Just as Yushu and others were doing their best to prevent the high-level believers and blood beasts from retreating, Shinji had already arrived at the bottom of the altar.
The entire altar began to shake.
Sizzle—
The sulfur gas beneath the altar suddenly intensified and gushed out. Following this, the altar began to slowly rise.
"What's happening?" Haru asked, looking puzzled.
"It seems Takase has found us." Shinji said, rolling up his sleeve and bending his knees slightly.
Whoosh—
Shinji then shot towards the already ascended altar, leaving a message for Haru who was still on the ground.
"Find a place to hide. I won't have time to protect you next."
Thud—
Shinji landed cleanly, and the feel of the ground made him frown. This altar seems to be made of unusual materials.
"Meow, Shinji, there's a sickening aura in the center." Mimi said, jumping off Shinji's shoulder.
"Hmm?" Takase, who was facing the blood pool, heard the voice and turned his head.
"These good-for-nothings actually let someone in." He said, clearly displeased with the believers.
He then looked at Shinji, saw the Konoha forehead protector on his arm, and grinned. "I thought it would be Haru, who got her position through connections, but I didn't expect it to be someone from Konoha."
"Perfect, another excellent sacrifice."
"Jashin-sama will surely love it."
Shinji frowned. The man's stats were strange. He clearly only had the most basic Chunin strength. Yet, an unsettling aura emanated from him.
Perhaps it was given to him by his so-called Jashin?
"However, before that, it's better to offer the main sacrifice to Jashin-sama first, so you'll be a bystander for now. Enjoy the show."
Takase finished speaking to himself and then simply raised his hand, clenching it towards Shinji.
Whoosh—
Several blood whips shot out from the blood pool, attacking Shinji. Shinji suddenly tensed up, a serious expression on his face.
"Mimi! Avoid these blood whips!"
Before he finished speaking, Shinji instantly moved away from his spot. The blood whips slammed heavily onto the ground where Shinji had just been standing.
Sizzle—
A grating sound came, and the altar surface, which Shinji had just found incredibly hard, was corroded into pits by the blood whips.
The gas rising from the corroded pits was exactly like the blood from the blood beasts when it hit the ground.
Shinji's evasion seemed to provoke Takase. He furiously yelled at Shinji, who had reappeared, like a madman, "Can't you just stay put?!"
'...Is this guy crazy?'
Shinji, who was about to speak, looked at Takase with a strange expression. More precisely, he was looking at the blood pool behind Takase.
A figure slowly walked out, pulling out the bloody scythe that Takase had erected in the hollow.
"So noisy!"
"I was almost about to see Jashin-sama!"
Hidan, holding the bloody scythe, raised it high and frantically spoke to Takase, who had his back to him.
Sizzle—
Before Takase could even turn around, the blade of the bloody scythe in Hidan's hand pierced through him.
Takase's face was filled with disbelief as he looked down at the blade in his abdomen, then turned his head to look at Hidan, his mouth slightly open as if to say something.
"Oops! I didn't control my strength." Hidan had a look of surprise, as if genuinely regretful.
However, the next second, he revealed a crazed, playful expression, and with a joyful tone, he said, "Does it hurt? That's right! Feel the pain!"
"Jashin-sama will love you!"
With that, Hidan lifted the scythe in his hand and swung it fully.
Takase on the scythe blade was like a broken rag doll, propelled at high speed.
"That's right! Just like that!"
"Die! Die! Die! Ascend in supreme pain, and with me... praise Jashin-sama!"
With an abrupt stop, Takase, who was on the scythe blade, dropped into the blood pool.
As gurgling sounds of bubbles rose, Hidan closed his eyes in ecstasy, spreading his arms as if embracing something.
"Phew... this is truly wonderful."
Mimi came to Shinji's side, looking quite speechless, and said, "How come they all seem a bit neurotic?"
Shinji raised both hands and said helplessly, "Let's finish this quickly."
"If I listen to them any longer, I think I'll get infected by these guys."
"Hey! You over there..."
Hidan pointed at Shinji, his voice full of excitement and mockery. "That didn't count, we need another exhilarating sacrifice ritual. Don't you agree?"
"...No, I refuse."
Shinji stared with deadpan eyes, refusing with utter disdain, then slammed his right hand onto the ground and shouted.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"
Hidan showed displeasure upon hearing Shinji's refusal, and he pointed at Shinji.
The next moment, a huge swamp appeared beneath his feet, and Hidan stumbled, his ankle immediately swallowed.
Shinji breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that the jutsu could be performed on the altar.
Regarding Hidan, as long as he wasn't allowed to get close or be cut by his scythe, preventing him from using the Curse, Shinji had the biggest advantage.
At worst, he could just replicate Shikamaru's strategy from the original story.
This was the power of information. If a ninja's abilities were known, they weren't far from death.
Of course, this was based on the premise that the difference in strength wasn't too great.
Hidan, holding the scythe, pointed at Shinji and shouted in displeasure, "Hey! You over there, how dare you defile Jashin-sama's altar!"
Shinji said indifferently, lowering his gaze, "Can you shut up? I'm not interested in your so-called Jashin."
Up until now, he had always dealt with enemies cleanly and decisively. He had never encountered a ninja like Hidan, whose mouth never stopped.
Hidan was stunned by Shinji's words, then tilted his head, revealing a chilling smile.
"I've decided, I'm going to make you feel Jashin-sama's love."
Boom—
As Hidan's words fell, the entire altar seemed to ignite, and the blood pool behind Hidan exploded. Several blood chains burst out from it, piercing into Hidan's back.
"Ah—!"
Hidan seemed particularly satisfied, looking up slightly.
Then, his purplish-red eyes looked at Shinji, and he sneered, "Are you ready?"
Whoosh—
Hidan was lifted by the blood chains and rapidly attacked Shinji.
He raised the scythe in his hand high and swung it down fiercely at Shinji.
Shinji, with a side spin, kicked hard at the handle of the scythe, and the curved blade stopped just a few centimeters from his pupils.
Creak—
Hidan, holding the scythe, gritted his teeth, veins popping out on his hands.
He actually couldn't move an inch.
Who exactly is this guy?! How can he have such immense strength?!