117. Surgery, Reunion, and Return Home

Inside the operating room.

When Shizune learned that the corpse Kisame had produced was none other than Hanzo of the Salamander, the leader of the Hidden Rain Village, she was struck dumb with shock. Who in the ninja world did not know the title of the "Demigod"? In this world, the person Shizune admired most was undoubtedly Tsunade; in her heart, Lady Tsunade was the finest ninja of them all. Yet, even the proud and confident Lady Tsunade, who looked down upon almost everyone, would display a look of deep reverence whenever Hanzo was mentioned. After all, during the Second Great Ninja War, Hanzo had driven Tsunade, Jiraiya, and Orochimaru to the brink of death. Even the title of the "Legendary Sannin" of the Leaf had been bestowed upon them by him.

And now, the corpse of this very demigod lay before Shizune.

"You... you killed the demigod?!" Shizune looked at Kisame in disbelief, her voice trembling.

"It was just a sneak attack. Not worth mentioning," Kisame dismissed the matter with a single sentence. He then raised his finger, used a surgical needle to slice open Hanzo’s lower abdomen, and showed Shizune the location of the poison sac within Hanzo’s body.

Under his instructions, Shizune put on a gas mask and gloves, leaning in close to the corpse to observe carefully.

Ten minutes later.

"All right, let’s begin."

Kisame lay back on the operating table and, without a word, used a needle to slice open his own stomach, revealing his blood-soaked internal organs. He did not use anesthesia, as his body had a high tolerance, rendering it largely ineffective.

"I’m warning you, focus on the surgery. Don't even think about playing any tricks." Yugito, deeply distrustful of Shizune, ignited a fireball with her Scorch Release, keeping a sharp eye on her every move.

"Hey, don't be so harsh on a child. You should offer more encouragement," Kisame said, stopping Yugito and flashing a smile at Shizune. The two of them played the roles of good cop and bad cop.

"Hoo..." Shizune took a deep breath, carefully retrieved the Salamander’s poison sac from the freezer, and began the transplant.

Three hours later.

It turned out that Kisame’s judgment was sound; Shizune did not disappoint him. She was an excellent medical ninja, and having Hanzo’s corpse on hand as a reference significantly reduced the difficulty of the procedure. Furthermore, during the surgery, any work involving suturing was performed by the patient himself—Kisame—who used his needles to assist Shizune. With this three-pronged approach, the complex transplant proceeded with incredible smoothness, encountering almost no errors.

*Swish, swish, swish.*

At the end of the surgery, Kisame’s index finger moved like a butterfly, the tail of the needle trailing a chakra thread as he stitched his abdomen back together. Shizune stepped forward, performed a series of hand seals, and pressed her palms against his lower abdomen.

*Hum.*

A soft blue glow emanated from her palms, quickly and thoroughly healing Kisame’s wounds.

"It’s done." Shizune withdrew her hands, finally letting out a long sigh of relief. As she removed her gas mask, she realized she was drenched in sweat.

"Thank you for your hard work." Kisame was very satisfied with the result.

"Don't celebrate too soon. We need to observe for a while to check for any rejection reactions." As a medical ninja, Shizune maintained a professional and responsible attitude, cautioning him.

"Rest assured, everything that has entered my body so far has behaved quite well. There hasn't been a single problem," Kisame said confidently, touching his stomach and feeling the rhythmic thrum of the poison sac beneath his skin.

"That’s for the best. So, am I free to go now?" Shizune asked tentatively. She remembered Kisame’s promise that if she successfully completed the surgery, she would regain her freedom and return to the Hidden Leaf.

"Don't be in such a hurry. Let’s see how the surgery you performed yourself actually turned out, shall we?" No sooner had the words left his lips than Kisame opened his mouth and spat a cloud of purple toxic mist at Shizune.

It was a breath attack.

"Cough, cough..." Shizune, unable to dodge in time, was hit by the Salamander's toxin and immediately began to cough violently. Her entire body went numb, her legs gave way, and she collapsed to the floor.

At that moment, Kisame reached out with a large hand to support her and fed her an antidote.

"Shizune, I’ve had a change of heart. I’ve realized I need a personal physician—the kind who can treat my injuries and perform surgery at any time. Congratulations, you’re hired." Kisame wore a devilish smile, and ignoring her protests, he sucked her into the Box of the Blissful Realm while she looked on in terror.

It was currently the Third Great Ninja War. Kisame wasn't sure if he would be injured in the future, and having a medical ninja like Shizune by his side would provide him with peace of mind.

After successfully transplanting the poison sac, Kisame spent the night exploring two ways to utilize the toxin. The first was to exhale toxic mist from his mouth, which could be used to ambush enemies at close-to-medium range, causing them to collapse from poisoning. Shizune had used a similar technique when they fought before, which had given him the idea. The second was to compress the high-concentration mist into a liquid for storage. This poison could be coated on weapons or added to food, making it very convenient to use.

A day later.

Kisame never forgot that a woman was still waiting for him. After more than half a year, he finally returned to the small town and met with Yukime.

"Mr. Kisame." In the room, Yukime hugged him tightly, weeping with joy. During the six months he had been away, she had worried about him every single day. As time dragged on, her anxiety grew, leaving her sleepless night after night. She had lost a noticeable amount of weight.

"I'm home." Kisame stroked her back, apologizing sincerely. There was little else to say; naturally, Kisame spent time comforting her.

They lived a peaceful and happy life for the next half month. During this time, Yukime’s complexion became rosy and vibrant again, and her body regained its health. Kisame temporarily set aside his identity as a ninja, working hard every day and becoming a simple family man.

One night.

"I have to return to the Hidden Mist," Kisame said while lying in bed, looking at the woman in his arms.

Yukime trembled upon hearing this, not expecting to be separated from him so soon. But she quickly offered a smile, supporting him silently as she always did.

"I want to introduce someone to you." As he said this, to Yukime’s surprise, Kisame tapped his chest and awakened Yugito, who had been sleeping inside the Box of the Blissful Realm.

"Mr. Kisame, who is she...?" Yukime asked softly, eyeing Yugito with curiosity.

"She is Yugito of the Scorch Release from the Hidden Sand. We were once enemies on the battlefield and cellmates in prison. I thought she was beautiful, so I couldn't bring myself to kill her," Kisame said, introducing Yugito in a joking tone.

He really had no romantic interest in Yugito. In fact, since devouring the Box of the Blissful Realm, Kisame had noticed his desire for women waning, even toward Yukime. This perhaps meant that he was on the verge of transforming into something "non-human."

"You must be Yukime. I’ve heard Kisame mention you; you truly are a gentle and beautiful woman. Do you know? Once, in order to retrieve an amulet you gave him, he beat up over a thousand prisoners and guards in the jail, almost turning the entire Blood Prison upside down," Yugito said with a smile, recalling the events in the prison with a sigh.

"Oh, really?" Yukime was stunned, looking at Kisame subconsciously. He just laughed and shrugged, pulling her into his arms. Yukime immediately blushed.

In truth, when she first saw Yugito, she had assumed she was Kisame’s new lover and felt a wave of sadness and loss. But now, only deep emotion remained in her heart. In that moment, she felt like the happiest woman in the world.

"Yugito, you stay here for now and keep Yukime company. If I have any news, I will inform you," Kisame commanded after some thought. Keeping Yugito in the box forever wasn't ideal; it was better to have her stay here to accompany Yukime and protect her and the child.

"Understood," Yugito nodded, readily agreeing. With this, Kisame could return to the Hidden Mist Village with peace of mind.

The next morning.

Yukime and Yugito saw Kisame off at the door, watching his back as he walked away.

On the road, Kisame contemplated how to report back to his superior, Fuguki Suikazan, upon returning to the Mist. His mission had been to go undercover at the Blood Prison and eliminate Yugito. Returning empty-handed, he needed a plausible excuse to get away with it.

Two days later, Kisame returned to the Hidden Mist.

As soon as he entered the village, he felt the pervasive, fanatical atmosphere of war. Many people on the streets were shouting about an immediate invasion of the Land of Fire and marching straight into the heart of the Leaf. After all, the Land of Fire occupied the best land in the ninja world, with superior geographical conditions that had long been coveted by other nations. With the Leaf currently at war with both the Hidden Stone and the Hidden Cloud, leaving their homeland vulnerable, it was the perfect opportunity for a full-scale invasion by the Hidden Mist.

However, it was baffling that the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi, had yet to take any action.

"Hey, isn't that guy in the suit... Kisame Hoshigaki?"

"The 'Monster' Kisame? Wasn't he sent to the Blood Prison as a convict? Why is he back?"

On the street, people soon noticed Kisame with looks of shock and suspicion. By the time they realized it was him, his figure had already vanished, and he had quietly arrived at the Anbu base.

Half an hour later.

In a secret room, Kisame met his long-lost superior, Fuguki Suikazan.

"Kisame Hoshigaki, what is the meaning of this?" Fuguki sat in a chair, gripping Samehada in his right hand, his brow furrowed as he questioned Kisame in a deep voice. If Kisame’s answer did not satisfy him, Samehada would decapitate him on the spot, leaving him a headless corpse.

Back then, Fuguki had found Kisame to be a troublesome subordinate and had sent him to the Blood Prison on a pretext, effectively exiling him for life. He hadn't expected Kisame to defeat the Anbu guards and escape the moment he left the village. Fuguki had been furious, declaring him a rogue ninja and issuing a warrant. Yet, not long after, news came from the Blood Prison that Kisame had arrived as scheduled and was serving his sentence. After this "misunderstanding," Fuguki had been forced to awkwardly cancel the warrant. After half a year of silence, Kisame had suddenly reappeared in the village.

Facing Fuguki’s interrogation, Kisame put on a brilliant performance, blending truth and lies.

"Report, sir. I have discovered a world-shattering secret."

"After I entered the prison, I quickly located the target—Yugito of the Scorch Release—and mapped out her daily routine, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But on the night I planned to act, she was kidnapped by the prison warden, Mui, and taken to a mysterious underground laboratory...

"There, Yugito’s chakra was drained, and she was sacrificed to a bizarre gate. I later learned that the gate was an ancient treasure passed down from the Grass Village, known as the Box of the Blissful Realm...

"Later, Hanzo, the leader of the Hidden Rain, somehow heard the news and, taking advantage of the chaos in the Grass Village, led a massive invasion of the Blood Prison, sparking a fierce battle with Mui and his men. Many prisoners died that night, and I barely managed to escape the chaos, desperate to bring this intelligence back to the Hidden Mist..."

Kisame’s fabricated story was masterful, rich in detail and vivid. It was logically sound, making it difficult to doubt. The mention of "the Box of the Blissful Realm" and "Hanzo" caused Fuguki’s pupils to contract, plunging him into shock and deep thought.

Fuguki was skeptical, but he reconsidered: if Kisame were lying, why would he travel thousands of miles to return to the Mist? Wouldn't it be better to hide somewhere and live freely? After all, if his lie were exposed, death would be his only outcome.

Could it be? Was Kisame Hoshigaki truly a ninja loyal to the village, willing to sacrifice everything—even his own life—to complete his mission?

With this thought, Fuguki loosened his grip on Samehada, his gaze softening considerably.

"I will send men to further investigate your report. Return to the Anbu and resume your duties for now. In the meantime, follow the seniors in the Anbu and familiarize yourself with the department's affairs," he ordered.

In Fuguki’s eyes, although Kisame was an unlucky fellow, he was undeniably powerful and loyal to the village. With the war ongoing and a shortage of personnel, someone like Kisame could certainly be put to use.

"Yes, sir." Kisame bowed and followed another Anbu officer out of the room.

"As an Anbu ninja, how can you parade around in such clothes? Follow me." The officer looked at Kisame’s suit with displeasure, took him to receive a standard Anbu combat uniform and a mask, and ordered him to change.

Kisame received a shark mask; his codename in the Anbu was "Shark."

He glanced back at the secret room where Fuguki resided. He had chosen not to kill Fuguki and seize Samehada earlier because he was waiting for a better opportunity. Kisame was waiting for Madara Uchiha to make his move. He realized he could use a strategy of "driving the tiger to fight the wolf," letting Fuguki and Madara battle it out while he sat back to reap the rewards.

An insidious plan began to take shape in Kisame’s mind.