Chapter 200: The Final Member
"I advise you to think carefully before deciding," Kakashi's tone carried rare solemnity. "The Chunin Exams... aren't child's play or make-believe. Once you step into that examination hall, it means you'll face real danger, possibly even life-and-death trials."
He seemed to want to give his students time to digest this, but then as if remembering something, called out to the three preparing to leave, adding news that dampened spirits.
"Oh right, one more thing... consider this a warning. Just a few days ago, someone from your graduating class, that guy called Nagatsuki..."
He briefly recounted what happened. Nagatsuki's squad had taken a C-rank escort mission, only to encounter Kirigakure missing-nin during the journey.
That Nagatsuki, for some reason choosing an axe as his main weapon, carelessly fell victim to a rather low-level genjutsu during combat.
Then he started spouting nonsense, shouting strange things like '486,' completely immersed in the illusion, wildly swinging his axe at empty ground...
The result... he was killed by the enemy's summoning beast, a snow rabbit used as a substitute, seizing the opportunity to bite him to death.
Hearing this news, Naruto's face showed no obvious reaction. He and that guy called Nagatsuki-whatever hadn't even exchanged a single word.
Naruto's mind was entirely occupied with comprehensive assessment and crisis awareness regarding the approaching Chunin Exams.
The Chunin Exams... this seemingly ordinary promotion assessment, following the original story's trajectory, actually concealed a devastating attack targeting Konoha—Orochimaru's Konoha Crush Plan!
Naruto quickly listed in his mind the potential threats in Orochimaru's plan.
Orochimaru himself—one of the legendary Three Sannin, a forbidden jutsu expert.
The rampaging One-Tail Shukaku—the terrifying tailed beast Gaara of Sunagakure would transform into after losing control.
The entire Sound Village—the shinobi village Orochimaru established would launch a full assault on Konoha.
Yakushi Kabuto—a deeply hidden spy, excellent in both medical ninjutsu and strategy.
The First and Second Hokage reanimated through Impure World Reincarnation. Fortunately, Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation technique wasn't yet perfected. The summoned First Hokage Senju Hashirama's strength was far from even one-tenth of his living prime.
Good thing the formula wasn't perfected, otherwise the First Hokage's full power alone would make this completely unwinnable...
But simultaneously, Naruto clearly realized he'd already changed too many things. The butterfly effect might very likely cause unknown deviations from the original plot.
However... the forces he now commanded were incomparably different from before. He completely didn't fear Orochimaru's threat!
The list of core combat members the Ember organization had currently assembled floated through his mind.
Uchiha Shisui—Shisui of the Body Flicker possessing Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo.
Kakuzu—the experienced Earth Grudge Fear monster with five lives.
Deidara—the Explosion Release genius pursuing ultimate explosive art.
Momochi Zabuza—the Demon of Hidden Mist, master of silent assassination techniques.
Haku—a youth possessing the rare Ice Release kekkei genkai.
And... not long ago, when organization members were searching for Sasori of the Red Sand, successfully recruited under the Menma identity—Hoshigaki Kisame!
That happened recently...
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The Land of Water border, deep within some damp, dark cave.
A campfire crackled, its leaping flames the only light and heat source in this deathly silence, barely dispelling the cold and moisture seeping through rock crevices. A burly figure sat silently crouched before the fire.
The orange-red firelight illuminated a confused, fierce face—grayish-blue skin, clear shark gill-like markings on both cheeks, teeth sharp as saw blades, paired with those small yet gleaming vicious eyes.
Overall, he looked just like a shark forced out of seawater and transformed into human form.
Wearing Kirigakure ANBU standard uniform, most eye-catching was the massive object on his back, tightly wrapped in white bandages.
This was the Kirigakure missing-nin, Hoshigaki Kisame.
However, extremely incongruous with that fierce appearance was his current gaze. Those small eyes that should be filled with violence now stared emptily at the flickering flames, as if wanting to throw his very soul into them for burning.
Comrades? Village? These concepts that once supported him wielding his blade—what exactly did they represent?
In his mind, scenes from the past surged uncontrollably. During ANBU missions, those "comrades" he'd personally executed in the name of "protecting the village"—their dying gazes of shock and incomprehension... Were they really threats? Or merely because they "might" leak intelligence, they became targets that must be eliminated?
As comrades, why did the final path only leave mutual slaughter?
Then came deeper irony. The secret intelligence he'd risked his life to protect, even staining himself with comrades' blood—his superiors he'd served loyally had casually betrayed it all.
That "loyalty" he'd exchanged for countless "comrades'" lives turned out to be merely a chip that could be discarded at any time in higher-level power games.
The supposed comradeship was fake... Then why was the intelligence he'd killed comrades to protect also fake in the end?
Mission meaning, village loyalty, all faith collapsed in an instant. Everything he'd held sacred was rotten from the root, filled with nauseating falsehood and thorough betrayal.
He'd killed that superior who betrayed everything. Used the blade granted in the name of "protecting the village" to sever his throat. The warm sensation of blood spraying on his face was far more real than this cave's campfire.
But then what?
Became a missing-nin, killed his superior, broke free from that hypocritical cage... then what?
Immense confusion and deeper despair, like the dense fog outside the cave, wrapped tightly around him. Flames danced in his eyes, yet couldn't illuminate any path forward.
In this vast world, where should he, Hoshigaki Kisame, go?
"Found you. Must have been hard, constantly hiding these past days."
A strange, low male voice came without warning from the shadows at the cave entrance.
"The Bloody Mist's policy... really sent me quite a gift."
Kisame's entire body tensed instantly. Almost reflexively, his hand gripped the handle of Samehada on his back, feeling the blade's restless wriggling beneath the wrapped bandages.
Who?! Kirigakure's pursuit squad?
He stared fixedly toward the voice's source, vicious vigilance flashing in his eyes. The cave's atmosphere suddenly froze, leaving only the crackling campfire and gradually approaching, unhurried footsteps.
However, when that figure completely stepped from the shadows, revealing its distinctive features in the campfire's flickering halo, Kisame's tall frame trembled slightly, uncontrollably, like thunder exploding in his mind!
That fox mask with its strange curved smile, the pitch-black robe... This outfit had long become an ominous symbol that struck fear throughout the shinobi world.
The Ember organization's leader himself—Menma!
This was Kisame's first time personally seeing this mysterious leader, but he was absolutely familiar with the name and image of "Menma."
When he'd still been Kirigakure's tool, one of the highest priority directives he'd received was that during any mission, if confirming an encounter with Ember organization members who showed investigative intent, he must eliminate all "comrades" at the scene who might leak intelligence at any cost, immediately... Among them, especially this leader!
"Heh heh heh... haha..." A low, hoarse laugh emerged from Kisame's throat, carrying self-mockery and amusement. "What an... unexpected 'big shot' visiting. So then, Lord Menma, what brings you here personally today?"
Behind the mask, Menma's heart indeed felt a trace of surprise—according to the original story, Kisame at this point should have already been recruited by Obito. Seems in this timeline, certain "scripts" had indeed deviated.
Butterfly effect? ...Well, since that guy's busy with whatever and missed this opportunity... then I'll gladly accept this 'gift.'
Facing Kisame's vigilant and probing question, Menma slowly raised his hand in a calming gesture.
"Kisame, your blade once became stained with countless unspeakable filth for that hypocritical 'village.' You witnessed earlier and more profoundly than most in this world the darkness and betrayal hidden beneath 'order.'"
"Now, everything you fought desperately to protect has discarded you like trash. This precisely proves how illusory and vulnerable the old order is."
Menma's gaze penetrated that fox mask layer, directly meeting Kisame's eyes filled with confusion and violence.
"I come here not to bestow pity, but as someone walking the 'true path' in the real world, to extend an invitation—inviting you to join an organization that dares to confront and intends to reshape this false world."