"That kid is Hoshigaki Kisame? What a ruthless character."
"Just like a monster."
Ever since he used the "Mad Dog Style" taijutsu in front of the Mizukage Building to take down multiple enemies at once, Kisame had gained a bit of a reputation in Kirigakure. People had begun calling him the "Mad Dog Kisame."
Kisame ignored the whispers in the gym and remained focused on his workout.
At the moment, he was doing leg raises while lying on a bench, pushing his body to the brink of exhaustion.
This was the last set of the day—just three more reps to finish today's brutal routine.
"Yabadi, Levi Babe!"
Kisame growled under his breath, hyping himself up. The veins in his legs bulged as he summoned every ounce of strength in his lower body and forced the final reps.
Three, two, one…
Finishing with a strained exhale, Kisame slowly unfastened his belt and lowered his trembling legs. Every movement sent waves of fatigue through his body.
Under the astonished gaze of the other ninjas, Kisame leaned against the wall, legs barely supporting him, and staggered out of the gym step by step. His legs were shaking so badly, it looked like he might collapse at any moment.
"This kid's ruthless toward his enemies… but even more ruthless toward himself. Better not mess with him."
A Kirigakure shinobi watched Kisame leave and sighed with admiration. The others nodded silently, fully agreeing.
At a corner of the street, a figure stood silently, watching Kisame's retreating back.
It was Momochi Zabuza.
"Training like that... is it even useful?" Zabuza muttered to himself with a scoff. In his mind, real combat was the ultimate training. The more people you killed, the stronger you became.
As one of the Hidden Mist's most bloodthirsty swordsmen, Zabuza had taken notice of Kisame that day outside the Mizukage's building. He saw in him an intriguing challenge—a potential prey worth hunting.
However, Zabuza had a mission to complete outside the village, so any confrontation would have to wait. But once he returned, he fully intended to seek Kisame out and test his strength firsthand.
With a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth, Zabuza turned and vanished into the mist.
The following days passed uneventfully.
Kisame continued his strict routine like clockwork: gym in the morning, taijutsu and ninjutsu training in the forest by the river in the afternoon, and sleep at night.
Before he realized it, three months had flown by.
Now, standing in front of the gym mirror, Kisame peeled off his shirt and took a long look at himself.
Three months ago, he was a twelve-year-old boy—170 cm tall, 65 kg, with a still-youthful appearance.
Now, still just twelve, he had grown to a staggering 185 cm and weighed 100 kg—his body transformed into that of a warrior.
If not for his distinct shark-like features, one would hardly believe he was the same person.
His physique now was the epitome of strength: a perfect inverted triangle torso, thick veins running along his arms, chiseled eight-pack abs like a washboard, and legs built like tree trunks. But the most eye-catching feature of all was his chest—massive, firm, and defined like slabs of carved stone. The kind of physique every serious fitness enthusiast could only dream of.
And this wasn't some natural gift—it was the result of relentless, hellish training, and buckets of sweat shed day after day.
Kisame clenched his fists, and the crackling sound of his bones echoed through the gym. A surge of raw power coursed through his muscles, filling him with a deep sense of satisfaction.
With his current strength, even if he swallowed two lightning-infused blades, he'd be fine.
More importantly, Kisame could feel that his potential was only beginning to awaken—it was far from fully tapped.
After all, in the original series, the adult Kisame stood at an imposing 1.95 meters, making him the tallest member of the Akatsuki, and an unofficial member of the Hokage world's "Giant Club."
Unfortunately, his training routine would have to be paused for now.
As a low-ranking shinobi, Kisame had been on medical leave for three months following an injury. That "vacation" had run its course—he was due back on active duty.
And there was another, more pressing reason.
The Sand Shinobi were at it again.
Previously, Sunagakure and Kirigakure had clashed over control of ore and iron resources on the Southern Sea Peninsula. In the end, Kirigakure's proximity to the island, coupled with its superior naval capabilities, allowed it to seize and secure the mining zone.
Unwilling to accept defeat, the Sand leadership once again resorted to guerrilla tactics, dispatching a covert squad to infiltrate the Land of Water and cause destruction behind enemy lines.
Just moments ago, Kisame had received new orders: report to the mission desk early the next morning and join a task force heading out to eliminate the intruders.
He needed to be ready.
With that in mind, Kisame headed to the showers, dried off, dressed, and prepared to leave the gym.
"Is it raining?" he muttered.
Through the gym's foggy window, he saw gray skies and steady drizzle. Pedestrians hurried through the streets, seeking shelter from the rain.
Kisame grabbed an umbrella and stepped out.
He walked through the downpour with long, purposeful strides. After crossing two streets, he suddenly noticed a familiar figure ahead—a slim back and flowing red hair, soaked from the rain.
That… looks like her.
Kisame's eyes narrowed slightly. He quickened his pace, quietly closing the distance.
In the rain.
Terumi Mei walked slowly, head down and brow furrowed, clearly lost in thought.
She carried no umbrella. Her hair and clothes were already drenched, but she didn't seem to notice or care. She wandered aimlessly.
Just hours earlier, Terumi Mei had volunteered to join the mission against the Sand infiltrators—but was rejected by the clan elders.
They deemed the mission too dangerous.
Last time, the Kiri shinobi dispatched to that region had nearly been wiped out. Even Raiga Kurosuki, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, had fallen in battle.
This time, although the Third Mizukage had assigned two even more ruthless shinobi as squad leaders, those two were infamous for their brutality and utter disregard for their comrades' lives.
Her family simply wouldn't allow her to take part.
Let the expendable ninja handle it—after all, there were plenty of those in the village.
Lost in frustration, she barely noticed when a shadow appeared beside her.
The rain… stopped?
Surprised, she looked up and saw a tall young man standing next to her, holding an umbrella above her head.
"Rain's not good for your health," he said simply, handing her the umbrella.
"Thank you… thank you," she stammered, taking it from him.
The more she looked at him, the more familiar he seemed—especially the shark-like markings on his cheeks.
"Wait… are you… Hoshigaki Kisame?!"
She gasped, covering her mouth in shock.
The last time she'd seen Kisame was three months ago—after that infamous sparring match in front of the Mizukage's office. The image of that fierce battle had left a strong impression on her.
But now… the scrawny boy from before had transformed into a towering, muscular force of nature.
She could hardly believe it.
"It's me," Kisame replied with a nod. "Seems like I hit a growth spurt and started bulking up. Been focused on training lately—packed on a lot of muscle."
He said it casually, without pride or hesitation.
Then, without waiting for a response, Kisame turned and continued down the street.
He hadn't stopped because of any feelings for Mei. He simply saw an old classmate caught in the rain—and decided to help.