I finally was able to update! I apologize for taking so long, but I let the holidays and work get the best of me. This chapter is slightly longer than previous chapters because of how much is going on in it. And also, I had to tweak it a bit to fit Sakura in it to help fight against them. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Disclaimer: Naruto doesn't belong to me; Masashi Kishimoto owns it.

The dust cloud surrounded where Kakuzu was hit. Chouji had jumped away and looked on in confusion.

"What's going on?" he questioned.

Shikamaru commented, "It's just like Raidou-senpai described."

Kakuzu stepped out of the dust cloud; his face had turned black grey for a second before it turned back to his original tanned skin color.

Shikamaru then thought, "It's got to be a skin-solidifying technique."

Then he said aloud, "That's his ability."

Kakuzu then commented, "Another good analysis. You're right; no physical attack can harm me."

Shikamaru then thought, "I accounted for their abilities up to a point, but this is… If direct attacks don't work, what do we do?"

Chouji looked over at his best friend and said quietly, "Shikamaru…"

Then Hidan smiled and laughed, "Cower in fear, you pathetic atheists! Yeah, now it's our turn!"

Then he turned to Kakuzu and said, "Kakuzu, break this technique already!"

Kakuzu agreed, "Sure."

But then suddenly he gasped in pain, while Hidan looked on in shock as did Shikamaru and Chouji; Kakashi just struck Kakuzu from behind where his heart is with Raikiri.

Kakuzu rasped in pain, "H-How the hell? I didn't even sense you and you got me from behind?"

Kakazhi merely stated, "Too bad for you…"

Hidan then shouted in annoyance, "What the hell happened? I thought physical attacks don't work on you!"

Shikamaru questioned, "Kakashi-sensei, how did you…?"

Kakashi answered, "I saw everything; I watched you perform that iron-skin technique. The seals you used were for earth-type nature manipulation."

Kakuzu exclaimed, "It only took me a second. You managed to read my seals at that speed? And you used such a powerful lightning technique."

Then he exclaimed in realization, "Now I get it; you're Sharingan no Kakashi!"

Then Kakashi cooly replied, "Earth is weak against lightning; you got matched with the wrong guy. And now you're dead."

Sakura watched from a distance and was amazed, "Kakashi-sensei really is amazing! Now we only have one more to take out."

Chouji then exclaimed, "He was so fast; Kakashi-sensei really is incredible!"

Shikamaru agreed, "Yeah, things would hav been a lot tougher if we didn't take out the mortal one first."

Then he staggered a bit which caused Chouji to ask, "Are you okay, Shikamaru?!"

Shikamaru replied, "It's getting tough to hold this technique."

Then he shouted, "Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi turned his attention towards and thought, "His technique is reaching its limit."

Kakashi pulled his left hand away and then pulled his right hand out of Kakuzu's body, letting it fall to the ground with a thump.

Hidan shouted once again in annoyance, "Did he get your heart? You can't just go around getting killed outta nowhere. Man, you suck!"

Kakashi then turned his attention to Hidan and proclaimed to him, "You're next."

He prepared his technique in his right hand and then he ran towards him to attack. When suddenly, Kakuzu kicked Kakashi into a tree with a great amount of force, the impact caused about three more trees to topple over.

Hidan chuckled, "That's what he gets for acting cool and saying crap like 'you're dead' like that."

Kakashi slowly got to his feet and wondered, "What is going on? There's no way I missed his heart!"

Hidan then proclaimed, "Nice, now let's slaughter these guys!"

Kakuzu unzipped this cloak and then exclaimed, "I intend to."

He threw his cloak off and revealed four masks stitched onto his back, with one mask broken. Then the masks started to move around and then four black masses burst out of Kakuzu's back and took form.

Kakashi had thought, "What are those?"

At the same time that happened, Shikamaru's shadow had detached from Hidan, setting him free.

Chouji asked in confusion, "Shikamaru, what's going on? And why didn't that guy die after getting hit by Raikiri?"

"I don't know. But with these guys, nothing they do surprises me anymore," Shikamaru answered while he wiped his forehead with his sleeve.

Hidan then moved his feet a bit and said, "Finally, I can move."

Then he asked, "So, are you ready to kill them, Kakuzu?"

Kakuzu answered, "Yeah."

Then Hidan shouted hysterically, "Jashin-sama, watch me! I'm gonna go nuts on all of them!"

Then the monster with the broken mask seemed ready to fight. But while Shikamaru and Chouji prepared themselves, the monster suddenly dropped to the ground and laid there in a black mass, motionless.

Then Hidan shouted, "Kakuzu, one of them died when you released them! You really suck!"

Kakashi observed this and thought, "If one of those masks died right after it was released, then that must have been what I hit with Raikiri; I'll have to remember that."

Then Kakuzu said to Hidan, "Hidan, sit this one out; I'll fight him."

But Hidan objected, "Hold up! No way! I'm gettingreally pissed off that thye keep tricking me! Let's do it like always, okay?"

Kakuzu slightly chuckled and then prepared his hand seals while Hidan slashed his scythe out at Kakashi. Kakashi defended himself as well as he could all the while Hidan was laughing wildly.

Then suddenly, froom behind Hidan, Kakashi's eyes widened as one of the monsters opened it's mouth and then Kakuzu shouted, "Fūton: Atsugai!"

The mask had let out a powerful, raging wind straight at Hidan and Kakashi, blowing them away. While the wind blew Shikamaru and Chouji back a few feet away as well.

Shikamaru shouted, "Kakashi-sensei!"

After the wind had died down, the trees were either decimated or cut down to stumps. Kakuzu stood with the other masked monsters, facing Shikamaru and Chouji. Then the horned mask monster seemed to be expelling sparks.

Shikamaru pulled out a scroll from his belt and murmured, "Here it comes, Chouji…"

Sakura was still watching what was happening and she looked at the mask in worry. She murmured, "No if they get hit with that…."

Then she ran from her hiding spot and shouted, "Chouji, Shikamaru, get away!"

The horned mask-monster opened its mouth while Kakuzu called out, "Raiton: Gian!"

The monster let out a beam of lightning while at the same time; Shikamaru opened the scroll that had the kanji for shield.

Shikamaru exclaimed, "It won't make it in time!"

But before it could strike them, Kakashi had appeared in front of them, protecting them from the lightning technique by deflecting it away with his hands. The force of it had torn his bandages and glove away and when it had stopped, he panted heavily.

Then Sakura appeared with them, and she asked Kakashi, "Are you alright?"

Kakashi wearily answered, "Well, I'll live…"

In thought though, he was concerened, "These guys are strong, especially the one with the mask. No one should be able to use elemental attacks at this level unless they had the innate affinity for the element. But he's already used earth, wind and now lightning! What the hell is going on?!"

Then Hidan had stepped next to Kakuzu and smirked in amusement and then he commented, "I'm impressed; you're the first person to survive that combo, Kakashi Hatake."

Kakuzu added, "His sharingan had saved him."

But then he made another set hand seals and then asked, "But can he keep it up?"

Then the mask with red lips opened its mouth and Kakuzu shouted, "Katon: Zukokku!"

It shot out a blaze of fire at a wide range, causing all of them to dodge it. As Kakashi got away from the blast, Hidan attacked him again until they pushed each other back and Hidan commented, "Not bad."

All four regrouped and Sakura exclaimed, "They're really good at combo attacks."

Chouji agreed, "And Kakashi-sensei's Raikiri attack definitely hit the target. How is he not dead?"

"I'm sure that I crushed his heart; he should be dead. But what I actually hit was one of the masked monsters that came out of his back. We should assume that one of them died in his place," Kakashi answered.

Shikamaru added, "It was the same when he dismantle my Kagemane Shuriken no Jutsu earlier. Something like a heart was attached to his arm and moved independently."

Chouji asked, "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru answered, "Each of those monsters must have its own heart, along with his own and so they're all his. In other words, he has five hearts."

Shocked, Chouji asked, "How can he?!"

Shikamaru added, "Although, Kakashi-sensei's Raikiri had killed one already."

"Then we have to eliminate the four remaining hearts in order to kill him for good?" Sakura asked.

Shikamaru nodded his head and answered, "Yeah."

Kakuzu confirmed the observation, "Very sharp; you're absolutely right. Each one contains a heart taken from a shinobi that I've killed. I'll have to stock up and you're hearts will be perfect!"

They all looked at him in shock while Kakashi thought, "Now I understand; by connecting his chakra circulatory system to multiple hearts, he can change his chakra's nature to that of the original owner. No wonder he can use so many types of nature manipulation."

Hidna stuck his scythe into the ground and then he asked, "By the way, does Konoha bury it's dead? Cuz if they do, then it will be annoying. Kakuzu will be all like, 'We have to dig up the bounty and bring it to the exchange point.' That fire-spitting bastard, I expected to get a little more mileage out of him… But in the end, he was worthless!"

Kakuzu commented dryly, "Says the guy whose head he chopped off…"

Insulted, Hidan shouted, "Shut your goddamned mouth!"

Then he turned back to address the three Chūnin, "I know that you guys came out here looking for revenge but that ain't happening with your skills."

He shouldered his scythe before continuing, "You all look like kids; so I guess you were his students? Well, with such a weakling for a teacher, it's no wonder you can't handle us."

Agitated, Chouji shouted, "Don't insult Asuma-sensei like that!"

"Chouji…" Shikamaru said to him for him to calm down.

Continuing with his bait, Hidan added, "One of those priceless student-teacher bonds? What a joke!"

Chouji growled, "Bastard!"

Shikamaru tried to calm him again, "Chouji!"

Finally, Hidan insulted Chouji, "What was so great about him anyway… fatty?"

Enraged, Chouji ran forward, charging towards Hidan. He enlarged his arms and was about ready to throw a punch while Hidan was ready to swing at him. But just before Chouji could punch him, he was suddenly frozen; Shikamaru stopped him with his shadow. Hidan then changed his attack to bring his scythe down on Chouji instead. But Kakashi blocked the attack, protecting Chouji. Then Kakashi and Hidan continued to fight while simultaneously getting away from the others.

Shikamaru released his shadow and scolded Chouji, "You idiot! You see what happens when you get riled up so easily?"

Chouji apologized, "Sorry…"

Suddenly Kakuzu was in front of Chouji, Chouji tried to attack but Kakuzu blocked his punch and then punched him to the base of a tree. Then Kakuzu punched Chouji into the tree, creating a hole in it.

But before he could kill Chouji, he hears, "Shannarro!"

He looks up and sees Sakura coming towards him ready to throw a punch. He narrowly dodges her punch but she punched the ground, causing it to crack around them. Surprised at the display, he couldn't dodge a well-placed kick at his abdomen, kicking him away from Chouji.

Meanwhile Kakashi was running up a tree with Hidan chasing after him. He dodged Hidan's scythe and had to deal with the masked monsters attacking him as well.

Back with Kakuzu, he got up from the ground and coughed slightly and murmured, "Little brat…"

Then Shikamaru controlled his shadow to try to Kakuzu but he kept dodging the tendrils. But then the masked lightning monster shot out lightning at Shikamaru so that he can't control his shadow. While Shikamaru was distracted, Sakura continued to fight with Kakuzu at taijutsu. Sakura was holding her own against him fairly well, not backing down from him. She even landed a few blows but got hit too. She finally punched him farther away and she quickly got to Chouji healed him as much as she could.

Sakura asked, "Are you okay, Chouji?"

Chouji smiled weakly and answered, "Yeah, somehow. Thanks."

Sakura smiled back at him, when suddenly, she was grabbed by the throat and was pulled away.

Chouji shouted in alarm, "Sakura!" Before he too was grabbed by the throat and dragged to where Kakuzu stood.

Kakashi had a bit of trouble with Hidan and had to keep dodging their attacks, while Shikamaru had the same problem being chased by the lightning monster.

Kakuzu had a tight grip on both Sakura and Chouji and murmured, "Die now."

Kakashi was finally hit and fell on a tree top, motionless, while Hidan approached with an almost giddy expression.

Shikamaru's mind was whirring, trying to think of a plan to save his teammates while running from lightning attacks.

Back with Hidan, he stepped closer to Kakashi, raised his scythe over his head and shouted, "It's over for you!"

He swung his scythe across Kakashi's waist, bisecting him, but then he disappeared in puff of smoke, shocking and annoying Hidan.

The real Kakashi ran off towards Kakuzu and the others. Shikamaru ran closer to Kakuzu, pulled out another scroll, unrolled it and let it down on the ground. He made a few hand seals, placed his foot on the symbol for water and then water spewed out of the scroll and covered the ground with water, close to Kakuzu's feet. He waited for a few seconds and then when the lightning monster attacked, Shikamaru jumped out of the way and the lightning struck the water, stunning Kakuzu.

Then Shikamaru threw a kunai with a paper bomb at Kakuzu, but since he noticed this he let go of Sakura and Chouji and quickly went through some hand seals, creating a pillar of water to block the explosion. In the cover of smoke, Shikamaru and Kakashi got Sakura and Chouji away from them.

Once at a safe distance, Sakura and Chouji were coughing while trying to regain their breath.

"Are you two alright?" Shikamaru asked.

Sakura answered, "More or less."

Hidan came down from the tree to stand next to Kakuzu and asked in amusement, "What's with that? That was weak."

Kakuzu retorted, "Same goes for you, being fooled by a Kage Bunshin."

Hidan laughed sheepishly, "Oh, you saw that?"

Kakashi then asked, "Shikamaru, what's our next move?"

"We have to separate them and then corner them individually. After we eliminate their ability to do combo attacks, we'll focus on destroying his four remaining hearts," Shikamaru answered.

Kakashi then added, "But to be successful, someone will have to distract Hidan."

Sakura then proclaimed, "I'll do it. I have the most chakra saved out of everyone; I'd be able to avoid his scythe and…"

Shikamaru objected, "No, you are our Medic-nin, and we can't afford fatal injuries should you be killed before us; it's too risky."

But then he declared, "I'll do it; I'll bind him with my shadow and then lure him away."

Kakashi inquired, "But how will you snare him though? You need a distraction for that as well."

Chouji then said, "Then I'll…"

Shikamaru objected again, "No, if his attacks draw a single drop of blood from you, you're dead. It's like the last time; our team charging in to attack is the wrong move."

He paused before continuing, "Chouji, you and Sakura need to reserve your chakra to Kakashi-sensei fight Kakuzu."

Chouji nodded and then Shikamaru proclaimed determinedly, "I'll capture him by myself. And… I'll fulfill that role as well."

Kakashi relented, "Alright, we'll leave it to you." He took an item out of his pocket and handed it to him saying, "Here."

Shikamaru took it into his fist and placed the item into his back pouch. Then he slowly walked towards Hidan and Kakuzu until he was a good distance closer and yet away from them. The he swiftly let his shadow chase after them, causing them to dodge them.

Hidan laughed, "This again? Are my scythe and abilities that scary?"

Then Kakashi engaged Kakuzu in taijutsu, declaring, "You're fighting me!"

Hidan was momentarily distracted by the fight but then he dodged the shadow again. Shikamaru was continuously extending his shadow to try to catch him.

Hidan asked mockingly, "Still attacking me from a distance, you wuss!"

As Hidan was running up a tree, he saw a tendril throw a chakra blade at him, causing him to jump through the air but then he saw the other thrown at him as well. But before the blade could pin his shadow, he stuck ths scythe's blades into the tree behind him and used it as a platform to be perched on it.

Hidan commented in a cocky tone, "Give me some credit; this technique is a joke as long as I focus on your shadow-"

But suddenly Shikamaru had run up the tree and threw a punch at Hidan, causing him to block him.

Shikamaru stated, "I wasn't ju keeping my distance, and I'm not a wuss!"

His shadow connected to Hidan because he became the shadow and he declared finally, "Kagemane no Justu, successful."

Hidan angrily growled, "You son of a bitch!"

Kakashi shouted, "Go Shikamaru!"

Chouji added, "Leave this to us." While Sakura shouted, "We're counting on you!"

Shikamaru nodded and then forced Hidan to drop his scythe and then said, "Let's go for a walk, just you and me."

Then he forced Hidan to run in the direction of a thicker, darker, forest. Kakuzu noticed this and calmly asked, "Are you sure about letting him go alone? He is severely underestimating Hidan. That Shikamaru kid would've become a big bounty one day. But now, he'll be dead by the end of the day."

This statement caused Chouji and Sakura to glare at him.

Then Kakuzu continued while he held out his arm, "But then again, I can't fault your logic; I'm strong myself."

Black tendrils popped out of the seams of his arm in a menacing way. Kakuzu then said, "And I've got a lot more experience than all of you put together. Looking at your hitai-ates, it reminds me of the first Konoha shinobi I ever fought; the First Hokage!"

Shocked, Sakura inquired, "How old is this guy?!"

Kakashi asked him, "Then you really are immortal?!"

"No, there is no such thing as true immortality in this world. I've just managed to extend my life by stealing the hearts of powerful shinobi I defeat before my current one gives out." Kakuzu answered.

Then the fire and wind masked monsters had started to merge and then Kakuzu exclaimed, "Including my own, I had a total of five hearts. Kakashi, it is only fitting to take your heart, to replace the one you destroyed."

Kakashi merely stared back at Kakuzu, preparing himself, physically and mentally to attack.

Meanwhile with Shikamaru and Hidan

They were in a clearing of the denser forest and Shikamaru was throwing kunai with ninja wire attached to them and paper bombs were stringed on them. The result of him throwing these kunai in different directions was a web surrounding them.

Hidan then said, "I won't get away, huh?"

He looked down, saw Shikamaru's shadow detach from his and Shikamaru was breathing heavily.

Hidan smirked before stating, "You can only hold that shadow technique for about five minutes until you run out. And now we're all alone…"

He paused for a second before he started to laugh, "That's the best situation for me, you bastard!"

He pulled out his spike weapon and came at Shikamaru, laughing wildly. He swung at Shikamaru and then cut at his cheek, while Shikamaru fell to the ground and looks at him in horror.

Hidan grinned madly; he took the spike with the blood on it and licked it off. Hidan's body turned black with the white on it to make it look like a skeleton as well. He stabbed his hand and let the blood drip on the forest floor and then he wiped the blood in the same pattern he used before. Shikamaru watched in terror, while sweat dripped down from his brow.

Hidan raised the over his head and then he shouted, "Die!"

With swift movements, he brought the spike down and plunged it through his chest, where the heart would be…

Well, that was the chapter and I hope to have the next chapter out faster. Please feel free to leave a review.