Swish! Swish! Swish!
The Clay Bats soared through the air, their movements agile as they twisted and turned mid-flight, anticipating Hidan's trajectory and making it extremely difficult for him to evade.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
Hidan crouched low before springing upward. His body stretched mid-leap, and he held the Blood Scythe sideways, using it for essential defense.
"Now!"
Midair, Deidara caught sight of Hidan's movement. Narrowing his eyes, he formed a single hand seal and firmly planted both feet on the Giant Bird, locking eyes on Hidan's back.
Under his control, the Clay Bats that had been clinging tightly behind Hidan like gum suddenly accelerated—like racecars flooring the gas pedal—and surged forward, closing the distance between them.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Though Hidan ran desperately ahead, most of his focus stayed on what was behind him.
The moment the Clay Bats sped up, he sensed it immediately—and reacted accordingly.
His expression shifted slightly; he knew he couldn't afford carelessness. Gripping his weapon tightly, he swung it sideways in an arc, then turned around.
Swoosh!
A faint red blur sliced through the air—it was Hidan's weapon.
"Ha!"
Deidara released his signature sound as he activated his ninjutsu, his face serious, like a true artist examining his creation.
"This fucking..."
At the very instant Hidan turned, he sensed something was wrong.
He knew the enemy's clay creations would explode, but still, he turned—he wouldn't risk exposing his back to an incoming technique.
As expected, the moment he faced his attacker, the Clay Bats stuck to him began swelling, radiating a growing sense of danger.
No time to think further, he positioned his weapon in front of his chest, landed quickly, pushed off with one foot, and rapidly retreated.
But the explosion came too fast—he couldn't escape in time.
Boom!
Flames erupted violently. A powerful blast struck Hidan's weapon, followed by a second impact that drove it straight into his chest.
Hit by the force, Hidan winced in pain and helplessly flew backward, spinning out of control.
He had directly absorbed Deidara's explosive attack. Though not at ground zero, it still left him breathless.
And his chest wound tore open again, blood gushing down.
Thud-bump!
After rolling several times on the ground, Hidan steadied himself and resumed running.
Because Deidara's assault was already underway once more.
This time, however, it seemed even fiercer—several Clay Birds, each many times larger than the previous ones, screeched toward him.
Shwip! Shwip! Shwip!
Darting unpredictably across the ground, Hidan kept leaping as Deidara's explosives pursued relentlessly, exploding without warning.
Those bombs would explode when Hidan least expected it, and just as suddenly hold off when he anticipated detonation, continuing to chase after his evading figure.
Whether they exploded or not was entirely under Deidara's control, according to his own will.
Although Hidan felt furious inside, even somewhat desperate, he could do absolutely nothing against Deidara hovering in the air.
And Deidara, fully aware of this fact, acted boldly—almost playfully—continuously inflicting damage upon Hidan's body.
Boom!
Another explosion erupted near Hidan. While he possessed an undying nature, these repeated blasts had already begun to break him down mentally.
This sort of frustrating fight was something he'd barely encountered since becoming a follower of Jashin.
After all, it had always been Hidan who toyed with others—until today, he'd never been the one getting mocked around like this.
"Don't let me catch you, kid! You'll regret it!"
Hidan jumped again, launching himself nearly sixteen feet upward to dodge the attack. In midair, he swiftly flung the weapon in his hand.
Gripping the handle of the Three-sided Sickle with his right hand, the front half of the weapon, pulled by its mechanism, flew backward toward the pursuing clay bombs.
The blade sliced through the body of a soaring clay bird, instantly cutting it in half and neutralizing its explosive power.
But such an attack was practically useless against Deidara, merely delaying his assault temporarily.
"Kakuzu!!! Finish your enemy and come help me!"
With no choice left, Hidan called out for assistance from Kakuzu on the other side.
At that moment, Kakuzu's figure had disappeared, seemingly trapped beneath a tightly compressed rock sphere.
Glancing sideways at the scene didn't make Hidan believe Kakuzu had already lost to Kitsuchi.
As mentioned before, having worked together for so long, they deeply understood each other, especially regarding their respective strengths.
Therefore, even though Kakuzu seemed to be at a disadvantage now, Hidan still had confidence in him—just like the confidence he had in his own Immortal Body. Kakuzu's strength was far more than what appeared on the surface!
"Seeking help?!"
Deidara sneered, convinced that Kakuzu himself was already in deep trouble—how then could he possibly assist Hidan?
Yet at the same time, he quickened his pace, preparing to finish off Hidan quickly and secure victory before rushing over to aid Kitsuchi.
Having heard Hidan's cry, Kitsuchi warily halted his steps. But seeing Hidan desperately calling for aid and barely holding his own, he no longer paid much attention.
He fixed his gaze firmly on the tightly sealed stone sphere formed by his ninjutsu, expression solemn.
Even though the enemy was crushed beneath the stone ball, he couldn't yet confirm whether the opponent was dead. A ninja of this level was difficult to eliminate, let alone kill with such a simple jutsu.
Although his attacks flowed seamlessly, chaining one after another.
Out of the corner of his eye, Kitsuchi noticed slight tremors rippling through the earth—something was about to break through underground.
The next moment, his expression changed drastically as he forcefully stomped both feet on the ground and launched himself upward.
He'd just figured it out!
But before he could react, a surge of pitch-black Black Threads shot forth.
Shshsh!
At the exact spot where he once stood, countless Black Threads erupted from beneath the ground like wildly growing weeds, immediately reaching out toward Kitsuchi.
"What is this?!"
Kitsuchi quickly jumped up, noticing those strange Black Threads emerging from the ground as he moved.
Very soon, he recalled the similar living threads attached to Kakuzu's arms earlier, and an unpleasant look appeared on his face.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
No sooner had his legs lifted a meter off the ground than those threads tightened around them, powerfully yanking him back down toward the earth.
With no foothold in midair, Kitsuchi immediately lost control. Helplessly, he followed the pull of the threads, dropping straight back toward the ground.
Meanwhile, from the ground beside Kitsuchi, a figure suddenly burst out—none other than Kakuzu, who should have previously been crushed beneath a stone sphere.
Swish!
Kakuzu leapt upward, and from his arms poured countless Black Threads that left his body, wrapping around Kitsuchi and pulling him downward toward himself.
[Earth Release - Earth Lance!]
Kitsuchi's figure was now within close range, and since he was suspended helplessly in midair, unable to generate force, he seemed temporarily incapable of counterattacking and could only be dragged forward unwillingly, flying straight toward Kakuzu.
Right fist thrown, Kakuzu remained expressionless, yet the green glow in his eyes brightened noticeably.
In Kakuzu's eyes, Kitsuchi was already a corpse—or rather, a substantial source of money.
Boom!
This punch was impeccable in speed, strength, and angle.
Though Kitsuchi attempted resistance, his body twisted halfway midair before Kakuzu struck him directly in the back, creating a bloody hole instantly.
Tearing sound!
Kakuzu's fist pierced through Kitsuchi's body. On Kitsuchi's face appeared a look of disbelief mixed with pain.
Even he seemed unable to believe how easily he had fallen.
"Captain Kitsuchi!?"
Deidara noticed what happened here, surprise flashing across his face, followed by a frown as he raised his flying altitude, preparing for defense.
"Hmph! Although it might not be easy to kill Tsuchikage Onoki, as his son, you seem to amount to no more than this!"
After hitting Kitsuchi, Kakuzu did not stop; his fist continued forward, entering Kitsuchi's back before bursting out through his chest.
A layer of yellow earthen armor cracked outward from where Kakuzu struck, spreading in all directions like the shattered shell of a turtle.
"Heh...heh..."
Kitsuchi didn't turn around but began breathing heavily, his entire body gradually weakening.
Shshsh!
The Earth Grudge Fear Black Threads that had wrapped Kitsuchi's feet retracted, returning into Kakuzu's body, appearing stained with some blood—likely scraped from pressure applied to Kitsuchi's ankles moments ago.
"Don't underestimate us from Iwagakure Village!"
Kitsuchi muttered in a low voice, his tone quiet yet unwavering. He slightly turned his head, directing his words toward Kakuzu behind him.
At those words, Kakuzu sensed danger and tried to yank his arm away.
But perhaps it was already too late?
Kitsuchi's body slowly transformed into rock, and the wound began shrinking, preventing Kakuzu from easily withdrawing his limb.
Crack!
Using sheer force, Kakuzu tore his arm free, damaging Kitsuchi's progressively petrifying body in the process and reclaiming his limb.
However, his mood wasn't positive—because that one second of hesitation had already caused him to miss the best chance to retreat, placing himself in a perilous situation.
Boom!
Behind Kakuzu, at the moment when Kitsuchi had initially begun petrifying and spoke those words, the ground suddenly shattered, and a tall, sturdy figure leapt out—it was indeed Kitsuchi!
[Earth Release - Stone-Covered Fist!]
Kakuzu heard Kitsuchi's voice coming from behind him. Kitsuchi's timing was extremely precise—without leaving Kakuzu any extra reaction time—he immediately launched an attack.
With a sharp sound, Kakuzu's eyes widened, his emerald-green pupils instantly dimming as life essence gradually separated from his body. He slightly lifted his head, looking utterly bewildered.
"I told you not to underestimate us Iwa ninjas, you bastard!"
Kitsuchi braced himself against Kakuzu's back, swiftly pulling his arm free before driving it forward once more into the same spot.
Struck repeatedly with such immense force, Kakuzu's vitality weakened further, and a thin stream of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth down to the ground.
Plop!
Kitsuchi released his hold on Kakuzu, letting him kneel helplessly onto the ground.
Meanwhile, he exhaled deeply himself, clearly not feeling at ease—the ambush hadn't been as effortless as it appeared.
His eyes locked onto the gaping wound on Kakuzu's back. Peering through the injury, he saw Kakuzu's heart shattered by the blow—felt a wave of relief wash over him.
One enemy eliminated—one undoubtedly stronger than the other. The remaining opponent would be much easier; even Deidara alone should be able to handle it without issue.
Now that I'm here, there's no way they're escaping!
So, this mission was more or less complete?
Kitsuchi glanced at Kakuzu again, sighing inwardly. If he hadn't secretly held back some strength, and if the enemy hadn't underestimated him, giving him the opening to seize the opportunity, the final result might have been completely different.
Even if victory had ultimately been achieved, it wouldn't have gone this smoothly—walking away with only minor injuries while successfully eliminating the enemy? That wasn't all skill—this was more than just luck.
"I wonder how Han is doing? Once Akatsuchi arrives, we should hurry and take Han back for emergency treatment."
Thinking this, Kitsuchi stepped forward to check on Han first. After such an extended battle, they'd already moved quite far away from him.
And since Han was severely injured, his chakra had grown extremely faint, making him nearly undetectable.
As for Hidan, who was currently fleeing like a rat with his head in his hands while being chased by Deidara, he was no longer within his concern. After all, this enemy would soon be killed by them anyway and posed no further threat.
"Now let's see what you can do, you damned bastard!"
Deidara witnessed Kitsuchi's fist directly punching through Kakuzu's back, instantly rendering the enemy immobile as he collapsed into a pool of blood, losing consciousness.
Because of this, he intensified his attack on Hidan.
In Deidara's eyes, the moment Kakuzu fell to his knees, Hidan became suddenly silent, as if he had abandoned all hope of escape.
A grin spread across Deidara's face as he watched the battlefield shift so suddenly. Just a moment ago, Kitsuchi had been in danger, but in the next instant, he turned the tide completely, killing the enemy and reversing their fortunes!
This kind of ninja fight really got his blood pumping — after all, danger was always around every corner! This was also what really boosted his creativity!
"What the hell is Kakuzu doing?"
While continuously dodging Deidara's bomb attacks, Hidan kept glancing over at Kakuzu kneeling on the side.
Though they were teammates, Kakuzu could fool anyone—but not Hidan.
Although Kakuzu didn't have the Immortal Body, he still had an "immortal" characteristic, living all these years by storing and replacing hearts.
Even though he knew Kakuzu wasn't actually dead, Hidan didn't expose anything—he just focused on avoiding Deidara's attacks while waiting for Kakuzu's next move.
Though he was reckless, it didn't mean he was stupid.
Kakuzu naturally had his own purpose for acting this way, so there was no need for Hidan to directly reveal the final answer and disrupt Kakuzu's plan.
Still, one thought kept running through Hidan's mind: he hoped Kakuzu would strike soon. He was already being forced into a dead end by Deidara; if things continued like this, he might actually die before Kakuzu did.
Thud!
Kitsuchi took his first step toward the fissure where Han lay. At the exact moment he moved forward, Kakuzu—who had been kneeling on the ground, having seemingly lost consciousness—suddenly shot his eyes open.
The emerald glow in his pupils remained unchanged, now mixed with cold ruthlessness and murderous intent.
"Captain!"
"Captain Kitsuchi!"
At this moment, several Iwagakure ninja arrived not far away. Upon seeing Kitsuchi, they instinctively called out, then quickly rushed toward him.
They naturally noticed the Akatsuki Organization ninja wearing the tattered cloak behind Kitsuchi.
But since the enemy had already been killed by their own captain and was showing no signs of life, they no longer considered it dangerous, so they weren't particularly concerned.
Akatsuchi wore a broad, slightly silly-looking grin as he watched Kakuzu, occasionally glancing at Hidan being chased by Deidara.
But in the next second, he saw something that sent shivers down his spine.
The enemy—who had previously seemed to lose all consciousness, the one kneeling behind Kitsuchi—suddenly shot his eyes open, his gaze burning with murderous intent.
Akatsuchi's expression changed immediately as he prepared to shout out a warning to Kitsuchi.
Before they could even utter a sound, the enemy suddenly rose to his feet right before their shocked eyes and rushed straight at Kitsuchi's back. At that moment, Kitsuchi had just heard the earlier shouts from Akatsuchi and was starting to turn around to greet them.
The enemy's sudden attack and Kitsuchi's turn happened at nearly the same time. Kitsuchi never expected that an opponent whose heart he had shattered could still move!
Swoosh!
Akatsuchi and the few Iwagakure ninjas who had just arrived slowly froze in shock, their eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out any second. Their faces were still frozen in the joy they'd shown when they saw Kitsuchi.
"Captain!!"
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