Shikamaru had never experienced killing intent like this. The moment Hidan's deranged gaze locked onto him, a chill surged straight up his spine, freezing his body in place. The murderous pressure was so overwhelming that it filled his entire field of vision, as if the world had narrowed to nothing but those venomous eyes.
"Shikamaru!"
Asuma's voice snapped him out of the paralysis. Even without looking back, Shikamaru could hear the resolve in his mentor's tone.
"Don't worry. As long as I'm still alive, I won't let him lay a finger on any of you."
The certainty in Asuma's words steadied Shikamaru's trembling breath. He inhaled deeply, forcing the tension out of his stiff limbs.
"I'm guessing his technique only works as long as he remains inside that symbol on the ground." Shikamaru's voice regained its usual coolness. "This is where I come in."
Asuma gave a firm nod. "I'm counting on you, Shikamaru."
Shikamaru stepped forward, hands flashing through signs.
"Shadow Imitation Technique."
His shadow stretched across the ground, surging toward Hidan's like dark water. The instant the two shadows connected, Shikamaru gritted his teeth as a heavy strain hit his muscles.
"Hngh..."
Cold sweat trickled down his forehead. Trying to force control over someone as strong as Hidan was overwhelming, even with Kurenai's jutsu suppressing him. A wave of frustration washed through Shikamaru.
If only I were a little stronger... I could help them more.
But there was no time for regret. He focused every bit of strength he had. Under the double constraint of Kurenai's binding and Shikamaru's shadow, Hidan's movements froze, then stiffly shifted backward.
Step by step, Shikamaru dragged Hidan's body out of the ominous blood-drawn ritual circle.
"You annoying brat!" Hidan snarled, voice cracking with venom.
Shikamaru ignored him completely. Every ounce of concentration was needed simply to maintain the jutsu.
When Hidan's foot finally crossed the boundary of the symbol, Shikamaru gasped for breath.
"Kurenai-sensei… test him. At this point, he shouldn't be able to share damage with Asuma anymore."
Without hesitation, Kurenai drove her kunai into Hidan's shoulder.
Blood sprayed, but Shikamaru and Kurenai both looked only toward Asuma.
Nothing happened to him.
Shikamaru exhaled shakily. The theory was solid.
"You did great, Shikamaru." Asuma's praise was sincere, but his eyes were already locked onto Hidan, who was completely immobilized by their combined techniques.
Asuma moved.
With a burst of motion, he charged forward, channeling wind chakra into his trench knives. The "Flying Swallow" technique roared to life, wind blades extending from the metal, sharp enough to slice through steel.
Without hesitation, Asuma slashed downward with every ounce of strength he had.
The blade cleaved through flesh and bone.
In a bright arc of wind, Hidan's head flew into the air, spinning before landing with a dull thud.
Blood gushed from the neck of his headless body, splattering across the ground. The corpse remained upright for half a heartbeat before collapsing.
Hidan's severed head rolled to a stop, glaring at them with eyes full of fury and disbelief, dirt and blood caked across his twisted expression.
The battlefield fell silent.
Shikamaru's entire body sagged. The tension he had been holding onto for so long finally broke. He let out a sharp breath and swayed on his feet, drenched in sweat.
Damn it. Even with Kurenai-sensei restraining him, forcing control over someone that strong nearly drained my chakra completely.
But as he looked at Hidan's severed head, a tired but triumphant smile tugged at his lips.
Well… at least the problem's solved.
Asuma's hands trembled slightly from the recoil of channeling so much wind chakra, but his eyes remained fixed on Hidan's corpse to confirm the kill.
Kurenai released her binding jutsu, her breathing unsteady from the prolonged effort. Exhaustion pressed against her, but the relief of victory outweighed it.
For a moment, the three simply stood there, overwhelmed by the mix of fatigue and relief.
Asuma exhaled deeply. "It's over."
He looked toward Shikamaru, who was pale and gasping for breath.
"Shikamaru… we couldn't have done this without you. And you too, Kurenai."
Kurenai managed a tired smile. "That was too close. Good thing Shikamaru figured it out in time."
Even with Hidan's head still staring at them, the danger of that horrifying blood-curse technique had passed. With the head separated from the body, the ritual could no longer function.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield…
Might Guy burned with green aura, breathing heavily. His clothes were shredded, revealing powerful muscles scored with burns and cuts left by ninjutsu.
Kakuzu was in little better shape. One of his five hearts had already been destroyed by Guy's relentless taijutsu.
But including his original, four still remained.
"Your taijutsu is impressive," Kakuzu said, emerald eyes narrowing. "But impressive is all it is. I've fought someone whose hand-to-hand skill far surpassed yours."
Guy blinked. "Who?"
"Hashirama Senju. The First Hokage."
Guy's eyes went wide. "What?"
"You fought the First Hokage?" he asked, incredulous.
Kakuzu only chuckled darkly.
"Compared to him, your taijutsu is lacking. And more importantly…" His voice turned cold. "You rely too much on close combat. That is your greatest flaw."
He raised both hands as threads writhed from within his sleeves.
"Taijutsu users need to close the distance. Unfortunately for you, ninjutsu happens to be my specialty. I will not allow you to get close again."