Chapter 223: Hidden Sound Village · Sakura Haruno vs. Hidan & Kakuzu
Above Konoha, a pink figure plummeted like a meteor.
In Sakura Haruno's pupils, the brutality of the battlefield below was reflected clearly.
Tsunade, once the symbol of Konoha's strongest medical ninja and monstrous strength, was now curled up in pain on the ground, her body twitching unnaturally. A bizarre bloody pattern spread from beneath her feet, connecting to a laughing figure not far away.
Hidan.
Kakuzu's black tentacle monsters and various attribute ninjutsu wove a web of death, wantonly slicing through the defense line built by Konoha ninjas with their flesh and blood, harvesting their hearts to replace the ones he had lost.
Konoha ninjas fought fearlessly, but appeared powerless before the absolute gap in strength, showing signs of defeat.
"Naruto…"
A blurred figure flashed through her mind.
Sakura's eyes showed no fluctuation.
She clearly recognized that Tsunade, as one of Konoha's most important combat forces, falling would directly disintegrate Konoha's frontal resistance. Once the defense line collapsed, chaos would spread rapidly…
Protect Tsunade, stabilize the situation, eliminate the threat. This was the top priority.
Once, she could only watch helplessly as their backs grew distant. Sasuke, who left before she could express her feelings; the various ninjutsu Naruto had displayed… And she was just the burden who could never catch up.
But now…
Sakura looked down at her hands.
She was no longer that ignorant little girl.
"Swift Release!"
The pink figure left an afterimage in the air. In the next instant, she had cut into the center of the chaotic battlefield. Her speed exceeded the limit of the naked eye.
Hidan was immersed in the ecstasy of his successful curse, ready to appreciate Tsunade's even more miserable wails. Kakuzu's attacks were also pouring towards Tsunade's defenseless body.
In the nick of time!
Sakura appeared beside Tsunade. Without superfluous movement, the "Chakra Gauntlet" on her left hand shimmered, precisely gripping Tsunade's shoulder, lifting her from the ground with skillful force.
simultaneously, her right hand flashed with cold light. A beam condensed from mana instantly severed the invisible connection between Hidan's scythe—stained with Tsunade's blood—and her body.
The entire rescue process was smooth and breathtakingly efficient.
She placed Tsunade securely behind a relatively safe broken wall in the rear. Without even looking back at Tsunade's condition, she turned again to face the two Akatsuki members bringing trouble to Konoha.
"Hah? Another kid here to die?"
Hidan licked his lips, his crimson tongue exceptionally glaring against his ashen skin. He looked at the pink-haired girl who appeared suddenly and interrupted his "ritual," a flash of offended anger and bloodthirsty excitement in his eyes.
"Very good! Pink-haired brat, let you become a new sacrifice for Lord Jashin too! Your blood must be sweet! Hahahaha~"
He swung the bizarre Triple-Bladed Scythe again, slashing at Sakura from a tricky angle.
Sakura didn't dodge, allowing the sharp blade to leave a bloody mark on her arm.
Hidan grinned savagely, quickly outlining the familiar circular curse formation on the ground with his own blood, and placed the tip of the scythe stained with Sakura's blood in the center.
"Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood!"
"Brat, feel the wrath of Lord Jashin!"
He raised the pitch-black pike high, eyes flashing with cruel anticipation, and stabbed it into his own heart without hesitation!
SQUELCH—!
The sound of the pike piercing the heart was clearly audible.
Hidan was ready to hear the girl's screams of pain and wails of despair.
However…
The expected scream did not come.
Sakura just stood there quietly, looking down at her chest.
There, a wound deep enough to see bone appeared, perfectly synchronized with the wound on Hidan's heart.
But bizarrely, the granulation tissue at the edge of the wound was writhing, weaving, and healing at a speed beyond common sense. Before even a trace of blood could spill, the terrifying wound vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.
She could even feel a faint chakra ripple in her chest, then dissipate. No pain, not even discomfort.
The power given by Orochimaru… had far exceeded what she had before the contract. This super-speed regeneration was only natural for members of the Hidden Sound.
"Wh—what the hell?!"
The ecstatic smile on Hidan's face froze instantly. Extreme shock and confusion quickly crawled over his face, finally turning into a near-maniacal fear.
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible! How could Lord Jashin's power…"
He couldn't believe what was happening! His curse technique, his pride, the experiment from the Jashin cult, the core ability bestowed by Lord Jashin… actually failed?
"AAAAAAHHH!!"
Hidan roared angrily, raising the pike again and stabbing even more viciously into other parts of his body—abdomen, thigh, shoulder…
"Why! Why! Feel pain! Scream for me!"
With each self-mutilation, the same wound would appear on the corresponding part of Sakura's body, then heal instantly.
From beginning to end, she looked at Hidan expressionlessly, her eyes calm as a bottomless ancient well. There was even a hint of faint confusion in her gaze.
As if unable to understand why this man in front of her would hysterically harm himself knowing it was futile? And why he was so pained by her "lack of reaction"?
That look was like watching an incomprehensible madman.
This phenomenon completely defying his common sense, this extreme indifference from the "sacrifice," overturned Hidan's faith in Jashin.
"You—what kind of monster are you!?"
"Answer me!"
Hidan's voice became sharp and distorted with fear and anger.
Kakuzu had been observing calmly from the side. When he saw Sakura unharmed under Hidan's curse, showing not even a trace of pain, his heart sank.
"Hidan's ability is ineffective against her."
Kakuzu made a quick judgment. "This woman is very strange."
"Hidan, your ritual doesn't work on her, but your immortality is still somewhat useful. Keep her occupied, don't let her support others."
"I'll deal with her."
He no longer expected Hidan to cause any effective damage, but his immortal body should at least serve as a qualified punching bag to divert the opponent's attention.
Kakuzu's five mask monsters roared out from behind him, Earth Grudge Fear's black tentacles dancing wildly. Ninjutsu of different attributes spewed from the masks' mouths, instantly enveloping Sakura.
"Let's see how much you can take, monster!"