they confronted Ren. Only Uchiha Ren possesses the strength to face both Kisame and Itachi simultaneously."
"Then what is our next move?"
"The Eagle team... Uchiha Ren..." Pain's voice was low and filled with menace. "I had intended to deal with them after sealing the Three and Four-Tails. But they have repeatedly acted against us. First, Hidan and Kakuzu. Now, Kisame and Deidara. I can wait no longer. Before we collect the remaining Tailed Beasts, the Eagle team must be eradicated."
The leader of Akatsuki had made his decision. The full wrath of the organization would now be turned upon Uchiha Ren and his allies.
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