"Hey, why are you guys here at this time!"
Hidan looked displeased at Hoshigaki Kisame and the others, grabbed his scythe, turned to Sarutobi Asuma and his group, and said coldly, "Hmph, I was just about to kill them and offer them as a sacrifice to Lord Evil God!"
"By all means."
Hoshigaki Kisame politely extended his hand and chuckled, "We won't interfere with your battle, we just need to ensure Kakuzu's 35 million bounty doesn't escape."
While they chatted leisurely here, the Konoha Ninja were sweating profusely, especially the young Nara Shikamaru, who encountered a group of Akatsuki members right after starting a mission!
Even in this most dangerous moment, Nara Shikamaru didn't forget to carefully observe the people present: "Uchiha Itachi, the murderer who eradicated the Uchiha Clan, an S-Class Konoha Traitor; Hoshigaki Kisame, Hozuki Mangetsu, has Ringo Ameyuri, this woman, also betrayed the village? Three former Seven-swords Ninja of the Hidden Mist..."
To be honest, it was a bit terrifying.
Sarutobi Asuma's expression was also extremely unsightly because he had once fought against Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame, and even with the support of Hatake Kakashi, Yuhi Kurenai, and Might Guy, they barely forced Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame to retreat.
Even so, at that time Hatake Kakashi paid the price of severe injury.
Looking around now, a sense of despair was faintly visible on Sarutobi Asuma's face; he even felt like he couldn't breathe. He no longer had the three Jonin friends from before; now, he only had three Chunin teammates...
And the opponents?
Hoshigaki Kisame, Uchiha Itachi, Ringo Ameyuri, Hozuki Mangetsu, Hidan, plus Kakuzu who just walked out of the exchange office carrying a money box.
Six Akatsuki Members.
This squad was enough to attack a major ninja village! And the only ninja village within the Land of Fire is Konoha; could this squad's target be to attack Konoha Village?
Sarutobi Asuma surveyed the surrounding environment, glanced at his disciple Nara Shikamaru, and gritted his teeth: "No, we must get the information out and alert the people in the village that there are six Akatsuki members active in the Land of Fire!"
The biggest problem now is how to get the information out, with six Akatsuki members, they wouldn't even get a chance to release a carrier pigeon!
Kakuzu scrutinized his companions, extended his finger, pointed at the leading Konoha captain Sarutobi Asuma, and said, "Whoever wants to get started, quickly deal with this group of guys. I need that guy's corpse to exchange for money!"
"Of course, it's me!"
Hidan shouted in discontent, drawing a strange symbol on his own, holding his ceremonial instrument, and loudly said, "Can't you see I'm conducting a ceremony for the Lord Evil God? This sacrifice must not be careless!"
The group just stood there watching Hidan draw circles in preparation for a curse. The Akatsuki Members were too lazy to move, and the Konoha Ninja didn't dare to.
This created a bizarre balance.
However, Sarutobi Asuma saw this opportunity and spoke solemnly: "Shikamaru, Izumo, Kotetsu, I'll cover you as you leave here. You must deliver the information to the village; Konoha might face an Akatsuki attack!"
"No, Asuma-sensei!"
Nara Shikamaru quickly shook his head and softly reasoned, "My chances of escaping are very low, your strength is the greatest, let us cover you!"
"That's right."
The other two Konoha Chunin named Kamizuki Izumo and Hagane Kotetsu.
The two had long been prepared to sacrifice themselves; they were always Chunins of the village and couldn't contribute much other than guarding the gate.
Whether it was Sarutobi Asuma or Nara Shikamaru, they could contribute more significantly to Konoha in the future. If either of these two could escape, it would be a fortune; undoubtedly, the most hopeful escapee was Sarutobi Asuma.
"Your strength isn't enough to hold out for long!"
Sarutobi Asuma shook his head and earnestly advised, "They want my corpse now, so they definitely won't let me go!"
"But..."
"No buts!"
Sarutobi Asuma whispered to Nara Shikamaru, "Shikamaru, I already have a child, my journey ends here, your future holds great promise!"
"This..."
Nara Shikamaru showed a flash of shock on his face, wondering why he hadn't heard about this; why hadn't he seen Asuma's child?
The next moment, Nara Shikamaru immediately understood and whispered, "Seems like we never noticed! Has Kurenai-sensei become pregnant?"
Quite fast!
And the confidentiality was excellent!
This generation of Ino-Shika-Cho, as disciples of Sarutobi Asuma, never knew this fact.
Sarutobi Asuma's eyes showed a trace of relief. After entrusting his unborn child to his disciple, he had no more worries and could fight desperately!
Sarutobi Asuma gripped the Chakra Blade in his hand tightly, and two Chakra blades formed on it, suddenly attacking Hoshigaki Kisame, who was the nearest!
His goal was merely to create a breach for Nara Shikamaru!
"Go!"
Sarutobi Asuma shouted loudly!
Nara Shikamaru, Kamizuki Izumo, and Hagane Kotetsu gritted their teeth and fled through the breach that Asuma had opened!
Yet bizarrely, this group of Akatsuki members didn't choose to pursue; instead, they leisurely watched Sarutobi Asuma's desperate actions.
As for the member fighting Sarutobi Asuma, it happened to be Hoshigaki Kisame, Asuma's former opponent!
After Nara Shikamaru escaped, he looked back and saw that the Akatsuki Members didn't pursue. Hope flashed in his eyes, evidently wishing his teacher could escape safely!
Indeed.
Sarutobi Asuma also flashed a trace of hope. His girlfriend, Yuhi Kurenai, was already pregnant, and he naturally wanted to break through the encirclement and return to the village.
Unfortunately, one sentence from Hoshigaki Kisame dispelled Sarutobi Asuma's impulse.
Hoshigaki Kisame's fierce face showed an evil smile as he calmly swung his Shark Skin Greatsword, smiling as he said, "If you dare to escape, we'll capture those who ran away and kill them in front of you!"
At this moment, Hoshigaki Kisame appeared like a demon!
This was probably the aftereffect of Hoshigaki Kisame becoming Uehara Naraku's subordinate, always liking to use these emotions to force ninjas to surrender or sacrifice themselves voluntarily.
However, this threat was very effective.
At least until Nara Shikamaru and others were sure they had reached a safe area, Sarutobi Asuma dared not run away. This would take at least five minutes.
If other Akatsuki members also stood by without acting, Sarutobi Asuma just needed to ensure he could last five minutes without too much injury, which seemed manageable for him.
But things often don't go as one wishes.
Hidan had completed the circle and was done with the ritual, but he saw Hoshigaki Kisame and Sarutobi Asuma fighting fiercely, and he instantly raged, "Hey, Hoshigaki Kisame, wasn't this guy supposed to be left for me? Stop, or I'll kill you too!"
"Hehe…Relax, your ceremony won't go to waste."
Hoshigaki Kisame suddenly swung the Shark Skin Greatsword toward Sarutobi Asuma's shoulder, and the spikes on the sword expanded instantly, piercing Sarutobi Asuma's shoulder!
Hoshigaki Kisame flicked the blood on the Shark Skin Greatsword onto Hidan, lightly chuckling as he said, "Now, I'll leave it up to you!"
After doing all this, Hoshigaki Kisame looked at Sarutobi Asuma and said with a smile, "Alright, now you can escape, and we won't chase you. Please trust in the credibility of the Akatsuki…"
"What's going on?"
Sarutobi Asuma's face grew heavier.
He still didn't understand what was happening, but to be cautious, he decided to observe for a while, after all, five minutes isn't a long time…
Moreover, his current position always had an opportunity to escape.
"Run, run all you want!"
Hidan caressed the blood of Sarutobi Asuma with a terrifying smile on his face, with bones emerging from his face and body, he looked at the somewhat uncertain Sarutobi Asuma and said, "The ritual is ready. Are you ready?"
"This is…"
Sarutobi Asuma looked at Hidan with suspicion and uncertainty.
Honestly, apart from his body being a bit terrifying, Hidan didn't seem particularly extraordinary. Is this even a member of Akatsuki?
He really didn't understand what was happening.
But Sarutobi Asuma quickly understood!
Because Hidan suddenly pulled out a long spike and stabbed it into his own shoulder, at the same time, a spurt of blood erupted from Sarutobi Asuma's shoulder!
"When he gets injured, my body gets injured too…"
Sarutobi Asuma's expression changed drastically as he looked at the wound on his shoulder, unable to believe it, and glanced at the grinning Hidan, seemingly trying to confirm.
Sure enough.
The next moment, Hidan stabbed his own thigh!
Sarutobi Asuma's leg was also stained with blood!
This is the terrifying aspect of the Evil God Ceremony; as long as the enemy's blood is drawn, they can be hurt by harming themselves in a fixed location.
Coincidentally, Hidan was an Evil God Cultist who wouldn't die no matter how severe the injuries; others didn't have his terrifying constitution.
Sarutobi Asuma, in pain, clutched his wound, looking at the giggling Hidan as he pulled out the long spike: "No wonder Hoshigaki Kisame wasn't worried about me escaping; turns out there's no way to escape… that guy, doesn't he fear pain?"
"Heheheh... of course, he's not afraid of pain!"
Just as Hidan was conducting the Evil God Ceremony surrounded by onlookers, the most impatient Ringo Ameyuri became fed up, drew her Ninja Blade, and stabbed it into Hidan's chest: "So slow and indecisive, not one bit like a man…"
Hidan immediately fell to the ground, still cursing at Ringo Ameyuri: "You damned woman, your Ninja Blade really hurts, you know!"
Even though Hidan sustained a mortal injury, he remained unscathed, but Sarutobi Asuma was different, slowly covering his chest wound, falling backwards.
Kakuzu nodded with satisfaction, taking Sarutobi Asuma's body inside, exchanging it for a bounty of thirty-five million.
Hoshigaki Kisame glanced at the bounty exchange site in front of him, giving a low command: "Go and steal the bodies of Chiriku and Sarutobi Asuma…"
This command was directed at Uchiha Obito.
No one knew, there was another person always hidden underground beneath them.
The face of Uchiha Obito, hidden beneath the ground, showed a touch of resentment, yet his body obediently entered the bounty exchange site, quietly retrieving the bodies of Sarutobi Asuma and Chiriku.
Elsewhere.
Uehara Naraku, who had just stepped into the Land of Fire, was requested by Konoha's border sentry to wait temporarily at the border; shortly, they would send someone to escort Uehara Naraku to Konoha Village.
Unable to help it, Uehara Naraku looked at those border sentries and shook his head. He had just received news from Uchiha Obito's consciousness about Sarutobi Asuma's sacrifice.
"These guys acted way too fast!"
Uehara Naraku shook his head and sighed, quietly controlling Uchiha Obito, sending his order: "Have Hoshigaki Kisame inform Uchiha Itachi that it will be his last time appearing in the Land of Fire before his duel with Uchiha Sasuke; ensure he meets Uzumaki Naruto, and keep a close watch on Uchiha Itachi's every move!"
Only in this way can the hidden Kotoamatsukami Mangekyo Sharingan of Uchiha Itachi be lured out, thereby completely eliminating the threat of Uchiha Itachi!