Chapter 68 – Defeating Hidan and Kakuzu
"Talk"
'Think'
Flashback
A/N: Thank you Shinsuke Takasugi for your support.
A/N: Tough chapter to write
Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Kishimoto sensei.
Flashback
"I know" Hamaki said with a grim smile "I got the monster"
"What about us?" asked Sasuke.
Kakashi turned to them and explained "Once the fight begins, Kurenai will use her genjutsu to hide all of you. No, wait, listen-" he said as the genins began to protest "Their mission is to kill us. I don't want you guys to be open for attack so easily. Under the genjutsu, observed our fights and strike back when there's an opening"
"Sensei!"
Lee, Sasuke and Naruto cut the black threads that were binding Gai, Hamaki and Kakashi to the ground just in time before that area being hit by fire, lightning, water and wind jutsus.
They all jumped backwards, outside of the attack perimeters and waited for the dust to settle before making the next move. Soon, they were joined by the others.
"What did you see" asked Kakashi.
"Each of these figures has a heart connected to the mask thus enabling them to make an attack" said Neji.
"However, the hearts inside them moves around, making it difficult to pinpoint its location for an attack" said Hinata.
"Then we just need to make our attack bigger" said Naruto with a grin.
"But don't get hit by the elemental attack. Each of them is powerful enough to kill us in a single hit" said Sasuke.
"The black threads are Doton-based" said Noriko.
"Hidan's choice of weapon is questionable" said Tenten.
"What do you mean, Tenten?" asked Lee.
"I have practiced with many types of weaponry and I find out that larger weapons while being more formidable, are harder to wield and consumed more energy. The scythe is slowing him down so if the aim is to kill, why doesn't he use smaller weapon like a sword?" explained Tenten.
"You are right" said Hamaki "The scythe that size has only one purpose; to increase its attack range. If not to kill-"
"-maybe to inflict injury" said Tenten "But why?"
"Maybe it's related to why he didn't die when hit with an attack that would kill him otherwise" suggested Shino.
"I'll take Kakuzu. My Raiton is strong against his Doton" said Kakashi.
"I'll join you my friend" said Gai.
"Kurenai and I will take Hidan" said Hamaki "It would be nice if we can bring him back and send him to Ibiki".
Kurenai nodded and said "We'll leave the masked figures to you guys".
As the dust began to settle, the masked figures flew-
'That thing can fly?!' was in everyone's thought.
- and attacking them, causing the genins to scatter.
Noriko was running with both byakugan and sharingan activated as she was being chased by the lightning-masked figure when Tenzō took the opportunity to attack it with Mokuton: Daijurin no Jutsu and bind it, albeit temporarily as the lightning-masked figure cut down the wood with its laser-like Raiton: Gian.
"That's it!" yelled Naruto before shouted "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!". Half a dozen clones appeared and attacked the lightning-masked figure while Naruto turned to Noriko and Tenzō and asked "Noriko, can you divert its attention and Tenzō, can you bind it like just now? I've got a jutsu I want to try"
"I can only bind it now for a few seconds" said Tenzō.
"I know" answered Naruto.
Noriko looked at the lightning-masked figure and cried "Zanzō Bunshin!". She threw shuriken, transferred between her clones and then threw another shuriken and repeated the whole process while the lightning-masked figure attacked Noriko's clones one by one.
The moment the lightning-masked figure turned his back on Tenzō, he shouted "Mokuton: Mokusatsu Shibari no Jutsu" and bind it down when Naruto jumped at it and shouted "Ōdoma rasengan!"
The large size rasengan shredded the thread-filled torso until the chakra ran out, leaving behind tatters of black-threads and a broken mask.
"Wow, that was awesome, Naruto" said Noriko.
"Yeah, you finally did it" cheered Tenzō
The success of Team Kakashi spurred the other teams to beat down their opponents.
Sasuke was fighting the water-masked figure when his sharingan detected it was about to make another attack. Quickly, he mustered as much chakra as he could and shouted "Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu!".
Upon contact, his fire attack causes the water from the water-masked figure to sizzle, creating water vapour thus reducing visibility. The water-masked figure jumped up, only to meet Sakura, with her fist ready and "Shannnnaaaroooo!"; she punched the water-masked figure back to the ground-
-which was met by Kiba (and Akamaru, in the form of two-headed gigantic white dog) who yelled "Garōga!" and tear up the water-masked figure.
Tenten managed to immobilize the fire-masked figure with her Kusarigama thus allowing Lee to use Omote Renge. With his byakugan, Neji saw that the heart was still beating thus he quickly delivered a powerful thrust onto the heart with as much chakra he could gather to ensure that the heart is truly damaged.
Shino used his kikaichū to block the wind-masked figure, giving Sai an opportunity to use his Ninpō: Chōjū Giga in the form of a large snake (which wrapped itself around the wind-masked figure) and a large tiger (which bit the head of the wind-masked figure) to immobilize it, while Hinata, with her byakugan activated shouted "Shōtei!" and hit her palm onto the heart of the wind-masked figure.
Hamaki was sealing Triple-Bladed Scythe belonged to Hidan(who was caught by trapping him using Kurenai's Magen: Jubaku Satsu) when he saw that his team has defeated their opponents.
Kakuzu gone berserk when he saw that his entire masked figure was defeated by mere genins. He tried to capture Gai and Kakashi with his Jiongu; unfortunately, Gai and Kakashi had anticipated that attack-
"That won't work twice" said Kakashi.
Meanwhile, Gai had opened his first and second gate, which increased his strength and attacked Kakuzu mercilessly when Kakashi snuck from behind and attacked Kakuzu with Chidori.
Akatsuki Hideout
"Hidan and Kakuzu are defeated" said a voice.
End Chapter 68
Chidori – One Thousand Birds
Doton – Earth Release
Garōga – Fang Wolf Fang
Jiongu – Earth Grudge Fear
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu – Shadow Clone
Katon: Ryūka no Jutsu – Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique
Magen: Jubaku Satsu – Demonic Illusion: Three Binding Death
Mokuton: Daijurin no Jutsu – Wood Release: Great Forest Technique
Mokuton: Mokusatsu Shibari no Jutsu – Wood Release: Smothering Binding Technique
Ninpō: Chōjū Giga – Ninja Art: Super Beast Scroll
Ōdoma rasengan – Big Ball Spiralling Sphere
Omote Renge – Primary Lotus
Raiton – Lightning Release
Raiton: Gian – Lightning Release: False Darkness
Rasengan – Spiralling Sphere
Shōtei – Palm Heel Strike
Zanzō Bunshin – Afterimage Clone