But Madara was charismatic, and Kisame and the other Swordsmens' respect for Yagura had dwindled almost to nothing during his rule. The Land of Water was not the most stable of countries, and Kirigakure not the most stable of villages. Thus, when the rumours had begun that Yagura was being manipulated by an unknown power; that he would betray his village and leave it to be ravaged by the three-tailed demon for which he was the vessel, they were swift to take hold. In reality, it was Madara who was controlling Yagura, and Kisame was one of the very few to be shown the truth. But to him, this was merely proof of Yagura's weakness.
Madara outlined his Moon's Eye Plan, and despite any cynicism that Kisame may have privately harboured, he was impressed by the Uchiha's ambition. In return for Kisame's loyalty Madara promised him what he most wanted - freedom and a world without lies. He accepted the offer, and that same day he was acknowledged by the other Six Swordsmen as the Monster of the Hidden Mist. From that day since, Samehada has never left his side.
Shortly afterwards, Kisame began removng key political figures under Madara's orders - successfully assassinating the daimyo of the neighbouring Land of Waves, in a bid to cut destabilise that country and cut off off any interference in the affairs of the Land of Water. He followed that with a number of other similar exploits, all while outwardly still faithfully serving Yagura.
Unfortunately, elements of the plot was brought to light through the diligence of Kirigakure's ANBU by the other leaders of the village. Madara's involvement was not discovered, but the Seven Swordsmen fell under suspicion of treachery. Despite the fact that Kisame believed that the actions he had taken for Madara would ultimately have been for the good of both Kirigakure and the world, he found himself named a traitor and threatened with torture and death. He left the Land of Water, as did the others who had escaped the daimyo's men, with nothing more than Samehada and the clothes on his back. He carved a strike through the forehead protector that bore the mark of Kirigakure and swore that he would never return unless it was to reduce the place to rubble. To this day, he has been true to his word.
For a while Kisame wandered across the mainland, living off whatever he could steal from the bodies of any fellow travellers or bounty hunters unfortunate enough to encounter him. For the most part, he confined his travels to the more unstable countries that skirted the Land of Fire, until eventually he found himself in Amegakure. There, Kisame was approached by Pein to join the ranks of a criminal organisation named Akatsuki. Making the decision to seal his new status as a criminal and a missing-nin, Kisame accepted and donned the robe and ring that marked him out as a member. As well as finding Pein to be a convincing and decisive leader, Kisame quickly recognised that the Akatsuki's goals would offer him stability, and an opportunity to take the skills he had learned in Kirigakure and eventually turn them against it.
Kisame had mixed feelings about his new comrades, but his respect for Pein as a leader cemented his place in their ranks, as did his ownership of Samehada and his acknowledged skill in battle. Still, it was with some cynicism that he received the order to form a two-man unit with the newest recruit, Uchiha Itachi. Itachi was only thirteen, and had joined the Akatsuki after slaughtering his entire clan in what he claimed to have been a test of his skills. Despite this, Kisame found Itachi distant, withdrawn and difficult to like, and the factor of their difference in age was another cause for resentment. The Seven Swordsmen had been a loosely affiliated group, rarely acting together, and Kisame was unused to the notion of a working with a partner in any sense. However, any doubts he may have had about the boy were banished within a matter of weeks, when Itachi proved himself by slicing off the hand of one of the older members, Orochimaru, after the latter attempted to take over his body. Orochimaru was banished for his actions, and Kisame was impressed by Itachi's decisive response to the attempt on his life.
Madara outlined his Moon's Eye Plan, and despite any cynicism that Kisame may have privately harboured, he was impressed by the Uchiha's ambition. In return for Kisame's loyalty Madara promised him what he most wanted - freedom and a world without lies. He accepted the offer, and that same day he was acknowledged by the other Six Swordsmen as the Monster of the Hidden Mist. From that day since, Samehada has never left his side.
Shortly afterwards, Kisame began removng key political figures under Madara's orders - successfully assassinating the daimyo of the neighbouring Land of Waves, in a bid to cut destabilise that country and cut off off any interference in the affairs of the Land of Water. He followed that with a number of other similar exploits, all while outwardly still faithfully serving Yagura.
Unfortunately, elements of the plot was brought to light through the diligence of Kirigakure's ANBU by the other leaders of the village. Madara's involvement was not discovered, but the Seven Swordsmen fell under suspicion of treachery. Despite the fact that Kisame believed that the actions he had taken for Madara would ultimately have been for the good of both Kirigakure and the world, he found himself named a traitor and threatened with torture and death. He left the Land of Water, as did the others who had escaped the daimyo's men, with nothing more than Samehada and the clothes on his back. He carved a strike through the forehead protector that bore the mark of Kirigakure and swore that he would never return unless it was to reduce the place to rubble. To this day, he has been true to his word.
For a while Kisame wandered across the mainland, living off whatever he could steal from the bodies of any fellow travellers or bounty hunters unfortunate enough to encounter him. For the most part, he confined his travels to the more unstable countries that skirted the Land of Fire, until eventually he found himself in Amegakure. There, Kisame was approached by Pein to join the ranks of a criminal organisation named Akatsuki. Making the decision to seal his new status as a criminal and a missing-nin, Kisame accepted and donned the robe and ring that marked him out as a member. As well as finding Pein to be a convincing and decisive leader, Kisame quickly recognised that the Akatsuki's goals would offer him stability, and an opportunity to take the skills he had learned in Kirigakure and eventually turn them against it.
Kisame had mixed feelings about his new comrades, but his respect for Pein as a leader cemented his place in their ranks, as did his ownership of Samehada and his acknowledged skill in battle. Still, it was with some cynicism that he received the order to form a two-man unit with the newest recruit, Uchiha Itachi. Itachi was only thirteen, and had joined the Akatsuki after slaughtering his entire clan in what he claimed to have been a test of his skills. Despite this, Kisame found Itachi distant, withdrawn and difficult to like, and the factor of their difference in age was another cause for resentment. The Seven Swordsmen had been a loosely affiliated group, rarely acting together, and Kisame was unused to the notion of a working with a partner in any sense. However, any doubts he may have had about the boy were banished within a matter of weeks, when Itachi proved himself by slicing off the hand of one of the older members, Orochimaru, after the latter attempted to take over his body. Orochimaru was banished for his actions, and Kisame was impressed by Itachi's decisive response to the attempt on his life.
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