Yugito dashed through the tunnel of Kumogakure's sewer system, gasping for breath as she glanced over her shoulder.
"This is such a bad idea… but I can't start a fight right in the middle of the village. Even just defending myself could destroy a lot."
She stopped in the center of an open area where several tunnels converged, forming an open chamber.
Suddenly, a scythe attached to a rope landed in the water.
"Are you going to stop now? This chasing game is getting on my nerves."
A man in a hooded cloak lowered his hood, revealing neatly combed silver hair.
"Nice dodge, but I'm the weakest link in Akatsuki. Doesn't mean much."
"Thanks for helping, Hidan." Another man lowered his hood, revealing a masked face. "Here, Kumogakure's ninja won't be able to interfere."
Hidan shrugged and picked up the scythe.
"Oh well. Let's get started then, Kakuzu?"
Kakuzu snarled,
"Take this seriously—she's the Two-Tails Jinchuriki. She can take you down."
"Come on, Kakuzu," Hidan replied. "You know nothing can kill me. Even if she could, it wouldn't matter."
He pulled a strange amulet from beneath his necklace:
"Let me pray to Lord Jashin first."
Kakuzu rolled his eyes:
"Damn irritating brat."
"Hey, fucker!" Hidan roared at Kakuzu. "This is my faith!"
Yugito tried to hide her tension with a grin:
"You really think you can just walk in here without a threat? Fine then."
She made a hand seal, activating explosive tags above the tunnel.
"I led you down here for a reason. No one above will get hurt if we fight here."
Kakuzu chuckled:
"A patriot? I used to think like that too. You'll understand someday how useless that is—especially when we rip the tailed beast from your body and no one shows up to rescue you."
"Hey," Hidan said. "I can't kill you. Come with us instead. You don't stand a chance."
"Maybe," Yugito replied. "But talking won't change anything. I knew you'd come—I've been ready for this fight."
Closing her eyes, Yugito focused and summoned the Two-Tails' chakra. Crouching low, she erupted into a massive cat-shaped aura of ghostly blue flames.
Hidan stared at her expressionlessly:
"So this is the Two-Tails. Feels like I'm cornered like a rat... Interesting."
******
In the quiet night of Kumogakure, Naruto sat alone, deep in thought. He had left the inn and wandered through the village trying to clear his head.
"Yugito… how can she not fear failure? She must know what would happen if they take her tailed beast."
Naruto punched a nearby wall, then pulled his hand back, watching the torn skin on his knuckles knit together.
Just then, Naruto felt a slight tremor beneath the ground.
"The hell was that? An earthquake?"
"No—it's the sign of a battle underground," the Nine-Tails rumbled.
Naruto furrowed his brow.
"It's three in the morning. Who would be fighting at this hour?"
"Maybe someone who doesn't want to get caught. Use your head, you moron! Go check what's going on!"
Naruto clenched his teeth.
"How the hell do I get down from here?"
******
The sewer hall Yugito had led her opponent into had become an open-air ruin.
Hidan lay within a Jashinist ritual circle, his skin charred and skeletal. Motionless, a spike pierced his chest, making him appear dead.
Kakuzu sat impatiently atop rubble from the battle.
"It's been thirty minutes already, Hidan. Aren't you done yet?"
Hidan suddenly stirred. He glared at his partner.
"Oh shut up! Don't interrupt my ritual, bastard!"
He reached out and pulled the spike from his chest.
"That fucking hurts!"
Kakuzu sighed as he watched Hidan rise from the ground.
Shaking dust off his cloak and wiping blood from his skin, Hidan glanced toward Yugito, impaled on the wall by a spear.
"Tch," Kakuzu muttered, walking toward the unconscious Yugito. "That cat burned you three times… Hmm, interesting."
"Go to hell, Kakuzu," Hidan snapped. "That really friggin' hurt."
Cursing under his breath, Hidan approached Yugito to pull her from the wall.
Suddenly, a kunai pierced his hand.
"What the—?!"
The ninja wire tied to the kunai's ring snapped taut, yanking Hidan back through the hole in the ceiling of the sewer tunnel.
A figure landed inside, rushing at Kakuzu with a kunai raised—but this time, Kakuzu blocked the attack. His strange eyes fixed upon his opponent.
"I didn't expect to see you so soon again, kid," Kakuzu sneered. "Coming to surrender?"
Naruto grinned, unwrapped himself, revealing three explosive tags burning fast on his chest.
Kaboom!
A massive explosion shook the ruined battlefield. In the smoke, Kakuzu stepped forward unscathed.
"Still not enough, kid," he said, walking toward Naruto, who had already pulled Yugito down from the wall.
"Killing two birds with one stone. Pretty good deal."
Naruto glared at Kakuzu.
"You're not taking either of us."
Kakuzu laughed loudly.
"Last time, the One-Tail shielded you. We held back in the desert. What makes you think you've got a chance now?"
Naruto said nothing.
"Hehehe…" Hidan landed beside Kakuzu, gripping his scythe. "Do you really think those clones can stop me?"
Naruto shook his head.
"No. Not to stop you. Just to gain some time."
As he spoke, he gently set Yugito down.
Kakuzu and Hidan both wore looks of shock when they saw her stand—only to morph into another Naruto.
At that moment, hundreds of Naruto clones flooded the opening. They unsheathed the swords strapped to their backs, staring down at the two Akatsuki members.
Hidan grinned widely, tightening his grip on his scythe.
"I was starting to worry this mission wouldn't let me shed any blood after all."
"Yugito, hang in there! We're getting out of this place!"
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