I’m dead for sure!
That was all Kiyosuke could think. He never imagined Black Snake would be such a bastard, insisting on going through with this. Now he was stuck, with no way out.
Forget it. I might as well start drafting my will. And prepare myself for the inhuman torture that’s bound to follow.
There was no way he believed the Third Mizukage wouldn’t interrogate him for intel on Konoha once he was captured. After he was wrung dry of all value, he’d end up as so research subject—strapped to a table, dissected like a lab rat.
No way in hell!!!
Resolving himself, Kiyosuke gritted his teeth and said, "Looks like there’s no other choice. I’ll have to go all out."
Flas once again flickered to life around his body, distorting the air from the sheer heat radiating off of him.
The Third Mizukage let out a soft cough and said,
"You look like a man with nowhere left to run. Surrender now—it’ll hurt less."
"No can do."
Kiyosuke shook his head.
"Being in your hands would be worse than death. I’d rather go down fighting. I’m a shinobi of Konoha—how could I possibly surrender?"
"I admire that spirit," the Mizukage replied calmly. "In that case, prepare yourself."
With a sudden burst of speed, the Third Mizukage lunged forward, a spinning blade of water forming in his palm and slicing toward Kiyosuke.
Kiyosuke opened his mouth, and a snake shot out, aiming straight for the Mizukage’s throat.
Forced to defend himself, the Mizukage severed the snake with his water blade, giving Kiyosuke a precious opening. He kicked the Mizukage in the chest and used the recoil to launch himself backward, putting so distance between them.
"This place is totally wrong for ... Damn you, Orochimaru-sensei."
He muttered to himself.
"Oh? So that’s the kind of opinion you have of , Kiyosuke-kun?"
A raspy, magnetic voice whispered by his ear—it was unmistakably Orochimaru.
Kiyosuke’s eyes lit up. "Orochimaru-sensei?!"
A massive snake’s head rose from the water and opened its jaws. From inside, Orochimaru stepped out.
The Third Mizukage’s expression hardened.
"Orochimaru? You actually showed up? I didn’t think you valued your student this much."
"Well, I am his teacher. I have so responsibilities. Besides..." Orochimaru smiled. "I was the one who told you where he was."
"..." Kiyosuke.
"..." The Third Mizukage.
"..." The surrounding Kirigakure shinobi.
Kiyosuke’s body stiffened as he turned toward Orochimaru and asked,
"So... Sensei... you’re saying... you’re the one who sold out?"
"Of course." Orochimaru didn’t even bother to deny it. He smiled and said, "This infiltration mission was ant to be a training exercise for you. I thought you’d be exposed in a few days and make it back alive. But you kept switching identities—one per day! Even when discovered, you managed to escape. You were so well-hidden that I had to leak your whereabouts to Kirigakure just to flush you out."
This whole mission had just been a test. Who knew Kiyosuke would perform so well that Orochimaru was forced to resort to such extre asures?
"There are plenty of bloodline shinobi on the battlefield. If I really wanted one, I could grab them by the handful. Why would I need you to sneak into their village and steal anything? Kiyosuke-kun, you did well. You’ve passed this mission. I’m sure you’ve grown from it."
Orochimaru sounded thoroughly pleased.
"..." Kiyosuke.
You bastard! I swear, one day I will assassinate you!
You have no idea how high the rate of disciples killing their masters is in this world!!!
Oblivious to Kiyosuke’s murderous thoughts, Orochimaru remained smug and satisfied with how things had turned out.
"You perford admirably. Ti to retreat."
The Third Mizukage, clearly not amused by Orochimaru’s disregard, frowned.
"Orochimaru... You’ve co alone. Don’t think you’ll leave that way."
"You can’t catch ," Orochimaru sneered. "With that failing body of yours, you wouldn’t dare fight for long."
His words made the Mizukage’s face darken. Not just his, either—Yagura Karatachi, Kisa Hoshigaki, and i Terumi, who had been closing in, all reacted with visible alarm.
"Lord Mizukage... your condition..."
"No! That’s impossible! Lord Mizukage is perfectly healthy!"
"That’s right! He’ll lead us into battle—he always has!"
Yagura knew it was ti to calm the ranks. He was one of the few who knew the truth about the Mizukage’s health.
"This is nothing but a Konoha trick!" Yagura declared. "Lord Mizukage is in perfect health! That talk about being terminal is just enemy disinformation ant to shake our morale!"
Orochimaru licked his lips and chuckled.
"Believe what you like. But the body never lies—and I do have so expertise in this field. Your Third Mizukage isn’t what he used to be. If he were, I wouldn’t have gotten away from the battlefield without a scratch. He wouldn’t have co out personally to chase Kiyosuke-kun down, either."
"It’s because your body is giving out, and you can’t afford any more surprises. Kiyosuke-kun represents too many unknown variables. He could disrupt whatever plans you’ve made for your final days... so you ca in person. Tell I’m wrong."
Those cold, reptilian eyes seed to pierce straight through the Mizukage’s heart. He felt his irritation spike but forced a laugh.
"Orochimaru, spreading lies again? Is that all the Third Hokage taught you? You’re an embarrassnt to your village."
Orochimaru was unfazed.
"That has nothing to do with him. I only need to know that your condition is beyond saving. Third Mizukage... even if you don’t die in battle, you’ll still die in bed."
He grinned, eyes glinting with mockery, provoking the Mizukage further. But there was nothing the older man could say—because it was the truth. He didn’t have long left.
Without another word, the Mizukage began forming hand seals. His movents were quick—Orochimaru responded in kind.
Rumble—!
The water around them surged, crashing upward into towering waves that began folding inward, forming a massive ring aid to trap the master and student duo.
"A powered-up version of the Water Prison Technique, huh?" Orochimaru muttered. "Still underestimating ."
"Earth Style: Multi Earth-Style Wall!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Towering stone walls shot up, encircling Orochimaru and Kiyosuke, shielding them from the tidal onslaught.
Orochimaru chuckled and leapt atop the walls. He opened his mouth wide and spat out a swarm of snakes, each only arm-length but packed tightly together.
Ten Thousand Snakes Wave!
The snakes slithered beneath the waves, dodging the water’s force. Monts later, they burst from the surface, jaws wide, each one brandishing a blade as they lunged at the Kirigakure shinobi.
Chaos erupted on the enemy side.
Orochimaru had no interest in sticking around. Laughing, he said,
"Third Mizukage... In your final monts, I wonder what choices you’ll make. It’s a sha—I really would’ve liked to kill you myself."
A massive serpent rose from behind him, opened its jaws, and swallowed both Orochimaru and Kiyosuke whole. With a puff of smoke, they vanished.
"Guh—cough! Cough! Cough!" The Third Mizukage suddenly doubled over, racked with violent coughs before vomiting a mouthful of blood.
"Lord Mizukage?!"
"No—Lord Mizukage!!!"
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