Chapter 82: Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood—Hidan's Awakening
In the underground plaza—
Standing beside the pool of blood, Tōgō Hayato looked indifferently at the two men bound to the crosses.
The man—former captain of Yugakure's jōnin squad and current leader of the Jashin Cult—was silent for a moment, then formed hand seals.
As the seals completed, a vast ritual circle illuminated—a triangle inscribed within a circle.
The ground trembled, and the pool of blood began to churn. The crimson liquid swayed like wine in a glass, surging toward the shore.
Hidan looked at the crosses surrounding him—silent screams echoing from the dead, as if they'd been frozen in their most agonizing moments.
Even his newly recognized brother, Uchiha Tsukasa, seemed to have fallen into despair, closing his eyes and awaiting death.
Hidan tensed, raising his trembling hand—the one with a hole pierced through by a nail—and feebly tugged at the spike in his other hand.
He gripped it, exerted force, pulled!
But his trembling fingertips kept slipping from the nail head.
After trying several times, the blood on his palm was a mess flowing to the ground, but it still didn't work.
At this moment—
Tōgō Hayato suddenly raised his head and looked at Hidan indifferently, asking:
"Doesn't it hurt?"
Hidan's nostrils flared, veins bulging on his forehead as he roared, "Of course it hurts like hell!"
"That's not enough." Tōgō Hayato continued with a sneer. "You must regard this kind of pain as a gift, as enjoyment—only then can you gain the continuous favor of Jashin-sama!"
"Only then can you become—the Son of God!"
"What Son of God! Only a twisted freak would regard something like this as enjoyable! Bastard!"
Hidan cursed loudly, raising his trembling palm to point to the side.
"I suggest you let me go right now. This red-eyed guy next to me is seriously dangerous!"
"Just wait a bit longer—when he opens those eyes, he'll cut you down with a blade forty meters long!"
Tōgō Hayato frowned, looked at Uchiha Tsukasa, realized something was off, and immediately said in a deep voice:
"You... actually chose to rely on a Konoha ninja?"
"Where's your pride as a shinobi of the Land of Hot Water?"
"Pride?"
Upon hearing this, Hidan immediately laughed, flaring his nostrils at his former master as he said disdainfully:
"This country, this ninja village—when has there ever been such a thing for ninja wearing these forehead protectors?"
After hearing this, Tōgō Hayato's brow furrowed deeply.
He had clearly handed over the "Jashin Ritual Codex" to this student.
After reading those texts, this kid should have understood that only by believing in Jashin and offering sacrifices could he realize his ideals.
However, before the cult leader could respond—
Hidan snorted coldly, stared at him and said:
"Who do you think you are? How dare you lecture me so arrogantly?"
He paused, then said in a resolute voice:
"From now on, I won't believe in any damn evil god!"
Hidan looked around at the thousands of crosses, at the people on them tortured beyond recognition, and his heart went cold.
Then he raised his hand, pointed at the crosses, and shouted:
"Power gained this way—no matter how strong it is—what makes it any different from those ninja from the Great Nations?!"
"I'll save the Land of Hot Water in my own way!"
With that, Hidan gritted his teeth, leaned forward, and with a fierce tug, tore his palm free from the nail!
Blood dripped from his mangled palm, the intense pain making him grit his teeth.
Splash!
Kneeling in the pool of blood, he hissed in agony, but his gaze remained determined as he crawled toward the cross bearing Uchiha Tsukasa.
Seeing this, a flicker of astonishment crossed Tōgō Hayato's eyes.
He hadn't expected that in just one day, a single Uchiha could have such a profound impact on Hidan.
Just yesterday, thanks to his meticulous planning, his student had been Jashin's most devoted follower.
And yet, what was happening now?
Had this Uchiha somehow brainwashed him overnight?
"Save the Land of Hot Water? Hehehe."
After taking a deep breath, Tōgō Hayato sneered twice, then narrowed his eyes and asked:
"But have you ever considered that the enemies you're about to face are the Five Great Nations—the five strongest powers in the entire shinobi world!"
"In peacetime, the Land of Hot Water can exist as a buffer zone, but once war begins, this country will be crushed in an instant!"
"Such a cold and cruel reality—you expect this kid to change it all?"
"Stop talking!"
"How should I know the answer!"
Hidan stood up cursing, clenching his fists tightly, his forehead throbbing with pain.
"All I know is that if this country can't survive without bowing down, then we should bow to someone who can actually give us answers!"
Then he pointed at Uchiha Tsukasa behind him and shouted angrily:
"Since this guy shamelessly claimed he'd overthrow the existing Five Great Nations and unify the entire shinobi world!"
"Since that outcome could change the future of the Land of Hot Water!"
"Then I'll make a bet on him! For this goal, I'll stake everything I have!"
"This is way more exciting than believing in your shitty cult!"
After saying this, Hidan tremblingly climbed up, gripping the cross.
He spread his arms, blocking Tsukasa, his eyes firm:
"Before he opens his eyes, I'll be the one protecting him!"
Seeing this, Tōgō Hayato snorted coldly.
"Good spirit, but unfortunately, the answer you chose is wrong."
He looked at Uchiha Tsukasa behind Hidan—eyes closed as if paralyzed by fear—shook his head, and exposed the truth:
"This kid's body is on the verge of complete collapse. He can't be your strength, nor can he fulfill that ridiculous promise."
With that, Tōgō Hayato formed a final seal and slapped his hands to the ground, causing the ritual circle to illuminate brilliantly.
Blood from the pool gradually surged upward, climbing onto Hidan's body. Lines of pitch-black marks stained his face, and then white, skeletal patterns crept across his skin—
Giving him the appearance he would bear in the future as an Akatsuki member, the black and white skull pattern he would wear when activating Death Controlling Possessed Blood.
Then Tōgō Hayato strode into the pool of blood, drawing a pitch-black spear from beneath his robe. With a fierce glare, he approached Hidan!
"Begin, Hidan!"
Hidan raised his head, gritted his teeth, and nervously watched the approaching hooded figure.
Tōgō Hayato gazed at the white markings on Hidan's body, his heart filled with ecstasy.
His student truly possessed this rare physique.
The Jashin Cult's immortality technique only enhanced recovery ability. Even if the head was severed or the body dismembered, it would eventually heal. But if combined with the cult's other power—the Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood—a terrifying assassination ability would emerge.
With this power, one could kill even a Kage simply by drawing their blood.
Properly wielded, this ability could intimidate the leaders of the major ninja nations and bring peace to the Land of Hot Water.
However, Tōgō Hayato had no desire for peace.
He wanted to cultivate a monster!
He wanted to raise a monster that would unwaveringly uphold the tenets of the Jashin Cult and annihilate every living creature in this shinobi world!
He would curse this world, making everyone in it pay for all the suffering he had endured!
However—
Immortality and Death Controlling Possessed Blood were two separate abilities.
Those who possessed immortality didn't necessarily have the aptitude to wield the curse, and vice versa.
Furthermore, the cost of sacrifice to Jashin was immense, making it difficult to quickly organize another ritual.
Therefore, he'd carefully selected someone possessing both qualities.
And his student, Hidan, possessed precisely this rare aptitude!
Tōgō Hayato was now completely mad!
He didn't care about their past relationship—even his formerly closest student would be sacrificed.
All to please Jashin and gain power!
So all he had to do next was...
Tōgō Hayato walked up to Hidan, looking down at him coldly.
He thrust a pitch-black spear into the ground between Hidan's feet, his face curling into a cold grin.
"Come, begin the ritual!"
His icy gaze fell on Uchiha Tsukasa, who stood behind Hidan. With a cold, twisted smile, he asked:
"Hidan, do you want to kill your friend first, or your fellow shinobi?"
"Either way, you'll kill them both."
"You're insane!" Hidan raised his head and stood defiantly before Tōgō Hayato. Even though his body was trembling, he insisted:
"I won't let you hurt him!"
However—
"You're wrong!"
Tōgō Hayato sneered.
"It's not me who's going to hurt him—"
"It's you!"
He clasped his hands together, and ten chakra threads emerged from his fingertips. With a flick of his hand, the ten threads pierced Hidan's body.
Against a jōnin, Hidan had no ability to resist.
He could only watch helplessly as ten threads impaled his limbs.
Then Hidan was horrified to discover he couldn't control his own body.
Tōgō Hayato's expression remained cold as he controlled Hidan like a puppet, turning him around and forcing him to pull the black spear from the ground.
Then—
Hidan could only stare in horror as his own hand raised the spear and used its tip to cut Uchiha Tsukasa's arm, drawing blood.
The blood on the spear was brought to his mouth.
Then a circle of red light appeared in the pre-arranged ritual formation—
The curse technique—Death Controlling Possessed Blood—was activated!
Hidan, who had witnessed this jutsu before, immediately recognized it.
This was the ability the cult leader had used when Uchiha Tsukasa fought those three cult members in the village.
In this state, harming himself was equivalent to harming Uchiha Tsukasa!
Thinking of this horrific consequence, Hidan couldn't help but open his eyes wide. He turned his head with difficulty, looked at Tōgō Hayato, and shouted in terror:
"Wait, what are you doing?!"
"Bastard, let go! Let me go right now!"
He tried to resist, but his hand still trembled as it raised the spear, turned it around—
And pointed it at his own abdomen.
The smile on Tōgō Hayato's face gradually became distorted, an abnormal flush rising on his cheeks:
"Don't worry, Hidan. I have plenty of experience with this."
"Until your pain is enough to please Jashin-sama and grant you true immortality, this kid won't die so easily."
"Of course, if he does die, well... that's just his bad luck. Hehehehe."
End of Chapter 82
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