Hoshigaki Kisame's fate seemed sealed.

  At least, that was what Naruto had mistakenly predicted.

  Due to Naruto's ued as, Obito had not decred war during the Five Kage Summit as inally pnned, leading to a cascade of unforeseen sequences.

  In the inal timeline, after the Five Kage Summit, the Raikage quickly located Killer Bee. This was a result of all the major shinobi vilges uniting against a on enemy and f joint search teams.

  But this time, the situation was different. Only Kumogakure had formed a search team, which signifitly slowed down their progress.

  And then, there was Kisame's mission.

  Obito, a man of meticulous fht, had previously anticipated that deg war would pel the Five Great Shinobi Nations to unite and protect the Eight-Tails and ails for their collective wartime is. In such a sario, it would have been more strategic for Kisame to fake his death and infiltrate, unc their protective stronghold and capturing both jinchūriki in one fell swoop.

  But this time, with Naruto defeg from Konohagakure, even if war broke out, he would not be shielded by the Five Great Nations.

  Different circumstances called for different strategies.

  If capturing both jinchūriki at once was no longer feasible, then the approach would be divide and quer.

  Thus, there was no need for subterfuge. Kisame's mission this time was straightforward: defeat Killer Bee and bring him back to Akatsuki's base, seg the Eight-Tails firmly in their grasp.

  Spsh—!!

  Amidst a forest nearly razed to the ground, water spshed violently as Killer Bee, his chakra pletely drained, colpsed to the ground, powerless.

  It should be hat Samehada's supposed betrayal in the past had merely been a prearranged ruse.

  In this altered of events, there was no longer any need for Kisame to stage a betrayal, aainly no need for White Zetsu to sacrifice himself as a decoy.

  "Huff... huff... huff..." Kisame panted heavily. "What a stubborn octopus bastard! But now, you should behave yourself."

  Ihe Eight-Tails had been utterly defeated by the man known as the tailless tailed beast.

  Rustle, rustle, rustle!!

  White Zetsu emerged from the ground nearby. "As expected of you, Kisame—reliable as always..."

  Kisame, bare-chested, asked, "Where's the leader?"

  White Zetsu replied, "Tobi is preoccupied at the moment and 't e."

  After all, Sasuke had decided to transpnt Itachi's eyes, and Obito o prioritize that task.

  White Zetsu thought to himself, *Besides, this remote wilderness isn't marked by his Kamui's spatial coordinates, so he 't teleport here.*

  He said aloud, "Head east for a hundred kilometers. There's a vilge that used to serve as one of our safehouses. Bring the jinchūriki there, and Tobi should arrive by the time you get there."

  Swish!

  Kisame hefted his massive bde, Samehada, and slung the barely scious Killer Bee over it. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's move."

  White Zetsu cautioned, "Be careful. I've received intelligehat Kumogakure's forces are already searg for the Eight-Tails. It's possible you'll enter them. The Raikage is furious that his brother has fallen into our hands again..."

  Kisame smirked. "The Raikage, huh? With taijutsu even more formidable than that beast from Konohagakure, he's a tough oppo. If Itachi were still alive, dealing with him would have been much easier."

  White Zetsu remarked, "Akatsuki is indeed fag a manpower she right now. Ohe Eight-Tails is securely ours, we focus all our remaining strength on capturing the ails. Fortunately, Sasuke is still on our side. By choosing to transpnt Itachi's eyes, he's about to gain a whole new level of power."

  Kisame mused, "Itachi's little brother, huh? Even with Itachi's eyes, what he sees may not be the same as what Itachi saw. The future of Akatsuki... it's truly something to anticipate."

  "Then we'll await yood news, Kisame..."

  With that, White Zetsu sank bato the ground.

  Uhe cover of night, Kisame, with his bde and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki Killer Bee, began his jouro the designated vilge.

  It was this hundred-kilometer stretch of road that would rewrite the course of his life...