Here is the next chapter and I apologize for taking so long as I was busy for awhile and I finally got some free time.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto, Masashi Kishimoto does.

At the training grounds, Naruto was with Kakashi and Yamato. Kakashi had said that he had something cool to show him.

Naruto asked, "Kakashi-sensei, what did you want to show me?"

Kakashi replied, "This is the really cool thing I wanted to show you; watch carefully."

He held his hand out with the palm up while his other hand held his wrist. Then chakra was swirling around in his hand into a familiar technique that shocked Naruto; Kakashi had formed a Rasengan in his hand.

Naruto exclaimed, "No fair! Rasengan has always been my ultimate technique, but you can do it so easily?"

Kurama interrupted, "Naruto, I think you ought to be quiet! He's just giving a demonstration. So listen up!"

Naruto winced as Kurama's voice had echoed in his head.

Kakashi explained, "This was just a starting point of what I wanted to tell you, Naruto; I didn't show you Rasengan just to brag about it. I told you before that Rasengan is a technique that only uses shape manipulation, remember?"

Naruto nodded his head in acknowledgement.

Kakashi continued, "Then I showed you a technique that uses nature manipulation; by which I mean Chidori. This technique not only uses nature manipulation to turn my chakra into lightning, but it also uses shape manipulation to transform it into an electrical surge, thereby determining its range and power."

Then Yamato added, "By using shape and nature manipulation, a shinobi's attack power increases tenfold."

Kakashi then continued, "Although shinobi who can use both together are pretty rare. Since you have strengthened your control of wind-natured chakra and have mastered the ultimate shape manipulation; you can use both."

Naruto then smiled and declared, "I'll have my new technique in no time! I'll bet this will be the easiest part!"

Kakashi chuckled, "If it was, I wouldn't have bothered creating Chidori."

Naruto looked at him in confusion and then Kakashi created another Rasengan in his hand.

He explained, "I was never able to combine Rasengan with lightning-natured chakra."

Then Yamato inputted, "You need incredible skill to combine nature and shape manipulation, though perhaps "innate ability" or "sense" would be more accurate."

Kakashi's Rasengan dissipated as he explained, "I'm not the only one who had to stop here, even my teacher, who created this technique, couldn't progress further."

"Teacher?" Naruto questioned.

"Yes, even the Fourth Hokage couldn't do it." Kakashi explained.

Then he added, "The Fourth took shape manipulation to the highest possible level, the result was Rasengan, an A-rank technique achieved purely through shape manipulation. Up to that level even I managed to copy it but that's also when things get difficult. The Fourth originally developed Rasengan intending to combine it with his elemental chakra."

"Then, you mean Rasengan is an incomplete technique?" Naruto asked.

Yamato answered, "That's a good way to put it."

Kakashi then added, "There's no telling what the next step will produce. It could be S-rank level, maybe higher. It may even be impossible."

He paused before continuing, "This part can't be taught; this is something that you have to work on yourself."

Then he asked, "Do…Do you know why I'm telling you all this, Naruto?"

Naruto didn't answer so then Kakashi stated with an eye smile, "Because you're the only shinobi who can surpass the Fourth; that's what I believe."

Naruto stood there in surprise as Kakashi said, "Well then, let's continue with training shall we?"

Both he and Yamato walked away from Naruto to give him more room.

"Well done, Kakashi-san, you really are smooth talker," Yamato commented.

Kakashi disagreed, "Not really, I was telling the truth."

Naruto then shouted, "Taiju Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

With Asuma's team, they were still on their way to the exchange point.

Then Shikamaru decided to ask, "Asuma-sensei, what kind of relationship did you have with Chiriku?"

Asuma replied with a question of his own, "Why do you ask?"

"You're a chain smoker and you haven't had a puff in two days. You only stop smoking when something's bothering you," Shikamaru answered.

Asuma chuckled, "You're getting good; I must be going soft if you can see right through me."

"Getting good? I can read you like a book when we play shougi. It's just… I haven't seen you like this since the Third passed away," Shikmaru explained.

At first, Asuma didn't reply but then he answered, "You know that Chiriku and I were both in the Twelve Ninja Guardians right?"

He paused, and then replied, "Now that I think about it… I'd say we were like you and Chouji."

Shikamaru let the information sink in and then he said, "If that's the case, I hope you never quit smoking."

"Never quit, huh? I probably never will at this rate," Asuma quipped.

Then he said, "Shikamaru, I appreciate your concern but I didn't quit smoking because of Chiriku. But keep in mind that these Akatsuki had killed Chiriku; which means they have incredible powers, so stay focused!"

So then they on their way towards the exchange point.

Meanwhile, Kakuzu and Hidan came upon a building along the road they've been traveling on.

Kakuzu walked towards it as Hidan called out, "Hey, where the hell are you going?"

"The bathroom?" Hidan questioned to himself, and then said to Kakuzu, "Fine, wait up."

Kakuzu went into the men's room, walking past a few urinals until he stopped in front of the wall and then put his free hand on it. This caused a secret door to open, surprising Hidan.

Kakuzu explained, "This is the exchange point."

"Why the hell would they pick a bathroom?!" Hidan growled.

Then a man with a scar at his head came to them at the door and then said, "This way, please."

They all went into the secret room and Kakuzu put Chiriku's corpse on a table while the man was looking through a book to confirm if it really is Chiriku.

Then he confirmed it, "There's no mistaking it; that is Chiriku. You've caught yourself a big one, Kakuzu-san."

Kakuzu agreed, "Yeah."

Then the scarred man brought out a briefcase and handed it to Kakuzu. Then Kakuzu opened it to reveal that it was full of money.

Hidan complained, "This place reeks! Let's go already, Kakuzu!"

Kakuzu replied, "Wait a bit, I have to count the money."

Then Hidan complained again, "I can't tell if the stench is from the urine of that body but seriously it's gross! I'm going back outside!"

Then Hidan went outside to wait on the steps of the building while Kakuzu was inside counting the money. Hidan had brought his sleeve to his nose and smelled it.

Disgusted, he said, "I only spent about five minutes in there and my clothes get soaked with the stench!"

Then he heard footsteps from behind him and then he said, "Took you long enough, Kakuzu."

But it wasn't Kakuzu; Hidan turned in alarm to see Asuma standing behind him. Asuma threw a few shuriken at Hidan but then Hidan pulled out the wire of his scythe to deflect them and then he maneuvered the scythe to try to land a hit on Asuma but it only had hit into the cement of the steps. Suddenly, Izumo and Kotetsu came up on both sides of Hidan and stabbed him with their weapons.

While Shikamaru was on top of the building, holding Hidan in place with his shadow, he shouted in triumph, "You're too slow!"

Asuma then stated, "That's one down."

But then, to their shock, Hidan muttered, "Man, that hurts! What the hell's your problem?"

"What's going on? We hit his vital organs!" Kotetsu exclaimed.

Then Hidan snapped, "Stop shaking them, damn it! It hurts like a bastard!"

Izumo questioned, "Is he immortal?"

Hidan replied, "Isn't it obivious? Now, who the hell are you people?" Hidan turned his attention to Asuma and then saw the sash around his waist.

Then he remarked, "That sash, it belongs to those Ninja Guardians!"

But then he sighed exasperatedly, "Oh damn it! Now I would have to go back into that collection office again!"

Asuma then glared at Hidan as he thought of his late friend, Chiriku but then he answered Hidan's previous question, "We are shinobi from Konoha; we were ordered to either capture or exterminate Akatsuki. Since you work in two-man teams; we had planned to capture one while we eliminated the other."

Then Asuma brought out his trench knives as he added, "But you have some serious abilities."

Shikamaru watched as he thought, "So this is an Akatsuki! What an insane ability!"

Hidan chuckled, "Well, you messed up on that order."

"Where is your partner?" Asuma demanded.

The answer came with a sudden crashing sound of stone breaking at the top of the building where Shikamaru was. Shikamaru had avoided Kakuzu, causing him to release his technique on Hidan but then Asuma rushed in front of Shikamaru and blocked Kakuzu from attacking again.

Asuma shouted, "Kotetsu, Izumo, fall back!"

Then all four of them gathered in a group as Kakuzu murmured, "So that man in the front is… It seems that you've struck gold, Hidan."

Hidan then pulled his scythe back to him as he replied, "Kakuzu, stay out of my way! I'll use them for my ceremony; the money is all yours."

Shikamaru was watching their opponents as he thought, "Kakuzu and Hidan, huh?"

Kakuzu then replied, "Fine. Just be careful, or you'll die."

While he was moving his feet, drawing with his blood, Hidan scoffed, "If they could kill me, I'd let them. But that's not possible." After he was finished, it was shown that he drew a triangle within a circle.

Asuma turned to Shikamaru and said, "I'm going to face him. SHikamaru, find a way to trap the immortal guy with your shadow-stitching. When you catch you him; I'll slice his head off."

Shikamaru retorted, "That's too risky; it's not like you."

Kotetsu interjected, "I'll go in with you."

Asuma then shouted angrily, "Don't you understand?! This is the best plan we have right now!"

Shikamaru then thought to himself, "I've never seen Asuma like this before."

Asuma explained further, "They're a hell of a lot stronger than me. Izumo, Kotetsu, you two help Shikamaru against the other Akatsuki."

Izumo objected, "But since we have an idea of our enemy's strength; wouldn't it be better if we etreat and form a plan?"

Asuma retorted, "It's not like they'll let us walk away. If we don't stand and fight now, we'll be killed and then Konoha will be at even greater risk. Sometimes you have to be able to make such a move as this."

Shikamaru looked at Asuma grimly and then stated, "You're not cut out to be the Climbing Silver."

Asuma chuckled, "I won't be a sacrificial piece; not with you by my side."

Then they heard Hidan shout, "You done with your strategy planning over there?"

He pulled out one of the blades he'd been impaled with and exclaimed, "Getting stabbed like that hurts! God will smite assholes like you who don't understand the pain of others."

Then Shikamaru knelt down on the ground and Asuma took his fighting stance. Then Asuma charged at Hidan with Shikamaru's shadow following after him. Hidan kept throwing his scythe to try to hit Asuma but at the same time he held on to the winding wire of the scythe to keep away from Shikamaru's shadow on the ground. Asuma kept dodging the scythe but couldn't get a hit on Hidan nor could Shikamaru trap him, but then he had an idea.

Shikamaru asked the older Chūnin, "Can you two help me with something?"

Then Hidan shouted, "You guys are too desperate! You are using attacks that have the highest probability of landing. I see right through you!"

"And you mess around too much when you fight, Hidan!" Kakuzu commented.

But then Izumo and Kotetsu threw shuriken at Hidan from the front while Asuma threw one at Hidan's back.

Shikamaru shouted, "You won't escape this time!"

But Hidan merely stated, "Then I won't dodge." So he kept running forward, letting the shuriken hit him.

Shikamaru scoffed in frustration, "Unstoppable bastard."

Then Hidan yelled, "I'll kill off the brat first!" He pulled his scythe back to him and ran towards the three Chūnin, intent to target Shikamaru, while Izumo and Kotetsu guarded him.

"You're fighting me!" Asuma shouted.

But Hidan threw the other blade at Asuma and back-flipped to maneuver the scythe, hitting Asuma close to his check bone, his blood spilling on the middle blade of the scythe. Then Hidan grabbed the handle of the scythe and brought the blade close to his mouth.

Asuma spun released his trench knives out of his hands to spin freely in front of him, while forming a few hand seals.

He grabbed his knives again and then shouted, "Katon: Haisekishō!"

Then he blew ash out of his mouth, covering the area in a haze. Hidan had licked the blood off of the scythe and then stopped in the middle of the ash cloud. Then Asuma ignited the ash with the clicking of his teeth, causing the ash cloud to turn into an inferno, engulfing Hidan within the blast…

Well, that was chapter. I hope you will be here next time for the next part. Please feel free to leave a review.