Episode 36: The Akatsuki's Retreat
Kenpachi slashed at Hidan, who blocked it with his scythe.
"You blocked it." Kenpachi said. "Which means that there is a way to kill you. If it didn't matter if you got slashed, then you wouldn't have blocked it."
"Blocking is a basic fighting reflex. You'll never be able to defeat me!" Hidan slashed at Kenpachi's chest, then ran to his circle. Kenpachi grabbed him by the throat, and lifted him up off the ground.
"For a second there, it felt as if a hand was around my throat. But that was only when you were in that circle. When I lifted you off your feet I stopped feeling it. I think that this little symbol is the cause of your jutsu."
Hidan mumbled something, but it wasn't audible.
"I can't hear you!" Roared Kenpachi. "I don't care either." Kenpachi walked forwards, and then he slammed Hidan on the ground, right outside the circle. Kenpachi slashed down across Hidan's chest. Hidan then pulled out his staff, and he stabbed Kenpachi in the leg.
Kenpachi grinned, and he slashed Hidan's arm off. He then yanked the staff from his leg, and he stabbed it down into Hidan's chest, so he couldn't move.
"You stupid... bastard..." Growled Hidan. "Jashin will punish you for this!"
"If Jashin would punish me for this, why isn't he stopping me?"
Hidan said nothing.
"I'm done talking. I'm ending this right now." Kenpachi gripped his sword with one hand, and then he slashed down across Hidan's head. He yanked the staff from Hidan's chest. "That was disappointing." Kenpachi went to sheath his sword.
"You stupid bastard..." Growled Hidan.
"So you're still alive?"
"Why don't you try to finish me off, you prick?"
"I have no interest in putting you down like you're a sick animal. I'm not going to do you such a great favor as to end your suffering." Kenpachi sheathed his sword, and then began to watch everyone else fight.
Rinji jumped backwards, and his eyes suddenly turned back into their normal color.
"Asuma..." He called. "I'm fine now... I forcibly turned my jutsu off." Rinji was out of breath.
Kakuzu blasted a fist at him, but Rinji jumped away from him and dodged it. Rinji made a hand sign, and then he healed his chest.
"Young man," Rinji was addressing Shikamaru. "Stall him while I heal Asuma..."
"Alright." Shikamaru made a hand sign, and then shadows at Kakuzu, but then they came up from the ground.
Kakuzu jumped back and dodged it. He charged at Shikamaru.
"I'm fine." Asuma said. "I don't need to be healed."
Rinji drew a pair of kunai, and he hurled them at Kakuzu. Kakuzu jumped backwards, and then Shikamaru made more hand signs, and then shot the shadows at him again.
"I'm not going to argue you. We need to hurry."
Rinji quickly healed Asuma's chest. Then the two stood by Shikamaru.
"Your Jutsu revolves around shadows. I can help you." Rinji pulled out a wire, and he tied it around the end of a kunai. He then hurled the kunai at Kakuzu, who dodged it. Rinji was still holding the end of the kunai. Rinji then handed Shikamaru the wire, as the kunai at the wall behind Kakuzu.
Rinji stood up on the wire, and he darted across it.
Shikamaru made some hand signs, and as Rinji got close to Kakuzu, Rinji's shadow extended and got up to Kakuzu's shadow.
Kakuzu could no longer move. He was going to be defeated.
Asuma charged at Kakuzu with his chakra blades, and Shikamaru undid his jutsu at the last minute, as Asuma stabbed at Kakuzu, but Kakuzu punched at Asuma's wound. Rinji managed to tackle Asuma out of the way of the attack, and then he fliped back to his feet, and stabbed Kakuzu in the shoulder with his kunai.
Kakuzu punched Rinji in the cheek and sent him flying backwards.
"You're a fool for turning your jutsu off." Growled Kakuzu.
Asuma hurled a chakra blade at him, and Kakuzu dodged it, and he yanked the kunai from his shoulder and hurled it at Asuma, who teleported out of the way, and retrieved his chakra blade.
Asuma, Rinji, and Shikamaru regrouped.
"No matter what strategy you plan, you won't defeat me!" Kakuzu roared.
Tatsuzo punched Shikyo in the face, and knocked him backwards. Shikyo jumped up into the air and he dodged Choji's Human Boulder, and then he dodged Ino's kunai slash.
Choji and Ino then ran up to Tatsuzo. "We won't be able to defeat him like this." Tatsuzo said. "Boulder guy, you'll be the distraction, and after he dodges you, I'll hold him down while you get him, girl."
Choji nodded. He made a hand sign, and he turned into a ball again and he rolled towards him.
Shikyo dodged to the side, and then Tatsuzo put him in a full nelson, making it so he couldn't move his arms. "GO!" He roared.
Ino charged at him with a kunai, and stabbed forwards towards him. At the last second, Shikyo spun so Ino stabbed Tatsuzo in the side instead of him.
"Crap!" Ino cried, and jumped backwards.
Tatsuzo groaned, but he was still holding him there. "Hit him!"
Ino punched him in the jaw, but then the man broke free from Tatsuzo's hold, and he punched at Ino's face.
Tatsuzo grabbed his arm and flipped him onto his back.
Tatsuzo yanked the kunai from his side, and stabbed down at him. The man caught Tatsuzo's wrist, and the two struggled for the kunai, and then Shikyo flipped Tatsuzo onto the ground next to him, and the two rolled around struggling to get the knife.
"What do we do?" Asked Choji.
"Well if we do attack, then we might hit our ally. We can't risk hitting him again..." Ino swallowed.
"I'm sure he doesn't blame you, Ino."
Ino nodded.
Tatsuzo finally kicked Shikyo backwards, and Tatsuzo was the one with the kunai. He hurled it down at Shikyo's head, but he ducked and then he kicked Tatsuzo in the crotch, and jumped backwards.
"Now!" Choji called, and he made a hand sign, and then he flew towards Shikyo and Tatsuzo. Shikyo jumped up into the air at the last second, and then Tatsuzo had no time to dodge him.
"Metal Ninja!" Cried Ino.
Tatsuzo held up his one arm, and he stopped Choji. "This might hurt, Leaf Ninja. Prepare yourself!" He then hurled Choji at Shikyo.
Choji's hair then started spiking out. "SPIKY HUMAN BOULDER!"
Shikyo had no time to dodge now, being as Choji had a boost from Tatsuzo.
Shikyo got plowed over, his his arms, chest, and face were now bleeding.
Tatsuzo walked over, and he lifted him up off the ground.
"What rank are you?" Growled Tatsuzo.
"I'm... a Takdesu." He grinned. "He's finally here, then."
"Who's here?" Asked Tatsuzo, but was interrupted by a woman's yell.
"SARUTOBI!" Cried Machiko.
Asuma turned, just in time to see a man wearing all black and he had black hair, and dark brown eyes. "I'm sorry..." And he sounded like he meant it. He suddenly disappeared, and a blade appeared protruding from Asuma's chest.
"ASUMA!" Cried Shikamaru.
Kakuzu speared Rinji through the stomach with his fist.
The man then took the blade from Asuma's chest, and he appeared behind Tatsuzo, and slashed him across the back.
Tatsuzo dropped Shikyo, who kicked him in the jaw, and then the three other Akatsuki teleported over to Hidan, and Kakuzu punched Kenpachi in the face sending him flying backwards. Kakuzu grabbed Hidan's body, and swung it onto his back.
Shikyo grabbed his arm, and the other guy grabbed his head.
Tatsuzo charged at them, but then they teleported away.
Tatsuzo stopped, and he fell to his knees. He knelt down, and he fell on his face.
The Ino-Shika-Cho Formation ran up to Asuma, who was lying on the ground.
Asuma was lying there, a large hole in his chest.
Rinji knelt down across from Asuma, and made some hand signs. "We might be able to save him..." Rinji said. "If you guys have a medical ninja..." Rinji's hands glowed green at Asuma's wound.
Ino made some hand signs, and then gathered green energy at her hands. The two healed Asuma's wound, and Asuma opened his eyes.
It was beginning to rain.
Rinji's more beat up then he should be... Thought Shikamaru. If he keeps using chakra then he'll pass out...
Rinji's eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell backwards.
"Listen..." Asuma said. "Don't waste time trying to heal me... Tatsuzo and Rinji can both be saved... but you can't bring me back. I'm going to die."
"Don't say that..." Ino's eyes watered.
"You can feel it to, can't you?" Asuma waited a second. "Let me tell you something that I never got around to saying... Ino, you are strong willed, and dependable. Choji and Shikamaru, they are both slackers. Keep them in line. And, don't let Sakura beat you. In ninjutsu, or romance."
"Okay, Sensei..." Ino rubbed the tears from her face.
"Choji, you're a kind man who cares for his comrades. That's why… you'll become a shinobi more powerful than everyone else. Be more confident in yourself. And… maybe diet a little."
Choji was too choked up to say anything. He didn't bother to rub the tears from his face.
"And Shikamaru. You're so smart… and have great sense as a shinobi. You could definitely become Hokage. But… you're too lazy… You'd probably hate it. I never even beat you once at shogi… Ah, yes… Remember our talk about the King…?"
"Yes, sensei..." Shikamaru was looking down, but he wasn't crying.
"Come closer to me for a second..."
Asuma then whispered something into Shikamaru's ear.
Shikamaru nodded, and then he blinked the tears from his eyes.
"I want one last smoke..." Asuma said.
Shikamaru put a cigarette in his mouth, and then took out his lighter, and lit it up for him.
Shikamaru stood up, and looked up at the black sky. He let the tears run down from his face.
"Ino, heal the Metal Ninja..."
Ino walked over to Rinji and healed him, and then she healed Tatsuzo.
Notes: This episode was... painful to write. I really didn't want to kill Asuma, and I kind of messed up his death scene because I didn't watch it as I was writing, so that may have taken away from the scene. I just didn't want to watch my favorite Naruto character's death again.