"Kakuzu, my bad. That corpse is heavy, isn't it? I could carry it for you."
"And what exactly do you plan to do with this precious bounty?"
"I'm just trying to be a nice guy and help you out..."
"You're planning to throw it away," Kakuzu said flatly.
"What are you talking about?"
"I've seen right through you. You intend to dump the body in the wilderness," Kakuzu noted indifferently.
"Haha, caught red-handed. Forget about that, then, let's just hurry up and find the Jinchuriki." Hidan laughed, only to see Kakuzu swing a heavy fist toward him.
Clang!
Hidan raised his scythe, blocking the strike.
"Hook, line, and sinker."
"You bastard..."
"What is it now? What are you doing?!" Kanon asked, exasperated. Hidan was clearly just bored again and looking to pick a fight with Kakuzu.
"Otherwise, it's too boring!!" Hidan shouted.
However, the hardened skin on Kakuzu's arm receded as he prepared to continue their journey, leaving Hidan somewhat stunned.
"Hey, hey! That's it? It's over?"
"I don't have time to entertain your boredom right now," Kakuzu replied. "Let Kanon-chan keep you company. Besides, one day, after all our missions are complete, I'll personally send you to the other world so you won't be so bored in this one."
"There he goes again." Hidan helplessly retracted his scythe. Fighting Kanon was a losing game; his taijutsu was inferior to hers and he could never land a hit on her. He had no desire to seek out a beating. "I just hope the next opponent lasts a little longer."
"Hidan-nii, want to spar with me?" Kanon asked.
"I think I'll pass. It would be bad if I ended up losing my lunch," Hidan joked, then began chatting idly with Kanon about various trifles. "No way, for real? That Itachi guy actually used to love Three-Color Dango?"
"Yeah. If I'd known he was that kind of person, I would've poisoned them and killed the bastard!" Kanon's expression turned cold.
"Hahaha! Kanon-chan, I honestly feel like Itachi couldn't beat you anyway."
"You think so?"
"Yeah. I don't like the guy much either, so I'll wish you luck with your revenge."
"I'll take those kind words!"
"I'll pray for you alongside Lord Jashin!"
Kanon's face darkened at Hidan's words. Praying alongside Lord Jashin? That sounds more like a curse... Still, seeing Hidan's grinning face, she figured he meant well.
"We're almost there. Stop gossiping," Kakuzu turned his head to remind them.
"We know!"
…
High in the sky, a messenger pigeon flew toward Aoba Yamashiro's squad.
Watching Aoba retrieve the message, Choji and Ino both frowned.
"A bounty station? It seems the Akatsuki trio is headed that way."
The other Jonin lowered his head in thought. "The nearest bounty station to here..."
"That's very close!"
"Everyone, on high alert!"
Ino felt a surge of panic. They were finally going to engage the Akatsuki. When she had last fought Kanon, the girl hadn't yet joined their ranks. Ino didn't even want to imagine how powerful Kanon had become since then.
Sensing Ino's nervousness, Choji patted her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Ino. Just remember what Asuma-sensei taught us."
"There's nothing to be afraid of."
Seeing Choji's comfort, Ino finally nodded.
"Just kidding. That's actually what Shikamaru told me during the last mission," Choji added. "We've got to pull ourselves together."
…
Outside a vast clearing, Hidan, Kakuzu, and Kanon walked slowly. As they passed a public restroom, Kakuzu and Kanon turned toward it.
"Hey, where are you guys going?!" Hidan asked.
Kakuzu didn't answer, walking straight inside.
"The bathroom? Fine, I might as well relieve myself too."
"Wait, Kanon-chan, that's the men's room! Hey!"
"I don't need you to remind me!" Kanon barked, her face flushing red. "Hidan-nii, just get in here!"
But as Hidan and Kanon entered, they found Kakuzu feeling the walls. Soon, he located a hidden door.
"This is the bounty station."
"Did the secret entrance have to be in a bathroom?" Hidan complained.
"And a men's room at that," Kanon muttered, covering her face. Even though this wasn't her first time in one, she still found it awkward. Some bounty stations hid their entrances in men's rooms, others in women's.
The hidden door opened, and a broker gestured to them. "This way, please."
The three entered. The broker opened a freezer and said softly, "Place it here."
"Hmph." Kakuzu tossed Chiriku's body into the freezer.
As the broker leafed through a bounty ledger, he compared the remains to the description. "That's him. It's definitely Chiriku."
"Quite the big name this time, Kakuzu-san, Kanon-san."
"Yeah, the ones we brought last time were just common trash," Kanon smiled as she waited for the broker to bring out the briefcase.
Sure enough, a minute later, the broker handed over a case full of cash.
"Okay, Kakuzu-nii, do you want to count it, or should I?"
"I'll do it," Kakuzu said, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Whoever does it, just hurry up. This place reeks!" Hidan grumbled.
"Let's go, you two."
"Wait. The money must be counted accurately," Kakuzu said, beginning the tally while Kanon helped.
"I can't tell if this place smells like piss or rotting corpses! I don't want to come here a second time! Kanon-chan, you're a girl, you don't want to come back either, right?"
"There's no choice. Earning money is the priority." Kanon sighed. "Hidan-nii, if you think it smells that bad, just wait outside."
"Fine then, I'm going out."
In the distance, Team Asuma had already arrived in the vicinity.
"Stay sharp. We're almost there!"
Outside the bounty station, Hidan sat waiting, watching the birds peck at grains on the ground. Just as he was growing restless, he heard footsteps behind him.
"Kakuzu, you're too slow," Hidan said without turning around.
Suddenly, he felt a rush of wind. Hidan's scythe flew up, instantly parrying Asuma's shuriken.
In the next moment, he swung the scythe, throwing it toward Asuma on its metal cable. It moved so fast that even Asuma barely managed to dodge, nearly failing to react in time.
Seeing Asuma evade the strike, Hidan paused, only to find Izumo Kamizuki and Kotetsu Hagane's twin blades already thrusting toward him from his flank.
He tried to move, but realized he couldn't. His shadow had been linked with Shikamaru's.
"Too late," Shikamaru whispered.
It was the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Hidan was rendered completely immobile.
The two Chunin's blades pierced straight through Hidan's body.
"That's one down!" Asuma's lips curled into a slight smile. Shikamaru also felt the plan was a success.
But in the next heartbeat, everyone froze. Despite being impaled through his vitals, Hidan began to yell.
"Ow... that hurts! Who the hell are you people?!"
"What... what is this?"
"We clearly hit his vitals," Izumo stammered, completely bewildered.
"Hey, stop twisting the blade! It hurts, dammit!"
As Izumo snapped out of his shock, cold sweat began to pour down his face. "This guy... is he immortal?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Hidan complained. "By the way, who are you?"
Hidan looked at Asuma and suddenly paused, noticing the sash on his waist. "That mark... you're some kind of Guardian Shinobi."
"Great! I have to go back to that stinking bounty station again."
Asuma stared at the impaled yet unharmed Hidan and roared, "We are shinobi of Konoha, ordered to capture or eliminate the Akatsuki!"
"You Akatsuki always move in pairs. We thought we'd take one out first and then capture the other..."
"But you have a truly formidable ability," Asuma said, drawing his trench knives.
Shikamaru was stunned. This was his first time facing an Akatsuki member, and this immortality was a total revelation. Is this the Akatsuki? This power is too overwhelming.
At this rate, even the Shadow Stitching Jutsu... Shikamaru felt a sense of dread.
"Haha... then you've got your order of operations all wrong," Hidan sneered.
"There's another one—no, Kanon Uchiha is with you too! Where are the other two?!" Asuma demanded.
Suddenly, behind Shikamaru, Kakuzu's silhouette emerged. With a single punch, he sent a shockwave that blasted the area apart.
Hidan's lips curled into a smirk as he looked at Kakuzu.
"Perfect timing. The jutsu is broken."