"Huh???!!!"
Hidan's eyes widened so much it looked like they might pop out, dragging out the sound in pure disbelief. Even Kakuzu, who rarely reacted emotionally, paused for a moment.
They actually… came to recruit us?
For a split second, even Kakuzu thought the situation was absurd.
Hidan suddenly burst into laughter, shoulders shaking wildly.
"Hahahaha! Are you serious? You want to recruit me?"
He pointed his scythe casually at Chinatsu's direction, his tone full of mockery.
"I don't care about organizations. I follow Lord Jashin. Whether I work with Akatsuki or anyone else doesn't matter. As long as it's entertaining… I'm fine with it. But the person above me? He better not be weak."
His grin widened, eyes sharp like a predator who had found prey.
Chinatsu narrowed her eyes slightly.
"I'm strong."
Her voice was calm, but she was still in the disguise of Moonlight Hayate, which made the statement sound far less convincing than intended.
Hidan tilted his head.
"…You?"
Hayate Gekko's face remained expressionless.
Hayate Gekko internally: Do I really look that unreliable?
Chinatsu internally: Yes.
Hidan's grin widened further.
"Good. That's what I like to hear."
In the next instant, his posture shifted. His feet lowered slightly, scythe angled forward.
"Then show me."
He moved.
A violent burst of speed exploded from his position as he charged straight at Chinatsu. The disguise could no longer be maintained in real combat; a puff of white smoke burst from Chinatsu's body as she canceled Transformation Jutsu mid-motion.
Kunai already in hand, she met him head-on.
CLANG!
Scythe collided with kunai mid-air.
Hidan's grin didn't fade.
"Heh… you're not bad for a woman."
He said it casually, but his eyes carried no real interest only killing intent mixed with fanatic amusement. To Hidan, gender meant nothing. Blood and pain were the only truths.
He swung again.
And again.
And again.
Massive arcs of the scythe tore through the air, each strike aimed to slice her apart, but Chinatsu's movements were even sharper. Her footwork mirrored high-level Konoha taijutsu refinement, slipping between angles, deflecting rather than blocking head-on.
Her Sharingan had not yet fully activated but her instincts alone were already abnormal.
Hidan clicked his tongue.
"Tch… annoying!"
He threw a handful of shuriken.
Chinatsu's eyes finally sharpened.
Three tomoe Sharingan activated.
The world slowed.
Every projectile became predictable, every angle visible.
She stepped back once.
Hands blurred.
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique."
Two clones appeared instantly, flanking her.
The shuriken were intercepted mid-air, deflected or redirected before reaching her.
Hidan frowned.
"What the "
Chinatsu didn't give him time.
Both she and her clones formed seals in perfect sync.
"Five Elements: Great Combo Technique!!!"
Five separate chakra natures erupted simultaneously from synchronized clones.
Fire, wind, lightning, earth, and water collided in overlapping bursts of destructive force.
BOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion swallowed the battlefield.
This was a technique originally associated with Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, known for his mastery of all five chakra natures. Normally, such a technique required decades of training or extreme natural talent but Chinatsu had both chakra reserves and analytical copying ability from her Mangekyou Sharingan.
The smoke cleared.
Hidan stood there.
Half-damaged, clothing destroyed, body still intact.
Then he laughed again.
"…That all?"
Chinatsu's eyes narrowed slightly.
Hidan was truly troublesome in a different way immortal in the most unnatural sense. Unlike regenerative types like Hashirama's vitality or medical ninjutsu healing, Hidan's body simply did not die. Even decapitation would not stop him.
And worse
His ritual damage transfer ability.
If he obtained blood and performed his Jashin ritual, any injury he inflicted on himself would reflect onto his target.
In other words: as long as he got blood, he became a guaranteed kill condition.
Chinatsu exhaled lightly.
She adjusted her stance.
Three tomoe Sharingan deepened.
Hidan suddenly rushed again, laughing wildly.
"I'll carve you up slowly!"
His scythe came down in a brutal arc
CLANG!!!
It stopped.
Not blocked.
Not deflected.
Stopped completely.
Hidan's expression changed.
"…What is this?!"
A thin layer of crimson chakra coated Chinatsu's body, condensed like armor.
It was denser than steel.
Hidan tried to push again, but the weapon would not move.
From afar, Kakuzu's eyes widened sharply.
"…That chakra pattern…"
His body stiffened.
He had lived since the era of the First Hokage. He had seen legends rise and fall. And there were very few things in the shinobi world that could still shock him.
But this
Kakuzu: "That is the Uchiha's highest defensive technique…"
Hidan blinked.
"Huh? Highest technique?"
Before he could react
The chakra solidified.
Bone structure formed.
A massive skeletal arm erupted around Chinatsu.
Susanoo First Stage.
A towering war construct manifested from her Mangekyou Sharingan, its ribcage-like frame stabilizing in midair. It was incomplete, but its pressure alone distorted the ground beneath them.
Hidan finally paused.
"…What the hell is that…"
Kakuzu's voice turned lower.
"That is not normal Uchiha power."
Before Hidan could move again
The skeletal arm swung.
BOOM!!!
Hidan was slammed directly into the ground with terrifying force.
Dust exploded outward.
Susanoo pinned him completely.
Chinatsu stood calmly beside the construct, one hand resting on her hip.
Then she turned her gaze.
Kakuzu.
He had already activated his Earth Grudge Fear technique threads subtly emerging beneath his cloak, his entire body preparing for combat.
Chinatsu raised her hand slightly.
"I already said it."
Her voice remained calm.
"Be my subordinate."
Silence.
Kakuzu didn't respond.
So she sighed.
"…Not enough impact, huh."
Her expression shifted slightly.
Then she clapped her hands together.
"Wood Release."
The ground exploded.
"Advent of a World of Trees miniature version."
Massive roots and trees erupted violently from beneath Kakuzu's feet, tearing through terrain like living weapons.
Kakuzu's eyes widened instantly.
"…Wood Release?!"
His voice dropped.
"That jutsu… this chakra… it can't be…"
For the first time, even Kakuzu felt something close to alarm.
Because he had seen records.
Only one man had ever used that power.
Hashirama Senju.
JOIN MY PATREON TO READ ADVANCE 40+ CHAPTERS
Patreon.com/Kora_1