98. Kisame’s Talisman

"My family has been gatekeepers for generations. The literal meaning is to guard a certain door. Yes, the door I am meant to guard is that one." Wuwei suddenly raised his voice, pointing toward the great door. "That is the Box of Bliss!"

Not only he, but the other high-ranking Grass Shinobi fell into a frenzied fervor. They stood around the operating table, encircling the scar-faced man, murmuring as if conducting a devout ritual of prayer.

At their invocation, the human face on the door slowly opened its enormous mouth, unleashing a gale-like suction.

"Ah!" The scar-faced man let out a blood-curdling scream as chakra surged from his abdomen, forming a stream of violet energy that ceaselessly poured into the Box of Bliss.

During this process, his body visibly shrank, his flesh withering away before their eyes, until he was utterly drained. In less than a minute, he became a dried corpse.

Yet the Box of Bliss seemed far from sated.

Kisame observed all of this from the shadows.

In that moment, the cheat device in his mind sent an unprecedentedly strong signal, forming two diametrically opposed emotions within him.

These conflicting feelings clashed fiercely: one was desire, the other was fear.

Desire, because the Box of Bliss was one of the most powerful Six Paths-level ninja tools in the world. If he could devour it, Kisame would gain unimaginable power.

Fear, because his cheat device sensed danger and sent him a warning of death.

With his current physical strength and chakra reserves, if he succumbed to temptation and forcibly absorbed the Box of Bliss, he would likely perish—like a moth drawn to flame.

He needed time to push his potential to its limit, to reach the peak of his previous life, the state of a "tailless Tailed Beast."

That was the prerequisite for devouring the Box of Bliss.

Until then, Kisame realized he must be patient.

So, while Wuwei and the others were still caught up in their frenzy, their attention wholly absorbed by the Box, he melted into the darkness and quietly slipped away.

Ten minutes later.

Kisame successfully evaded the notice of all guards and inmates, returning to his cell and exchanging places with the shadow clone he had left behind.

At the same time, he remotely dispelled the clone masquerading as the scar-faced man—the one who had been leading more than half of the prison guards in circles throughout the penitentiary, buying precious time.

Kisame lay on his bed, feigning deep sleep.

A few minutes passed.

Thud, thud, thud.

A dense cluster of footsteps echoed from the corridor—many people were approaching.

With a loud clang, the cell door was flung open. The warden stormed in with his men and roused Kisame.

Kisame and the scar-faced man had been cellmates; the latter's escape attempt made it difficult for Kisame to claim ignorance, and he would likely be implicated.

At that moment, Kisame’s acting skills, honed on the set of "Beach Shark Rampage," once again came into play.

Faced with the warden’s interrogation, he played the fool to perfection, feigning ignorance at every turn.

After much questioning, the warden learned nothing.

"Captain, it seems this shark fellow truly knows nothing. Moreover, he arrived at the prison on his own, without being forcibly escorted. He has no motive to escape," whispered one subordinate.

The warden frowned, unwilling to let Kisame off so easily.

After all, he’d spent all night with nothing to show—not a single escaped convict caught, nor any clues uncovered. If Lord Wuwei called him to account, he wouldn’t even have a scapegoat to offer.

He needed someone to take the blame.

At that moment, the warden suddenly noticed the snowflake talisman hanging from Kisame’s neck.

In the filthy environment of the prison, Kisame’s clothes were inevitably covered in dust and grime, but the talisman alone—

Spotless, meticulously protected.

It was clearly his cherished possession.

The warden’s eyes gleamed. He barked at Kisame, "What’s that? Hand it over!"

Before the words were finished, he reached for the cord of the talisman.

Snap!

Kisame’s large hand seized the warden’s wrist.

"This talisman was a gift from my woman. You can’t take it," Kisame said quietly, his tone calm but exuding invisible pressure.

"How dare you defy orders and assault a guard?" The warden sneered, certain Kisame had taken the bait, and sought to further provoke him. "Hmph, I suspect this thing contains illicit information! Open it up and hand it over for inspection, immediately!"

He gestured with his free hand, and several guards stepped forward, wielding batons and matchlock rifles.

Faced with their aggressive advance—

"I warned you," Kisame sighed, then suddenly exerted force.

A sharp crack resounded; the warden’s arm was broken in Kisame’s grasp.

"Ah!" The warden screamed, but his cry was abruptly cut short.

Kisame’s fist crashed into his face, sending him flying out of the cell and slamming against the pillar of the cell opposite.

He lost consciousness instantly.

"Kisame Hoshigaki just killed the warden!" someone shouted, their voice tearing through the prison, igniting pandemonium.

"Ohhh!" In moments, nearly every inmate leapt from their beds, reaching through their cell bars, pounding the pillars, raising a raucous uproar.

"Rebellion! The inmates are rioting!" The guards, panicked, instinctively sought to avenge their captain—by taking down Kisame.

But their weapons were utterly useless against him.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

With a few swift blows, Kisame incapacitated several guards, snatched their firearms and batons, and broke them on the spot.

"Don’t come any closer!" Several guards scrambled out of the cell, faces pale with terror as Kisame advanced on them.

Just then—

Swish.

A figure flashed from the corridor, engaging Kisame.

It was Wuwei, Lord of Demon Lantern City.

Having completed the sacrificial ritual and slain the scar-faced man, he rushed to the prison at once to deal with the riot sparked by the escape attempt.

As they clashed—

Grass Style: Impact Palm!

Wuwei unleashed the unique taijutsu of Grass Shinobi Village, moving like the wind, deftly evading Kisame’s frontal attacks, and relentlessly targeting his weak points.

Kisame was forced to retreat, unable to match his foe, until finally he was defeated.

In that moment, Kisame let out a furious roar, attempting to form hand seals and unleash a jutsu.

But in the next second, the prison binding seals on his skin flared to life, transforming into blazing chains.

Under Wuwei’s cold gaze, Kisame, engulfed in flames, struggled for only a few seconds before collapsing with a thunderous crash.

He lost all power to fight.

Wuwei strode over, knelt, and tore the snowflake talisman from Kisame’s neck.

"Just an ordinary talisman," he muttered, after examining it and finding nothing suspicious, then tossed it aside.

Now, it was time to deal with Kisame Hoshigaki.