Chapter 277 – The Death of Kisame
"Relax, Captain Yamato. I'm really strong now," Naruto said, flashing a confident grin.
Right after that, Naruto gathered chakra into his hands and pressed them against his stomach. Within his spiritual world, Kurama's eyes gleamed with excitement as he stared unblinkingly at the massive gate that was slowly, ever so slowly, beginning to open.
As the gate creaked wider, Naruto's consciousness slipped into his inner world, while in the real world, his body became shrouded in the Nine-Tails' crimson chakra.
Inside the spiritual realm, Naruto formed an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan and hurled it straight at Kurama. Kurama reacted instantly, blocking the attack with a powerful sweep of his tail.
Seeing that, Naruto immediately entered Sage Mode. A Rasenshuriken was launched toward Kurama, detonating in a massive explosion that engulfed the Nine-Tails at its center.
Seizing the opening, Naruto began to wrest control of Kurama's chakra. But Kurama's chakra was far from easy to take—it was a mass of pure hatred given form.
One of Naruto's eyes suddenly turned red, a clear sign that he was once again being influenced by Kurama's power. Just as Naruto was on the verge of being completely overwhelmed and assimilated by that chakra, a woman suddenly appeared before him.
She had long red hair, and when she looked at Naruto, her eyes were filled with boundless affection.
Naruto stared at her. In his heart, he already knew who she was. Without hesitation, he stepped forward and embraced the woman tightly.
"You've suffered so much all this time, Naruto," Kushina said gently.
Mother and son then began to share their pasts. Kushina told him about her life, about how she had met Minato, and about the days long gone. After receiving her encouragement and comfort, Naruto returned once more to the battlefield against Kurama.
This time, with Kushina's help, Naruto seized Kurama's chakra smoothly and without resistance. At last, he completed the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
After that, Kushina revealed the truth about what had happened in the past.
"Do you mean… you didn't actually die, Mom? You were saved by Uncle Yusuke? Then why did he never tell me any of this?" Naruto asked emotionally, staring at her.
"That's right. I was saved by Yusuke. But your father had already used the Reaper Death Seal, so there was no way for him to be saved in time," Kushina said softly. "But don't worry. Sooner or later, our family will definitely be reunited. As for why Yusuke never told you… he must have had his own reasons."
"Then… why didn't you ever come to see me?" Naruto asked, confusion written all over his face.
"I don't know either. Right now, I can't even sense my original body," Kushina admitted as she gently stroked Naruto's head. "But believe me—we'll meet again very soon."
"Okay… knowing that you're still alive makes me feel so relieved," Naruto said quietly. "But the Fourth Great Ninja War is happening right now. Won't you be in danger?"
"Don't worry," Kushina replied with a reassuring smile. "Even though I don't know what my real body is doing, I'm certain I'm not in any danger. Especially if it's an order from your Uncle Yusuke—then there's absolutely nothing to fear."
"That's true. Uncle really is unbeatable," Naruto said, his face full of admiration.
Seeing him like that, Kushina smiled warmly before slowly fading from his sight.
Naruto wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes.
"Mom… we'll definitely meet again," he said with firm resolve.
His consciousness returned to the real world.
"Did it work, Naruto?" Yamato asked tensely.
Naruto didn't answer. Instead, he activated Nine-Tails Chakra Mode.
"So strong…" Yamato thought at once.
Naruto's already massive chakra had become overwhelmingly powerful. Yet unlike Kurama's chakra, it carried no malice at all—it felt warm and comforting. Even Yamato's Wood Release reacted to it.
"Do you really think you can keep hiding like that?" Naruto suddenly said.
"What? There's someone else here?" Yamato exclaimed in shock.
"Someone else? Man, I didn't sense a thing. Guess I got careless," Killer B said in his usual rap-like tone.
"It's not chakra," Naruto explained, pointing toward Samehada on Killer B's back. "I can feel malicious intent."
At that moment, Samehada began to move. Kisame Hoshigaki emerged from within it.
"I never imagined you could sense negative emotions like hatred," Kisame said calmly. "This is different from ordinary sensor ninjutsu. Is this the power of someone who's mastered the Nine-Tails?"
"You Akatsuki shark bastard! Didn't my brother and I already kill you?" Killer B shouted.
Kisame then explained the situation to Killer B.
Once the information gathering was complete, Kisame tried to retreat—but in the next instant, Naruto struck him down. Even so, Kisame was no weakling. He immediately used Samehada to escape.
As he fled, Guy spotted him and gave chase at once. Kisame transmitted the information through a shark's mouth. At that moment, Guy appeared and opened the Sixth Gate: Gate of View.
"What a pain you are, Beast," Kisame said coldly. "But what can you really do? I already control the terrain."
"Water Release: Thousand Feeding Sharks."
The sea churned violently as tens of thousands of sharks erupted from the water.
"Morning Peacock."
Guy unleashed the ultimate technique of the Sixth Gate.
Immediately after, Guy opened the Seventh Gate: Gate of Wonder and pressed the attack even further.
"Beast… this is the first time I've ever seen taijutsu this strong," Kisame said, astonished. "That blue aura is even pushing the seawater away. This is our third encounter, isn't it?"
"This taijutsu is on a completely different level from before," Guy replied. "A one-strike killing blow like this is something I rarely get to witness."
"Water Release: Great Shark Bullet Technique."
"Daytime Tiger."
The two techniques collided head-on.
"Impossible… why can't it be devoured?" Kisame stared in shock. The chakra that should have been absorbed had no effect at all.
"Roar, youth!" Guy shouted.
Guy's attack obliterated the sharks, and Kisame took the full force of it head-on.
Guy stood beside Kisame's battered body.
"So that's how it is," Kisame murmured with admiration. "That attack just now wasn't a chakra projectile—it was a shockwave of compressed air created through taijutsu. To train taijutsu to such a level… in the entire shinobi world, there's only you."
"That's right," Guy replied. "And that blue color isn't chakra either—it's steam produced by my body."
"Don't move," Guy warned.
The moment Kisame twitched even a finger, Guy struck him with a single blow.
After that, Guy brought Kisame back to the island, where the Konoha ninja began attempting to extract information from him.
But Kisame refused to let them succeed. In his final moments, he bit down on his own tongue, swiftly formed hand seals, and trapped himself inside a Water Prison.
Then, he summoned sharks.
As death approached, Kisame recalled his first meeting with Itachi.
Itachi had once said, "Someone who kills his own comrades will never die well."
He had also said, "A man only truly understands himself when facing death."
"Itachi-san… if you say I'm someone beyond saving, maybe you're not entirely wrong," Kisame thought. "But in the end… did you manage to see yourself clearly, Itachi-san?"
"Itachi-san… sorry to have kept you waiting."
Before the stunned gazes of everyone present, Kisame was devoured by the sharks he had summoned himself.
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