Chapter 73
Mr. Itachi, it seems we've been discovered..." The tall man spoke to Uchiha Itachi, his voice devoid of emotion, yet carrying a distinct tone of respect for the man before him.
Uchiha Itachi, standing with an indifferent expression, merely responded with a lukewarm "Hmm." They had already arrived at the lake near Konoha. Seeing no point in concealment anymore, both men removed their hats. As expected, Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi had already appeared before them.
"Uchiha... Itachi." Asuma and Kurenai immediately recognized him. For this notorious Konoha traitor to stand so openly before them—it was nothing short of provocation.
Though they were fully aware of Itachi's strength, they couldn't allow these two dangerous individuals to roam freely within the village. The Third Hokage had just passed away, and they couldn't let these two disrupt Konoha any further.
"It seems you both know Mr. Itachi, so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Hoshigaki Kisame—" Kisame introduced himself politely, but before he could finish, Asuma rushed forward with his chakra-infused trench knives.
"Ahhh, what a troublesome situation..." Kisame muttered as Asuma's blade came within inches of his shark-like skin. With a fluid motion, Kisame twisted his massive body to evade the strike, creating a gust of wind in his wake.
Kisame's small, beady eyes gleamed as he capitalized on his momentum, swinging the massive sword strapped to his back.
A sickening sound echoed as the bandages unraveled from Kisame's blade, revealing its true form. The dark blue weapon, covered in jagged barbs, tore a chunk of flesh from Asuma's shoulder. The exposed blade seemed almost sentient, its barbs writhing hungrily.
Kisame smirked, waving the grotesque weapon. "Samehada (Shark Skin) is quite particular about its meals. Let it continue to savor the taste."
Despite the initial surprise attack, Asuma quickly regained his footing. Now that he was prepared, he skillfully maneuvered his chakra blades, matching Kisame blow for blow. Though Kisame possessed monstrous strength, Asuma's precise and calculated strikes nearly landed on multiple occasions.
Meanwhile, Kurenai faced Itachi. Her genjutsu prowess was among the best in Konoha—but only when Itachi Uchiha wasn't involved.