Really, had he learned nothing from his battle against Sasori of the Red Sand?

Here he was, facing off against not one, but two fully fledged members of the Akatsuki and he knew next to nothing about either one of them. Once again, he'd jumped head first into danger.

Still, he would make the same decision over and over again if given the chance.

He wasn't about to let an opportunity to take down Akatsuki members slip between his fingers. For each member he kills, that's one less to worry about. For every minute a member is left alive, that's a whole minute they're working towards capturing the other Jinchuriki.

And then, when there are none left, they'll all have their eyes set on him. All focus will be given towards capturing him, and each member will begin hunting him and him alone.

He wants to purge their numbers before they get that chance.

Hidan, who had his eyes closed and a medallion held in front of his face as if in prayer, quickly put the medallion away and smirked at Kakuzu.

"Oi oi, let's get this show on the road eh Kakuzu?" Hidan asked with an excited voice, prepared to sacrifice the red head to his lord Jashin.

"By all means." Kakuzu agreed.

Kane took the backpack he always carried with him, and tossed it over his shoulder.

"Yeehaw!" Hidan screamed as he charged, pulling his red scythe out.

Kane's eyes dashed across the terrain, quickly assessing the area before both he and Karin jumped in opposite directions. Hidan turned, chasing after the redhead instead of Kane, and Kane's eyes widened.

'Shit!'

Karin gasped as Hidan quickly began closing the distance.

"Fire Style: Fire Ball Jutsu!" Kane yelled out as he shot a large ball of fire towards Hidan's back.

"Karin! Move!" Kane shouted, and the girl jumped away as Hidan turned just in time to see a huge ball of fire engulf him.

Karin quickly sprinted over to Kane, and Kane watched the flames with narrowed eyes.

That had been too easy.

"Hahahaha!" Hidan laughed maniacally as he sprinted at the duo once again, completely unharmed.

Kane whipped out a kunai and blocked, the kunai sliding in between the blades of the scythe, and Kane glared as Hidan smirked.

Karin's eyes whipped over to Kakuzu, but the other Akatsuki member seemed content to watch the battle carefully, not making a single move.

"I'm gonna cut you up, bastard!" Hidan grunted before attempting to slice Kane's stomach. Kane jumped back, right into Karin, and the girl gasped as the two fell to the ground.

"Karin! Get your head in the game!" Kane shouted as he grabbed the girl and jumped away, narrowly avoiding Hidan's scythe once again.

Kakuzu watched with interest.

'Show me, Jinchuriki of the Nine Tails. Show me how you defeated Sasori.'

Hidan twirled his scythe before resting it on his shoulder, "Ehhh? Is that all you've got? You two are weeeeak! So weak! What the hell..."

Kane glanced at Karin, realizing for the first time just how weak the girl truly was in a battle. He knew she'd come in handy regardless, but he needed her to get out of his way for now.

"Karin, try to stay back. I'll handle these guys, you support me when I need it, and watch them and try to figure out their techniques."

"R-right."

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, 'So that woman isn't a battler. I wonder what support she can provide, then.'

Karin jumped back, and after eyeing Kakuzu for a moment Kane turned his attention back to Hidan.

Hidan smirked, "Jashin-sama will be pleased when I offer that bitch as a sacrifice to him. You're just in the way, Jinchuriki!"

Hidan threw his scythe at Kane, and Kane's eyes widened as he jumped away. Then, Hidan retracted the scythe backwards and swung it at Kane like a rope.

Kane jumped, the scythe flying under him, and after landing on his feet he charged Hidan.

"Hyaaa! That's more like it!" Hidan screamed as he ran at Kane as well.

Kane continuously blocked Hidan's scythe with a single kunai, looking for any opening he could find.

'I need to find a way to draw blood!'

Kane gasped as Hidan kicked him in the stomach, and then as Kane began flying backwards his eyes widened as the scythe swung, barely grazing his cheek and drawing a thin line of blood.

Hidan smirked as Kane rolled to his feet.

"Ehhh, come on now... That all you got?"

Kane glared.

'There's no water anywhere near here, so I'm on my own... I don't have much to work with here. I need to burn some Chakra using a Water Jutsu, but I don't want to reveal my abilities until I learn more about these guys...'

Kane's eyes trailed over to Kakuzu, who still stood there watching in silence.

'And that guy... Is he not going to join in?'

Hidan smirked evilly as he licked the blood off his scythe.

He pulled out a small holster which extended into a long, spear-like weapon, and he laughed loudly.

"The preparations are finished! Don't worry, Kakuzu! I won't kill him! I'll save it for the bitch!"

'What? What the hell is he-'

Kane's eyes widened as a small black circle with a black triangle appeared on the ground surrounding Hidan's feet.

Then, Hidan took his spear, and he stabbed himself in the leg.

Kane gasped as he collapsed to the ground in pain.

'What?! What the hell did he do?!'

Hidan laughed at Kane's dilemma, and Karin screamed out "Kane! What happened?!"

Kane slowly struggled to a stand, and his eyes widened as Hidan pulled the blade from out of his leg and Kane felt even more pain roll through him.

'He... He stabbed himself, and It felt like he stabbed me instead!'

His eye's widened.

'Any pain he receives, I receive too! That's how this guy kills people! He's immortal, so he won't die if he stabs himself!'

Hidan continued cackling as he stabbed his own arm, and Kane grunted and twitched at the pain that suddenly shot through him.

Kane's eyes locked onto the now two open wounds on Hidan.

'I can feel him, now... He's bleeding...'

As Hidan pulled the blade from his arm, Kane took a leap of faith.

He immediately began boiling the man's blood, and Hidan gasped as he collapsed onto his knees.

Kane's eyes widened as he felt his own blood heating up, too.

He willed it to stay cool. He would not be attacked by his own blood! He was a Sanguis, damnit! His blood obeyed him and only him! It was his ally, not his enemy! It would never betray him!

Kane struggled slightly, but as Hidan's blood continued to heat up, Kane's own maintained a consistent temperature.

He willed his opponents blood to heat up to critical levels, and sighed with relief as Hidan's body ceased all movement.

He turned to face Kakuzu, who looked lost in thought as he observed the fight before him.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Hidan's voice permeated through the air, and Kane whipped around to face the downed immortal in shock, his mouth dropping open.

"It feels so good! Please! Keep going!" Hidan literally begged as he screamed.

Kane and Karin both stared in complete shock as the man began to shake, his eyes rolling to the back of his head.

"This pain! I've never felt anything like it! This is amazing! Please! Please! Give me MORE!"

Kane looked on in disgust. This guy was an absolute freak!

"How?! How?! How are you doing this?! Please tell me!" Hidan screamed as he continued shaking, his eyes speaking not of great pain and turmoil but rather of someone experiencing intense pleasure and ecstasy.

"The boy can control your blood, obviously. He's heating it up. He's obviously connected in some way to blood. He's similar to you in that way." Kakuzu's voice cut through the air and Kane whirled around to face the other member, glaring in anger and shock.

'This guy figured it out that quickly?! And just by watching?!'

Kane grit his teeth. This guy was no ordinary ninja.

"Blood?! You control blood?! Could... Could it be..." Hidan murmured as he continued to shake on the ground, the circle affiliated with his ritual fading away until it disappeared completely.

Kane rubbed his still pulsating arm and leg as he continued to glare at Kakuzu.

'One down, one to go... Wait, where's the guy's arm?!' Kane realized in shock that Kakuzu was missing an arm!

Suddenly, a loud eruption occured behind Kane and he glanced behind him to see Kakuzu's severed arm, thick grey tendrils controlling the hand as he latched onto Hidan's stomach. Several of the tendrils quickly began interweeving themselves into Hidan's skin, closing and sealing up the wounds on his leg and arm.

Karin gasped in shock, "Kane! He's stitching him up!"

Kakuzu's hand finished it's job, and quickly flew through the air, retracting itself back towards Kakuzu. Kane leaned away as the hand flew right passed his face.

Kane's eyes widened as he found he could no longer feel Hidan, nor could he continue heating up his blood.

Hidan continued to lay there, his eyes pointed towards the sky.

"Hidan, get up. No more games. Let's take down the Jinchuriki." Kakuzu called out, but Hidan didn't move, as if he hadn't heard him at all.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, 'What the hell's up with him?'

"Tch, fine. Guess I'll just have to handle him myself."

Kakuzu threw his Akatsuki cloak into the air, and Kane and Karin stared in disbelief at the four masks that protruded from the immortals body, his entire being held together by what appeared to be stitches.


Gai's eyes narrowed, "Something's not right."

The other three turned to face him. Sasuke tensed, Sai stared emotionlessly and Naruko looked confused.

"What's up?" Naruko asked.

"Stop for a moment." Gai commanded, and the four came to a halt on a tree limb.

Gai stared forward for several moments in silence, and Naruko began fidgeting.

"Hey, what're we stopping for?! We need to find Team Ten!"

"Naruko, pay attention." Sasuke snapped, as he stared forward as well. Sai also seemed to be locked into something in the distance, and Naruko faced forward with a frown. Then, her eyes widened slightly.

"Someone's coming."

Gai nodded.

The four Konoha Shinobi jumped down off the tree limb and onto the earth's surface.

Almost immediately after, several ninja appeared before them.

Each donning a Sound Village headband.

"Hello! It's nice to see some friendly faces around for a change." Kabuto said as he walked forward, giving them a friendly smile.

"Friendly? I'm not so sure about that." Sasuke spoke as he glared harshly, Naruko mirroring him.

Sai stared at Kabuto curiously.

"What're Sound Shinobi doing way out here, near Konoha?" Gai asked as he crossed his arms.

Kabuto continued to give that same, fake smile, "We're just passing through. We're on a mission for Oto."

"A mission? Out here, in Fire Country, where it's out of your jurisdiction?" Gai asked, not believing the lie for a second.

"Yes. A mission." Kabuto responded as he smirked.

"And what exactly is this 'mission' of yours?" Gai asked.

"That's classified."

"Is that so?" Sasuke spoke as he took a step forward.

"Maybe we should declassify it, then!" Naruko said as she smirked, taking a step forward to stand beside Sasuke.

"We mean you no harm, Konoha Shinobi. Just let us pass." Kabuto said as he put his hands up in a placating manner.

Gai sighed as he shook his head, "So that's how it's gonna be, huh?"

Sasuke, Naruko and Sai all gave Gai a confused look.

"You're here, in Fire Country, and you expect us to simply 'let you pass'. You know fully well we cannot do that, and yet you ask it of us anyway. It is clear, you want us to strike first, so that you can claim us as the aggressors. I see your game, Sound Shinobi."

Kabuto smirked as Sasuke and Naruko turned to glare at him.

"Think what you like. All I ask is you let us pass."

"We can't do that." Gai said.

"Fine then, try to stop us." Kabuto smirked as the several Sound Jounin behind him stepped forward, making it a six on four battle.

"Team Seven! Attack!" Gai yelled as he charged.


Kakuzu groaned in apparent pain, his cries borderline screams, and Kane watched in horrified fascination as the masks seemed to literally jump out of his body, forming four large, black creatures, and a hole in Kakuzu's chest where his heart was supposed to be.

Karin stared, terrified by the creatures standing behind Kakuzu.

Kane, on the other hand, stared, horrified by the hole in Kakuzu's chest.

'Holy Shit! Look at that! A giant hole in his chest, and I don't feel a damn thing! Does this guy not have blood, either?! Just like Sasori?!'

Karin flinched as one of the black masked creatures moved slightly.

'The Chakra those things are giving off is horrible! It's disgusting!'

"Karin!" Kane yelled out, and the girl blinked in confusion and fear before her eyes widened.

"Right!"

Karin jumped over to land beside Kane, and pulled back her sleeve. Kane leaned down and bit down on the girl's arm, and she cringed at the pain. Kane began sucking on Karin's Chakra, and he took care to ensure he didn't bite hard enough to draw blood.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes as he observed the new development.

Kane leaned back, letting Karin's arm go, and sighed with relief as all the pain Hidan's curse infliced upon him seemed to fade away.

"Karin, stay back. I'll handle this guy. Keep an eye on the other one!"

Karin glanced over at the man who had repeatedly announced he was going to murder her, and relaxed slightly upon seeing he had yet to move a muscle. She jumped away, making sure to keep her distance.

Kakuzu's body finished stitching itself back together on his back, and he stretched his arms for a few moments.

One of the black creatures, with a Wind Mask, jumped into the sky, and Kakuzu called out, "Wind Style: Bleeding Force!"

The masked creature fired off a huge burst of wind at Kane which began destroying and tearing apart the landscape in the area. Kakuzu raised his eyes as Kane appeared right in front of him and threw a punch. Kakuzu caught the punch and raised an eyebrow at the Jinchuriki.

'His skin... It's red... Too red to be normal. He's faster, too, for him to have dodged that Jutsu so easily...'

Luckily, there were few ninja alive who could outspeed Kakuzu.

The two began trading blows. Kane was fast, but he wasn't faster than Kakuzu. Kakuzu blocked each and every punch and kick Kane threw, and then Kakuzu managed to land a single punch into Kane's chest.

Kane gasped in pain, blood flying from his mouth as he was sent flying backwards, rolling across the ground for some ways before catching himself.

He snapped his head up just in time to see another masked creature in front of him.

"Lightning Style: False Darkness!"

Kane jumped away, narowly avoiding the torrent of lightning.

"Fire Style: Cranium Carver!"

Kane jumped again, this time avoiding a burst of fire.

Kakuzu's eyes narrowed, 'This brat is fast. He's as fast as I am. It's going to be difficult to hit him.'

"Water Style: Pressure Damage!" Kakuzu called out as the water masked creature fired off a jet stream of water at Kane.

He dodged it once again, and Kakuzu continued his elemental assault as he observed Kane with a keen eye.

Kane charged Kakuzu once more as soon as there was an opening, and Kakuzu easily caught Kane's fist before kicking him away.

Kane smirked as another jet stream of water flew at him, and Kakuzu's eyes widened as the stream redirected and began flying at him.

Kakuzu jumped away, but not before the jet stream ripped off his left arm, and he howled in pain.

Kakuzu glared at Kane as he continued dodging the elemental ninjutsu being thrown at him, 'What the hell was that?!'

Kakuzu screamed in pain as he suddenly found himself drenched in water. The water wasn't cool, though.

It was hot.

Kakuzu fell to the ground as the boiling water consumed him, and Kane sighed with relief as he cooled his blood off.

'I don't think I could've kept that up much longer... Thank Kami he didn't realize what I was doing. I was baiting out his water creature into shooting a jet of water near him, and as soon as I could get some of that water positioned behind him, Kakuzu never saw it coming!'

"Kane, watch out!" Karin screamed.

Kane turned and saw the lightning masked creature had fired off another shot at him, and Kane jumped away.

The lightning grazed him, and Kane felt the electricity course through his body as he screamed in pain, landing on the ground as Karin sprinted over to him.

Karin helped him lean up so he could see, and both ninja watched as the water masked creature jumped towards Kakuzu before filling the hole where his heart should've been. Kakuzu stood up slowly, glaring at Kane the entire time.

Kane stared in shock before quickly willing the water still near Kakuzu's feet to attack him once more, but Kakuzu jumped away and the fire masked creature quickly filled the entire area below Kakuzu with a burning inferno, completely drying up the landscape.

Kakuzu landed on both feet and glared once again.

'Can he do that with the other elements, too?! I'm not sure. No! No more chances! I'm not taking any risks with this Jinchuriki!'

Karin and Kane watched as the remaining masked creatures were dragged back towards Kakuzu, tethered by the same tendrils as before, and Kakuzu quickly absored the remaining hearts.

His mouth burst open and his entire body became a giant, octopus-shaped form with tendrils bursting and flying through the air. The three masks surrounded Kakuzu's head.

'There's no water left for me to use! I can try to make my own, but...'

As Kane stared at the monstrous creature before him, he knew.

It wouldn't be enough.


As Gai continued to pummel the two Sound Jounin into the ground, Naruko did the same as her clones continued to fight off two other Sound Jounin at once.

Sai was faring well, Naruko admitted begrudgingly. He was only fighting a single Sound Ninja, but these guys were all Jounin, and Sai was clearly winning. It was impressive.

Sasuke, on the other hand...

"Tch! Chidori Nagashi!" Sasuke yelled out as he shot a bolt of lightning at Kabuto. The medic ninja merely smirked as he dodged it, and continued his assault on the dark haired shinobi.

'Why is this guy so difficult to hit?!' Sasuke thought with annoyance.

Sasuke shot a fireball.

Kabuto dodged.

Kabuto swiped.

Sasuke dodged.

Sasuke shot a bolt of lightning.

Kabuto dodged.

And so it went on and on and on. No matter what he tried, he couldn't hit the guy. He couldn't use any of his larger jutsu, for fear of accidentally striking his teammates or Gai, and what he was left to work with just couldn't seem to hit Kabuto.

Gai let loose a joyous cry of victory as the two Sound Ninja lay on the ground before him. Naruko smirked as she landed next to him, her two opponents unconscious as well.

Sasuke growled. Naruko and Gai had finished taking out two opponents and he hadn't even hit Kabuto!

Sasuke glanced over at Sai, just in time to see him finish his opponent off with another strike from one of his drawings.

Now Sasuke was really annoyed.

Kabuto seemed to take notice of his predicament as the other three Leaf Shinobi turned their attention towards him. Soon after, he found himself surrounded.

Kabuto smirked as he put both hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Okay, you got me. I give up." Kabuto spoke with a disarming smile.

"Why are you here, servant of Orochimaru?" Gai demanded, and Kabuto laughed in response.

"Hmm... I wonder..." Kabuto drawled with a condescending smile.

"Tell us!" Naruko shouted.

"See, I would, but I really must be going. I need to go check on Kane-kun."

Naruko and Sasuke tensed, and the blond growled out, "What do you mean?!"

"I'm following him. He's fighting the Akatsuki right now, in fact. Which is why I should probably get going, yes?"

"Where is he?!" Sasuke snapped, glaring harshly as Naruko started growling.

"Like I said, he's fighting the Akatsuki. He should be just about finished by now... So I suppose this is where I say, see you later!"

And as Naruko charged him, he disappeared in a 'poof!' of smoke.

Only to leave behind the unmoving body of a Sound Chunin.


Kabuto smiled as he approached his master.

"That jutsu really is incredibly, Orochimaru-sama. To think, I can fight somewhere and not actually be in any real danger, even if it does limit my abilities."

Orochimaru chuckled, "Indeed. I used it myself to fight Minato-kun several years ago, if you recall."

Kabuto nodded before asking, "What about the Sound Shinobi we left behind? They'll be interrogated."

Orochimaru shrugged, "They'll find nothing. I placed a seal on the back of each one's neck before sending you off to fight. As soon as one goes to sleep or loses consciousness, the seal activates. They'll have no more information to give than a new born toddler would."

Kabuto looked confused, "A new born?"

Orochimaru smirked, "Yes, As in, the seal I placed on them corrodes the brain back into an infant state, permanently."

"Very cruel Orochimaru-sama. Very genius as well."

Orochimaru hummed.

Kabuto looked at his master curiously, "So you watched the battle. It was quite uneventful. Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes, unfortunately. I'd say I figured out plenty. It's amazing, what these eyes can reveal." Orochimaru smirked as he activated his Sharingan.

"And?"

"And it would appear Kami has not deemed it necessary to bless me with good fortune. We'll have to go ahead and proceed with the original plans." Orochimaru, despite his words, held a smile on his face.

"As you wish, Orochimaru-sama."


Karin screamed in pain as a tendril of Kakuzu slammed into her back, slicing her up and causing her outfit to rip as blood began flowing down from the multiple cuts it inflicted.

Kane cursed as he grabbed Karin and jumped away again, gripping onto her tightly while in the air as he shielded her, just before another tendril slammed into the two of them.

As they rolled onto the ground, neither one moving, Kakuzu slowly approached.

"Are you dead, Jinchuriki? We need you alive." He called out.

Kane trembled as he slowly got to his feet, wounds covering his entire body as he continued to sweat and pant. He turned and glanced back at Karin behind him, as the girl laid on her stomach, the numerous open wounds on her back bleeding profusely.

'Shit! Shit! Shit! I need to bite Karin to heal, but what does it even matter?! Even if he let me do it, I still wouldn't be able to take him! I'm running out of Chakra, there's no water in the area, and the jutsu I've thrown at him haven't done shit!'

Ever since turning into that disgusing form, Kane hadn't been able to do a damned thing. He shot fire jutsu at him, and the man replied in kind. He tried shooting several water bullets, and the man responded with lightning. When he attempted to manipulate the water from the water bullets after the fact, Kakuzu spat fire towards the liquid, quickly drying it up.

He'd even tried heating up his blood again, but Kakuzu was as fast as ever, and was able to keep up with him.

Then, he'd started targetting Karin.

That had been the beginning of the end for them.

As soon as Karin became a target, Kane had to defend both of them, and he could barely defend himself. Now, he was running out of options.

'Shit. No! I won't die here! I will survive!'

Kane glanced at Karin again.

"Karin..."

The red head looked at him in pain as she didn't move anything but her eyes. The girl had reached her limit of abuse she could take, and they both knew it.

"If I don't do something, we'll die."

Karin said nothing as she stared.

Kakuzu continued to approach, his wicked face seemed to be smiling, but Kane couldn't be sure.

Kane had learned a new trick during his time in Water Country. It was useful, albeit slightly repetitive. He had learned a second way of killing somebody instantly whenever he caused them to bleed.

He could rip blood straight out from them, as if it were his own.

It wasn't necessary. Once he established the connection, he always just boiled the blood until they died. It was faster. Easier. Less cruel. There wasn't much use for him to actually rip the blood from the person's body.

Not unless he needed it, that is.

'I will survive.'

Kane closed his eyes.

"Karin... When this is all over..."

Kakuzu paused as Kane's eyes snapped open, and there was a cold ruthlessness to them that caused Kakuzu to hesitate for a moment.

"Forgive me."

And Karin let out a silent scream as the blood in her body fled her, flying into the air and launching towards Kane.

The red head fell still, and Kane closed his eyes once again.

'I just hope I didn't take too much. If I did, then she's already dead.'

Kane wasn't sure how to feel about that.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes, "So Jinchuriki, what're you going to do with that blood then? You're out of Chakra, you're injured, and you're out of your league. How will that blood help you here?"

Kane snarled as the blood flowed in front of his face.

And then, he started to drink.


End of Chapter 53

A/N:

I'm sure many of you have noticed, but I've begun uploading only one chapter per day.

As you can see, chapters are getting longer. Not every chapter will be this long, and some will be even longer, but because of this I can't keep the pace at two per day. To do so would require that I begin rushing content, and I don't want to do that. I will continue to upload at least one per day, and sometimes I may surprise you guys with an extra, who knows!