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After receiving the latest reports, Tsunade had a full picture of the situation. She gave the final verdict on Asuma's condition:
From this day on, he would no longer be able to serve as a shinobi. The injury had cost him a fragment of his heart.
At best, he could endure only a few minutes of strenuous combat before the strain tore him apart from within.
The damaged tissue was far too fragile it might strengthen with time, but for now, it was beyond repair.
Inside the Hokage's office, Tsunade listened as Shikamaru and the returning gate guardians gave their debriefs. Her expression hardened.
"I see… you've all done well."
Her eyes lingered on Shikamaru, unusually serious and determined. She understood how much this had shaken him.
"You already have a plan for dealing with those two, don't you?"
Shikamaru met her gaze and nodded firmly. The moment Asuma had been stabilized, his mind had been running at full speed, reviewing every detail and calculating countless scenarios.
He was determined to end the so-called immortal duo once and for all.
"Lady Hokage, I do. Please, allow me to lead the pursuit."
Tsunade's lips curved into a small, approving smile. Even the laziest among them had a line that couldn't be crossed. Asuma's near-death had struck that nerve in Shikamaru.
"Then it's settled. Shikamaru you'll command this mission. Hunt down the ones who attacked the Fire Temple, and either capture them or eliminate them on the spot. Dismissed."
With a decisive slam of her palm, the three vanished from the office.
---
Outside, Shikamaru quickly regrouped with Ino and Choji, preparing their gear. Within hours, the trio stood at the village gates.
"You're ready?" Shikamaru asked, voice steady.
Ino and Choji nodded. "Let's go."
Shikamaru exhaled, stepped past the gates, and led his team out with grim resolve. This mission was personal.
"Wait!"
The sudden call made them pause. They turned, surprised.
"Neji?"
The Hyuga prodigy strode forward, clad in his pale robes, a white headband tying back his hair.
"Naruto's training is nearly finished, and mine is complete as well," he said evenly. "Since their jutsu is activated through blood rituals, you'll need a medic on this mission. I already cleared it with my teacher. Let me join you."
The three exchanged quick looks. Shikamaru's lips tugged into a smile.
"Then our chances just got a whole lot better."
With Neji's addition, their strategy could be bolder. For a moment, the intensity in Shikamaru's eyes was so sharp it made Ino and Choji uneasy.
Neji smirked to himself, breaking the tension.
"Enough brooding. If we don't move quickly, they'll slip out of the Land of Fire. Based on the search patterns of our squads, there's only one route left for them."
Shikamaru nodded. It matched his own deduction.
"Then let's move."
The four blurred into motion, racing toward the border to intercept their quarry before they could escape.
---
A day later, in a deadwood forest near the frontier, two cloaked figures trudged along the path.
"Stay sharp, Hidan," Kakuzu muttered.
"I know, I know," Hidan grumbled, swinging his scythe lazily.
But Kakuzu's instincts were honed from fighting since the era of the First Hokage. His senses were sharp and the shadows at their feet began to writhe unnaturally.
"Shadow!"
The two split apart instantly, just as shuriken with paper tags whistled toward them.
"Damn it!" Hidan snarled, whipping his chained scythe to deflect them.
Kakuzu raised a hardened arm to block the kunai. Explosions roared, smoke erupting around them.
Through the haze, Hidan shouted, "I'm fine hardened my arm!" The black tendrils of [Earth Grudge Fear] retracted, leaving him unharmed.
"Don't worry about me," Kakuzu barked. "Watch the shadows!"
The creeping darkness surged again. Hidan leapt aside, cursing.
"Tch. Same old trick won't work twice!"
"Above!" Kakuzu snapped.
Hidan glanced up just in time to see Shikamaru descending, kunai in both hands. The weapons, seemingly marked with tags, were stabbed into the ground at their feet.
"Not this crap again!" Hidan hissed.
Both men braced for detonation yet nothing happened. No explosion.
Their eyes widened.
A feint.
Shikamaru's smirk cut through the haze. The blades gleamed faintly they weren't rigged with tags at all. They were chakra blades, Asuma's own treasured weapons, capable of channeling elemental chakra.
The shadow threads lashed out, binding Hidan in place.
"Damn it! Not this again!" Hidan struggled, déjà vu flashing bitterly.
"You were never my target," Shikamaru said coldly, his eyes narrowing. "It was your shadows all along."
Even Kakuzu, with all his years of experience, had failed to notice the sleight of hand. The supposed tags had been nothing more than scraps of paper.
Clever… and dangerous.
Hidan growled. "Kakuzu, I'm stuck again! This is really bad!"
Shikamaru's voice darkened, his hands forming seals.
"Bad? No. According to my calculations… this is checkmate."
His shadow surged, extending into Hidan's body. The trap was complete.
Shikamaru allowed himself a breath.
"This time, I won't mistake the order of my moves."
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~Support with 200 PowerStones = 1 Bonus Chapter
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