257. Team 7 vs Hidan & Kakuzu -2

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"ORA!"

Sakura's fist smashed into the earthen wall, reducing it to rubble as chunks of stone scattered in every direction.

"DIE!"

Above her, Hidan had already leapt, gripping his scythe with both hands, ready to cleave into her back.

However, before his blade could reach her, a golden chain suddenly appeared in his vision.

He had no idea what it was, but instinct took over, and he used his scythe to knock it aside.

"Idiot! BEHIND YOU!" Kakuzu shouted as he sprinted forward, forming hand seals.

But it was too late.

Still airborne, Hidan turned his head only to see two more golden chains.

"What the hell are these?!"

One chain coiled tightly around his legs, binding them together as it crept upward.

The other wrapped around his arms, pinning them to his sides.

Before he could react further, Sasuke had already pulled Sakura away from danger, while Hidan plummeted to the ground.

With a heavy thud, he landed, his body completely restrained trapped like a silkworm in a cocoon.

"YOU FUCKERS—!**" Hidan began cursing the moment he hit the ground.

But just as he opened his mouth—ZAP!

Raikiri.

Kakashi's lightning blade slashed clean through Hidan's neck.

His head rolled away, stopping two meters from his body.

"PTOO!" Hidan spat dirt from his mouth.

"THAT HURT, YOU ASSHOLES!**"

But despite his complaints, his body remained completely functional.

"OI, KAKUZU! GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE AND FIX ME!**"

For some reason, Naruto felt like…

Hidan's voice had a hint of 'spoiled brat' in it.

Kakuzu wanted to help but before he could move, Chiriku's Fierce-Eyed Vajra form landed two heavy blows on his face.

The unexpected attack disrupted his jutsu, making him miss the perfect moment to save Hidan.

Naruto's Business Plan: Hidan Express Delivery

Sakura picked up Hidan's severed head, turning it from side to side. "Still alive, huh? This completely defies medical science."

Meanwhile, Naruto had already created two shadow clones, pointing at Hidan's body and head. "Alright, pack him up. Let's ship him to Konoha."

One of the clones, Naruko, eagerly took Hidan's head from Sakura.

Then, she had a brilliant idea.

Her hands itched with mischief.

Tossing the head lightly into the air, she lifted her foot—

And began juggling it like a hacky sack.

"Little ball game, kick it high!

Mālián blooms, count to twenty-one…"

Hidan's head bounced up and down with each kick, his voice cutting in and out mid-curse.

"THAT HURT, YOU BAST—"

"OI, MY NO—"

"MY EYE—"

"YOU LITTLE SHI—**"

Chiriku, who had just been in the middle of fighting Kakuzu, hesitated.

Kakuzu, who was supposed to be blocking attacks, also froze for a second.

Naruto's entire team…

They all just stared.

Only Clone 001, who had been lifting Hidan's body, looked absolutely delighted. "DAMN, NARUKO! THAT'S GENIUS! LET ME TRY!"

Naruko grinned and punted Hidan's head through the air.

"Catch!"

"GOT I—AAAAAAAAH!!!"

001's expression of excitement turned to horror as pain shot through his body.

With a howl of agony, he collapsed to the ground.

Everyone turned to see—

Hidan's mouth had clamped down on 001's toe.

"YOU LITTLE FUCKER! DIE!**" Hidan snarled.

With a CRUNCH, he bit down, severing the toe.

001 let out a tragic wail before vanishing into a puff of smoke.

Inside Naruto's seal, Kurama fell over laughing. "BAHAHAHAHAHAHA! This is the most entertaining mission yet! That dumb clone really just got killed by a toe bite! Absolute comedy!"

Naruto, however, was mortified.

The pain from the severed toe was bad enough. But dying that way?! Embarrassing!

"Alright, Naruko, STOP SCREWING AROUND!" he begged.

"Just get him to Konoha, PLEASE!"

Naruko stuck out her tongue but finally took the mission seriously. Grabbing Hidan's body and head, she vanished in a flash.

Kakuzu, who had just recovered from the beatdown, turned his head.

"Hidan, stop wasting time and—"

His eyes widened.

Hidan was gone.

Vanished.

Gone from the battlefield.

Seeing Chiriku stop his attack, Naruto took out a dozen Flying Thunder God kunai and tossed them into the air.

The kunai arced before falling toward Kakuzu's surroundings.

Kakuzu immediately recognized the tactic. "That technique…"

His mind raced as he recalled his intelligence reports. "Flying Thunder God… and the technique that took Hidan… this is Tobirama and Minato's jutsu, isn't it?! I won't let you use it!"

Before the kunai could land, Kakuzu spun in place, activating his jutsu.

From the two masks on his shoulders, multiple blasts of wind erupted, knocking all the kunai far out of range.

Some were sent hundreds of meters away, disappearing into the forest.

Seeing this, Naruto dramatically widened his eyes and gaped.

"Oh no! He saw through my plan!"

Unfortunately…

His acting was atrocious.

"…Naruto, that's the worst fake reaction I've ever seen," Sakura deadpanned.

Even Sasuke looked unimpressed.

"This idiot is our team's strongest?"

Kakuzu, meanwhile, felt proud of himself.

He had successfully countered one of Konoha's most dangerous jutsu!

"Your jutsu may be powerful, but in terms of experience, you are far beneath me."

He looked over Team 7, eyes narrowing.

"Seeing your headbands…" he mused, "reminds me of the first Konoha ninja I fought the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju."

But to his disappointment, none of them reacted.

They didn't even look surprised.

Naruto crossed his arms, unimpressed.

"So? I fought the Fourth Hokage."

The rest of Team 7 turned to him in mild awe.

"Wait, your Water Release is that strong?!" Sasuke questioned.

"The Fourth Hokage is a speedster how did he not dodge?"

Even Chiriku seemed intrigued.

Kakuzu, however, felt his blood pressure rise.

"YOU IDIOT!" he raged. "The Fourth Hokage was your FATHER! That doesn't count!"

Kakashi sighed, rolling his eyes.

He had seen that exact "fight" with his own eyes.

Naruto's so-called 'Water Release attack' had been him sitting on Minato's shoulders, peeing on his head.

And Minato had been forced to bathe immediately afterwards.

It was NOT a jutsu.

And it was DEFINITELY not something to brag about.

"I should probably not correct him," Kakashi decided. "Naruto is a vengeful little brat sometimes."

Kakuzu knew he had failed to intimidate them.

Still, a billion ryo was at stake.

Even if it was risky, he had to try.

"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!

Fire Release: Searing Migraine!"

Both of his remaining masks attacked simultaneously.

One unleashed a blazing inferno, while the other created a devastating windstorm, combining to form an attack powerful enough to incinerate everything in its path.

It was his final gamble.

Would it succeed?

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