"Your life must be harsh, eh?"
"Mr. Itachi, did you ever truly see your real self before you passed?"
"I long to see it too—an unvarnished world free of deception."
"Hoshigaki Kisame, I will remember you as long as my soul endures."
Fragments of memories rushed back.
On a dam at the border of the Land of Water, a 12-year-old Hoshigaki Kisame—once a promising but troubled ninja—awoke from his midday nap, head pounding and cold sweat beading on his brow. He seemed to have just escaped a terrible nightmare. Clutching the hilt of his chakra-infused sword, he scanned his surroundings: fellow ninjas patrolled the area while a group of village workers mended the dam damaged by enemy saboteurs.
His expression shifted through a myriad of emotions until he slowly rose and approached the water's edge. Gazing down into the clear, calm water, he saw his reflection: a youthful face with deep blue skin, short, straight blue hair, and eyes that held the same steely resolve as a battle-hardened veteran—all accented by faint, sharklike gill marks along his cheeks.
At first glance, his features might seem unusual—but they carried a rugged charisma, an unmistakable signature of a rogue warrior. One might label him a villain or an outcast, a "miscellaneous fish" in the grand hierarchy of shinobi clans.
Then, unable to contain himself, he laughed aloud. He never imagined that a modern soul from the 21st century would be reborn in the Naruto world as a rebellious, youthful Kisame—a figure as unconventional as he was formidable.
But then he wondered: in his previous life, had he ever truly seen himself before he died?
Hoshigaki Kisame—a ninja of uncommon honor—addressed his mentors with respect (always saying "Mr. Itachi" and even "Jiraiya-sama"), fought honestly, and executed his missions with flawless loyalty—even if that meant sacrificing comrades or summoning the ferocity of a shark to guard vital secrets.
In the eyes of the Hokage, he was just a supporting ninja—a mere background player. Yet it was precisely that role which made him one of the most genuine warriors in Konoha. For deep down, he had embraced a path of resilience: a path where even in defeat, one whispers at dusk, "Mr. Itachi, to call me hopeless is an understatement."
Kisame—though once a lowly sidekick—had made two fatal errors in his past life: weakness and foolishness. Despite his clarity in perceiving the falsehoods of this world, he lacked the power to change it. Ensnared by Obito's insidious manipulations, he yearned for the world of the Infinite Tsukuyomi—a realm of eternal peace and beauty. He believed it with all his heart and sacrificed everything for it… only to be betrayed in the end.
"Weakness is a sin, and ignorance of one's superiors is a fool's errand."
Kisame sighed, his gaze sweeping over the vast river as he stared into the distant horizon. From that moment on, he resolved to live anew—as Hoshigaki Kisame—no longer a mere pawn, but a warrior for himself.
After gathering his scattered thoughts, he focused on the present.
This year marks the 44th anniversary of Konoha, and it's been six or seven years since the end of the Second Shinobi World War. Peace had settled over the ninja world, but now, disputes were stirring. Recently, a minor conflict had erupted between Wuyin Village—a water-dominated settlement—and Sandyin Village, one of the great ninja villages, over control of valuable iron and ore resources on a southern peninsula.
The stalemate was broken when an unknown ninja infiltrated the Land of Water, demolishing bridges and dams with explosive jutsu. It didn't take long to suspect that the saboteur was from the Sand Hidden Village. Thus, the young Kisame was assigned to a mission with his team: secure the dam and hunt down the enemy incursion.
A day prior, after the team discovered the dam in ruins, workers had been summoned to repair it. As a shinobi of only two years' training, his current task was to guard the dam and remain alert against further enemy attacks. Their commander—Black Leiya, one of the seven renowned sword-wielders of his village—had dispatched a separate elite team to pursue the enemy and vowed to obliterate them from the Land of Water.
Kisame gripped his ninja sword and patrolled the dam, slowly adapting to his new body and circumstances. Suddenly, his eyes widened: he spotted a mound of white lime, piled high like a small hill, clearly used as a construction material to repair the dam. Quietly, he crept over, collected a portion of the lime, and stashed it in his sleeve.
Before this mission, he had been known as a fierce street fighter. In his earlier days, he had honed his skills in unrestrained combat against gangsters and wrongdoers on the streets of Konoha. One of his most notorious exploits involved using a pair of small scissors—yes, scissors—to inflict precise, debilitating wounds on three thugs attacking a defenseless woman in a dimly lit park. His bravery had earned him accolades and a reputation as a local hero. When asked why he preferred carrying scissors over larger weapons, he'd reply simply: "Because forbidden blades aren't allowed." Scissors, being legal and unobtrusive, delivered wounds as potent and subtle as any larger weapon—making them perfect for a rogue ninja on patrol.
In the philosophy of limitless combat, everyday items—like a humble pair of scissors or even lime found at a construction site—can become deadly weapons when wielded by the right hand. They are essential for a shinobi on the move, ever ready to punish evil and uphold justice.
After tucking two hundred catties of lime into his sleeve, the ghost shark continued his patrol with a sense of grim satisfaction.
A day passed quickly.
The sun dipped low, painting the sky with hues of crimson and gold, while the water shimmered as if cloaked in a brilliant, golden mantle. The dam's repair was complete; the hardworking villagers packed up their tools and prepared to relax at a nearby izakaya. Meanwhile, the ghost shark and his comrades readied themselves to move on to the next mission.
But the serene evening was suddenly shattered by a deafening explosion.
Boom.
Not far away, deep in the woods along the shoreline, a violent blast erupted—firelight leapt skyward and thick black smoke billowed. Moments later, a flash of lightning streaked through the forest, morphing into a dragon's silhouette that tore through trees and sent birds scattering in panic. The air pulsed with a tremendous chakra reaction.
Kisame's pupils constricted as he sensed a fierce battle unfolding. In mere seconds, a figure burst forth from the woods, his expression a mix of shock and embarrassment. It was none other than Black Leiya—the elite Jonin with long, green hair and a bandaged upper body—clutching a pair of lightning-charged swords. Yet even this fearsome warrior now appeared injured, like a wounded stray dog, his strength waning as he retreated.
"Enemy attack! It's the Sand Hidden ninja!" someone cried out.
"Lord Leiya is hurt!"
Seeing his revered commander in distress, the ninjas stationed at the dam rallied around him. "Hold them off for me!" Black Leiya roared, then activated his teleportation jutsu, vanishing in a burst of lightning toward the downstream side of the dam.
Hearing his superior's order, Kisame, being steadfast, instinctively gripped his sword, ready to join his comrades in a desperate counterattack. But then—just as suddenly—a jolt of reality struck him.
Even Black Leiya, with all his renown, could barely contain the enemy's onslaught. Could they truly withstand it?
At that moment, though Kisame had already proven his prowess—his strength was even enough for a potential promotion to Chunin—his youth meant his full potential was yet untapped, far from the legendary might of the tailed beasts. And then…
"Ah!" "Ah!"
Screams erupted from the front lines. He looked up to see several of his teammates struck by a mysterious fireball—chakra so intense it evaporated water in an instant, leaving them as lifeless husks. In a horrific twist, these fireballs rebounded toward a lone woman, swirling around her as if heralding death.
She was in her twenties, with delicate yet determined features: green hair bound into a sleek bun, accented by two rebellious strands of orange bangs. Clad in a bold halter outfit with white bandages wrapped around her waist, she exuded an aura of both beauty and lethal danger. Known throughout the Sand Hidden Village as Burning Escape Ye Cang, her reputation preceded her.
Accompanying her was a detachment of elite Anbu from the Sand Hidden forces, methodically laying siege to the dam—mercilessly slaughtering enemy ninjas and workers until the structure was stained with blood. Witnessing this brutal scene, the ghost shark turned and fled without hesitation. No longer would he remain a mere subordinate blindly following orders—he was determined to forge his own path, even if it meant falling behind.
Whoosh.
A Sand Hidden Anbu appeared like a phantom, launching a swift, storm-like attack with a kunai. Naturally, Kisame did not cower; with a fierce glint in his eyes, he met the assault head-on.
Clang! Clang!
The battle had only begun…
And so the tale of Hoshigaki Kisame—reborn in the Naruto universe as a renegade ninja determined to rewrite his destiny—unfolds amid chaos, loyalty, and the eternal struggle for a brighter future.