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"Making money? Missions?" Kakashi sneered. "Are you sure you're just doing missions and not starting a war?"
"First off, we're just getting paid to do a job. If the price is right, we take it. We don't care how the war started or how it ends—we just do our work. The Hidden Leaf Village is pretty familiar with this process, aren't you? Or do you do it all the time?" Midorima asked.
Kisame bared his teeth. "Kid, I'm only now realizing that your smart mouth isn't entirely a flaw."
Midorima shot Kisame a glare. "Aren't I just defending Akatsuki? Or do you think everything I said was a lie?"
"Of course not." Kisame licked his lips, his gaze fixed on Guy.
That kick from Guy earlier had been quite powerful—he liked opponents like that.
"See?" Midorima shrugged. "If there's nothing else, we'll be going. You left the Leaf and came to the Hidden Grass Village, but it wasn't to pick a fight with us, right?"
Kakashi's brows knitted together, his eyes never leaving Midorima. "That's hard to say. Maybe we are here for you."
"Uh. Then you've got the wrong guys." Midorima quickly scanned the three. "The three of you are probably an advance team or an intelligence-gathering squad, right? You're far from the other Leaf ninjas. If this drags on too long, you'll attract the rest of Akatsuki, and then all three of you will die here."
Kakashi smiled. "That's Leaf business. You don't need to worry about it! Your choice—you only need to think about your own safety."
The three closed in quickly, advancing on Midorima and Kisame.
"Looks like your words didn't work!" Kisame drew Samehada from his back.
"If talk no jutsu actually worked, there wouldn't be so many wars in the world," Midorima said, unsurprised by the Leaf ninjas' reaction.
If ninjas could be convinced so easily, what kind of ninjas would they be?
"Kisame, the thick-eyebrowed kid is yours!" Midorima said.
"Are you underestimating me?" Kisame sneered.
There were three of them—why was he only assigned one?
"Fine, the one-eyed dragon and the thick eyebrows are both yours!" Midorima said without hesitation, assigning Kakashi to Kisame as well.
Kisame's brow furrowed, ready to retort, but Guy was already upon him, sweeping a powerful kick toward Kisame's side.
The strike was heavy and forceful, landing squarely on Samehada.
Guy then used the momentum from Kisame swinging Samehada to flip 720 degrees in the air before landing, his face pale.
Kisame didn't fare much better. After Samehada clashed with Guy's foot, his arms suddenly felt heavy, and his body slid back two or three meters.
Right then, a fireball followed closely.
"Hah!"
Kisame raised Samehada without hesitation, slicing through the fireball, his eyes growing more ferocious.
"2-on-1? Not bad."
"What 2-on-1?" Guy wasn't happy, thinking Kakashi was underestimating him. "I don't need your help here—go deal with the masked guy!"
"But this one's strong." Kakashi stared at Kisame, not daring to let his guard down.
"What about Shibi? Can he handle that one?" Guy countered.
Kakashi quickly glanced at Aburame Shibi. The insects under his control had formed a high-speed spinning vortex, attacking the masked man.
The Spindle Formation used high-speed flying insects to assault the opponent, with considerable power.
Since the vortex was made of black insects, they were alive and controlled by the Aburame clan, making their positioning extremely flexible.
When attacked, the insects would scatter, only to regroup after evading danger.
Moreover, under Shibi's control, no matter where the target fled, they would pursue relentlessly—a so-called "tracking" ability.
Midorima unleashed a wind blade, causing the "vortex" to disperse quickly. Once the blade passed, it reformed and continued chasing him.
This was Midorima's first encounter with an Aburame clan ninja. Seeing the black vortex surprised him slightly. He tested an attack, but it couldn't stop the insects. He then moved quickly into the distance, appearing to flee while deliberately slowing his speed to let the insects catch up.
The "vortex" soon closed in. When it was just one meter away, it suddenly accelerated.
At that moment, Midorima turned around, exhaling a burst of flames from his mouth that instantly "engulfed" the insects.
Against techniques like this, you absolutely couldn't let the insects scatter—otherwise, they'd be nearly impossible to deal with.
Considering the sheer number of insects, Midorima even increased his chakra output. This Grand Fireball Technique was more than twice as powerful as a standard one.
The insects were too close, and a scorched smell hit him immediately.
Midorima inhaled once and felt nauseous, immediately holding his breath while trying to retreat and create distance from Aburame Shibi.
Just then, a figure burst from the flames, appearing before Midorima in an instant.
Kakashi!?
Midorima was caught off guard. He was tangled with Shibi and hadn't expected Kakashi to launch a sneak attack—and in close combat, no less!
Without thinking, Midorima's eyes locked on Kakashi's right hand—a ball of lightning growing larger in his palm.
"Lightning Release: Chidori!"
Kakashi shouted.
The lightning ball struck Midorima's abdomen, blasting him over ten meters away and carving a deep groove in the ground.
Kakashi panted heavily.
Chidori's power was immense; even for him, using it once consumed a massive amount of chakra.
Normally, getting close to an opponent was the challenge, but this time, Shibi's Spindle Formation provided cover. With the poor nighttime visibility, it allowed for a perfect ambush.
Remembering Jiraiya's warning before departure—that every Akatsuki member was exceptionally strong—Kakashi showed no mercy when the rare opportunity arose.
Shibi had even sacrificed his carefully nurtured insects just to land this critical blow.
As Midorima was hit by Chidori, Kisame sensed something amiss.
In his memory, "Yoshida Shin" wasn't the strongest in Akatsuki, but the strength Yoshida displayed while tangling with Danzo had earned Kisame's respect.
"He's gone!?"
Kisame froze for a moment, distracted. Guy's kick landed on his abdomen, sending him sliding five or six meters before he was surrounded by the three again.
"On the battlefield, any distraction can be fatal. The same goes for arrogance—it can cost you your life. Your companion made two mistakes at once, and you… you made one!" Guy clenched his fists, staring straight at Kisame.
Kisame gripped Samehada tightly with both hands, his gaze darting between the three as he pondered a breakout. Suddenly, a small water bullet shot from the darkness, piercing Shibi's abdomen.
Shibi collapsed lifelessly, blood quickly staining the ground.
"Distraction? Arrogance? Fair point. But you three made two mistakes at once—one of you is down. Not an unfair loss, right?"
The three turned toward the source of the voice, their expressions splitting into two starkly different reactions.
"I really thought you were done for," Kisame laughed.
"Almost." Midorima twisted his head to look at Kakashi. "Your ninjutsu packs a punch."