Chapter 37: A Clash Between Two
In the afternoon, a slightly hungry Itachi prepared to go out and grab something to eat.
However, just as Itachi opened the door, a shark-like face appeared before him.
The figure had dark blue hair, skin resembling a shark's, sharp teeth, and golden pupils.
"Who are you?" Itachi asked, curiosity flickering in his gaze as he stared at the man in front of him, pretending not to know.
What truly caught Itachi's attention, though, were the shark gills on the man's shoulders beneath his robe.
"I'm the organization's newest member, Hoshigaki Kisame. I'll probably be your partner from now on," Kisame said.
The youthful appearance of Itachi left Kisame momentarily stunned.
"I am—"
Just as Itachi was about to introduce himself, Kisame interrupted.
"You're Uchiha Itachi, formerly of the Hidden Leaf Village. Word is, you wiped out your entire clan without leaving a trace. I know quite a bit about you, which is why I chose you as a partner. Killing your comrades… it must be an indescribable feeling, right, Itachi?"
Itachi gave Kisame a strange look.
Especially when Kisame mentioned killing comrades—his expression seemed caught between sorrow and a smirk, an emotion that was hard to describe.
"Maybe you think you know me well, but what about yourself? You're just a worthless drifter who can't even decide his own path," Itachi retorted, his subconscious pricked by Kisame's words.
Hearing this, Kisame's expression darkened. He unsheathed the massive Samehada from his back and placed it on Itachi's shoulder, stopping just a fist's length away from his neck.
Itachi's eyes turned blood-red, revealing his Mangekyō Sharingan, as the tension between them grew palpable.
Kisame raised the Samehada and returned it to his back.
…
As he looked at Kisame, Itachi suddenly found the situation dull. If he teamed up with this guy, there would be no chance for slacking off in the future.
"This is your first time in the Hidden Rain Village, right? How about I show you around and grab something to eat?" Itachi suggested as his Mangekyō Sharingan faded. A shadow briefly crossed his mind—that of Jūzō Biwa.
Kisame found Itachi's nonchalant attitude amusing and grinned.
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Itachi."
The heavy tension from moments ago dissolved instantly, as though nothing had happened.
"What do you feel like eating?"
Itachi didn't reply, instead walking ahead to lead the way.
The once aimless boy had now become the guide.
…
"Meat. You need to eat more meat if you want the energy to fight. Itachi, you should eat more, too—you're so short right now," Kisame teased as he trailed behind.
Itachi, unfazed by the jabs about his height, countered, "You know, we're not officially partners yet. Aren't you worried about making things awkward?"
Despite his casual tone, Itachi was well aware that Kisame would indeed become his partner—he'd already seen it happen.
"Ah, the leader mentioned you were in need of a partner and seemed to be arranging for us to team up," Kisame replied, conveniently omitting any mention of Madara, as though he'd been speaking directly with Pain.
Hearing this, Itachi rolled his eyes.
"Sasori of the Red Sand is also short a partner. Maybe they'll pair you up with him instead."
"Seriously? That can't happen…" Kisame replied, visibly unsettled.
Hearing Itachi's words, Kisame was somewhat dumbfounded. However, he was only pretending, teasing Itachi as if playing with a child.
Although Kisame wasn't sure what position Madara held in the organization, his words clearly carried weight.
After all, Madara was a legendary figure, someone who could control the Mizukage with genjutsu. Kisame had even overheard conversations between Madara and Pain, confirming that he had been assigned as Itachi's partner.
Madara had also specifically instructed him to keep an eye on Itachi's every move.
If they weren't together, how could he monitor anything?
"Anything is possible. Until the final ultimatum, everything can change."
Hearing Kisame's slightly confused response, Itachi, for once, said a few more words. However, he didn't look back.
Itachi had gained considerable insight into how to change fate, so he spoke with the tone of someone who had experienced it firsthand.
---
"Itachi-san, you're so profound…"
Kisame, noticing the philosophical air emanating from Itachi and the confidence in his tone, was momentarily stunned. Itachi resembled an expert speaking with authority.
Dazed, Kisame blurted out, "Did you bring any money?"
Itachi didn't answer Kisame's comment directly. Instead, he changed the subject with a question of his own.
"Uh, is barbecue expensive?"
Still reflecting on Itachi's previous statement, Kisame asked absentmindedly.
"It's not too bad. I didn't bring any money, though. If you didn't either, we won't have anything to eat," Itachi replied casually, patting his pocket to reveal the meager amount of cash he had. It was just enough for one dinner.
"Oh, I brought money! As payment for showing me the way and answering my questions, let me treat you to dinner tonight, Itachi-san," Kisame said enthusiastically, fully convinced by Itachi's explanation.
However, Kisame quickly became puzzled when he saw Itachi slowly turn his head and shake it.
Kisame didn't understand what Itachi meant and was thoroughly confused.
"Kisame, leading the way and answering questions are two separate tasks. A good ninja knows how to calculate things properly. You can't treat two tasks as one," Itachi said seriously, noticing Kisame's bewildered expression.
Itachi thought to himself, *What an honest guy…*
---
Itachi's words left Kisame both convinced and utterly bewildered. Then, he became deeply shocked.
As he stared at Itachi, Kisame's eyes widened in astonishment.
The young Kisame had never encountered someone so shameless—especially someone who appeared so serious and earnest about it. He was almost fooled himself.
If he hadn't read a few books...
"Kisame, you need to understand that you're just a newcomer in the organization, while I'm a veteran. So you should consider giving gifts occasionally to strengthen our camaraderie. It'll help you avoid unnecessary detours in the future," Itachi said with a straight face, noticing Kisame's odd expression.
---
Itachi's words left Kisame completely baffled.
Kisame had originally thought he understood Itachi—not just surface-level words, but deeper meanings that couldn't be openly discussed.
He believed Itachi could see through his undercover mission, just as Kisame could tell Itachi had joined the Akatsuki as a double agent.
He thought they shared a mutual, unspoken understanding.
But now, the Itachi before him... What was this shameless behavior?
No undercover agent would be this blatant about extortion! Wasn't this practically treating the Akatsuki as his personal playground?
At that moment, Kisame was utterly confused.
Kisame: "Am I the clown?"
Uchiha Itachi: "Is the clown standing next to me?"
---
"Kisame, did you understand what I just said?"
Itachi continued asserting his dominance, preparing to recruit Kisame as a subordinate and sway this easily confused young man away from Obito's influence.
If Obito knew what Itachi was thinking, he definitely wouldn't have assigned Kisame to Itachi in the first place.
He would've kept Kisame as far away as possible...
Trying to convince a subordinate with just words? Against someone like Itachi, Kisame wouldn't last more than a few exchanges before surrendering.
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