The uproar in Konoha had barely settled when, on the far side of the Land of Fire, a border town began to roil beneath its bustling surface.
A newly established, large-scale exchange house had drawn caravans and bounty hunters from every nation, turning the streets lively and loud. In that flow of people, two figures in straw hats and black cloaks patterned with red clouds walked side by side, jarringly out of place.
The one in front was tall, a three-bladed blood-red scythe slung across his back, his gait cocky and loud.
"Oi, Kakuzu, you sure the intel's solid? The Nine-Tails jinchūriki would show up in a dump like this?" The speaker was Hidan, impatience and bloodlust curling through his voice. "I can't wait to offer him up to the great Lord Jashin!"
Behind him strode Kakuzu, equally burly, green-lit eyes glinting beneath the hat's brim. "Shut it, Hidan. Intel needs confirmation—that's the organization's rule. And don't forget what the Nine-Tails is worth. Anything can happen before the money's in hand."
"Money, money, money! Blasphemer! How can coin compare to Lord Jashin's grace? I want his screams, his despair, his death! That is real art!"
"If Deidara and Sasori were here, they'd argue with you for a week over what 'art' is," Kakuzu muttered, then lost interest in arguing. Years with Hidan had taught him that fists worked better than reason on that man.
Right then, a massive, malevolent chakra erupted from the town center.
It seethed with hatred. Ordinary people wouldn't feel it, but to shinobi of their level it flared like a bonfire in night.
Hidan stopped and snapped his head toward the source, delight spilling onto his face. His tongue flicked out to wet his lips. "Hahaha! That's it! No mistake—that's the Nine-Tails! Found you! The prey is found! Kakuzu, quit dawdling! I can't wait to hear him wail!"
Kakuzu felt it too. It was indeed the Nine-Tails' chakra. But unease swelled in his chest.
Too smooth. The intel said the Fourth Hokage's return had made Konoha aggressive and strange—why would they let the jinchūriki wander to the border alone? And explode chakra this blatantly? It felt like bait, set to lead them by the nose.
"Careful, Hidan," Kakuzu warned. "The word is Konoha's… different now. This won't be simple."
"Coward!" Hidan spat. "Conspiracies mean nothing before Lord Jashin! I'll butcher him. You can stand there and count your money."
He blurred from sight, sprinting for the town square. Kakuzu hesitated, then followed. Trap or not, the Nine-Tails' bounty wasn't something he would abandon. Worst case, they'd smash through and withdraw; with their strength, surviving even tough opposition wasn't out of reach.
They reached the central plaza quickly.
The scene matched the brief: a blond boy swathed in red chakra, one tail sprouting behind him, was being pressed by seven or eight shinobi with mixed village headbands—seasoned rogues, from their coordination.
The boy was powerful, but outnumbered—cut and bruised, forced onto the defensive.
"That's him. The Nine-Tails jinchūriki." Greed ignited in Hidan's eyes. He leveled his scythe and charged, laughing. "Out of the way, trash! This offering belongs to Lord Jashin! Don't you dare steal my sacrifice!"
He moved fast, the massive scythe light as a twig in his hands as he shouldered aside two of the "rogue" attackers.
"Even muggings need a queue now? Where's the justice?" one rogue shouted.
"Lord Jashin is justice! Blame your lack of strength—now get lost!" Hidan barked back.
Kakuzu plunged into the fray as well; his forearm elongated and split, black tendrils whipping out—Jiongu (Earth Grudge Fear)—as he crashed into the other rogues without a word.
"Hidan. Finish it. No playing," Kakuzu snapped.
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you! You buzz like a fly," Hidan sneered, but heeded the pace.
Against their overwhelming power, the "rogues" folded fast.
A Naruto shadow clone bit down and drove a punch straight ahead—Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique) or not, the fist was wreathed in that seething chakra.
Hidan glanced at it with contempt and didn't even dodge. The blow thudded into his chest—he blinked, mildly impressed. The brat hit hard; he slid half a step.
His scythe snapped up, blade kissing the clone's cheek and opening a shallow line.
"Haha—got you! Lord Jashin, I'll present a fresh tithe at once!"
Laughing, Hidan sprang back, raised the scythe, and dragged his tongue along the blood-slicked edge, shuddering in pleasure at the iron tang.
"Hahaha! That taste—power and hatred—it's exquisite. Lord Jashin will love it!"
Kakuzu finished mopping up the remaining "rogues" and strode over. "Enough. Start your rite. We kill him and go. The Leader is waiting."
"Don't rush divine work. A sacred rite demands care—or it insults Lord Jashin. Fine art takes time."
Using the blood at his feet, Hidan traced a sigil of a circle crossed by a triangle. He stepped into its heart; his skin darkened pitch-black as stark white bone patterns crawled over him, turning him into a grinning hellwraith.
He leveled the scythe at the still-roaring Naruto clone, drunk on delight. "Come, brat! Let us savor… the most exquisite pain together! This is Lord Jashin's grace!"
He drew back the spear to begin Jujutsu: Shiji Hyoketsu (Curse Technique: Death-Controlling Possessed Blood).
And then it fell.
A pressure impossible to describe crashed down from the sky.
Hidan's thrust halted mid-motion; even Kakuzu's body locked for a heartbeat.
Both men lifted their gazes, danger prickling their skin.
Sometime, the sky had turned a pale gold.
Shrrrr—shrrraa—
The rasp of chains grinding filled the air from every direction.
Ten chakra chains, each one gleaming like molten gold, lanced from ground, rooftops, and walls, writhing like living serpent-dragons.
They crossed and wove, forming a golden cage that sealed the entire plaza—
Kongō Fūsa (Adamantine Sealing Chains).
(End of Chapter)
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