Guren vs Kakuzu and Hidan

As the two sides prepared to restart combat, Guren and Haku decided to change up their plans. Through superior reconnaissance capabilities and a wide information network, they had discovered both who the operatives that Akatsuki had dispatched were and their unique abilities.

WIth such knowledge in hand, they adapted their plan so as to reach victory more efficiently. Their enemies, the Akatsuki's immortal duo were notorious for their ability to shrug off damage and fight without ever tiring, this made a direct confrontation very inefficient as a way to fulfill their mission.

Not only would they need to expend greater resources in the war, they would be stuck in a stalemate for a much longer period of time and though the two kunoichi were confident in their stamina, specially after all their upgrades, there was no point in trying to match the enemy in their specialty.

As such, their plan of attack changed. Rather than just waiting for the battle to start and only then intervene, they would initiate the battle themselves, opening with the Artillery Automata barraging the opposing army with superior firepower.

Then, Guren who was more capable in direct combat than Haku would hold the two Akatsuki even if it means burning up her energy faster since the plan is to go for a quick end to the hostilities.

Even before the battle starts, Haku would leave to infiltrate the enemy's capital city and take the heads of the country's leaders.

With this, the more cool headed and money focused member of the immortal duo is likely to to just retreat. Even though Haku actually has a hefty bounty from Kirigakure, the true identity of Mugetsu's members is always concealed by their masks and cloaks anyway so Kakuzu won't stay for that.

In the off chance that they stay anyway, Haku and Guren had backups to ensure their victory in a drawn out battle with various enhancement pills and special paper tags which were made available only to core members of Mugetsu.

Haku immediately set off while Guren waited to pick out the best time to start the assault. THe country's soldiers were ordered to stand back, the only had to claim the territory after the work was done.

The key was to wait until the nemey was just about to start their attack and, right after their army has massed together in preparation to charge, Guren would order the Artillery Automatons to light then up.

In such a massed group, casualties would be massive and this was exactly why Guren elected to wait. Not only that, it also gave Haku more time to execute her own task and return, thus reducing the burden Guren would bear in facing two Akatsuki members by herself.

Guren had set up a Crystal Style surveillance network that covered the entire battlefield and was just waiting for the right moment as she observed the gathering enemy troops.

The moment their were all bunched up together and before they even had the chance to fully assume their combat formation, Guren gave the automata their attack order.

The entry sky was lit up as orbs of concentrated chakra made through the Fury Jutsu were lobbed over to the enemy side by the Artillery Automatons, creating explosions capable of flattening entire city blocks and slaughtering most of the army.

As soon as he spotted the orbs though Kakuzu smartly retreated at full speed, fully avoiding the area of effect of the blasts, his dumb partner however, was ragdolled across the battlefield.

Guren didn't appear yet and just commanded the Frontline Automatons to advance. This war did not merit Mugetsu's full power so Flying Automatons and other vehicles were not employed. Only enhanced version of what they sold were deployed to the battlefield.

The Frontliners mowed down the surviving enemies with Bolt Throwers and Chakra Beams as they advanced.

Kakuzu was already considering if this job was worth the money they were paid and inclined to determine they were not paid nearly enough for what they were facing.

Alas, Hidan who was pssed at being ragdolled and even attacked by the puppets that followed had other opinions as he charged while spewing his religious nonsense and beging his Jashin to watch him.

*sigh* "Hidan you fool." Kakuzu complained.

But, knowing their professional reputation was also at stake, he elected to fight as well. After all, requests would greatly diminish if they ran away at this point. Mugetsu had stolen a lot of business too so he was quite irritated at them as well.

Hidan dashed to the nearest automaton while dodging their counter attacks and swung his red, triple bladed scythe in a large arc to destroy it.

Just as he was about to connect though, a wall of crystal sprung up from the ground, stopping his slash and trapping the scythe.

"What the hell!?" He shouted before the crystal started growing and swallowing his weapon.

Quickly electing to let go of it, Hidan managed to avoid capture but still lost his main weapon.

"Get the fuck out you coward!" Hidan shouted at the Crystal Style user that hindered him, seeing they didn't appear, even now.

Kakuzu behind him, elected that the best way to turn the situation into a better one was to use a just with a wide area of effect to both destroy the puppets and smoke out the hidden enemy.

"Fire Style: Searing Migraine!"

Kakuzu's plan was good, it could even be said to be the best possible option he could have taken other than retreating and giving up on his mission.

However, he had underestimated the capabilities of the automatons he had dismissed as mere puppets. They were just enhanced versions of what was made publicly available for sale but they had a big difference other than firepower, Chakra Shields like those produced by Chakra Armors.

As such, even though the automatons that were at the front, and thus bore the brunt of of Kakuzu's jutsu, were charred and damaged, some possibly beyond repair, the grand majority managed to survive, nearly unscathed as well.

But while the destruction of the automatons failed, the jutsu was successful in breaking Guren's cloaking and thus revealing her presence and location.

"Looks like you actually have a good head on your shoulders. Unlike your partner over there." Guren Said to Kakuzu, her voice disguised by her mask.

"Hmph!" Was all she got from the money obsessed shinobi, Hidan on the other hand, had opinions on her statement.

"Hey, hey ,hey! What the hell do you mean by that you infidel bitch!?" He shouted.

Guren however elected to ignore him and swiftly commanded all the automatons to focus their attacks on Hidan while she would be in charge of Kakuzu.

'According to the info, the Hidan guy does not have any means of wide scale destruction so, even if he can destroy all of the automatons, it will take some time. Meanwhile, I can just focus on the more threatening Kakuzu.' Guren planned in her head.

Even if Hidan managed to destroy the automatons faster than expected, it would still bey Guren time for Haku to return.

As for the destroyed automatons, they were unimportant. Shiki himself said they were to fulfill the role of cannon fodder in case it was required so Guren had no reservations in sacrificing them all for victory if need be. They were older versions anyway.

"Huh!?" Hidan who hadn't stopped spewing his drivel as Guren made her considerations now suddenly shut up. All the automatons that had been proceeding i formation to wipe out the country's armies had now turned to him in particular and ignored all survivors.

"Shit!" Was all he could say before being drowned in barrages of attacks from all the automata. Even with his immortality, his body would be blown to pieces so Hidan frantically dodged as the automata quickly moved to encircle and trap him.

Seeing this, Hidan knew he had to destroy the puppets before him or he would not be able to leave. Right now, he could not even link up with his partner Kakuzu and could only hope Kakuzu to finish off the woman commanding the puppets a he rampaged around.

Having lost his signature scythe in the beginning of the battle, something that filled him with regret, Hidan could only use the spike he normally had for ritualistic self mutilation and use it to fight.

Meanwhile, Guren and Kakuzu started each other down. Guren was not even the slightest bit inclined to start attacking. After all, the more the battle was delayed, the more time Haku had to return.

Kakuzu on the other hand, knowing that Mugetsu agents usually operated alone, did not consider Haku's existence which was an exception made since they were facing the Akatsuki.

He even thought that waiting would only result in the destruction of the automatons and then the fight would become a two on one since Hidan had limitless stamina.

Thus, a stalemate was made, with both sides confident in their advantage.

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P.a.t.r.e.o.n is officially up!

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You'll get to read up to FOUR week ahead, a full month, but I'll still post here.

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