Chapter 202: True Identity?
"Lord Menma..."
Kisame tried using his habitual mockery to disguise the throbbing nearly bursting from his chest. "To be so valued and trusted by someone like you, I'm... truly flattered beyond measure."
He forcibly suppressed that impulse to immediately pledge loyalty. The more he yearned, the more he needed final confirmation. He had to ask that question—that question circling in his mind like a final shackle.
However, unprecedented apprehension gripped him. Should he really ask? This question was the highest-level secret that major nation intelligence agencies had expended countless efforts trying to discover. On the black market bounty list, its value rivaled a Kage's or daimyo's head. Asking so directly was undoubtedly an enormous offense.
Wouldn't it be better to just agree? A voice tempted him in his mind. For his filthy, confused life to find such reassuring belonging, to write this intoxicating answer...
But another voice feared—what if... what if this question angered Menma and made him retract this only invitation? Kisame could almost foresee the immense sense of loss that would follow, even darker than his current confusion, enough to completely devour him.
Menma quietly observed Kisame. That shark-like fierce face now revealed such clear unease and struggle, surprising him slightly.
He understood what lay at the core of Kisame's inner turmoil.
He wanted to see the face beneath the mask. In the original timeline, Kisame had been awed by the shock and intimidation the name "Uchiha Madara" brought, thus throwing himself into the Moon's Eye Plan.
At this moment, a trace of uncertainty crossed Menma's mind. His identity—Uzumaki Naruto of Konoha Village, a still-young genin, albeit the Nine-Tails jinchuriki—could this truth satisfy Kisame's expectations?
Could it match those grand declarations just made about breaking the world's hypocrisy?
But the situation differed completely from Obito's time. The Kisame before him had already been deeply attracted by the "truth" and "comrades" Menma depicted. What he needed wasn't some ethereal legendary name for intimidation, but sought thorough, honest "truth" as final reassurance.
After all, wouldn't a leader who constantly spoke of severing falsehood and seeking truth while always hiding his true appearance itself constitute another kind of "falsehood"?
Whoever lay beneath the mask, the current Kisame only needed one answer to fill that final gap of unease in his heart, allowing him to hand over everything without hesitation.
"Kisame, I understand." Menma's voice was calmly placid. "It seems what I need to do is remove this mask from my face."
Kisame's pupils suddenly contracted. Once again, Menma had precisely pierced his deepest hesitation and desire.
"Very well then, I'll give you the answer you want."
Naruto steeled himself. Within the Ember organization, all core combat members must demonstrate absolute loyalty to the organization. They served the organization's goals, while he as leader must respond and strive to fulfill what each sought and wished for.
Uchiha Shisui wanted his clan to continue, Kakuzu craved wealth, Deidara pursued art, Zabuza sought Haku's safety, while Haku's wish was merely staying by Zabuza's side...
At this moment, facing Kisame, Menma had made his decision. If Kisame refused to join even after learning the truth, he'd have to use force to subdue and bring him back for confinement.
Watching Menma slowly raise his hand toward that signature fox mask, Kisame's breathing involuntarily grew heavy, every muscle tensed, awaiting the moment truth would be revealed.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch the mask's edge, Menma's movement abruptly stopped.
"...Perhaps another method would let you understand more profoundly. I hope your answer won't disappoint me."
Under Kisame's confused and uncertain gaze, Menma didn't remove the mask, but instead stepped forward, extending his right hand to rest lightly on Kisame's muscular shoulder.
Simultaneously, in a distant location, Naruto's true body had already loaned out the stored violent red chakra, transmitting it through subtle connection to this Shadow Clone.
Instantly, visibly crimson chakra flames appeared flickering around Menma like fire, emanating heart-pounding pressure.
Immediately after, this violent chakra flowed with seeming life along Menma's arm, slowly spreading to contact and envelop Kisame's body.
"!!!"
The instant chakra touched his body, Kisame's entire frame violently shook! This chakra... massive, scorching, filled with beast-like fury and destructive will, absolutely not belonging to humans!
This was a type he'd never experienced—pure pressure from an ancient demon beast!
In the next moment, Kisame felt his vision spin. The surrounding cave scenery shattered like broken mirror fragments. When he steadied himself again, he found himself in a completely unfamiliar bizarre space.
Surroundings were endless pitch-black void. Only beneath his feet spread a dark red liquid rising past his ankles, viscous and cold, emanating an unsettling aura.
Kisame didn't know this was his own mental world forcibly invaded. Just as he stood startled and suspicious, that familiar crimson chakra gathered before him again!
This time, the chakra was no longer merely presence, but wildly coalesced and took form! Finally, within that surging energy torrent, an immensely massive, purely chakra-formed phantom Nine-Tailed Fox, those vertical pupils, appeared starkly before Kisame's eyes!
A tailed beast! And the strongest of the nine tailed beasts—the Nine-Tails!
In this moment, all clues connected. Kisame finally obtained the answer he'd desperately sought. So that's it!
No wonder the Ember organization's leader could perform those legendary jutsu, possess such subversive power! His true identity was actually...
When consciousness was pulled back to reality, Kisame gasped sharply, only then realizing his back was already soaked with cold sweat, clothing clinging icily to his skin.
That violent chakra seeming to burn souls had receded like tide, leaving only a bone-deep trembling sensation.
He had no time to process the strange agitation Samehada transmitted from behind—both excited and carrying a trace of fear. All attention locked firmly on that man before him still wearing the fox mask.
After brief deathly silence, a low laugh emerged from Kisame's throat, gradually growing louder.
"Hmph hmph hmph... hehehe... I see! So that's how it is!" His laughter filled with shock and relief. "I understand everything now! So it's you... This is truly... too shocking!"
Menma carefully observed Kisame's reaction. When he confirmed those small shark eyes held only dawning excitement without any disappointment or contempt, he secretly breathed easier. Seems the most worrying situation hadn't occurred.
So then... this matter was settled?
Indeed, in the next moment, Kisame's laughter subsided. His massive frame leaned forward slightly as he said decisively.
"Then... from now on, this life of Hoshigaki Kisame belongs to you. To sever falsehood, for that world without lies... please allow me to join your organization!"
"Mm." Menma nodded. "Welcome aboard. Now, let's leave this place. I'll give you a safe foothold."
Speaking thus, he extended his hand again, preparing to place it on Kisame's shoulder to use Flying Thunder God and leave this gloomy cave.
However, just as his fingertips were about to touch Kisame, Kisame's voice—suppressing enormous excitement with that tone of "having grasped the truth"—clearly reached his ears.
"Mm, then... please take care of me—"
"Fourth Hokage-sama."
...Huh?
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