Clop! Clop! Clop!
Hidan moved slowly, almost deliberately, as if wanting to make the pain last longer.
There was a look of ecstasy on his face, as if pain was his favorite delicacy and he was savoring it slowly.
"Damn bastard, what kind of ninjutsu are you using!" Han pushed himself up slowly, half-kneeling on the ground, clutching his chest with one hand and bracing against his knee—every movement showed how much pain he was in.
His mind was blank; he had no idea what just happened. How had a deep gash suddenly torn open in his chest? Blood was pouring out uncontrollably.
He lifted his head and glared at Hidan. He was sure of it—this guy was behind everything!
"You mean this?" Hidan grinned, a smile filled with recklessness and madness, showing Han the jet-black spear he had just inserted into his own body. Drops of fresh blood slid down the weapon, falling to the ground with soft plops.
After displaying the weapon, he grabbed it again, pointing the tip at his own body before lifting it high overhead.
Puchi!!
The spear pierced his thigh. Hidan groaned softly through clenched teeth—pain mixed with pleasure.
On the other side, Han let out another stifled cry of agony. But fortunately, this time he didn't collapse. His body swayed slightly, then steadied.
His eyes burned even redder, locking onto Hidan with overflowing murderous intent.
Exactly at the same spot on his thigh where Hidan had been wounded—a matching wound tore open. Blood flowed from it freely, rendering his solid ninja armor useless—it was nothing more than decoration now.
Because Hidan's technique wasn't a physical attack—it was a curse!
Han frowned. A deadly sense of danger surged from deep within, slightly shaking his inner composure. The unknown truly was terrifying.
Only now did he understand those words.
This enemy's ability was too strange—he regretted not luring him into their planned ambush zone first. No matter how he looked at it, he had been careless!
"With your pain, your blood, and your life, offer yourself to Lord Jashin!! Cursed jinchuriki!"
Shouting wildly, Hidan yanked the spear from his thigh once again.
Blood sprayed violently as the weapon was withdrawn, staining earth and snow crimson.
"I see… So that's how it works."
Up in the sky, Deidara seemed to grasp the mechanism behind Hidan's ninjutsu. It was a cursed technique linking the enemy to Hidan, exchanging injuries? But how could Hidan remain unaffected?
Deidara was confused again. Without knowing Hidan's unique physiology, such self-destructive tactics made little sense—who benefits from trading lives?
The clay bird flapped its wings, continuing to circle around, as if searching for an opening or weakness.
Deidara still hadn't decided to strike yet. He wanted to keep watching and figure out the enemy's weakness.
"You damn guy! Don't you fear death?"
"Hey!" Han spat out blood as he spoke. Honestly, faced with such a bizarre ability, he was genuinely scared now.
He could clearly see that his body had been linked to Hidan's. Any injury Hidan sustained would be mirrored on his own body. But despite the injury, Hidan's movements remained unaffected. As for himself, even the Tailed Beast's regeneration could barely heal him—it felt just like being cursed.
So naturally, he was starting to panic!
His earlier assumption that Hidan was just a meat shield shattered completely. His senses sharpened. Fortunately, the enemy didn't seem intent on killing him outright. Otherwise, during that first stab to the chest, Hidan would have pierced straight through his heart and ended him then and there!
"Hehe! Are you only getting scared *now*? Too bad—it's already too late!"
Hidan spoke in an extremely hoarse and deep voice, as if Jashin himself were whispering through him. Right after, he drove the weapon into his other thigh. Blood sprayed out in an instant. Han's body shuddered as well—his other thigh was wounded too, and blood seeped from gaps in his armor...
"This guy..." Deidara frowned, mentally replaying everything he had witnessed.
When he arrived here earlier, Hidan had already been sent flying by one of Han's punches. Since then, they hadn't made contact again—the whole time, Han had been locked in combat with Kakuzu instead.
So the key has to be in the fight they had before Deidara got here!
Still thinking, Deidara kept switching his gaze between Hidan and Han, not missing a single detail. If Hidan could activate this power freely, why didn't he use it immediately upon meeting them?
Frowning painfully at the sight of Hidan's savage expression and Han soaked entirely in blood,
There must be some activation condition. Generally speaking, these secret arts require something personal from the intended target!
Right, personal items—like blood! Exactly—blood!
Deidara's eyes suddenly widened as a realization struck him. When he arrived, he saw Hidan holding his weapon and licking it with his tongue!! That must've been where the problem started.
Thinking this, Deidara glanced toward the scythe lying beside Hidan. Its shape looked exaggerated—not designed primarily for increased damage, but seemingly meant to inflict wounds more effectively—or perhaps, to collect blood faster?!
Looking back at Han, Deidara noticed something else—his face wrap was torn, and a faint scratch marked his cheek, clearly left by that scythe blade. So... case closed?
Then there was that ritual circle too—surely it played a part as well? Deidara noticed how Hidan always stayed within that circle without stepping out, only activating his technique after completing the diagram, further confirming suspicions forming in his mind.
Piece by piece, Deidara gradually figured out how the enemy's ninjutsu worked.
However, there was still one question lingering in his mind—why would the enemy dare to recklessly use such a mutual-damage ninjutsu?
Stronger vitality? Could they possibly be stronger than a tailed beast jinchuriki? Then what exactly was the reason? Deidara just couldn't understand Hidan—despite having several bloody holes through his body, he still looked energetic and totally unbothered.
As for the existence of an undying person in this world, he had never even considered that possibility. Even someone as powerful as the Sage of Six Paths eventually faded into the annals of history. How could someone from Akatsuki actually be immortal?
Thinking he'd finally figured out Hidan's technique, Deidara decided it was time to take action. With aerial superiority and the ability to fly, he could continuously keep his opponent at a distance. As long as he was careful not to let the enemy obtain his blood, the problem should basically be solved!
With that thought, Deidara gave a light kick to the belly of the Clay Bird, which responded by diving down slowly, gradually lowering its altitude.
...
"Kitsuchi-sama, where is Deidara? He hasn't returned yet," one of the ninja beside Kitsuchi asked with some confusion.
Kitsuchi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he gazed intently toward the direction where Han was supposed to appear, as well as the path Deidara had taken.
"Do you think something happened to him?" another ninja followed up uncertainly.
Upon hearing those words, Kitsuchi could stand it no longer. In one swift motion, he straightened up, clearly ready to act. They'd already waited long enough—if they kept stalling, their worst fears might actually come true!
"We can't wait any longer. Let's move out!" He glanced around at everyone who was looking back at him, clearly awaiting his command.
"Understood!!!" Several ninja exchanged glances before responding in unison, their voices firm and decisive without hesitation. Among them were individuals who had always been skeptical of Deidara—when he hadn't returned after so long, they had already started considering taking initiative themselves. However, since Kitsuchi hadn't issued any orders yet, they couldn't go against his command.
Akatsuchi stood up along with the others, his expression filled with concern. Regarding Deidara's overdue return, he harbored no doubts—only worry. After all this time, if Deidara still hadn't come back, could it mean he truly encountered danger? His thoughts were simple: Deidara was his fellow disciple.
"Move out!" Kitsuchi stepped out from behind cover and began running first, heading in Han's direction.
According to their plan, they had arrived here days ahead of Han to set up an ambush. Han was also expected to enter their encirclement trap from this direction at the predetermined time.
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