The Hidden Mist Blacksmith, forging the glory of the Ninja Sword Style!

"Secondly, the inability to fully utilize ninja tools reduces their effectiveness in boosting my reputation."

"Forget it, let's see how many thugs we need first."

Uehara Shu took out the blueprints again and looked down at them.

There are two blank six-pointed star patterns on it.

"Two thugs."

"Senior Qing is one of them."

"Kisame and Juzo-senpai are not here."

There's no need to wait.

"Should we bring just one thug, or recruit another?"

Uehara Shoji hesitated.

A figure stepped onto the forging island.

The shark-faced boy exuded a sharper aura than before.

"build."

"Kisame."

Uehara Shu saw Kisame Hoshigaki approaching and took a few steps to meet him.

On the other side, Qing also walked out.

"This is?"

Kisame Hoshigaki sized up Ringo Ameyuri.

Uehara Osamu introduced, "This is Ringo Ameyuri, a disciple of Juzo-senpai, and the granddaughter of Mayuko-senpai."

Kisame Hoshigaki nodded, greeted them, and then paid no more attention.

Instead, he excitedly followed Yuan Xiu and recounted his experiences on the battlefield.

"Xiu, do you know what? Those Konoha ninjas actually gave me the nickname 'Bloodthirsty Shark,' it's awful."

"I've heard that the Yellow Flash of Konoha has a terrible talent for naming things, and since Kakashi Hatake is his student, he might have given me this nickname."

"I'll have to find a chance to change this nickname later."

Uehara Osamu smiled.

"It's not exactly a nice name, but Kisame, the fact that your enemies have given you a nickname proves that your strength has earned their respect and made them wary of you."

"I remember, even Kakashi Hatake of Konoha doesn't seem to have a nickname yet."

Kisame Hoshigaki shook his head.

"It's just the title of genius."

"But there are so many geniuses."

"Even Sarutobi Asuma can be called a genius, but in reality, Sarutobi Asuma is not as good as that brat Momochi Zabuza. He just has the title of Hokage's son."

Kisame Hoshigaki continued, "This time on the battlefield, I killed quite a few Konoha ninja."

"The Mizukage told me that based on my current merits, I am qualified to be promoted to Jonin."

Uehara Osamu immediately offered his congratulations.

The strength of a Jonin and the title of Jonin are two different things.

Just like Naruto in the original storyline.

His strength is already far above that of an elite Jonin, yet he still holds the title of Genin.

Many people in Konoha are like this.

That's why there's a saying: you can kill any Jonin in Konoha, but don't mess with any Genin.

Uehara Shu now possesses the strength of a special Jonin, but his ninja rank is still only Genin.

However, Uehara Shu doesn't need this now.

As the head of the forging department, the title of ninja is no longer important.

"It's all thanks to Xiu for creating Kiriichimonji."

Kisame Hoshigaki said.

"Kiriichimonji's ability is very strong. Even though they know the information now, they are still wary. Apart from a few people, not many people dare to fight me in close combat."

"Moreover, the changes in my strength brought about by Kiriichimonji have allowed me to participate in higher-level battles."

"This has taught me a lot."

"Now I can attach chakra absorption techniques to long-range water-style techniques."

"The effect is somewhat less than when it's close-range, but it can still threaten quite a few people."

"By the way, Xiu, I heard about the dragon bones."

Kisame Hoshigaki patted Osamu Uehara's shoulder reassuringly.

"I never imagined that the Bamboo Cat was such a person. He stole the dragon bone that you forged and killed so many members of the Bamboo Cat clan. He was utterly vicious and inhuman."

"Xiu, don't be too sad."

"Since Lord Mizukage has already issued a warrant, the Taketori Neko won't be able to act so arrogantly for long."

"I heard that Hikaru Taketori and the others have left the battlefield to search for the Taketori Neko."

"Their actions are irresponsible towards their comrades on the battlefield, violate the village's orders, and will affect the village's interests and the situation on the battlefield."

"But they are all elites of the bamboo-catching clan, and they will most likely be able to defeat the bamboo-catching cat and bring the dragon bone back to the village."

Kisame Hoshigaki was unaware of the truth behind the Taketori Neko incident.

Uehara Osamu did not explain.

"I didn't pay much attention to it."

However, Uehara Osamu thought it was impossible for Kisame Hoshigaki to say that Hikaru Taketori and the others would kill the Taketori Neko and bring back the dragon bone.

The one who attacked the Bamboo Cutter Clan was not just the Bamboo Cutter Cat.

The Third Mizukage would certainly not stand idly by and watch Taketori Hikaru and the others return to Kirigakure alive.

Otherwise, all the previous efforts against the bamboo-collecting clan would have been in vain.

The dereliction of duty by Taketori Hikaru and others conveniently led the Third Mizukage to arrange for the Anbu ninja to take action.

It's highly likely that Taketori Hikaru and the others have already been killed.

"Kisame, besides Kakashi Hatake, is there anyone else on the battlefield that you should pay attention to?"

Kisame Hoshigaki thought for a moment.

"There are actually quite a few top-tier fighters in Konoha."

"Orochimaru and Jiraiya, two of the Legendary Sannin."

"Golden Flash, Minato Namikaze."

"In this respect, we in Kirigakure must admit that we are slightly inferior. However, we in Kirigakure have more core ninja than Konoha, and Konoha has many enemies on multiple fronts."

"They not only have wars with our Kirigakure, but also with Kumogakure and Iwagakure."

“Previously, our Kirigakure village had the support of the Seven Ninja of Kirigakure.”

"After the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist were defeated, they experienced a period of instability and disadvantage."

"But thankfully, it was Yagura-senpai who stepped forward."

"Among the younger generation, from Konoha's side, besides Kakashi Hatake, there is another one worth noting named Shisui Uchiha. He is very young, but his strength is not weak."

"It is said that he is a genius among the younger generation of the Uchiha clan."

"Before he was even ten years old, he was already extremely skilled in the art of teleportation."

Uehara Shu's brow twitched slightly.

Uchiha Shisui—this was a name familiar to Uehara Osamu.

Although she didn't appear much in the original storyline, her presence was very strong.

Moreover, regarding the matter of the Kaguya clan, the sense of familiarity that Uehara Osamu felt in Kaguya Shinsui came from Uchiha Shisui; Uehara Osamu felt that the two were very similar.

Their stances, attitudes, and thoughts are very similar.

Even their names are similar.

Kisame Hoshigaki continued, "I heard he has already awakened the Sharingan."

"In the future, this Uchiha Shisui is very likely to become a major enemy of our Kirigakure."

Thinking about this, Kisame Hoshigaki suddenly had a bizarre idea.

“Xiu, they all say that our Kirigakure's Kaguya clan is very similar to Konoha's Uchiha clan.”

"Do you think it's possible that if a being similar to the Taketori Neko appeared in the Uchiha clan and severely damaged the Uchiha clan, would that be possible?"

"If that's the case, that would be wonderful."

Kisame Hoshigaki's words perfectly illustrate what it means to have a stance.

Without knowing the truth, on the surface, the Taketori Neko (Takarajimaru Neko) does indeed appear to be a very cruel person.

Kisame Hoshigaki did not want such a person to appear in Kirigakure.

Even Kisame Hoshigaki himself disliked the Kaguya clan.

However, in Kisame Hoshigaki's view, the Kaguya clan was still Kirigakure.

But for the Uchiha clan, Kisame Hoshigaki even hoped that someone like that would appear.

"It might actually be true."

"Uehara Osamu said."

But in his heart, Uehara Shu thought, it wasn't just a possibility, it was a certainty that such a thing would happen.