15. The Cell of the Strange Man

Deep within the secluded mountain forest, the midnight silence was absolute. The collapsed cave had formed a small, secret chamber, its interior flickering with candlelight, exuding a strange sense of warmth.

Inside, Kisame Hoshigaki and Ye Cang—a man and a woman alone in close quarters—could easily invite ambiguous speculation. Yet, in truth, the atmosphere was nothing of the sort.

A love story? Far from it. The scene was more akin to a pure horror film.

At that moment, Ye Cang was thoroughly bound by chakra threads, lying helpless on the ground, half her shoulder stained crimson with blood. As for Kisame, he looked less like a human and more like a mutated shark, a deranged serial killer warped by exposure to nuclear waste.

This candle-lit, seemingly cozy cave felt more like a natural tomb.

Ye Cang was certain she would die here, though she did not know what manner of death would bid her farewell to this world. Not only had she uncovered Kisame’s bloodline limit secret, but she had also witnessed with her own eyes his devouring of the Exploding Blade, Droplets. For that alone, Kisame could not possibly allow her to live.

He walked over, crouched beside her, and gazed down at the woman.

Ye Cang slowly closed her eyes, hoping only that Kisame would not torment her long, but grant her a swift release.

She did not know that, in this moment, Kisame was hesitating.

He had originally intended to interrogate Ye Cang, extract any valuable information, and then eliminate her. Yet, as he looked at her, he suddenly recalled her fate, and for a brief instant, it was as though… he saw another version of himself.

They were kindred spirits.

Momochi Zabuza was also a kindred spirit for Kisame, but only in their shared penchant for killing their own comrades. Ye Cang, however, had lived a life much like Kisame’s—devoting herself wholly to her village, showing absolute loyalty to her superiors, only to be betrayed in the end, dying far from home.

On the battlefield, she had achieved countless merits for Sunagakure, striking terror into the hearts of many Kirigakure shinobi, especially during the Third Great Ninja War. Yet such a heroine was, after the war, sacrificed by her own village’s high command in a bid for peace with Kirigakure. Deceived by the Fourth Kazekage Rasa under the pretense of a covert mission, she was sent to Kirigakure, where disguised enemy shinobi stabbed her in the back. In a rain of kunai, her life was extinguished.

Later, after being resurrected through Edo Tensei, she sought vengeance upon both Kirigakure and Sunagakure, only to be stopped by her most beloved disciple’s words, ultimately forced to let go of her hatred and grant forgiveness.

But why? Why should a village’s hero be doomed to such a fate? Why forgive those who orchestrated her cruel death?

“What a… pitiable woman,” Kisame murmured.

With that thought, he lifted Ye Cang’s chin with one hand, a sudden surge of sympathy for one of his own kind washing over him.

Ye Cang opened her eyes again, staring at Kisame in bewilderment, unable to fathom his intentions or why he still had not acted.

At that moment, Kisame was suddenly overcome by a wave of dizziness and nausea, his complexion turning pale and his body growing uncomfortable.

Damn—was this the backlash from devouring two ninja blades in quick succession, his body unable to withstand the burden and now facing side effects?

He was startled at first, but soon realized that was not the case.

The true cause lay elsewhere.

Within Kisame’s mind, his cheat-like ability seemed to sense his compassion for Ye Cang, and began to vibrate violently.

In that instant, the iron-eating beast inside him began to devour his chakra and the energy of the three ninja blades, chewing with great gusto. It seemed that something was taking shape, brewing into existence.

As this process unfolded, Kisame’s nausea and retching only intensified. He braced himself on the ground, gagging uncontrollably.

Fortunately, the ordeal did not last long.

After a minute—

“Ugh—”

With a convulsive movement of his throat, Kisame opened his mouth and spat out, right before Ye Cang, a ball of cells roughly the size of a tennis ball.

The mass, slick with viscous fluid, bristled with synapse-like protrusions waving like tiny hands. It squirmed restlessly in Kisame’s palm, as if alive.

What is this thing?

Ye Cang could only stare, aghast, at the grotesque spectacle. Then… she saw Kisame pick up the “giant virus” and approach her.

“Swallow it. If you die, I’ll see to your burial. If you survive, I’ll let you go.”

So spoke Kisame.

The object in his hand was called a “Mutant Cell,” a byproduct of his cheat ability.

The so-called Mutant Cell was a unique tissue from Kisame’s body. Thanks to his cheat, he possessed extraordinary evolutionary powers, and, through his cells, could partially and indirectly transmit that power to others.

Its mechanism was much like Hashirama Senju’s cells, which granted Wood Release to those who received them.

A ninja who consumed the Mutant Cell would have the shackles on their evolution unbound, evolving according to their innate talents and gaining formidable abilities.

But, as with transplanting Hashirama’s cells, the process was fraught with peril.

If the subject could not withstand the dual trial of body and spirit brought on by the evolution, their cellular structure would spiral out of control, and they would die, transformed into a monster.

Moreover, the ninja who consumed the Mutant Cell would fall, to a certain extent, under Kisame’s influence and control.

“Look at it—how beautiful it is. Doesn’t it whet your appetite, even a little?” Kisame tempted her, pressing the Mutant Cell to Ye Cang’s lips.

To Ye Cang, his words were the devil’s own whisper.

She stubbornly turned her head away, silently refusing.

Kisame could only sigh, and raised the long blade of his right index finger, saying:

“How about this, then? I’ll just open a hole in your chest and stuff it straight into your heart. That should make it work faster, don’t you think?”

As soon as he finished, he reached to pull aside Ye Cang’s clothing.

“I’ll eat it.”

Ye Cang shuddered, finally speaking in a voice thick with bitterness. In truth, she had no choice.

She closed her eyes once more, brow furrowed, and parted her lips.

“Very good.”

Kisame nodded in satisfaction, seized the Mutant Cell, and stuffed it into Ye Cang’s mouth.

Gulp.

She forced herself to swallow it down, whole.

Now came the waiting.

A second, ten seconds, thirty seconds.

Suddenly—

Ye Cang’s entire body trembled, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks. Thick veins bulged from her forehead and neck, sweat streaming down her face as if she were enduring unimaginable agony.

Her clothes were soon drenched, clinging to her as though she’d just been hauled out of a river.

Her body temperature soared, sweat evaporating into steam, her neck and face flushed as if ablaze.

“So itchy… so hot…”

Ye Cang, barely conscious, muttered, feeling as if ten thousand ants crawled beneath her skin and all her cells were on fire.

Kisame observed, thoughtful.

Ye Cang’s bloodline limit was Scorch Release, so under the stimulus of the Mutant Cell, her powers seemed to be evolving toward the realm of flame.

Time passed.

A minute, five minutes, ten minutes.

Ye Cang’s body grew ever hotter, like a piece of glowing charcoal. She struggled to open her mouth, issuing faint whimpers from her throat, tears sliding from her eyes as she cast Kisame a desperate, pleading look.

She begged him to kill her quickly, to release her from the agony of being burned alive.

In that moment, she would rather die than live.

But Kisame only took a step back, unmoved.

Ye Cang, at last, lost all hope. She rolled her eyes and her head lolled to the side—she had fainted.

Hmm? That wouldn’t do.

Kisame knew that if he allowed Ye Cang to remain unconscious, she might never awaken.

He raised his hand and struck her across the face.