Chapter 189
Rescuing Kisame Hoshigaki, Information from the Blood Dragon Eye
Chapter 189 Rescuing Kisame Hoshigaki, Information from the Blood Dragon Eye
It was late autumn of the fifty-seventh year of Konoha.
The sea east of the Land of Fire was shrouded in a thick, grayish-white fog that seemed to absorb sound.
The Kado Group's massive fleet broke through the waves and slowly sailed toward the Water Kingdom.
The air was damp, cold, and sticky, carrying a unique smell of sea salt and rust.
Inside the spacious and luxurious CEO's office on the flagship "Black Gold," warm yellow lighting and expensive mahogany furniture attempted to dispel the chill of the sea.
Kado, wrapped in a thick mink coat, stared at Kakuzu across from him with a furrowed brow.
Kakuzu, still dressed in a black robe, sat nonchalantly on an expensive leather sofa, his rough, stitched fingers deftly manipulating a thick stack of brand-new banknotes.
The rustling sound of paper rubbing together was particularly clear in the quiet room.
This was the hefty commission he received after helping Cardo "get rid of" a competitor who was constantly nagging him about the shipping lanes.
"Hey, Kakuzu!" Kado finally couldn't help but speak up. Although he had been teaming up with Kakuzu for two or three years, there was still a hint of tension in his voice. "For this mission, that lord only wants us to go to the Land of Water to pick up a rogue ninja from Kirigakure and bring him back to the organization. Don't get itchy and kill him to collect the bounty."
He knew all too well his partner's morbid obsession with money and the heart of the strong.
Kakuzu paused in his handing over the banknotes, then looked up. His dark green pupils gleamed with a cold, greedy light in the dim light, like a beast lurking in the deep sea.
"Hmph." He let out a disdainful snort, his voice low and hoarse: "Since he was personally chosen by that lord to join the organization, he can't be some insect that can be crushed at will. I'm just preparing to... test his strength."
He started counting money again, but his movements carried a sense of scrutinizing his prey: "If you can't even pass my test and die easily, then you don't deserve to step into the organization. Such trash is probably not worth much at the exchange."
He seemed to be stating a self-evident truth.
Kado sighed helplessly, knowing that saying anything more would be pointless.
Having teamed up with Kakuzu for several years, Gato has come to understand his partner's personality. He thinks that if he had a bounty, Kakuzu's gaze towards him would probably change.
Kado walked to the huge porthole, looking out at the churning fog, his vision compressed to its limit, as he calculated how much further the journey was.
Kakuzu's gaze followed his as he looked out the window at the chaotic gray expanse. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke, abruptly changing the subject: "I've heard... that in this part of the East China Sea, there's a small island that's never been marked on any map?"
His voice carried a hint of inquisitive interest: "Those guys at the gold exchange have turned it into a den of iniquity for the wealthy? It's incredibly luxurious, and there's even an arena where ninjas fight to the death? Gato, you're a well-informed 'big businessman,' you must have heard of it, right?"
Kado's short body stiffened slightly as he turned around and met the eyes of the man in the corner of his head, which were flashing with dangerous interest.
He twitched the corners of his mouth, revealing a businessman-like, cautious smile: "That place... in our circle, it's really not a secret. Among the ninja guards I used to keep, there were a few cheap guys I picked up from the 'losers' bracket' of that arena. They were decent in strength, but a bit too aggressive."
He paused, adjusted his small sunglasses with his finger, and gave a serious warning: "However, I advise you not to get involved there. Those who come and go there are truly powerful and wealthy people with very complicated backgrounds. Moreover... it's one of the core areas of the gold exchange, with strict rules and a formidable security force. Causing trouble there would be a losing proposition."
Kado guessed that Kakuzu probably wanted to target the ninjas who were boxing there, since those who could box there were bound to have some kind of bounty on their hands.
That's why I issued a warning; that's the territory of the gold exchange.
After listening, Kakuzu did not respond immediately. He simply continued counting the banknotes in his hand in silence, making a monotonous rustling sound.
A few days later, the fleet arrived at a relatively bustling port in the Land of Water.
Upon reaching the shore, Kado and Kakuzu discreetly disembarked and, following instructions, headed to a secluded cliff on the rugged coastline, far from the hustle and bustle.
The sea breeze was biting, whipping up salty, fishy vapor that lashed against the steep, black rock walls, making a mournful sound.
The agreed-upon location was at the top of a cliff, offering a panoramic view overlooking the surging waves crashing against the shore below.
However, when Kado and Kakuzu arrived, they were met not by one person, but by two figures.
A look of surprise flashed across Kado's face, and his small eyes behind his sunglasses narrowed warily.
One of the men opposite him was wearing the dark uniform of a Jonin from Kirigakure, carrying a ninja sword on his back. His shark-like face was cold, and a deep scratch pierced through the Kirigakure headband he wore on his forehead.
This is undoubtedly their target, Kisame Hoshigaki.
But the other person standing next to Kisame was completely unexpected.
He was a tall man wearing a large brown coat, with striking white hair, a bright red band tied around his forehead, and a pair of uniquely styled diamond-shaped sunglasses that obscured the upper half of his face, giving him a mysterious and serene air. He wore no insignia of any ninja village.
Kakuzu's reaction was more direct.
He had been approaching this "rescue" mission with a critical and probing mindset. Upon seeing the additional person, the cold and oppressive aura around him instantly solidified, spreading out like a tangible chill.
Without a word, his massive body leaned forward slightly, his dark green pupils like those of a venomous snake locking onto its prey, staring intently at Kisame and the mysterious figure beside him. His deep voice carried undisguised suspicion and pressure: "Kisame Hoshigaki? That lord instructed us to pick up a rogue ninja from Kirigakure. As for this extra one, are we planning to take him along as well, or... should we deal with him on the spot?"
His rough fingers curled slightly, as if he were about to launch an attack at any moment.
Kado suppressed his doubts, stepped forward, and habitually put on a businessman's smile, but his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.
He nodded slightly to Kisame: "I am Kado, here on behalf of the organization to provide support. Mr. Kisame, and who is this gentleman?"
His gaze shifted to the white-haired man in sunglasses, his tone questioning yet carrying a hint of warning, "The organization doesn't seem to have permitted you to bring other people along, does it? This could cause unnecessary... trouble."
Faced with Kakuzu's undisguised killing intent and Gato's threatening question, Kisame Hoshigaki's shark-like face remained expressionless, as if he were already used to all kinds of scrutiny.
"I am Kisame Hoshigaki." Kisame paused slightly, but the sharp light in his small eyes did not diminish in the slightest, revealing a fierceness that came after exhaustion: "As you know, I attacked the Fourth Mizukage, and after failing, I could only live on Kirigakure's wanted list."
He spoke lightly, but the hidden, breathtaking power was enough to send shivers down one's spine.
That was the assassination of an entire village's leader!
Kisame Hoshigaki turned to look at the white-haired man beside him, his voice seemingly softening slightly: "This is my friend. There was a little accident when he took me in."
He turned slightly to the side, gesturing to the white-haired man beside him.
“His wife and daughter have been caught up in some family disputes, and I need two days to deal with those people. I hope you can give me some time. I will be there as soon as this is over.”
Kisame's tone carried a plea, but he was also prepared to be rejected.
Upon hearing Kisame's conditions, Kakuzu let out another low hum from his nose.
Just then, the white-haired man who had been silent took a step forward.
This step placed him precisely in the center of the gaze between Gato and Kakuzu, and also slightly blocked Kisame Hoshigaki's path.
His large, dark brown canvas coat billowed and fell back down in the sea breeze, making a rustling sound.
He raised his hand and slowly took off the diamond-shaped sunglasses that were obscuring his vision.
The moment the sunglasses slipped off, Gato and Kakuzu's pupils suddenly contracted!
Those were eyes that... defy description!
Unlike the Byakugan or Sharingan, the deep red, as if soaked in the thickest blood, spread across the entire eyeball!
Within that crimson envelope, the black pupils also changed. Instead of magatama or circles, an ominous "one" shape lit up in the pupils, like two entrances to an abyss.
Just by being swept by those eyes, Kado felt a chill instantly shoot up his spine to the top of his head, as if the blood in his body was being absorbed and stirred by that crimson color!
For the first time, Kakuzu's face, covered in stitches, revealed an extremely solemn expression, even one tinged with fear. The tentacles of the Earth Grudge within him seemed to sense a threat and began to stir restlessly beneath his robes.
Decades of experience walking on the edge of life and death, dealing with countless bizarre bloodline limit users, and an instinctive sense of crisis are driving him crazy!
"This is... the Blood Dragon Eye?! You are from the Blood Pond Clan!" Kakuzu, who has lived since the Warring States period and has been wandering the ninja world for more than fifty years, knows a lot about ninja clans, including the legendary ninja clan of the Land of Lightning that was once as famous as the Uchiha.
How come your ninja clan from the Land of Lightning is in the Land of Water?
“Your eyesight is excellent.” The white-haired man calmly stared at Kado and Kakuzu with his chillingly blood-red dragon eyes. His voice was not loud, but it clearly pierced through the howling sea wind: “My name is Miyajo En. As you can see, I am a member of the Blood Pond Clan. If your organization can help me rescue my wife and daughter.”
He paused, and the pupils in his blood-red dragon eyes trembled slowly: "I can also join your organization."
On the cliff, the sea breeze howled.
The task of rendezvous between Kado and Kakuzu suddenly became complicated and full of variables.
However, compared to Kakuzu's caution and sense of crisis, Gato, who was not a ninja, also took off his sunglasses after his initial shock and looked at the other's eyes.
A new bloodline limit family, that lord will surely like to collect this!
(End of this chapter)