Yuhi Kurenai felt like she was going crazy. If Chinatsu was really the child of her little man and Tsunade, it seemed to explain why Kirito stopped targeting Konoha after the Fifth Hokage took office.
"This is a long story, please listen to me." Kirito showed a mysterious smile on his face.
Three days passed in a flash.
Just like in the original timeline.
Kakuzu and Hidan defeated Chiriku, one of the Twelve Guardian Ninja of the Fire Temple, destroyed the entire Fire Temple, and took his body to the underground exchange center to collect the bounty.
However, while Kakuzu was counting the money, Hidan was ambushed by a team led by Asuma. He was first distracted by a shuriken thrown by Asuma, then immobilized by Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique, and finally stabbed by Konoha guards Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki with steel rods.
"Ouch, you bastards... Who the hell are you?" Hidan said in pain.
"We clearly struck your vital point... Could he be immortal?" Asuma, Kotetsu, Izumo, and Shikamaru were horrified.
"Tch, you two bastards, quit twisting the blade already. Isn't it obvious?" Hidan glanced at Kotetsu and Izumo, then his eyes fell on Asuma.
When he noticed the Fire Temple emblem tied at Asuma's waist, his eyes flashed with surprise and excitement. "You look like one of the Guardian Shinobi Twelve, Azima or something..."
"It's Asuma." Asuma's forehead was drenched in cold sweat. He corrected him coldly, "We're Konoha shinobi, under orders to capture or eliminate members of Akatsuki. You people always operate in pairs. If you want to live, tell me where your partner is."
"And since you're in Akatsuki, you must know Fujiwara Kirito. Tell me where he is."
Hidan froze. Fujiwara Kirito?
Then he chuckled with a mocking grin. "With that whiny voice, you want to take on Kirito? I remember now—you're the Sarutobi survivor. Didn't Kirito castrate you during that extermination?"
Asuma's brows furrowed. He was a seasoned shinobi and wouldn't be baited so easily. He gripped his Chakra Blades tightly and said coldly, "Answer me. Where's your partner? Where is Fujiwara Kirito?"
"Looking to settle a score with Kirito? That's bold. That guy's strength is monstrous. Even Kakuzu was nearly taken out in a flash by him." Hidan clicked his tongue, full of disdain.
As they exchanged words, Shikamaru, still maintaining the Shadow Imitation Technique, quietly analyzed the enemy.
"So the partner's name is Kakuzu... From what I'm hearing, not all Akatsuki members are as terrifying as Fujiwara Kirito. That's... oddly comforting."
"Answer me." Asuma infused Wind Release into his Chakra Blades and approached Hidan, killing intent in his eyes.
"You're really shameless," Hidan smirked. "But it's a pity you're targeting the wrong guy."
At that moment, Kakuzu suddenly burst out from the underground exchange, delivering a monstrous Earth Spear punch that collapsed the building. Shikamaru had to dodge, breaking his jutsu.
Just like in the canon, Asuma was forced into a grueling battle with Hidan, who had entered his ritual of Jashin.
In the end, Asuma died a heroic death.
Shikamaru, Kotetsu, and Izumo were saved thanks to reinforcements from Konoha, Pain's urgent call, and the retreat of Hidan and Kakuzu.
Fujiwara Kirito had hidden in the shadows and watched the entire fight unfold.
On the rooftop of the Fire Temple Hospice, Shikamaru Nara, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi surrounded Asuma, weeping.
Fatally wounded, Asuma refused medical treatment from Ino.
He gave final words to his three students, entrusting his daughter, Mirai Sarutobi, to Shikamaru and lamented, "I haven't killed that man yet... I haven't avenged my clan... To die like this... I'm... so unwilling..."
Just before Asuma passed, Kirito appeared, wielding his Zanpakutō and using Mirror Flower Water Moon to suppress the senses of all nearby Konoha shinobi except Asuma.
In those final moments, only Asuma could see and hear him.
Asuma Sarutobi opened his mouth to speak, but had no strength left. His eyes began to fade, and he slipped into unconsciousness. He never expected to see the man who destroyed his clan at the very end.
"Since you're so unwilling, I'll let you die knowing the truth," Kirito whispered.
He told Asuma why Yuhi Kurenai was pregnant with his child, and why he castrated him.
"Fujiwara... Ki...rito..." With the last breath in his body, Asuma roared his enemy's name and died on the spot, full of hatred.
Kirito didn't delay. To prevent Asuma from being revived with Impure World Reincarnation, he swung his Zanpakutō and shattered Asuma's soul on the spot.
Then he teleported using Flying Thunder God back to Akatsuki's base in the Hidden Rain Village to begin sealing the Two-Tails.
Buzz, hum, hum.
In the dark cave, Akatsuki's projections appeared on the fingers of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.
"You're a mess, Hidan. Your cloak's shredded. Must've had a rough time." Deidara taunted gleefully, recalling Hidan mocking his severed hand.
"Shut up. If that bastard boss hadn't recalled us to seal the Two-Tails, we'd have wiped those Leaf shinobi out." Hidan scowled. "It's even still raining here, damn it."
"Hidan, shut up," Kakuzu barked.
"It doesn't matter," Pain said flatly, unfazed. He began his long-winded lecture on peace and pain.
Hidan looked impatient but didn't talk back. Instead, he turned to Kirito. "Hey, Kirito, you owe me one this time."
"Oh?" Kirito raised an eyebrow.
"I took out that Sarutobi Asuma guy for you," Hidan said proudly.
"Thanks. You helped me clean up a minor pest," Kirito replied coolly.
To him, Hidan was a mindless killing machine, and not worth much attention.
But Kakuzu... Kirito still saw potential in him as a finance man.
Hidan, hearing Kirito's nonchalant response, sighed and dropped the topic.
All he wanted now was to go back and finish off the Konoha shinobi who had escaped.
Little did he know, his own death wasn't far off.
(End of this chapter)
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