Senju Haruto's eyes swept up and down the strange man called Hidan. Every instinct in his body screamed ill omen.
Especially the wound across the man's chest.
The Executioner's Blade had split his torso wide open, blood pouring freely—and yet the man made no effort to stop the bleeding.
Any ordinary shinobi would be desperately binding the wound, but this one acted as if it was nothing, as if he had lived with injuries like this all his life.
And the man's partner… from beginning to end, he remained utterly calm, making no move to intervene, no hint of concern on his face.
"Heh, heh, heh…"
Hidan's laughter turned more grotesque the longer Haruto studied him, mocking the very idea of pain or death. He let the blood drip freely to the floor, then lifted his foot, dragging it through the crimson pool as if it were ink. Slowly, deliberately, he began sketching a strange symbol on the ground.
"Hurry it up, Hidan," Kakuzu finally muttered, irritation creeping into his voice.
Every time Hidan performed his so-called ritual, he wasted precious time. Were it not for the man's accursed immortality, Kakuzu would have disposed of him long ago.
"Don't rush me," Hidan shot back without even glancing at his partner. "This is an offering to Lord Jashin. How could I be careless? If I rush, Lord Jashin will be angry."
He spoke with a disturbing reverence, wholly unconcerned with Kakuzu's impatience, his hand continuing its steady movements to complete the blood-drawn circle.
"...Haku."
Haruto's voice was low, grave.
He didn't yet know the full extent of the man's ritual, but every nerve in his body told him the same thing—this was no place to linger.
"Yes."
Haku's reply was short, but his understanding was immediate. Even without further words, their years of trust and survival together made Haruto's meaning clear.
Shnk! Shnk!
In a blur, Haku's hands loosed a volley of senbon needles, forcing both Kakuzu and Hidan to halt their advance, cutting off their pursuit. Then he leapt back, retreating swiftly to Haruto's side, helping him disengage.
Haruto didn't even dare to reclaim the Executioner's Blade. To ensure Haku's safety, he simply snatched up a fallen katana—one left behind by one of Gato's personal guards—and hacked through the wall of the hideout. Wood splintered, and in the next instant, both master and tool vanished into the night.
They hit the ground running. Haruto moved like a predator—low, fast, unrelenting—desperate only to put distance between themselves and the Akatsuki pair.
Those two were never his targets.
And worse—he knew nothing of their abilities.
Especially Hidan.
Every inch of that man radiated a curse of misfortune.
I still have greater plans to complete. There's no sense throwing my life away in a meaningless fight against monsters like them…
Haruto gritted his teeth, forcing himself to see this retreat as strategy, not cowardice. In truth, running had long since become a part of his life.
Ever since his failed coup in the Hidden Mist, he had been hunted again and again by hunter-nin, forced to live like prey. This was simply another hunt, another flight for survival.
"Damn it, Hidan—your ritual cost me my bounty." Kakuzu's voice carried behind them, sharp with annoyance.
But credit where it was due—the boy Haku's well-timed attack had been enough to hold Kakuzu at bay, if only for a moment.
"You don't understand a thing," Hidan retorted, his voice filled with fervor. "Once my ritual begins, no one escapes."
And then, to Haruto's horror—even from a distance—the ritual took its next step.
Hidan lifted his triple-bladed scythe and, without hesitation, slashed straight into his own ankle.
Shrrkk!
Blood sprayed like a fountain, the gash so deep it severed muscle and tendon. Any sane man would have collapsed screaming.
But Hidan only exhaled in twisted ecstasy, his eyes gleaming with dark pleasure like a demon savoring torment.
This was only the beginning of his so-called sacrament to Jashin.
Switching his grip, he reversed the scythe, driving the spike at its end toward his own abdomen—completely unflinching. For once the bond was established, every injury he inflicted upon himself would be mirrored upon his chosen offering.
Kakuzu spared him only a sidelong glance, disgust flickering in his eyes. He had long known the nature of Hidan's cursed ability, but witnessing it never failed to repulse him.
"…Enough."
With a weary sigh, Kakuzu sprinted into the forest in pursuit of Haruto. Ritual or no ritual, the bounty was useless without a corpse to deliver.
Meanwhile, Haruto and Haku tore through the darkness, their only thought to escape.
But before they had gone far, agony exploded through Haruto's body. His ankle seared with pain as if slashed open by a blade, and his stride crumpled. He hit the ground hard, tumbling end over end before skidding to a stop.
"Haruto-sama!"
Haku whirled back, horror striking his face as he rushed to his master's side.
"My… ankle…"
One glance was enough. Haku froze in disbelief.
This injury was new. He remembered clearly—Haruto had only taken a blow to his left shoulder during the clash with the Konoha ninja. His ankle had been unscathed.
But now—it was cleaved nearly in two. Tendons and muscle shredded, as though carved apart by a sharp blade.
Before Haku could even process it, Haruto's body convulsed again. Blood gushed from his abdomen, a crimson spray that had no visible cause.
Haku's gaze darted around wildly. There were no traps, no hidden weapons, no pursuers in sight. The wounds… they came from nowhere.
"I understand now…" Haruto hissed through gritted teeth, pain wracking his body. "It's that blood ritual he drew… That bastard must have forged some kind of link. Every wound he inflicts on himself… is being transferred to me."
It sounded impossible. And yet, it was the only explanation.
"Haku—leave me here. Go!"
Haruto shoved him hard, urging him to abandon him and escape alone.
But abandoning Haruto was unthinkable.
"No." Haku's voice was steel. He seized Haruto's arm and hoisted him over his shoulder without hesitation, sprinting forward with every ounce of strength.
"If my guess is right, he can kill me in a hundred ways… and drag me down with him regardless," Haruto rasped, his breath growing ragged.
"No…" Haku shook his head firmly, his voice unwavering. "I am your tool, Haruto-sama. A tool does not abandon its master. Only a master may discard his tool. Never the other way around."
"So please… do not waste your strength with words."
To Haku, preserving Haruto's energy was the only way to keep him alive.
And he refused to believe such a technique was flawless.
The ritual required a blood-drawn circle. That meant the jutsu had limitations. For Hidan to maintain it, he had to stay within the circle. If they could just put enough distance between themselves and him, perhaps the connection would sever.
With that conviction, Haku pressed on, shouldering Haruto's weight, his steps never faltering.
But before hope could take root—
A cold voice echoed directly at his ear.
"And where do you think you're taking my bounty?"
Boom!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
🚀 Stay ahead of the story with early access to 100 chapters and bonus exclusive content—only on Patreon.
👉 patreon.com/Rawink00