Heir of the Sage
Disclaimer: Naruto is solely the possession of Kishimoto, alas I only own the computer I used to write a story based on his wonderful work.
Summary: When Naruto is learning how to use his Elemental Affinity from Yamato and Kakashi, they end up with far more than he bargained for! Now Naruto is armed with the abilities of the First Hokage, how will he deal with his enemies? Mokuton!Naruto AU
Author's Note: I have to warn you here! This chapter is quite graphic and has bad language. I hope you enjoy it!
Chapter Four: His Defence
Team Asuma had moved stealthily through the night, taking small and energising breaks on the way. It would take them longer than normally as the Akatsuki would doubtlessly be expecting an attack.
They eventually reach the now half-demolished Temple of Fire. A group of monks shuffled tiredly out of the temple to meet them. "Who are you?" They asked cautiously.
"We are Konoha ninja," Kotetsu said and pointed to his forehead protector, "And we are here to find the people that did this to the Temple."
The monks nodded in acceptance, and the Elder monk motioned to them, "Come inside. You may find clues to their whereabouts."
They followed the monks inside, only to find the main room cleared of rubble and filled with coffins. "Okay, so where's Chiriku's body?" Asuma asked them.
One of the monks responded nervously, "Unfortunately, Chiriku-sama's body is the only one we could not retrieve."
"Uhh Asuma-taichou?" Izumo muttered, "I'm not sure how to put it, but an underground organisation put a thirty million ryo bounty on Chiriku's head," he said, "Akatsuki must be trying to cash in on him."
"They must be," Asuma agreed distastefully.
"That means they'll be headed to an exchange point," Shikamaru pointed out. "They must be taking Chiriku's body with them."
Kotetsu nodded, "Izumo, where's the nearest exchange points?"
Izumo grunted, and flipped through some paperwork, "There are five nearby including the one nearest us."
Kotetsu nodded, "Let me send out messenger birds to alert the nearest four teams to head towards the other exchange points." Kotetsu wrote out four identical messages, and summoned four small birds. "Take these messages to the four nearest Konoha Teams," he explained and attached the messages to their feet. "And do it fast!"
The birds flew through a hole in the roof agilely, and they watched them go. "Good, let's get going too," Asuma said gruffly.
"Just a moment Asuma Sarutobi-dono," the Elder Monk said. "If you're about to head into battle, please let us say a prayer for you..." The monk requested politely. "It's what Chiriku would have wanted us to do."
Asuma didn't need to think over the offer, and immediately smiled at the gesture, "Thanks," he said and he shook the Elder Monk's hand.
The gathered monks put their hands together in prayer, and the group murmured together incomprehensibly, in peaceable tones. Asuma, Izumo and Kotetsu faced them with bowed heads, while Shikamaru frowned at the whole affair. 'Asuma passed the Elder Monk a piece of paper when he shook his hand; I wonder what it says,' he thought grimly.
The monks lifted their heads, and the Elder said, "The prayer has ended."
"Thank you," Asuma said gratefully, and the group turned to leave.
"Wait, Asuma-dono," The Elder Monk said quickly, "Your waistband… It's like Chiriku's." Shikamaru glanced at the cloth that was bound around Asuma's waist curiously, and noticed the sign on the material, 'Fire.' The Monk continued gravely, "You had best be careful, anyone from the Twelve Guardian Ninja has a bounty on his head… please take care."
"Don't worry about me," Asuma replied positively, "The bounty on my head is five million more than Chiriku's," he put up his hand to emphasise it with each of his fingers and thumb. "They won't take my head without a hell of a fight!"
The monks bowed, and Asuma and his team left swiftly, and as soon as they found the cover of the trees, Shikamaru could not resist asking, "Asuma-sensei, what kind of relationship did you have with Chiriku?"
Asuma asked, "What's this all of a sudden?"
"You haven't lit up a cigarette in over two days, and everybody knows what a heavy smoker you are," Shikamaru said. "I mean whenever you quit, it's because something happened!"
Asuma snorted, "Very observant, if you see through me like this, I'm not hiding things quite well enough!"
Shikamaru smirked, "Actually, whenever we play Shogi I read you like a book…" and Shikamaru hesitated, "It's just that you haven't quit for this long since the Sandaime died."
Izumo and Kotetsu's faces were solemn and they said nothing. This was clearly a talk reserved for Teacher and Student.
"Chiriku and I were both members of the Twelve Guardian Ninja," Asuma said reservedly. "To put it simply, we were the best of friends. Much like you and Chouji." Shikamaru frowned, as he felt pain and sadness emanate from his teacher.
"You know, smoking's one of those habits that just doesn't break," Asuma continued, "Quitting isn't one of those things that lasts you know?" Izumo and Kotetsu laughed knowingly, and Shikamaru grinned. Asuma chuckled with them, "At least that's how it's been so far. But you know, Shikamaru, I'm touched that you're worried about me and all, but the reason I quit wasn't Chiriku's death."
Shikamaru looked at him sharply, and Asuma felt the need to explain, "There's something more important than that. But never mind that now, these Akatsuki clearly have serious skills if they are powerful enough to take out Chiriku," Asuma warned, "Don't let down your guard."
Team Asuma stopped when they reached their destination, the Exchange Point. "Look, there's the Akatsuki member on his own," Kotetsu muttered, "We should get him while he has no back up."
"I agree," Asuma replied quietly. "Kotetsu, Izumo, attack from the sides. I'll attack from behind to draw his attention, so when he faces me disable him from behind Shikamaru."
The Akatsuki member sat on the steps. He had a head of pale blond hair, and from the looks of him he carried strange and unknown weaponry. His face was unfamiliar, but the signature black cloak with red clouds however was what identified him clearly.
"Geez the smell of that place!" The man muttered, "Stayed in there for five minutes, and the stench totally sank into my clothes."
"Right, I'm going!" Asuma said, and he dropped to the ground and moved swiftly to the front of the building. 'He'll mistake me for the partner that's still in the Exchange Point, we'll have to take him out fast!'
"Hey Kakuzu, what took you-" The man said, only to turn around to see Asuma who already had a hand on his weapon. "Shit!"
Asuma launched a kunai directly at the man, knowing he would either move to avoid it or deflect it with the strange weapon. The blond haired man moved quickly, his strange tool swinging around on an odd whip-like base. He flicked the weapon at Asuma, who jumped away speedily to avoid it cutting off one of his feet. 'It's a scythe!' Asuma noted after he landed. The man's hand was still outstretched, and he started to yank the scythe back, when suddenly blood erupted from his mouth.
"Too late," Shikamaru smirked; his shadow had stretched to meet the Akatsuki member's own, and held him firmly in place. The man's eyes however locked onto the swords that Kotetsu and Izumo had taken the opportunity to plunge into his sides. Kotetsu roughly twisted the sword in the man's side, hoping to inflict even more pain before he died.
Asuma grinned victoriously, "One down!"
And the group couldn't suppress their shock when the Akatsuki member spat out a gob of blood, and moaned, "Ouch man, who the hell are you guys?" The blond haired man sighed raggedly, "Stop moving man, it hurts so much!"
"Wait… h-he should be dead!" Izumo's voice shook, "What the…?"
Kotetsu's face was grim, "Is this guy immortal?"
The Akatsuki member laughed heavily, "Isn't it obvious? Who the hell are you anyway?"
The pair didn't answer him, so the Akatsuki looked towards the man in front of him- Asuma. The Akatsuki members' eyes immediately landed on the sash at his waste. "Please tell me we're not going back into that cesspool," he moaned emphatically.
Asuma felt confusion for a moment, then realised that the man's eyes were on his waistband. 'This is definitely the man that killed Chiriku…' Asuma gathered himself, "We are Konoha ninja, and we are under orders to restrain you, or otherwise eliminate you," he said tonelessly
The Akatsuki member snorted.
"As Akatsuki members work in pairs," Asuma continued, trying to buy time to think, "We were planning on capturing your partner after taking you out, but it looks like your abilities will be a problem." He lifted his hands, his trench knives on his hands at the ready.
"Looks like you chose the wrong man to go after," the platinum-blond man said acidly.
'So this is the Akatsuki… how do you deal with powers like that? Not even the Kagenui (Shadow Stitch) will help here!' Shikamaru thought in panic, 'How would we defeat them?
"Where's your partner?" Asuma asked carefully. 'I need to know where he is so I can put my mind at ease…'
Shikamaru froze in fear, he could feel the other Akatsuki behind him, "Shit!" He darted to the side, barely avoiding an explosive strike that destroyed the side of the Exchange Point building.
"Haha! I'm free!" The blond cheered, as Shikamaru released the bind technique by accident.
"Crap, he's loose! Kotetsu, Izumo fall back!" Asuma ordered, just as Shikamaru landed behind him. The other Akatsuki member followed, and jumped down to directly confront them.
"It looks like you hit the jackpot for once, Hidan," the newcomer said in a rusty and grated voice.
The blond man, Hidan, spat out blood once again. "Don't you touch them Kakuzu!"
Asuma looked at Hidan in shock, 'What's going on? Do these two not get along? We could use that to our advantage…'
"They're all a part of my ritual! I'm killing them all!" He claimed violently, "I'll let you take the money for that Guardian Ninja though!"
Asuma resisted the urge to roll his eyes, 'Screw using that to our advantage, they're just arguing over who gets to kill us!'
Kakuzu nodded his acceptance; his solid, opaque turquoise eyes followed all their movements. "I'll let you do as you please then. But watch yourself, if you aren't careful you might die!"
Hidan snorted, and slid his foot through his blood. "Every damn time! You always say that to me," he said, "Yet they never actually manage it!" He slid his foot around the other side now, and formed a circle of blood around him. "But you know what? If they manage it, I couldn't be happier!" He formed a triangle of blood within the circle and grinned cruelly. "But I don't think they can!"
"I'll go in Shikamaru," Asuma volunteered, "You look for an opening to hold him down in your Kagenui (Shadow Stitch), I only need a second…" Asuma channelled wind chakra to his trench knives, "I'll lop off his head."
Shikamaru immediately protested, "Asuma-sensei, that's way too risky! It's not like you."
"What're you piss-ants talking about?" Hidan called mockingly, "Don't whisper! It means I don't get to chat too!"
"I agree," Kotetsu said to Shikamaru. They ignored Hidan's shriek, and Izumo said nothing, his eyes completely focused on Kakuzu.
Asuma turned to Shikamaru, his eyes alive with fear, "Don't you get it?" Asuma asked almost manically, desperation leaked into his voice. "These guys outdo me by far! Izumo, Kotetsu, you two keep an eye on the other one while guarding Shikamaru."
Shikamaru found Asuma's panic infectious, 'This is the first time I've ever seen Asuma this worried and hopeless!'
"Knowing their strength," Izumo said, "Is all the more reason to retreat Asuma!"
"Yes," Kotetsu agreed, "We can retreat and think up a counter-"
"-Don't even think they'll let us go that easily," Asuma replied firmly, "If we try to leave with our tail between our legs, we're done for. Even if we escaped, all that would do is put Konoha in further danger!"
Shikamaru looked away from Asuma bleakly.
"We need to be the 'Vanguard that breaks enemy lines' right about now!" Asuma said referring to their Shogi game from the day before. He took a shuddering breath to calm himself.
Hidan finally yanked Kotetsu's sword from out of his side, and he let the blood rush out for a moment. "Hell that hurts!" He complained, "You go and stab me over and over, you two. Divine judgement awaits heathens who are ignorant to the pain of others!" Hidan shoved the sword into the ground, and sheathed it firmly in the soil.
"… Asuma," Shikamaru said quietly, "You're not just a sacrificial 'Rook' piece, you know?"
Asuma chuckled dryly, "I'll be more than a sacrificial piece today. I have the 'Knight' looking after me, you know?" Asuma's eyes met Hidan's.
"I'm prepared for you, Konoha ninja," he spat, "And I'll enjoy giving all of your souls to Jashin-sama."
Shikamaru focused his chakra and formed his Kagenui hand seal.
And Asuma shot forwards, wind chakra buzzing harshly on the edges of his trench knives. Hidan ran forward as well at a slightly slower pace, and he launched himself at Asuma, the two meeting in the air. Their weapons collided, and they dropped to the floor again. Asuma flipped backwards, and bounced straight ahead to confront Hidan again, who had landed on his hand and sprung upwards and above Asuma.
A large chunk of one of the scythe's sharp edges dropped to the floor and dug into the ground, and Shikamaru sent forwards his shadow to capture Hidan. The Akatsuki member landed back on his seal, and reached downwards and unsheathed Kotetsu's sword from the ground, he flung it quickly at Asuma, who was forced halt his advance. Asuma used his trench knives' extremely sharp wind enhanced edge and cut straight through the sword as if it were butter, and continued onwards again, in an attempt to regain his momentum. Hidan slung out his scythe again, and he whipped it at Asuma's body. Asuma jumped over the weapon, and Hidan unexpected pulled at the whip, the action forcing the large bladed weapon to swing back and upwards to cut Asuma's head in two, starting at his chin.
"Asuma!" Shikamaru shouted in fear for his teacher's life.
The blade was inches away from Asuma's jaw. "Mokuton: Mokujouheki!" (Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall)
And Asuma landed on his feet, a strange brown-wooden covering. He heard the loud 'thunk' of the scythe on the other side of the screen. "… What on Earth?"
"I hope we're not too late, Asuma-sensei!"
Asuma turned, and he could only feel relief. Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Sakura and Sai stood alongside Shikamaru, Kotetsu and Izumo. "No, Naruto, I think you're right on time!"
Asuma, Shikamaru, Kotetsu and Izumo jumped from roof to roof on their way out of Konoha, when Asuma heard someone call his name. "Hey Asuma!"
Asuma, Shikamaru, Kotetsu and Izumo landed in front of Kakashi, who seemed taken aback by their solemn expressions. "Kakashi, I'd better warn you," Asuma said hurriedly, "The Akatsuki has been spotted within Fire Country and they demolished the Fire Temple completely."
"Wait, what?" Kakashi replied, beyond shocked. "You think they've come here for Naruto?"
Asuma nodded, "Tsunade thinks it's possible. She's mobilised the Niju Shotai, and I've got a bad feeling about this." At this point Kakashi noticed that Shikamaru looked concerned too; a fact that was most unusual considering Shikamaru was normally too lazy to feel concerned.
"So just in case the worst happens, you want me to make sure Naruto's prepared?" Kakashi guessed.
"Yes. That's the main part," Asuma said, "But they other part is that I would like to ask if you could back us up?"
"How long do we have?" Kakashi asked immediately, "Naruto is learning a very important technique, and if he's capable of the amount of talent he showed yesterday, I'm certain he'll have learnt it by this evening."
"We've still got to co-ordinate our movements and plans, but it should take us until tomorrow morning to catch up with the Akatsuki," Asuma thought aloud, "If you move at top-speed you should be able to leave by six tomorrow morning and still catch up with us." It was true; it would take Asuma's team longer to pursue the Akatsuki just in case they were lying in wait or had planted any traps.
"Then we will, or we'll get another team to replace us if there's any problems," Kakashi promised, "When you see what Naruto can do, you'll be very surprised."
"I look forward to it," Asuma laughed, "Let's go plan at the gate," he said to his team. Shikamaru, Izumo and Kotetsu nodded the affirmative and moved ahead of Asuma. "Listen Kakashi, Tsunade seemed very worried," Asuma muttered, "And she wouldn't be worrying without reason. You shouldn't have any problems trying to convince her to send you after us."
"Asuma, why do you think it's your team who will find the Akatsuki in the first place?" Kakashi asked, "Why are you so sure?"
Asuma replied, "It's a feeling."
"… Naruto, did you just use Mokuton?" Shikamaru asked, relief and curiosity flooded through him.
"Yep! I'm a natural!" He grinned at his old classmate. "So what do we know about these Akatsuki?"
Shikamaru blinked slowly at Naruto's answer. "Next to nothing," Asuma said as he trudged back towards the group, "But there's one thing to note: The guy with the scythe is immortal."
"The best thing to do right now, is split these two up," Kakashi advised, "Yamato, Izumo, Kotetsu, Sai, you should take the Scythe user."
Izumo and Kotetsu shakily agreed, and immediately Yamato channelled the chakra for a Mokuton technique, "Let's go, Sai!" He ordered, and dosens of trees shot out from the floor around Hidan.
A tree sprouted from the ground underneath Hidan's feet, and he leaped off of the top of the tree only to come face to face with two ink-black tigers that clawed at him angrily, "Woah!"
"Kotetsu, Izumo, stay back and look for an opening to take off his body parts!" Asuma said, "The two of you will have better luck than me with the long range support."
The pair nodded, and each used a scroll to summon a new sword. "We'll see you later!" Izumo said in a bad attempt at nonchalance as each of them could hear the apprehension in his voice. The two ran straight after Yamato and Sai who had managed to push Hidan away and out of sight.
Kakashi, Asuma, Naruto, Sakura and Shikamaru now stood in front of the unknown, 'Kakuzu.' "Sakura, you stay at a tactical distance unless you think you can get a shot in to take him down, Asuma, you and I will go in close distance-"
"Hold on, isn't Naruto a close-combat type?" Asuma argued, "No offence Kakashi, but I think he'd be better at this!"
"Things changed Asuma-sensei," Naruto replied, "I can fight from any distance now."
Kakashi continued as if uninterrupted, "Shikamaru, you stay at long distance and try and catch him in your shadow."
"Kakashi-sensei, I think I'm going to help the others with the other Akatsuki," Shikamaru said, "Something bothers me about his technique."
Kakashi nodded confusedly but didn't let it faze him, "Looks like it's just us then, guys."
Yamato and Sai applied pressure to Hidan in the form of ink-made animals, and sharp, painful looking stakes of wood until Hidan was well out of his partner's sight. "You bastards are making a big mistake," Hidan warned, "Jashin-sama was just about to take that blasphemer's life when that blond bastard stopped me!" And suddenly, the Akatsuki member launched himself forwards, and moved straight from the defensive to the offensive. "I'll kill you for that!"
"Not if we kill you first," Sai said blandly, and he slung a set of shuriken directly at Hidan. Hidan let them hit him, and he continued to run straight at Sai, who was unnerved by the behaviour. Sai jumped to the side, away from Hidan's charge, and he could only watch as he continued like a rampaging bull.
Hidan moved swiftly and savagely, "I'll serve your souls to Jashin-sama for breakfast!" He shouted, and he swung the scythe against a tree, the rope twisting around it and the blades coming dangerously close to Sai's face. Sai jumped up onto a branch, and he ran his brush across a scroll of parchment, immediately bringing to life a large eagle. Sai bounced off of the branch and landed onto the bird's back, and he soared above the forest very far out of Hidan's reach.
Hidan brought his scythe up to his face to defend against Izumo's sword, and he planted a powerful kick on the Konoha ninja, which sent him down to the forest floor and away. He heard the crack of a broken twig, and started to turn around cautiously, only to find Kotetsu's sword piercing his back, penetrating his body through his ribcage.
Shikamaru arrived to see the group fighting back Hidan, and he scowled in thought, 'I heard him say that he was just about to take that 'blasphemer's life when Naruto stopped him,' he pondered. 'And he kept on moving back into the blood seal when we fought him before…'
"You bastard!" He growled, "I will have you die painfully!" Kotetsu drew the sword out of Hidan's back, and Hidan swung his scythe behind him- only to miss Kotetsu who was pushed out of the way by a large lump of wood that slithered quickly like a snake.
"Be careful," Yamato warned Kotetsu and he waved his hand at Hidan, "Suiton: Suihashu! (Water Release: Water Wave Hand)" Hidan found himself launched backwards by a hard burst of water.
The Akatsuki member barely found his feet, and he grabbed at a thin nearby tree. He used the momentum from the water technique to quickly climb up it, 'I'm lucky that wasn't a damaging attack,' Hidan thought grimly. "You bastards will regret this-" Suddenly, he realised he was not alone on the tree and unexpectedly his left arm was cut clean off.
"Regret that, you freak!" Kotetsu yelled, and he dropped straight off of the tree branch to temporarily retreat.
"My arm!" Hidan screamed, "You motherfucker!" The furious missing-ninja took off after Kotetsu, who had lost his footing when he had jumped down from the tree.
Kotetsu crawled backwards, and he could see the maniacal look in the Akatsuki member's eyes. Hidan swung his scythe dangerously at Kotetsu's neck and Kotetsu managed to roll backwards and away from the blades. Hidan yanked at the rope it was attached to again, and it swung off course, and this time the multiple blades plunged abruptly and completely into Kotetsu's neck.
Konoha was quiet, as if there was already a funeral taking place. And so Tsunade and Shizune waited in the Hokage's office, the pair of them anxious beyond measure. Tonton squealed at Shizune, who lifted her off of the table, "I know Tonton, I'm worried too."
Tsunade frowned, "Maybe I should never have let them go…" she wondered. 'But Naruto was so determined…'
When the early morning light hit Konoha's Hokage Mountain, a group of five ninjas headed towards the Hokage's office. Kakashi led the group, Sakura followed after him, Sai after her, and Naruto and Yamato brought up the rear of the group. With a single knock, Kakashi led the group straight into the Tsunade's 'den.'
"Tsunade-sama, I would like to request that our team be sent after the Niju Shotai as back up. Asuma Sarutobi asked in particular for us to join him," Kakashi said. "And I don't plan to let them down."
"Kakashi, I understand your concern for your fellow ninja, but I cannot allow you to simply do as you please!" Tsunade replied in frustration.
"Please Tsunade-sama," Sakura said, "If Asuma asked for us to go, he must have some kind of plan for us to aid them."
"That's right!" Naruto said, "You can't just send someone else, 'cause they wouldn't be expecting anyone else- if you send something they didn't ask for it could endanger the mission!"
"Naruto, we're meant to be protecting you from Akatsuki," Tsunade moaned, "You're not supposed to be in the front lines of this."
"Well you know what?" Naruto asked with equal frustration, "I should be in the front lines! I have the highest chakra capacity in Konoha, and other than Yamato-taichou, only I am capable of using the Mokuton!"
"… You can use the Mokuton?" Tsunade asked weakly, "And how is that possible?"
"I've arranged medical examinations for when we return Tsunade-sama," Sakura said briskly, "And you know that the Mokuton is the best offensive and defensive ninjutsu type there has ever been!"
"And that is why we should go," Naruto said firmly, "I'm the best choice for facing an unknown enemy."
Tsunade turned away from Team Kakashi and around to face the window. "Urgh, fine! Go! But you know what? You'd better not let them take you, Naruto."
"I won't Baa-chan!"
Tsunade held her head in her hands. "Did I make the wrong decision, Shizune?"
"Which decision?" Shizune asked, "I would assume you meant sending Naruto, but it's been a busy day!" she joked with a feeble laugh.
The Hokage grunted, "I'm worried for our ninja, don't get me wrong. But they won't just kill Naruto," her voice trembled. "They will tear his very essence from his body, and slowly torture him to death."
Shizune sighed, "Even if you did make the wrong decision Tsunade-sama, it can't be helped now." Shizune saw the depressed look on Tsunade's face, and quickly amended herself, "But not to worry! Naruto's one of our finest ninja!"
Tsunade looked at Shizune through her fingers and ignored the last part, "I suppose you're right. It can't be helped."
"I got you!" Hidan cheered viciously and he twisted his scythe in Kotetsu's gullet, the ninja gurgled blood, "Take his life Jashi-"
-Kotetsu's body disappeared suddenly, only to be replaced by a lump of wood. "You mixed low level genjutsu with a Kawirimi no Jutsu (Replacement Technique)?" Hidan snorted, "How pathetic!"
"But it was pathetic enough to fool you!" Izumo retorted, and he flitted forwards, and swung his sword at Hidan's stomach which cut open thinly as Hidan had managed to barely pull away from the attack.
"I almost killed you earlier, you pathetic nay-sayer! I'll do it again!" Hidan roared like an animal, and he charged toward Izumo furiously. Izumo jumped up into the trees to avoid him just as Kotetsu threw a kunai which impacted on Hidan's shoulder.
Kotetsu smirked, "Boom." And Hidan could only feel a burst of pain as his shoulder blew up, with chunks of bone blasting out like shrapnel.
"Shikamaru, something this Akatsuki guy said made me wonder," Izumo muttered. "He said he almost killed me just now, but he never actually touched me." The two crouched quietly in some bushes, and watched Hidan charge after Kotetsu, who kept on laying explosive notes to put him off.
Shikamaru nodded, "And when he was talking earlier about 'preparation', I think he was referring to the blood seal. Never mind that, just watch out for the scythe," he said thoughtfully, "I think that if you combine the blood seal with the scythe, he'll kill you…"
"How will we beat him Shikamaru?" Izumo murmured in frustration, "He's like a damned zombie…" Shikamaru and Izumo broke out of their thoughts when they heard the nearby screams of Kotetsu.
"What's he saying?" Shikamaru asked lowly, "He doesn't look injured…"
"No, he's not injured," Hidan replied from behind them, his voice gritty and raspy. His hair which was previously slicked back and a pale blond was now haphazard, singed and red with his blood. He towered over their crouched figures, his scythe at the ready. "So you figured it out did you?" He asked, his eyes were bloodshot and his Akatsuki cloak destroyed by explosive damage. Blood was smeared over his burnt skin, all of it his own.
Izumo and Shikamaru looked up at Hidan, wide-eyed as he pulled back his scythe and prepared to land a hit that would likely kill them both, "I won't even bother sending your souls to Jashin-sama," he said hysterically, "I'll just rip you apart!"
"No!" Kotetsu shouted, he grabbed onto the blades of the scythe to stop him, his fingers bleeding from the strain, "Move you idiots!" he shouted at the unmoving Shikamaru and Izumo, who nodded dumbly and ran for cover hastily.
The 'zombie' kicked backwards and launched Kotetsu into a tree, his head slammed against it nastily. "Looks like you saved your friends, but there's never anyone left to save the hero!" Hidan laughed crazily, and he threw the scythe directly at Kotetsu, and the weapon pinned his body to the tree. "Got you!" he shouted victoriously. He approached Kotetsu's silent body slowly, "It won't be long now, Jashin-sama," he whispered to himself.
'Shit! He hit Kotetsu!' Yamato thought in panic from his hiding place in one of the tallest trees, 'But I can't help him yet, first I have to wait for Sai's cue…'
Hidan grunted harshly in surprise when he was hit behind by another of Sai's ink animals, this time a large behemoth of a gorilla. Hidan growled as he felt the beast's arms bind his body in a bear-hug.
Yamato immediately appeared from the overgrowth his eyes fixed on the dangerous enemy, "Doton: Shinjuu Zanshu! (Earth Release: Double Suicide Decapitation)" and he slowly sunk into the forest soil.
Hidan's eyes went wide with panic, and he summoned his chakra into the whip connected to his scythe. He yanked it from Kotetsu's body and swung it around to swipe off the Gorilla's head. The animal burst into liquid ink and it clung to Hidan's bloodied body. He fell to the floor, and used his remaining hand to back flip away just as Yamato reached through the ground to pull his legs underground. Yamato however, managed to get a hold of one of his legs while Hidan barely grabbed onto one of the surrounding tree branches.
"Take this!" Izumo shouted, and suddenly Hidan found himself missing his right leg.
"You bastard! That'll really hurt to put back on!" He shouted, and he pulled himself up onto the branch and swung the scythe down, hoping to tear Izumo in two. Sai slid in front of the scythe and blocked it with his short-sword, and Izumo retreated, the cut-off leg in his hands.
"I'll still take all of you!" Hidan boasted, and he raised his arm to swing the scythe once more, and found his body unable to move. "What the fuck…" he muttered, his eyes searched the forest until he saw his shadow- distorted and stretched, and connected to the boy from earlier.
"Kage Mane no Jutsu (Shadow Imitation Technique) success," Shikamaru said with a smirk. He made an action with his hand, as if to drop an object, and with a dull 'thunk' the scythe fell from Hidan's hand to the forest floor.
"Good job Shikamaru," Yamato complimented, "Everyone did wonderfully." He made a single hand seal and Hidan's body was covered immediately in a freshly sprouted bind of wood that spiralled around him. Yamato strolled towards Hidan and took the scythe from a nearby bush. "So Hidan, is it?" Yamato said conversationally, "From the looks of your technique, you rely fully on this scythe. This in itself leads me to believe there's something more to this technique than we know…"
Hidan spat blood at him, "Why don't you ask boy-wonder?" he shouted petulantly.
"Yamato, we think that the blood seal grants him the ability to kill people in an instant," Izumo explained, and he used Hidan's leg (specifically his sandal) to scratch his head.
"Don't do that with my leg you fucker!" Hidan shouted furiously. Shikamaru and Yamato ignored him, while Izumo proceeded to wave at Hidan with the arm they had cut off earlier. Hidan grumbled loudly, while Izumo poked him in the face with his own hand, tauntingly.
Shikamaru grunted and tended to Kotetsu, "The seal and the scythe are doubtlessly connected," and he proceeded to bandage Kotetsu's wounds, "It looks like he'll be okay."
"Well never mind figuring out the technique for now! We've captured this one," Yamato said happily, "I think that two of us should escort him to Konoha. I'll send a clone over to the others to tell them that our job is over, call Sakura to heal Kotetsu, and dismantle this sycophant's seal."
"Looks like we caught you after all," Izumo said snidely, referring to how Hidan had said they had attacked the wrong partner. "Your little friend's not here to help you now, is he?"
"I hate you guys…" Hidan muttered angrily.