In Snow Country, upon a land covered in pure white snow, several figures stood out starkly against the surroundings.
[Steam - Jet Leg!!]
Steam swirled around Han, waves of heat radiating outward and rapidly melting the snow, exposing the rocky ground beneath.
Whoosh! This kick created a thunderously dull sound in the air. The atmosphere seemed to change slightly, distorting due to the extreme heat.
Han's foot wore red protective gear, and steam jetted from several small holes on it, propelling him forward.
On the other side, Hidan rose from the ground with a strange expression. In his hand tightly gripped was his signature weapon—the grotesque Blood Scythe!
He pushed his tongue against the inside of his mouth a few times, letting the strong metallic taste of blood spread.
He paid no mind to these wounds—for him, they were barely worth noting! What concerned him was something else entirely.
Looking downward, he saw the tip of his scythe blade—on its jagged edge rested a beautiful color! The color of blood, the favorite color of Lord Jashin! And this would be his next little 'treat' for the god.
Seeing that his wounds had earned him enemy blood, Hidan grinned with satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Han leapt into the air, kicking toward Kakuzu, his body leaving a crimson afterimage across the sky.
Limitless steam spewed from his body, heating up the surroundings—it was the perfect battlefield for unleashing his full combat potential.
"Hmph! Don't underestimate anyone, punk!" Kakuzu muttered angrily, upset by how Han seemed to disregard him with a mere taijutsu attack.
Few dared challenge him with pure taijutsu, because Kakuzu had mastered Earth Release - Earth Spear Jutsu to such a high degree. He was practically immune to physical attacks.
But now, this kid thinks he can beat me with taijutsu? Sure, his martial arts are strong—I'll admit that. But strength isn't everything. The world's big. There's always someone stronger out there.
[Earth Release - Earth Spear Jutsu!]
Meeting Han's leg midair, Kakuzu struck powerfully without dodging. Han had confidence in himself, and Kakuzu too possessed his own pride.
If the God of Shinobi himself stood before him, he might consider evading—but facing just a young jinchuriki, there was absolutely no reason for retreat.
Bang!!
Leg met fist, creating a thunderous impact. Shockwaves of energy burst outward at incredible speed, scattering snow across the area.
"Hmm! Not bad at all, members of the Akatsuki!" Deidara commented from above the battlefield. As he spoke, he nodded repeatedly as if deeply knowledgeable about everything happening below.
"But hey, what's that guy over there doing? Has he already been scared stiff by Han and refuses to fight?"
Deidara's gaze shifted, landing on Hidan who had just gotten up after being sent flying by Han's punch.
"It looks like the Akatsuki Organization members can't handle Han for now. Should I go help or notify Kitsuchi?" Deidara mused, shaking his head slightly as if in deep thought.
Hiss!
Hidan lifted his weapon and used his tongue to lick the blood off its blade as though it were a delicacy. As soon as the blood touched his lips, he let out a satisfied sigh.
"Accept the blessings of Jashin! You ignorant nonbeliever!"
Hidan tossed away the three-sided sickle in his hand. A rather deranged smile blossomed across his face, his wide grin gradually stretching even further until it covered nearly his entire face.
Tsch!
With a quick motion, he yanked a slender black spear from his waist. This weapon was pitch-black all over, shimmering with eerie hues, and bore some strange residue that made its color appear even darker. Normally, it was just 40 centimeters long—an easy fit on his waist. But when extended, it could reach an impressive length of 120 centimeters.
This was Hidan's "sacred artifact" used during prayer, the medium through which he communicated with Jashin—the very [Token] granted by the god himself!
Gripping the tip of the spear tightly with his right hand, he fully extended it. Then raising it high above his head, he wore an expression brimming with madness—a fearless, death-defying laugh. It was a fanatical devotee's most sincere offering to his deity!
"Come, come! Let the light of Jashin envelope your ignorant body!"
Hidan squinted as he looked toward Han, who was still locked in battle with Kakuzu, his eyes filled with malice.
Puchi! The black spear slammed into his left palm, instantly sending blood spurting out. Its specially-shaped tip allowed the blood to flow rapidly from the wound.
"That's... Is this guy actually mutilating himself?!"
High above, Deidara wore an expression of bewilderment, completely puzzled by what Hidan was doing. Were all Akatsuki Organization members mentally unstable—resorting to self-mutilation and desperate measures when they couldn't defeat their opponents?
That didn't make sense! Self-destruction wasn't something you did at random moments! Frowning, Deidara suspected there was more to this act than met the eye.
He concentrated his mind, controlling the [Clay Bird] to move closer for a better view.
There was something extremely strange and ferocious about this Akatsuki member; everything about him was contradictory. He fought recklessly, but not without purpose—he wouldn't harm himself for no reason!
Tsizi! Blood dripped from Hidan's pierced left palm to the ground, staining it in stark contrast to the surrounding white snow.
His eyes gleamed as he stared at the crimson liquid pooling beneath him.
Da! His right foot stepped forward onto his own blood, murmuring words under his breath—prayers addressed to Jashin.
Swish! Using the blood as ink, he first drew a circle around himself, then switched to his other foot to trace a triangle within it.
This way, the pattern became exactly the same as the Jashin emblem Hidan wore around his neck.
"It's done! Next..."
Hidan grabbed the black spear with both hands and pointed its tip toward his own body. His body began to change—blackness spread across his skin until his entire figure was covered in an eerie dark hue.
His previously handsome appearance turned pitch-black, revealing a complete skull visage atop the darkness!
[Curse Technique – Death Swamp Possession Blood!!!]
Hidan's expression gradually twisted into something monstrous, resembling an Oni demon. His eyes filled with bloodshot rage, looking sinister and frenzied.
Whoosh! He raised the black spear high into the air. Under sunlight, it emitted a chilling gleam. At that moment, Hidan looked like a child on Christmas morning—filled with excitement and delight.
High above in the sky, Deidara's face paled. Apparently guessing something, he quickly turned his head toward Han, who still fought Kakuzu and seemed completely unaware of what was happening here.
Deidara was sure Hidan had prepared this specifically for Han, though he still didn't understand the exact method or details involved.
"Let me see more!" His eyes darkened as he suppressed his urge to intervene, watching closely as Hidan raised his weapon. If he wanted more intelligence, Han would need to hold out just a little longer.
Swish!!!
The spear tore through the air, howling as it pierced straight toward Hidan's chest.
"Does this guy really fear no death?" Though unsure about Hidan's actions, seeing him deliberately stab such a dangerous area—the center of his chest—made Deidara's face pale dramatically.
At the exact moment Hidan started casting his cursed technique, Han suddenly sensed something strange.
Boom! Han unleashed a mighty steam-infused punch, sending Kakuzu flying backward. With puzzled eyes, he turned to look at Hidan from afar.
Just seconds ago, an unfamiliar reaction stirred inside him—a feeling similar to when he first formed a mental link with Five-Tails Kokuo. It felt extremely bizarre.
He stared at Hidan. Had he not remembered Hidan's chakra signature clearly, he probably wouldn't have recognized the figure covered in paints and painted like a skeleton as the enemy he'd recently punched away.
"What exactly is he doing?!" A strange emotion stirred within Han, and the Tailed Beast sealed within him—Five-Tails Kokuo—sent a clear warning: Stop the enemy's next move!
Han found this very odd, but the instincts unique to a Jinchuriki made him feel similarly uneasy.
We have to stop that enemy over there—something terrible is about to happen!!
Though uncertain about exactly what might occur, both Han and the Tailed Beast sealed within him shared the same intuition: they could absolutely not let Hidan complete the next step!
Hardly had that thought passed through his mind when Han abandoned Kakuzu entirely, rushing straight toward Hidan—he needed to act now!
With such a determined mindset, Han erupted in even more powerful bursts of steam. Hot waves spewed rapidly from gaps and tiny openings in his red armor with each breath he took.
At this moment, he was like a steam train at full throttle, crashing straight into Hidan!! Unstoppable!
[Steam Burst!!!]
Han shouted as he charged toward Hidan. The distance between them wasn't long—just about dozens of meters—and at his speed, Han reached within ten-odd meters of Hidan in the blink of an eye, continuing to charge forward without slowing down!
"Heh heh! Jinchuriki? You've never felt real power, have you? Underestimating me?" Hidan noticed Han rushing right in front of him and gave a mocking smile before acting without hesitation—the black spear in his hand pierced directly into his own chest.
Puchi! The black spear stabbed straight into Hidan's chest, while on his face slowly crept up a blush and an expression of intoxication!
Han, who had been charging forward, suddenly stopped dead in his tracks before crashing hard onto the ground. His momentum carried him sliding across the ground until he came to a stop five meters away from Hidan!
"What the hell is this!!!"
High above, Deidara wore a stunned look.
Why did that guy from Akatsuki really stab himself in the chest with his weapon? And why did Han, still moving just moments ago, seem attacked and collapse immediately?
Moreover, why does that Akatsuki punk look so delighted? Doesn't it hurt? Is he some kind of freak?
What kind of people are they?! How can they play things this wild?!
But then a spark of realization flashed through Deidara's mind. He redirected his gaze toward the fallen Han—he needed to confirm something!
"Exactly! Exactly! But it's still not enough! Not enough yet! Hahahaha!!!"
Hidan laughed out loud, looking at Han lying motionless before him, giving out a joyous cry, resembling a madman!
Over there, Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, revealing a trace of mockery under his mask. This arrogant Jinchuriki dared confront them head-on alone, without even knowing the least bit of intelligence information about them! Whether to call him naïve or confident—it's hard to say!
Kakuzu gazed down at the fallen Han, his jade-green eyes revealing nothing but cold indifference.
"However, Hidan's ability really is quite troublesome. Good thing he's on our team!"
Still holding the spear in his chest, Hidan slowly pulled it out with both hands, his face constantly showing pleasure. Meanwhile, Han writhed on the ground, as if enduring unbearable agony!!
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