"Since taijutsu offers no advantage, I'll use ninjutsu!"
Asuma rapidly formed hand seals, expelling a cloud of black ash that completely enveloped Hidan, then bit down hard.
"Fire Style: Ash Pile Burning!"
Confused within the black smoke, Hidan muttered, "What's the point of this jutsu? To obscure vision? Or to suffocate ourselves?"
Soon, Hidan understood the significance of the black smoke. After Asuma bit his teeth, all the ash erupted into flames with a thunderous explosion.
Hidan's clothes were half-burned, but Hidan was currently under the curse of the Death Possession Blood, meaning any damage received would be reflected onto the cursed individual. As Hidan was immortal, this damage was negligible.
When the explosion subsided and the dust cleared, everyone only saw the burns on Asuma's body, while Hidan was completely unharmed, leading to widespread shock.
"It hurts, doesn't it? Yes? This is divine punishment! How about it? You've finally experienced a sliver of others' pain, haven't you?"
"I have cursed you! The ritual begins now! Come! Let us taste the ultimate pain together! Hahahahahaha! Everything is ready, it's going to hurt, you'd better be prepared!" kuAiδugg
Hidan stood atop the ritual circle, laughing maniacally. Another follower for the Jashin cult was about to be made.
Asuma didn't know what Hidan was planning but knew he would be at a severe disadvantage. He immediately drew his chakra blade, infused it with wind-attribute chakra, and rushed towards Hidan.
Hidan merely sneered at this, pulled out a pitch-black spear, and without hesitation, stabbed it into his own thigh. In that instant, Asuma felt the searing pain of his thigh being pierced.
Due to the pain in his thigh, Asuma stumbled mid-stride and fell to the ground, rolling a few times from the momentum. Afterwards, Asuma knelt on one knee, clutching his thigh, no longer daring to move rashly. He exchanged glances with Shikamaru, trying to gauge any intelligence.
"It hurts, right? Hahahahaha! But if it were aimed at a vital spot, it would be different. Still, this pain is the best! My body can be infused with the pain felt by others before their deaths, which elevates into a pleasure beyond mere pain!"
"Hahahahaha! Where do you want to feel pain next? Hmm? Or do you wish for it to end here? Huh?"
Hidan continued to laugh ecstatically, then withdrew the spear and pointed it at his own heart, speaking coldly to Asuma.
"Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
Shikamaru had now fully grasped Hidan's ability: connecting himself to others through some means and inflicting damage upon himself to make others share the pain. However, Hidan possessed immortality, while others did not, making this Hidan's greatest advantage. The only possibility was that Hidan had licked Asuma's blood earlier to establish a connection. Since then, Hidan had remained on that strange symbol, his body taking on a peculiar appearance. Thus, Shikamaru deduced that standing on the symbol drawn with blood and licking another's blood were both essential.
Now was the perfect opportunity. Hidan, trapped within the ritual circle, could not evade the Shadow Possession Jutsu.
As Hidan was about to plunge the spear into his heart, he suddenly felt his body lose control.
"This is troublesome! I've fallen for that kid's jutsu again!"
Shikamaru was slowly walking backward, step by step, and Hidan was mirroring his movements until Shikamaru led Hidan out of the ritual circle. Shikamaru then shouted to Asuma, "Now! Asuma!"
Receiving Shikamaru's signal, Asuma disregarded the pain in his thigh and infused his chakra blade with wind-attribute chakra, forming a blue blade.
"Chakra Blade, True One!"
In the blink of an eye, Asuma was before Hidan. He first sliced Hidan's ear as a test, and upon confirming he didn't suffer any damage, Asuma raised his hand and slashed at Hidan's neck. Hidan's head was severed by Asuma, and everyone present breathed a sigh of relief. Even with immortality, surely decapitation would mean death.
However, the severed head on the ground suddenly roared, "Bastard! Kakuzu, hurry and help! Hey! Are you just going to watch me get decapitated?"
Kakuzu retorted indifferently, "You said you didn't need my help. So, do you want me to step in now?"
"Damn you, Kakuzu! Don't you understand the situation? You don't help just because I told you not to? Quickly reattach my body."
"Tch. So I still have to do it. You're truly useless, Hidan!" Kakuzu slowly approached Hidan's head and picked it up, walking towards his body.
"Hey! Bring the body over here, Kakuzu!"
"Shut up! This way is easier."
As they spoke, Kakuzu placed Hidan's head back on his neck and then extended a black thread, slowly beginning to stitch.
Not long after, Hidan could move again. He shook his neck, "Ah! It's finally reattached!"
"Don't move around, or it'll fall off again. You deal with that bounty target, I'll handle the rest!" Kakuzu handed Asuma over to Hidan, and as soon as he finished speaking, he instantly appeared behind Shikamaru.
"First, it's you! Your secret technique is troublesome!"
Kakuzu delivered a heavy kick, sending Shikamaru flying. Shikamaru coughed up blood from the impact. Just as he tried to stand, his internal organs churned, rendering him unable to rise.
Seeing Shikamaru gravely injured, Shibi Izumo and Kotetsu Hagane drew their weapons and charged at Kakuzu. However, Kakuzu had already noticed them, extended his arm, directly choked them, and killed them instantly. It was a complete massacre.
Meanwhile, Hidan stretched his body and charged forward with his scythe. Asuma, not possessing immortality and still bleeding from his thigh, was no match for Hidan in close combat.
Under Hidan's enraged assault, Asuma struggled to defend himself, now panting heavily. Hidan then extended his scythe and swung it towards Asuma.
Asuma knew he couldn't fall under Hidan's curse again and quickly ducked to evade the attack.
"I won't fall for the same trick twice."
"Hahahaha! Idiot! How could it be the same!"
Hidan laughed maniacally, standing within the ritual circle. His skin color once again turned black and white, and he allowed the returning scythe to pierce his abdomen.
It was then that Asuma realized Hidan had deliberately lured him to this spot to get closer to the ritual circle.
Immediately, Asuma's abdomen bore an intense pain, as if his insides were being ripped out. Asuma tried to stand up again but no longer had the strength.
"Finally, I can taste that pain! The pain of killing you! Die!"
Hidan took out his pitch-black spear and pointed it at his own heart. This time, Hidan would not hesitate, stabbing it into his heart with the utmost speed.
"Ah! Comforting~!"
From a distance, Shikamaru, witnessing this, cried out, "Asu...ma!"
Shikamaru, enduring the intense pain, forced himself to his feet and charged directly at Hidan. The usually calm Shikamaru had lost his reason upon seeing his mentor killed.
Kakuzu, naturally, would not allow Shikamaru to pass. He released Shibi Izumo and reached out towards Shikamaru.
But at this very moment, a black blade slashed towards Kakuzu's neck. Kakuzu, startled, immediately retracted his hand and retreated quickly.
Simultaneously, countless crows appeared around Hidan. Earlier, Ao had arrived to provide support, but it was too late.
As Kakuzu prepared to unleash a killing spree, the voice of Pain of the Deva Path suddenly echoed in his mind.
"Everyone, find a safe location and prepare to seal the Five-Tails!"
"Wait a moment, I still have some unfinished business!" Even if he couldn't kill them, Kakuzu wanted to take Asuma's corpse.
"Abandon what you are doing. The Tailed Beast takes priority." Pain of the Deva Path's voice was filled with authority, allowing no one to disobey.
"Tch! Hidan! Let's retreat!"
Then, Kakuzu and Hidan swiftly departed the public restroom.
"Ino! Aren't you a medical ninja? Quickly! Treat Asuma!" Yamashiro Aoba had no intention of pursuing. The lives of his comrades took precedence, so he immediately called Ino over to treat Asuma.