The sun rose as usual, its morning light piercing through the clouds, yet it remained unable to disperse the dense fog clinging to Kirigakure.
In the Kaguya clan district, Kisame Hoshigaki—an operative of the Hidden Mist ANBU—was leading a team to carry out the cleanup of the Kaguya remnants. After Biwa Juzo had been summoned away urgently by the Mizukage, Kisame had been left in charge of the mopping-up operation.
"Captain, the bodies in the Kaguya district have been cleared," an ANBU shinobi reported, stepping up to Kisame.
"A total of 325 bodies were recovered. However, we noticed several corpses in the back courtyards that seemed to have been killed before the main purge began. Also, according to our intel, the Kaguya prodigy—Kimimaro—is missing."
Unlike the Uchiha, Kaguya clansmen who awakened the Shikotsumyaku (Dead Bone Pulse) often suffered from a terminal blood disease. Consequently, almost none of them lived past thirty, and their population was far smaller than that of the Uchiha. Ironically, the more powerful the bloodline, the more severe the disease.
As the next clan targeted by Yagura—or rather, by Obito—the Kaguya had been under constant ANBU surveillance, much like the Uchiha in Konoha after the Nine-Tails' attack.
When Kisame heard the report, his small eyes twitched. His pale, grayish-blue face tightened.
"Kimimaro is gone?" That was the clan's greatest genius. His bloodline was said to be purer than any predecessor's. He was a high-priority target on the watch list.
"Continue clearing the district," Kisame ordered. "I will report this to the Mizukage personally."
As he passed the site of the previous night's battles, Kisame paused atop a roof. He looked out over the scarred, mist-shrouded village with a heavy heart. When did the Hidden Mist become like this?
Inside the temporary Mizukage office, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, sat in the shadows.
"Lord Mizukage!" Kisame knelt.
"Is it finished?" Yagura asked coldly.
Kisame reported the status: "No survivors remain in the district. However, it appears someone infiltrated the back courtyards during the chaos. Kimimaro Kaguya is missing."
"Oh?" Yagura looked up. On his youthful, doll-like face, the scar running from his right eye to his jaw looked particularly striking. His pale purple eyes were hollow and vacant.
Hidden in the shadows, Obito—the one pulling the strings—suspected Shura. He figured the man was interested in the Kaguya bloodline. However, after years of controlling Yagura, Obito knew the Kaguya disease was incurable. The more talented the child, the faster they died. Even if Shura saved him, the boy wouldn't last more than a few years.
Yagura spoke: "A mysterious ninja named 'Shura' appeared in the village last night. Kimimaro's disappearance is likely linked to him."
"Shura?" Kisame recalled the name. It was the man who had ravaged Konoha and Kumo last year—the rogue ninja with a massive 70-million-ryō bounty.
"Take two squads and patrol the southwestern coastline. If you find Shura or any Kaguya remnants, eliminate them immediately." Yagura's voice brooked no argument.
"I... go eliminate Shura?" Kisame's shark-like face froze. His small eyes filled with doubt, and the gill-like slits on his neck twitched.
The man who humiliated two Great Villages and walked away? You want me, a newly promoted Jonin, to take him out?
"Suikazan Fuguki and Biwa Juzo already managed to wound him severely," Yagura lied smoothly, omitting the fact that both men were now dead. "He won't have fled far."
"Understood!" Kisame didn't dare refuse.
"One more thing," Yagura reminded him. "You are Fuguki's subordinate—a ninja specialized in protecting Mist secrets. You know what to do if the mission faces a risk of failure, don't you?"
Better to use Shura to cull more of the Mist's rising stars, Obito thought from the shadows. He knew of Kisame's reputation as the "Monster of the Hidden Mist" and his performance in the Third War. He couldn't let such a capable ninja grow too strong.
"As you command," Kisame bowed low. He remembered the orders his superior, Fuguki, had always given him: To protect the village's secrets, if your comrades are about to be captured, you must eliminate them yourself.
Leaving the office, Kisame met his team at the plaza. Six ninjas—two squads of three. Most were Chunin, with the squad leaders being Special Jonin.
All newly promoted... Kisame noted, reading their skill levels instantly. I suppose if Shura is truly wounded, the village doesn't want to waste its heavy hitters on a border patrol.
Usually, border patrols were C-rank. They only became B-rank if they encountered hostiles, and could escalate to A-rank depending on the enemy's strength.
The team set off, heading south toward the coast of the Land of Water's main island. Kisame remained silent, his terrifying appearance—blue skin, shark-like features, and cold eyes—keeping the others at a distance.
The six younger ninjas leaped through the trees, whispering among themselves and stealing glances at their grim captain. Kisame didn't stop them; as long as they didn't compromise the mission, he didn't care about their chatter.
By noon, the team stopped for a break. The six sat together, sharing rations and even pulling out a deck of ninja cards for a quick game. Kisame, however, sat alone under a tree some distance away. He had set up alarm traps and now sat silently drinking from his canteen.
He was used to the isolation. It was his world.
As he pondered his orders, a shadow fell across the grass in front of him. Kisame looked up and saw a pretty, refined face smiling down at him.
"Captain Kisame, why don't you come eat with us?" the brown-haired kunoichi invited him with a warm smile.