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Kisame, far from being weak enough to be killed so easily, acted swiftly. With a grunt, he hoisted Samehada in front of him, the living blade swelling and expanding, its spiked surface growing large enough to shield Kisame completely. Holding Samehada firmly with his left hand, he used his right elbow to strike the ice binding his body.
The first strike sent thin cracks spidering through the frozen prison, and with each subsequent blow, the fissures grew larger and deeper. Kisame's sheer strength shattered the ice chunks holding him, sending shards flying into the air and crashing into the water below. At the same time, Samehada absorbed the impacts of the hovering kunai, deflecting them harmlessly.
When the chaos subsided, Kisame stood unharmed, though his expression darkened with barely concealed anger. Despite avoiding injury, the series of events left him feeling humiliated—a shinobi of his caliber nearly reduced to prey by a young ninja.
Emerging from the icy water, Kisame stepped onto its surface, standing as he had before. His menacing grin had disappeared, replaced by a grim resolve. He wasn't about to let this slide. Chakra began to surge around him as he prepared to unleash one of his most powerful water-style techniques, intent on going all out against Inoiki.
But just as he began to channel his energy, a firm hand rested on his shoulder.
"Don't," Itachi said, his calm voice cutting through Kisame's fury.
Kisame turned his head slightly, his irritation clear.
Itachi's Sharingan glinted as he continued, "We've made enough noise. Any more, and we'll attract the attention of other Konoha ninjas. I'm certain some of them are already on their way."
For a moment, Kisame hesitated, then let out a low growl, reluctantly easing the flow of his chakra. He straightened, though his frustration was palpable.
Itachi turned his gaze upward, fixing on Inoiki, who remained floating in the sky with his eyes closed, the faint glow of his psychokinesis shimmering around him. "You are strong," Itachi said, his tone measured but carrying a note of acknowledgment. "I'll admit, if we wanted to defeat or capture you, we'd have to go all out."
He paused, his expression unreadable. "But that isn't our goal. Not today."
With those words, Itachi's hand dropped from Kisame's shoulder, and the two figures began to retreat, stepping back into the mist.
"Until next time," Itachi added, his voice fading into the vapor as he and Kisame vanished into the distance.
After confirming through his Observation Haki that both Itachi and Kisame had truly left, Inoiki descended gracefully to the ground. His feet touched the damp earth, and he opened his eyes, his expression contemplative.
They were right, he thought, his mind replaying the encounter. They weren't serious. If they had been, I wouldn't have gained the upper hand so easily in this fight.
A faint sigh escaped his lips as he clenched his fists. My current strength isn't enough. I need to keep pushing myself—to grow stronger.
His gaze fell to the custom-made kunai scattered near him. Deep cracks marred their surfaces, evidence of the intense battle they had endured. Inoiki bent down, picking up one of the damaged weapons, and inspected it closely.
He muttered to himself, "In my haste, I dropped the hot kunai into the water to cool them, but the sudden temperature change weakened them. After colliding with Samehada, they've cracked. These kunai are useless now."
He straightened, letting the broken kunai slip through his fingers and fall back to the ground. "I need to get chakra-infused weapons soon," he resolved. "Weapons that can handle battles like this."
Suddenly, his head turned sharply toward a particular direction. The faint sensation of approaching chakra signatures brushed against his senses, and he instinctively prepared himself. Within moments, the sound of multiple swish movements cut through the air.
Four familiar figures appeared before him: Kakashi, Guy, Kurenai, and Asuma. They landed in coordinated movements, their experienced eyes quickly scanning the area.
The scene before them was anything but ordinary. Large chunks of ice floated aimlessly in the river, and the surrounding riverbank was drenched, the ground soaked from water splashing violently. The air carried an unusual warmth, hotter than anywhere else in Konoha at that moment. Steam lingered faintly, curling into the air like ghostly tendrils.
Kakashi's lone visible eye narrowed, his mind analyzing the scene. Asuma's sharp gaze swept over the surroundings, noting the telltale signs of a recent battle. Kurenai frowned slightly, her senses on high alert, while Guy's usually energetic demeanor was replaced by a rare seriousness.
It didn't take long for the veteran ninjas to piece it together.
"There was a fight here," Kakashi said, his voice low but firm. "And it wasn't a small one. Whoever fought here was powerful."
Asuma nodded, his tone grim. "We missed it—probably by just a few minutes."
Inoiki said nothing, watching as the team processed the aftermath.
Kakashi turned to Inoiki, his lone eye fixed on him with a serious expression. "Inoiki, what's going on here? We sensed significant chakra fluctuations—there's no doubt a battle took place."
Inoiki nodded, his tone calm but direct. "Yes, there was a fight. I was roaming around Konoha after completing my mission when I spotted two suspicious figures. They noticed me and quickly fled, but I followed them to this location. Once here, I got a better look at them. One of them was Itachi Uchiha," he paused briefly, gauging their reactions, "and the other introduced himself as Kisame Hoshigaki, a Missing-nin from Kirigakure."
The weight of those names hung heavily in the air.
Inoiki continued, his voice steady. "They didn't seem eager for a prolonged fight, likely because they didn't want to attract more Konoha ninjas. But they didn't leave immediately, either. I engaged them, and while they held back, their strength was undeniable. Eventually, they chose to retreat, not wanting to draw further attention. I tried to stop them, but their speed and strength surpassed mine. It would've been reckless to pursue them alone."
He exhaled, glancing at Kakashi and the others. "So, I had no choice but to let them go."
The group fell silent, processing the flood of information.
Kurenai was the first to speak, her voice tinged with disbelief. "You fought both Itachi Uchiha and Kisame Hoshigaki… alone? And you're completely unharmed?"
Guy frowned, his brows furrowing as he looked over the scene again. "That's no small feat."
Kakashi's expression remained serious, though there was a faint glimmer of admiration in his eye. "Itachi and Kisame are among the most dangerous Missing-nin alive. That you stood your ground against them and walked away without a scratch is remarkable."
Asuma crossed his arms, his tone more practical. "The bigger question is—what were they doing here in Konoha? Two S-rank criminals don't just wander into a village like this without a reason."
Kakashi nodded. "That's what worries me the most. Their presence here means they had a purpose, and if they were spotted, it's likely they didn't accomplish whatever they came for."
The group exchanged glances, each lost in their thoughts about the implications of such powerful enemies being in the village.
Inoiki remained silent, his gaze steady as he watched the experienced ninjas deliberate.
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