The explosion began to die down and it revealed Hidan, whose entire appearance changed. His skin is now as black as coal with white patterns over it.

Now this is something I've never heard of. I didn't have any of this information beforehand.

The explosion has harmed him, and destroyed half of his cloak, but that's about it. "Hurts, doesn't it?" Hidan spoke, his voice raspy. What? Who's he talking to?

He began to chuckle and Asuma dropped his kunai, drawing our attention to him. My eyes widened at the sight. There are fresh burns on the right side of his body. The same location where Hidan's injuries are.

No way. But how? How did he do this? "Judgment has been passed." The others were just as shocked as I am, the two guards no doubt haven't quite figured out that Asuma took his injuries.

So if we deliver a final blow to Hidan, it's the end for Team Ten's Sensei. "So what do you think? Helps you understand the suffering of others a bit more, doesn't it?"

Tch. Damn Immortal.

Hidan stood up, in the middle of a strange circle that appears to be drawn with blood. What is that? Ah, it's the same design as his pendant around his neck. "I have already cursed you. And the ritual shall now begin." He began to chuckle before looking at Asuma with crazed eyes.

"Well then. Let's experience the ultimate pain together, shall we?!" He roared with that maniac smile.

Asuma stood, clutching his injured arm as he tried to process the events that are unfolding before us.

Nara.

I quickly looked over towards him, and as if sensing me, he turned his gaze from his Sensei to me. A question in his eyes. No. He wants confirmation. My lips pressed into a thin line and I nodded once.

He's caught onto that too. "This one will net us another thirty-five million." I managed to hear a slip from Kakuzu. Thirty-five million? What's he talking about, Asuma?

Before I could make anything of his words, Hidan's maniacal laughter cut through the tense air like a knife.

He reached into the part of his robe still intact and pulled something out. "All the preparations have been completed. Now you and I will share in the ultimate pain!" He clicked something on it and it extended into a sharp point like a pike.

Asuma twirled his kunai which was in his good hand before clutching it tightly and holding it out. His blue chakra coated it and extended it, making the weapon not only deadlier, but have a longer range.

He walked around a bit before running towards the Immortal.

Hidan grit his teeth and immediately stabbed the pike through his leg. Asuma let out a strangled noise before collapsing to the ground. A wound appearing exactly where Hidan's was.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit!

"Hurts, huh?" Hidan just continued to laugh. "And I didn't even hit a vital spot! But that kind of pain is the best!" His laughter is starting to piss me off.

This isn't good. So long he's in that form, Asuma and him are connected somehow. Hidan can handle anything that comes his way. And just like now, he can cause harm to himself in order to inflict wounds onto Asuma.

We need to immobilize him, now. "Hit the other person's agony at the final moment of death seeps into my body. The pain is transcended and becomes the purest ecstasy!" He cackled.

Jesus. "Can you stop sounding like a hyena?" I grumbled, pulling out some wire. I need to restrain Hidan before he kills Asuma through him.

The others behind me noticed the similarities of the injuries, no doubt Shikamaru has figured it out by now.

I can't count on those two clowns that guard the gate, but Shikamaru is reliable.

Hidan continues to cackle, waving the strange weapon. "Now then, where do you want to feel pain next? Up here maybe? Or further down?"

He moved his weapon to his arm then his leg. "How about your legs? That'd be fun, huh? What do you think?" He moved the blade to his chest, right above the heart. Ah shit.

"Or should we just end it already? Well?!" Shikamaru went to use his jutsu, but I don't know if it'll make it! Flash Step? But then I'll be exposed. Screw it!

I swung the wire a couple times and snapped my wrist. The wire wrapped tight enough Hidan's arm to stop him, but he bled some, which effected Asuma. Still, better than death.

Before Hidan could tear from the wire, Shikamaru's Strangulation Jutsu wrapped around him, keeping him in place.

But not without struggle. Hidan is not making it easy.

"Izumo. How long has it been since we called in for that backup?" One of the guards questioned. "Ten minutes or so. At least another twenty before they get here."

The other guard girt his teeth, sweat sheening his face from the fight. "Damn it all. We're stuck. What the hell do we do? If we kill him we kill Asuma." No. Even if you deal a death blow, he'll never die. Normally you'd sacrifice one person if it meant success. But not in this case. In this case it'd just be our loss.

Find out how to undo the jutsu. There is a flaw to every Jutsu!

I need to find it and soon. Asuma is their only hope. Put the pieces together. The circle, his skin, Asuma, what else? Wait, he did something earlier.

Hidan couldn't land a hit, but he did graze Asuma which he seemed content with. Normally you'd continue until it was a bigger wound. And he licked it like a psyco.

What does it mean?

Shikamaru. I glanced over at him to see his focus gaze on Hidan, his hands wavering to keep Hidan still.

Shadow Strangle doesn't last long it appears. Not to mention he never had the biggest supply of chakra to begin with. And Hidan . . . he's a beast, he's weakening it with brute strength and sheer willpower.

C'mon, think Miyu. You were first in the academy and you're second of the old Genin of your year. Shikamaru being first.

We're smart. We can figure this out. "If this is going to drag on, I can help." Kakuzu spoke, walking down the steps. Ah shit, not the other one.

Our only advantage was that he wasn't going to participate. "Can't let a cash cow get away." Kakuzu stared at his partner, eyes unreadable. "I told you to stay out of it, didn't I?! Now butt out! I don't need your fucking help I can handle it!"

I guess it's a good thing he's arrogant. Kakuzu seemed to allow his teammates stupidity and stayed off to the side.

Their partnership is weird. Different from Sasori's and Deidara's. Even different from Deidara's and that damn Tobi's. They're both arrogant, Hidan is just more annoying since he's louder.

Immortals. But there is still something off despite their longevity. What is it though?

This is a pain in the ass! How do I save Asuma without revealing myself to the others, especially the Akatsuki? I need to stay on their good side. But I can't let them kill these guys. They're . . . they're from my Village. I promised to protect the Leaf in my own way.

Reveal myself and save four Leaf Shinobi.

Or keep myself hidden and I can save the Village.

Doing the latter would be the best course. I've sacrificed members of a team before. Back at the hideout. Only because I couldn't rely on anyone other than Haru. I held no attachments to the others. So it was okay for me to be terrible. But the thought of making a sacrifice of the team in front of them is sickening.

I never want them to see what I've become. What I've done.

Leaving is the best option. So I can save others later. "Those who abandon their friends are worse than scum." Kakashi's words played in my mind. He's only said it once, during the bell test. But that really stuck with me.

No more running. Not this time. Shikamaru is my friend and I'd be damned if I let him, or Asuma, or even those two nimrods die.

I can't, I won't.

Improvise Uzumaki. You're better than this. Fighting, the battle, this is something I've been learning since I was a child. C'mon. Never give up. That's his nindo way.

"Hey!" Shikamaru called me. I glanced at him and he looked down at Hidan's feet. He figured out the way! His feet, ah, the circle.

Circle. Blood. Skin. Weapon. Wait a minute . . . Could that be?!

Yeah, that's it. He's only been standing there and even in Asuma's fire attack, he went directly in to take his place. How though?

Ah, the blood. He licked Asuma's blood from his blade. So that's how it works. He has to ingest the blood of victims to link it to himself. And that's why his weapon is so strange.

Well, either get him out of the circle or destroy it. Shikamaru could force him to destroy it, but he's struggling as it is.

So I'll just break it!

I jumped forward, towards Hidan and went to strike him. Or at least that's what I made it seem like. He smirked, thinking I'd hit him and ultimately hurt Asuma.

Dumbass. As my fist neared his face I swung more and changed its course, downwards. As soon as my fist hit the ground it broke apart, taking the circle with it.

As soon as it did Hidan's skin turned to normal and I used that time to dig the kunai in my hand deep into his throat, blood splattering across my face.

"You run your mouth too much." The real Shikamaru said, releasing his jutsu. "Wait, how'd you know what to do?" Izumo asked him as he remained kneeled.

"That giant scythe of his. It's got three blades. By the shape of it, I'd say it wasn't meant for mortal blows. But extending the wielders range. Allowing him to reach his opponents and cause some degree of external injury great or small. In short, if he can inflict even a single shallow abrasion, his jutsu will lead to the opponents certain death." Shikamaru explained.

It's a good thing he's a genius. That probably would have taken me a minute to figure out.

Honestly Asuma probably would have been dead if he wasn't here. I'm smart, but he's on another level. Someone I'd want in my corner.

Now, decapitating him. Without his head it should work. With a shout I moved my arm and applied force to the weapon in hand. The familiar feeling of flesh and bone tearing away didn't make me flinch, it only encouraged me to do it quickly.

And just like that his head went flying.