Ba the day, when Kisame infiltrated Konoha alongside Itachi, Naruto was just a child.

  Apart from his status as the ails Jinchūriki, Kisame hadn’t paid him any mind.

  In just a few short years, however, Naruto’s growth had been nothing short of astonishing.

  First, he took down two of Kakuzu’s hearts in a sirike. Then, not long ago, he defeated Akatsuki’s frontman, Pain.

  Now, even Obito had begun to perceive him as a threat, forced to make a series of termeasures.

  Kisame spoke in a deep voice, "You’re someone Akatsuki will take sooner or ter. You’ve even taken the eyes he wanted. Our positions are irrecible. I ’t think of a single reason why you’d save me."

  Naruto replied, "Things always happen suddenly; reasons are something we search for afterward."

  Kisame frowned. "Even so, whatever your motives may be, I won’t act acc to your wishes."

  Beh his mask, Naruto smiled faintly. "I uand. That’s precisely why I admire you…"

  “Ugh…”

  “Ah…”

  Both the Raikage and Killer Bee y on the ground, still rec. The sheer force of their high-speed collision was enough to prove their resilience, even though they hadn’t succumbed to death.

  Darui, leading the Kumogakure shinobi, quickly stepped forward to assist them.

  Darui said, "ails Jinchūriki, it’s you again. Causing a se at the Five Kage Summit wasn’t enough? The intel you provided barely vihe boss to let you off the hook, a you’re still not giving up. Why have you e here?"

  Naruto g Killer Bee, pushing aside memories of the past. With her arroganor humility, he replied, "He’s already fulfilled his wish of saving his brother. Now, I’m here to save someone I want to save. Isn’t that fair?"

  Darui narrowed his eyes. "Someone you want to save… You mean that Akatsuki shark? But he doesn’t seem to appreciate your kindness. What’s your real goal?"

  Naruted. "I’m under no obligation to tell you more~."

  Darui raised his voice. "The’s settle this with ninjutsu!"

  —*Storm Release: Laser Circus!*

  Storm Release, a bination of water and lightning, possessed both the destructive power of lightning and the trol of water. From Darui’s hands, multiple powerful ser beams shot toward Naruto!

  Naruto simply raised his palm. A translut sealing barrier unfolded before him, his left eye glowing faintly with its unique power.

  —*Preta Path!*

  Whoosh!

  The sers from Storm Release instantly dimmed, pletely absorbed by the Preta Path.

  L his hand, Naruto said indifferently, "Stop. I have no iion of fighting yht now."

  Darui gritted his teeth. "Tch, what a b eye!"

  Naruto raised his hand to the mask on his face. The mask had a single eyehole, exposing only his left eye.

  "Kisame-san, I know full well that you won’t abandon your position no matter what. So, five me for being presumptuous…"

  As he removed the mask, Naruto turo face Kisame. His right eye, previously hidden, revealed a Mangekyō Sharingan, its three tomoe spinning and transf into a four-pronged pinwheel.

  A dark red glow emanated from his eye.

  —*Kotoamatsukami!*

  Buzz!

  The effect of this teique was subtle and imperceptible. The target wouldn’t even realize they had been influenced, naturally aligning their as with the caster’s will.

  Without aance… everything fell into pce.

  The earth broke open as Kisame’s arm extended out.

  Naruto reached out and pulled Kisame to his feet, smiling. "Kisame, I look forward t with you."

  Dusting off the dirt from his clothes, Kisame replied politely, "The pleasure is mine…"

  "What!?" Darui couldn’t believe his eyes. "How is this possible? Kisame’s attitude earlier clearly showed he didn’t care for Naruto’s help. A man who faced death without fear—how could he betray his position over a simple life-saving favor!?"

  The glow in Narutht eye faded as it reverted to its three-tomoe state. He repced the mask on his face, cealing the Sharingan once more.

  He extended his left hand toward Darui from a distance.

  —*Banshō Ten’in!*

  Whoosh!

  A powerful gravitational force pulled Samehada from Killer Bee’s back, sending it flying into Naruto’s grasp.

  Ssh! Ssh!

  Samehada resisted, sprouting barbs from its hilt that pieraruto’s hand, causing blood to flow freely. Yet Naruto’s expression remained unged as he gripped the sword tightly.

  Rustle, rustle, rustle…!

  Samehada filed wildly, trying to escape. When that failed, it began abs Naruto’s chakra, causing its bde to swell.

  Naruto smirked and activated the Preta Path’s ability, reversing the flow and abs Samehada’s chakra instead.

  When it came to absorption, the Preta Path was unmatched.

  Defeated, Samehada’s massive bde rapidly shrank, drooping powerlessly.

  “Chirp, chirp, chirp…” Samehada let out pitiful whimpers, pletely subdued.

  g!

  Naruto tossed Samehada at Kisame’s feet. "Here, it’s yours."

  Kisame picked up Samehada, brushing off the dirt. "A fellow traitor, huh? Looks like we’ll be stig together from now on, Samehada…"

  With Samehada returo its rightful owner, Hoshigaki Kisame had now pledged allegiao Naruto.

  Such was the power of *Kotoamatsukami*.

  Naruto ed his bloodied left hand in a bandage, his gaze falling on the blood-stained grouh him. He pced a kunai, marked with an explosive tag, into the soil.

  Raising his left hand, he rested it on Kisame’s shoulder and said to the stunned Darui, "Well then, I’ll be taking my leave…"

  Whoosh!

  —*Flying Raijin Jutsu!*

  Naruto and Kisame vanished in an instant.

  Boom!

  The explosive tag detonated, obliterating the blood-stained grouirely.

  Rustle, rustle, rustle.

  In the grass nearby, a small snake flicked its tos vertical pupils glinting with frustration. "Tot even a drop of blood left behind. Naruto’s no lohe reckless brat he used to be. Every move reeks of the caution of an old fox. No wonder even Orochimaru-sama was…"

  …

  “Ugh…”

  No sooner had Naruto left than Raikage and Killer Bee regained sciousness.

  Raikage growled, "Where’s that Akatsuki shark bastard!?"

  Killer Bee excimed, "Where’s my Goodkid!?"

  Darui replied, "They’ve been taken…"

  Raikage’s temper fred. "What did you say!? Uzumaki Naruto again!!! If I get my hands on him, I’ll take his head myself!!!!"

  Though disappoi losing Samehada so soon after acquiring it, Killer Bee still broke into an impromptu song: "…"

  Raikage gred. "Bee…"

  Killer Bee looked back. "Big bro…"

  Snap!

  "Running around everywhere, causihing but trouble!!!" Raikage’s iron grip cmped down on Killer Bee’s head.

  "Awooo! Big bro’s scolding, as fierce as ever, WEI~~~~…!!!" Killer Bee’s cries of pain echoed far and wide.

  Darui and the other Kumogakure shinobi exged helpless smiles.

  …

  Naruto and Kisame returo the rendezvous point where Konan and Orochimaru were waiting.

  They were all familiar faces.

  Kisame chuckled. "Konan, Orochimaru, who would’ve thought we’d be w together again…"

  Orochimaru smirked. "Even more surprising… I have a closer look at your Samehada for research this time?"

  Konan asked, "Now that the objective is plete, shall we return to Amegakure?"

  Iwilight, amidst the chirping of orioles and the lush greenery, Naruto couldn’t help but recall the days of his training. Back then, after every training session, there was always one pce he would go…

  But now, perhaps he’d never set foot there again.

  "Before that, there’s one more pce I o visit…"