A/N: Merry Early Christmas and Happy Early Kwanzaa!


Kakuzu made no move to attack Izumo, Kotetsu, and Hanara, and as Hanara didn't want to openly start a battle that would be hard to finish, she focused on trying to catch him off-guard with her chakra threads.

Shikamaru was focusing intently on trapping Hidan as Asuma fought him, but Shikamaru wasn't exactly succeeding. As Asuma-sensei ran forward with his knuckle knives in his fists, Hidan threw one of Izumo's large kunais at Asuma. He dodged, but that was a distraction Hidan used to send his scythe to Asuma.

"Captain Asuma!" Izumo exclaimed.

That startled Asuma enough to turn his head, making the scythe only briefly scratch his cheek. Hidan smirked and pulled back his scythe, licking the tip of its longest blade. Shikamaru and Hanara were faring no better against their opponents. Kakuzu seemed to have a second sense for chakra threads.

'Chakra threads are the only mid-ranged weapon in my arsenal right now. I don't exactly think a taijutsu match with this guy is going to work, but if I force him to go long-range, my teammates are useless. I might as well be a Genin if I have a squad that doesn't work with my skills. He doesn't seem to want to attack, and starting a battle with someone that outclasses you by a mile is a death wi–'

Boom!

There was an explosion of fiery smoke, no doubt caused by one of Asuma's Fire Style jutsus. Unlike the rest of her team, Hanara could see what was happening inside the smoke, and it was not something she expected.

"No way... that can't be..."

"What is it?" Izumo asked urgently.

"Asuma-sensei's jutsu... it hit Hidan, but Sensei's got an injury that mirrors Hidan's!" Hanara said incredulously. "The burns are exactly the same..."

The smoke cleared, and it revealed Hidan standing up.

"How many times do I have to tell you? It hurts!" Hidan whined. "Now, do you finally understand others' pain? I have cursed you. Now, the ritual shall begin."

'What the heck? Ritual? Something to do with his stupid god, but what? I can't figure this guy out! Is he... insane?'

"Well then!" Hidan yelled, smirking. "Let us experience the ultimate pain together, shall we?"

"Why is Asuma's arm burnt?" Kotetsu asked.

'That's at least a third-degree burn– more than what Ino taught me, Shikamaru, and Choji to heal...'

Shikamaru's eyes widened. "Don't tell me..."

'Has he figured it ou– Oh fuck, no. It makes sense! Their injuries mirror each other's and the only thing that connects them right now is Sensei's blood.'

Despite his injuries, Asuma-sensei channelled chakra into both his knuckle blades and ran towards his opponent.

"MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA!" Hidan laughed. "It's no use! All the preparations have been complete!" Hidan screamed maniacally, stabbing his upper left thigh.

The effect was immediate. Asuma-sensei collapsed, holding his upper left thigh in pain.

"Hurts, eh?" Hidan chuckled. "I didn't even hit a vital spot! But, that pain is the best. When the other person's pain at the moment of their death seeps into my body, it transcends pain, transforming it into ecstasy!"

'Kakuzu told Hidan that he wouldn't interfere. Going for Hidan should be easier.'

"Ha! Where do you want to feel pain next, hmm? Or do you want it to end already?" Hidan questioned, raising his weapon towards his heart.

"Don't use an offensive technique to capture him," Izumo exclaimed. "It'll–"

"Hurt sensei too, I know!" Hanara exclaimed, doing her best to send chakra threads as fast as she could.

"DIE!" Hidan yelled.

"NO!" Shikamaru screamed.

'Come on, come on, come on! Stupid chakra threads, move faster!'

Hanara grabbed Hidan's weapon and stopped it, giving Shikamaru enough time to capture him.

"Good job, Shikamaru," Kotetsu muttered.

"You think you can stop me?" Hidan growled, fighting against the jutsu.

'No, but I'd rather die than not try,' Hanara thought, pulling Hidan's weapon away from his grip and towards her.

"Have you called for backup?" Hanara asked quietly.

"Ten minutes ago. It'll take them at least another twenty," Izumo answered.

'Arghhhh what can we do? We're all so helpless…'

"Gah... Usually, in order to nullify a jutsu with continuous effect, you kill the caster." Kotetsu sighed.

"But in this case," Izumo continued. "Killing him means killing Captain."

"There are always limitations in loopholes in every jutsu." Shikamaru interjected, closing his eyes.

'Right. Just calm down and think... "Assume that your opponent is smarter than you and never wastes a single move." Come on... think, Hanara, think! This isn't going to have irreversible effects on Asuma-sensei or anything. Totally not at all affecting your life and the lives of Izumo, Kotetsu, or Shikamaru. Yep. Not an important decision. So uh, think Hanara... What do you know ab–'

"Have you got a plan, Shikamaru?" Izumo asked.

"Yeah," Shikamaru nodded.

Hanara let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

'Phew. Trust 'Maru to come up with a plan in the few minutes I was working myself into a mental breakdown.'

"Alright, Captain Asuma, here it goes..." Shikamaru muttered.

Shikamaru slowly forced Hidan's feet to move, bit by bit. The effort it was taking only proved just how outclassed they were.

"What are you doing?" Kotetsu questioned.

"I'm trying to force him outside... that weird diagram he drew. That will undo... his jutsu... and the curse."

'That's what I couldn't figure out...'

"What do you mean?" Izumo asked.

"That scythe of his... it has three blades. From its shape, I can guess that it's meant... to extend its range. In short... if he inflicts a single wound... no matter how deep... it means certain death."

"What's the link between the injury and the curse?" Izumo asked.

'Blood.'

Shikamaru confirmed it. "Blood. If he takes in... his opponents blood... the jutsu will take effect. After he licked Asuma's blood, his body changed colours, so that was easy to deduce. But, there's one more important step to activate the curse. Earlier, he ignored Asuma's Fire Style jutsu and instead walked into his diagram. Once inside, he said, 'The ritual shall now begin,' and, 'All the preparations have been complete.'"

"So if I destroy that symbol, or you force him out of it, he shouldn't be able to kill sensei. The link between them would be severed." Hanara said determinedly.

Shikamaru nodded.

"You brat!" Hidan snarled.

"Not my fault you talk too much," Shikamaru smirked.

'Finally! I keep saying that these criminals talk too much! Someone listens!'

"Enough talk then!" Hidan exclaimed. "I'll tear you apart now and kill you later!"

"There won't be a later," Shikamaru shot back.

"Gahhhh," Hidan groaned.

"He's out!" Kotetsu exclaimed.

'Not sure if he has measures to stop the destruction of the symbol but...'

Tiger. Ox. Dog. Rabbit. Snake.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough."

Hanara released a gust of wind from her mouth. The wind however could only lift the sand particles without blood on them.

"Tch. At least he's out," she sighed.

"Let's see if his jutsu's undone or not!" Asuma-sensei said, throwing a shuriken at Hidan.

It scratched Hidan's ear, but Asuma's ear was unharmed.

"Yes!" Izumo exclaimed.

Shikamaru quickly switched from Shadow Possession to Shadow Stitching, not giving Hidan a moment to move. His shadows pierced Hidan from all over.

"AHHHH! HOW DARE YOU!" Hidan yelled.

"I'm... almost at my limit," Shikamaru said, panting.

"That's fine. Good work," Asuma-sensei said.

Hanara glanced Shikamaru's way and noticed his chakra levels depleting at an alarming pace.

'Heh. Haven't had to use this since Neji overworked himself during training a few weeks before Naruto came back.'

Hanara focused and her left hand turned blue. The Chakra Transference Technique was one of the few medical techniques Ino had taught their team in the rare case they needed to perform first aid, and she wasn't there. Ironically enough, Hanara used it more than Ino did, although with their difference in reserves, it made sense.

She put her hand to Shikamaru's shoulder and focused on transferring her chakra.

"Thanks, Hana," he sighed.

She shrugged, "Ino would kill me if she found out that my reserves weren't scratched and yours were almost gone."

"KAKUZU, DON'T JUST STAND THERE! HELP ME, QUICK!" Hidan's yell brought her attention back to him, although she still sent chakra to Shikamaru.

"I told you to be careful," Kakuzu snarled.

Asuma chopped off Hidan's head.

"Phew," Shikamaru said, his fingers finally coming out of the rat seal.

"We did it!" Kotetsu exclaimed.

"Yep," Asuma affirmed.

Sighing, Hanara stopped the flow of chakra from her hand. Shikamaru's reserves were half full, and she needed to make sure that she didn't deplete hers too quickly. Besides, his head may be chopped off, but Hidan was far from dead. He was immortal, after all.

"If you wanted my help, Hidan, you should've asked earlier," Kakuzu growled.

"YOU'RE THE SLOW ONE! YOU DID IT ON PURPOSE, DIDN'T YOU?!" Hidan's head exclaimed, glaring.

Shikamaru, Asuma, Kotetsu, and Izumo stared at the head open mouthed.

'It looks a bit creepy, but didn't you know he was immortal? Oh, whatever.'

"You're the one who told me to stay out of it at the start," Kakuzu sighed. "Besides, you're in no position to complain."

Hanara got her chakra threads ready, again.

"All right, I did say that. But, not without respect, I ask you, to please bring me my head?"

'And go!'

Hanara's chakra threads finally connected to Kakuzu.

"Yeah, you ain't going anywhere, buddy," she smirked.