Chapter 13

Death of a friend

"Death comes for us all. It is the only inevitable fate in the universe."- Senju Hashirama, The First Hokage

Blood spilled out of Asuma's mouth when he cried in pain. But Hidan didn't stop there. The Akatsuki member, whose body was now pitch black with tattoos, making him look as if skin and muscles were transparent, stabbed himself even harder. The strangest thing, he did not seem affected by the stab to that degree. Maybe he was insane because he did that countless times to this point. Whatever the reason, he was enjoying himself.

Shikamaru started to think. That guy drew that marl on the ground first. But did not go into stabbing himself. He went to fight Asuma. After wounding him Hidan licked off the blood and ran into the circle. Only then, when he got wounded, Asuma had the very same wounds. In the same place.

"Oh, yeah..." Hidan said with ecstasy in his voice. "This is turning me so on, baby." He was swirling the rod in his side, while Asuma was crying in pain. "More... MORE! GIVE OUT MORE FOR LORD JASHIN, YOU STUPID CO...!"

He suddenly stopped. Something froze him. Hidan looked down to find a stretched shadow attaching to his own. Following it, he found the young Nara smirking.

"Shadow Possesion Jutsu! Success." He said. Then stood up, maintaining the jutsu. "Now, let's see if my theory is correct." And with that, he started to move, forcing the crazed priest to exit the circle. Then looked up to his sensei. The man eyed Shikamaru as he finally managed to get up. "Asuma- sensei! Make a cut on him!" Shikamaru instructed. With little hesitation, Asuma threw one of his blade knuckles, making a cut on Hidan's ear. Shikamaru looked at the jonin... and found no cut. He smiled.

"As I thought." Shikamaru said. "That circle is actually the seal. As long as you're in it, you can injure my sensei. And the blood works as a medium connecting you to him." Shikamaru analyzed. Asuma smiled at his former student.

"Well then, you hurt me pretty bad back there." Asuma said, turning to the Akatsuki member. "It is only fair I return the favor." The jonin smiled darkly. He raised the other blade he had left and channeled some chakra into it. He grunted in pain. He took far more serious injuries than he thought. But still had a job to do. He raised his blade again and focused. He had enough strength for at least this guy. He dashed.

And with one swift sweep cut off his head.

Hidan's head rolled on the ground, as his body fell numb. Asuma fell to his knee, coughing blood. Shikamaru released his jutsu and ran over to him, along with Kotetsu and Izumo. "Asuma?" Shikamaru asked.

"I-I'll live, Shikamaru... Thanks..." Asuma said through pain.

"Not for long, you p***y!" Hidan's voice came. The four turned to find the man's head still talking. "What are you looking at? Never saw a talking head before?"

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" Kotetsu said in complete disbelieve. How could that guy be still talking?

"Asuma cut off his head. There's no way he should be alive. No man can survive decapitation." Izumo followed, sweating cold.

"Hidan is no ordinary man." A voice came from behind the two. When they turned, they saw a blur hit them. Shikamaru and Asuma looked up to find their two chunin comrades knocked out. Then turned to find the other Akatsuki member, casually approaching Hidan's head.

"F*** you, Kakuzu! What the hell took you so long, huh?!" the crazy man demanded, as Kakuzu picked up his head and approached his body.

"I was doing business, you idiot. After all, we need the money to keep our organization running." He answered, attaching his partner's head back to his body. Then black tendrils came out of his body and sew the head to the rest of the body. Once done, Hidan started to move again. "Now be done with it already, you fool. I don't have time to put you back together all day."

"Shuddap, you d*****ad!" Hidan yelled back, entering the circle again. "I was about to finish this anyway." He reached for the rod again. Shikamaru already made a hand sign in order to stop him, but Kakuzu appeared right on top of him and kicked him away, sending the young Nara into a tree. He didn't lose his consciousness, but was too dizzy to move.

He could only watch.

Hidan stabbed himself in the heart.

Leaf Village, two days later

Kakashi watched in disbelief as the cloud of dust and debris fell. In the middle of the crater, Naruto stood panting. His cloths were staggered and body covered in cut. The taping on his left arm torn so much, it revealed his demonic arm. The jonin was impressed by the destructive force of the blond's new jutsu, even though it was still incomplete. Naruto took a deep breath and jumped out of the crater, landing just a few feet away from his sensei.

"I'm impressed, Naruto." Kakashi said. "Really. You've gotten this far in your training that I'm actually terrified of you. But maybe we should take a break."

Naruto snorted. "If you knew what I've been through these 5 years, you'd know that this is nothing in comparison." Naruto said proudly. "Believe me, I can go on."

"Well..." Kakashi pretended to think. "Actually, it's not you I'm concerned about." The solver haired jonin said, pointing at the other man with them- Captain Yamato. The poor Wood Style user was extremely exhausted. He looked as if he hadn't slept in weeks, barely ate and was being tortured.

"I... I... I can... go... on..." he murmured weakly.

"See your point." Naruto commented. He walked pass Kakashi and picked up his instant ramen, preparing it. Kakashi eyed the young man. Then...

"You know, Naruto." He started, getting the blond's attention. "At first I was not sure of what to think about you when I passed Team 7. Then, I was skeptical if you'd ever learn to control your strength. After Sasuke's defection I just thought of you poorly. However, ever since you returned you have proven to be a ninja of such magnitude that I feel ashamed I couldn't be a true sensei when I started training you guys. What I'm trying to say..." he paused, seeing Naruto looking at him strangely. Then eye-smiled.

"I like you."

Reaction? Naruto shivered and jumped away from the jonin with the look of disgust. "Eww! What are you sayin', Kakashi? You trying to be funny or something?"

"No, you misunderstand." Kakashi tried to clarify, walking his way.

"Stay where you are!" Naruto yelled.

"You see, I..."

"NO!" the blond started run. Anywhere but away from Kakashi, who was chasing him. Yamato observed the duo with the confused look.

"What are they doing?" he asked himself. Then again, he finally got to see Naruto and Kakashi suffer. They've been training out here for aver two weeks now and so far he's been the victim of chakra exhaustion, Naruto's sleep fighting, Kakashi's perverted giggles as he read that excuse of a book, weird experiments. Now he would get to see one of these two suffer.

"Captain Yamato!" Raido called, landing next to him. "I bring message from Lady Hokage." He said. Then Naruto and Kakashi stopped and walked over to hear the news.

Asuma Sarutobi was dead.

And Team Asuma haven't reported since, hunting the men who killed him.

End...

A.N.: I know this one's short, and I do apologize. But I am not feeling too god and wasn't too sure whether or not just skip straight to Pain arc. Plus, I think I'm catching a cold, yet didn't want you guys waiting too long. I'll try and make it up to you in the future. Either way, here's another chapter. Next time, the fight against the Umbilical Brothers!... Oops. Sorry, wrong duo. The fight against the Immortal Duo!