I Punch the Tailed Beast Ball

The people present were all stunned. Itachi turned out to be a Shadow Clone.

The people that attacked Itachi were baffled too. They had just realized that they had provoked the wrong guy. A first-year student who could use an advanced Ninjutsu like Shadow Clone Technique was indeed a formidable monster.

Even Itachi's classmates who were about to call a teacher for help were shocked. The heroic Itachi who had taken on five opponents turned out to be just a Shadow Clone. This made them wonder how powerful the real Itachi was.

No, even mastering Shadow Clone at such a young age was already impressive. Itachi was only six years old.

Izumi was also baffled, but for a different reason. If the one that had been attending the Academy this whole time was a Shadow Clone, then who was she trying to seduce this whole time?

"No, when a Shadow Clone is dispelled, its memories return to the user, so it's almost the same as the real Itachi. The information has been transmitted," Izumi reassured herself.

On the other side...

"Itachi, are you okay?" Kabuto, who had been training with Itachi, noticed Itachi suddenly stopping, so he asked out of concern.

Itachi thought for a moment and replied, "It's just a minor issue. It won't affect us. Let's continue."

If he was discovered, then so be it. If necessary, he could just take the exams ahead of time and graduate right away. He didn't find the Academy all that exciting.

The level of his classmates was below average, and there was no one like Hanayo that was worth fighting.

Continuing his study in the Academy was less appealing than joining the Special Combat Division with Kabuto, where he could learn new things and had more challenging opponents.

"Alright then, be careful. I'm going all out now," Kabuto said while gripping a wooden sword and releasing Chakra at the same time before charging at Itachi.

...

"Hoshigaki-san, come join us for a meal. We're all comrades," Miru invited Kisame, who was sitting alone.

Kisame glanced at the beautiful brown-haired girl who had just invited him with a smile and declined, "No need. It doesn't make any difference where you eat anyway."

Although it was their first mission together, Kisame felt that the brown-haired girl with the bright smile in front of him wasn't cut out to be a Shinobi. Her smile was too radiant, making it hard for Kisame to open his eyes. Such people didn't belong in the dirty and bloody profession.

"Come on, Hoshigaki-san, this is the chance for us to get to know each other better," despite Kisame's cold refusal, Miru still smiled and offered him to join them.

Throughout their journey from the Land of Water to the Land of Fire, Miru noticed Kisame's loneliness. Maybe it was because of his somewhat inhuman appearance, but even though Kisame was the leader of this team, no one would spend time with him, not even for a short meal break.

Miru didn't want to see this happen. She believed that one's appearance wasn't something they could choose; it was something they were born with. How could someone be judged solely based on their appearance?

If Kisame had a terrible personality and behavior, she would treat him like everyone else because he brought it upon himself. However, during the entire journey, Kisame had been silently and efficiently handling various tasks, never blaming anyone, and always organizing things well.

Because of that, Miru believed that Kisame was a good person, so she wanted to help him blend with the team, so that he was at least not as lonely.

"No, thanks," Kisame replied briefly, rejecting Miru's invitation once again.

"Miru, since the captain has said so, you should give it up. After all, captain is different from us," another Kirigakure Shinobi said implicitly.

The rest of Kirigakure Shinobi also advised Miru to drop it.

But Miru was a stubborn girl since she was young. If she set her mind to something, she had to see it through.

Since Kisame refused to join them, she decided to sit next to him instead.

Seeing Miru sitting beside him, Kisame still didn't say a word. His mind was elsewhere.

After all, they had arrived in the Land of Fire, and even during rest periods, Kisame remained alert. He had set up various traps and barrier in the area, so he couldn't afford to let his guard down.

Before long, Kisame felt that they had rested enough, so he stood up and said, "Let's go!"

Although some of the Kirigakure Shinobi hadn't finished eating, they were all Shinobi. They quickly packed up and followed Kisame.

They continued their journey deep into the forests of the Land of Fire.

This time, their mission was to gather information about Konoha, and if possible, station some spies in the nearby towns.

As they were traveling, Miru stayed close to Kisame. During their next rest, she smiled and said, "Hoshigaki-san, the one earlier doesn't count. After the mission, let's have a meal together."

Seeing Miru's smiling face, Kisame felt a bit distracted. No girl had ever smiled so gently at him ever since he was a child.

However, Kisame quickly regained his composure. For him, mission always came first, and everything else came after.

Kisame didn't answer Miru's question. Since it was the plan after the mission, he would only consider about it once the mission was over.

But this time, things didn't go as smoothly for Kisame's team.

Before long, one of Kisame's traps was triggered.

"Quick, move!" Kisame's expression changed, and he quickly ordered his men to move.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

Five Shinobi wearing Konohagakure forehead protector appeared in front of Kisame.

"Kirigakure Shinobi, what are you scheming by infiltrating the Land of Fire?" The leader of the Konoha Shinobi asked.

Kirigakure Shinobi had no intention of fighting head-on. They fought while retreating because this was the Land of Fire, Konohagakure's territory. If they engaged in a direct confrontation, they would soon find themselves in a disadvantage.

However, the Konoha Shinobi were powerful, and even though Kisame's team had one more Shinobi than Konoha Shinobi, they were at a disadvantage. One of the Kirigakure Shinobi injured his leg and couldn't move.

Kisame made a quick decision and threw a Kunai with an Explosive Tag attached at the injured Kirigakure, killing him instantly.

If these Hidden Mist ninja were captured by Konohagakure, they would likely be subjected to interrogation and reveal crucial information. Kisame couldn't allow that to happen; his duty was to protect Kirigakure's interests.

Although Kisame was strong, he couldn't protect so many teammates, and soon, three more of them were injured.

Kisame didn't hesitate and immediately unsheathed his sword. He killed his three injured men quickly and then used Explosive Tags as a smokescreen, escaping with only two remaining teammates left.

The situation grew increasingly dire as it seemed like even fate itself was against Kisame's team. They found themselves at a dead-end with a seemingly bottomless cliff in front of them.

"Kisame-san, what should we do now?" Miru asked Kisame worriedly.

Kisame remained silent, drawing the blade that was stained with the blood of his comrades once again, and approached the two remaining Kirigakure Shinobi.

One of the Kirigakure Shinobi was frightened and took a step back.

Suddenly, Kisame moved with explosive speed, swiftly killing that Shinobi before approaching Miru.

Miru showed no fear on her face, nor did she attempt to run or resist. She allowed Kisame's blade to pierce her heart.

"It's a bit regrettable, isn't it? It seems we won't be having that meal together after all," Miru said with a smile. She didn't get the chance to finish her sentence before she collapsed, still with the radiant smile that unsettled Kisame.

After killing Miru, Kisame's hand, which tightly gripped the sword hilt, trembled slightly. However, he quickly regained his composure and sheathed the blade.

Living in a world filled with bloodshed and deception had left people disillusioned and weary. Sometimes, one had to make difficult choices, even if they were emotionally taxing.

In the end, Kisame made a decisive leap, jumping off the bottomless cliff.