Chapter 210 – The Death of Asuma
"What kind of mission is it this time?" Shino asked, turning toward their teacher.
"No idea," Yusuke replied casually. "Tsunade called you three to the Hokage's office. Let's go."
The moment he finished speaking, he simply turned around and vanished into thin air.
"Tch… he could've at least brought us along," Kiba grumbled.
"He probably didn't," Shino said calmly, "because a space–time technique like that consumes a lot of chakra."
Hinata stayed silent. Deep down, she knew Yusuke hadn't forgotten them—he'd done it on purpose.
Moments later, the trio hurried toward the Hokage's office.
"Lady Hokage, what kind of mission is this? A B-rank one?" Kiba asked eagerly.
For him, the higher the mission rank, the bigger the pay—and right now, he desperately needed money.
"This isn't a B-rank," Tsunade said gravely. "It's S-rank."
Yusuke leaned back slightly, his expression calm and unbothered. "Go on. What's the task?"
"This mission is to escort the Fire Daimyō. One of his guards, Chiriku of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, was just killed by Akatsuki. Asuma, Shikamaru, and several Special Jōnin have already departed. But since Akatsuki members are all S-class criminals, I'm worried they'll be outmatched. The Daimyō himself requested you to act as his escort," Tsunade explained firmly.
"What? That old man wants me to be his bodyguard? Who does he think he is?" Yusuke muttered in clear irritation.
His students froze. Even they knew that, politically speaking, the Fire Daimyō outranked the Hokage—he ruled over the entire Land of Fire, of which Konoha was only one shinobi village.
"Don't get worked up," Tsunade said. "Even if he hadn't requested you, I still would've sent you. Asuma is my teacher's son, and someone I've known since childhood. I don't want to lose him."
Yusuke sighed and gave a faint nod. "Understood. All right, kids—let's move."
He waved his hand, opening a space–time portal. The team stepped through.
— — —
Meanwhile, on the battlefield…
The fight between Asuma and Hidan had already begun.
Asuma lunged first, his attack sharp and precise, but Hidan blocked it with his scythe and countered immediately, forcing Asuma on the defensive.
Just as Hidan was about to strike again, Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Jutsu caught him, freezing his movements.
"Now!" Asuma shouted.
Two Special Jōnin rushed in, their blades flashing as they slashed at Hidan—only for their attacks to do absolutely nothing. Hidan didn't flinch. He didn't even bleed.
It was as if the injuries weren't his.
A loud crash echoed through the area as a wall collapsed, and a tall figure stepped through the dust.
"Kakuzu…" Shikamaru muttered under his breath, eyes narrowing.
"Stay out of this, Kakuzu!" Hidan shouted, glaring at his partner. "These sacrifices belong to Lord Jashin!"
Laughing, he drew a ritual circle on the ground with blood smeared along his foot. When it was complete, he raised his scythe high and charged at Asuma.
Asuma countered with calm determination, his Chakra Blades glowing with sharp wind chakra. Their weapons clashed again and again, sparks flying.
In raw taijutsu, Asuma was at a disadvantage, but his ninjutsu balanced the scales.
Then Hidan changed tactics. With a cunning sweep of his scythe, he managed to nick Asuma's cheek—just enough to draw blood.
Grinning, Hidan licked the blood off his weapon. "Got you."
His ritual circle flared to life. Black lines spread across his skin, forming a skeletal pattern.
"Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood!"
"Asuma-sensei, get out of there!" Shikamaru shouted.
"Fire Release: Ash Pile Burning!"
Asuma threw one of his chakra blades into the air, weaved a series of hand signs, and blew out a massive cloud of ash, igniting it into a roaring explosion.
The flames swallowed Hidan whole—yet he stepped out of the inferno, completely unharmed.
Instead, Asuma coughed violently, blood spurting from his chest.
"Bastard," Asuma hissed, kneeling.
"Prepare to die!" Hidan yelled, driving his spear toward his own heart.
Before the weapon could pierce him, Shikamaru's shadow shot forward and seized him once again—Shadow Strangle Jutsu!
He wrenched Hidan's body out of the ritual circle, severing the curse's link.
"Dammit, Kakuzu! Help me!" Hidan screamed, thrashing against the shadow's grip.
Even though he was immortal, the pain was excruciating.
By the time Kakuzu moved, Asuma had already closed in. With one swift swing of his blade, he severed Hidan's head cleanly from his body.
The severed head hit the ground—still talking. "Oi! You moron, what took you so long!?"
Kakuzu sighed in annoyance, dodging Asuma's next strike, and countered with brutal force. His punch sent Asuma sprawling.
He then calmly picked up Hidan's head and reattached it to his body as if sewing a doll back together.
The two Akatsuki members turned their focus back to the remaining Leaf ninja. Kakuzu moved to intercept the two Jōnin, while Hidan reentered his ritual circle, sneering.
"This time," Hidan said, "I won't fall for the same trick."
Asuma staggered to his feet. "You won't get me so easily again."
"Idiot. Once I have your blood, the curse remains," Hidan replied—and plunged his spear through his own chest.
"NOOOO!" Shikamaru screamed.
He'd already figured out Hidan's ability—but too late.
"The guy… stabbed himself?" Kiba gasped as he and the others arrived.
Yusuke stood a short distance away, watching quietly. His eyes glowed faintly as he flicked his finger, sending an invisible wave of chakra toward Hidan's weapon, trying to divert the strike.
But the curse had already taken hold.
"Asuma!!" Shikamaru's cry tore through the battlefield.
He ran forward just in time to catch Asuma as he collapsed, the life fading from his eyes.
"Go," Yusuke said softly. "Assist with the retrieval."
"But… Asuma-sensei—" Kiba began.
"Follow orders. Now," Yusuke's tone sharpened.
They obeyed instantly, charging toward Hidan and Kakuzu.
But before they could engage, Pain's telepathic command reached the Akatsuki duo.
"Return. Begin the sealing of the Two-Tails."
Both vanished in a summoning flash.
Shikamaru could only stare as they disappeared. His knees buckled, and he knelt beside Asuma's body, his hands trembling.
"Enough," Yusuke said quietly. "The dead don't return. Accept it."
"Asuma-sensei… please… wake up…" Shikamaru whispered.
Tears streamed down his face—the usually composed strategist was now just a broken boy mourning his mentor.
"He's gone," Yusuke said coldly. "Crying won't change that. Use your time to think about revenge."
With a wave of his hand, Asuma's body lifted gently into the air.
"He was a good man. I'll handle the burial." Yusuke vanished, taking the body with him. Only a single lighter clattered to the ground.
Shikamaru stared at it, then slowly picked it up. His eyes hardened with resolve.
"When did you three arrive?" he asked, his voice trembling.
"Right when that guy stabbed himself," Kiba answered quietly.
"Our condolences… Shikamaru-kun," Hinata said softly.
Shikamaru didn't respond. His grief was too deep for words.
He blamed no one but himself—for being too weak, too slow.
If only Hatake Yusuke had arrived one minute earlier…
He flicked the lighter open. The small flame flickered in the wind.
"Asuma-sensei," he whispered. "I'll carry on the Will of Fire you entrusted to me. I'll find the 'gem' you spoke of—and I won't let anyone I care about get hurt again."
His resolve burned as bright as the flame.
Meanwhile, in another dimension—far away from the Land of Fire—
a white-haired man stood in silence, gazing down at a peaceful figure lying motionless before him, as if merely asleep.
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