Hidan stood atop the roof, his massive Triple-Bladed Scythe slung over his shoulder, his gaze clear and almost... college-student-like in innocence.
As Naruto suddenly appeared before them, Hidan pointed the scythe toward him and grinned widely.
"Yo! Blondie with the stylish entrance, wanna join the Jashin Cult? With a face like that, I'll personally ask Lord Jashin to make you a core member."
"Pretty tempting offer, right?"
"By the way, Lord Jashin loves handsome guys like us. She'll definitely pamper you real nice."
Mei Terumī recognized Naruto and called out with concern.
"Hey there, pretty boy—we meet again. You should get out of here. This place is dangerous~"
Ao, on the other hand, stared at Naruto warily.
Just now, Naruto's speed had unsettled even him.
Instinctively, he stared at him with his Byakugan.
But in the very next second—
Naruto vanished from all three of their sightlines.
When he reappeared, he was already standing next to Ao...
…with a freshly extracted white eye in hand.
"AHH!"
Only then did the pain register. Ao screamed, clutching his blood-gushing eye socket, panic all over his face.
A veteran jōnin, taken off guard despite being on alert—his eye plucked clean in an instant.
The difference in power must be enormous.
"That speed...!" Mei was equally shaken. Not even her own sensory perception could track Naruto's movement.
Even Body Flicker couldn't explain what she'd just witnessed.
Hidan clapped, holding his scythe against his neck like a resting katana.
"Whoa, whoa! You brought me a gift already, huh, Blondie? I'm impressed!"
Naruto casually took out a small vial, slipping the Byakugan into the nutrient solution.
His technique for eye-removal was getting disturbingly polished.
Just then, the shadow clones finished their task:
"Mission Complete: 100/100 Jashin Cultists eliminated.
Reward: 1 Random Draw."
"Follow-up Mission Unlocked: Eliminate or subdue the entire Jashin Cult.
Reward: 1 Super-Kage-tier Draw."
Naruto raised an eyebrow.
A follow-up mission? First time that's happened.
Ao, still gripping his ruined eye, shouted hoarsely:
"Who are you?! Why did you take my eye?!"
Naruto shook the bottle lazily and responded.
"You looked like you were about to use a big technique. Pretty scary, honestly.
So I figured I'd just take your eyeball."
"...Turns out it was just a Byakugan. Phew. Thought it was something important."
His sarcastic tone made Ao's face flush with humiliation.
Mei Terumī, meanwhile, realized that this young man wasn't the fragile pretty boy she had assumed.
That speed alone—if he had attacked her instead of Ao, she wouldn't have fared much better.
"Handsome~ The Jashin Cult's aggressive conversion tactics are a threat to the entire shinobi world."
"As the Fifth Mizukage of Kirigakure, if you help me, I'll make sure you're generously rewarded."
"Oh? Generously? Like what?" Naruto asked with a playful glint in his eye.
That... caught Mei off guard.
'Wait, he's serious?'
Still, she straightened her posture and leaned in with confidence.
"You could become Kirigakure's second-in-command...
Or—if we get along—you could even become Mizukage."
Naruto laughed.
"Become the Mizukage? You mean you want me to be you're Mizukage, or I become Mizukage?"
The double meaning caused all three on the rooftop to pause.
It was Mei who first realized what he meant.
Her face flushed.
"W-Well... both are on the table… I guess..."
'So this ice-cold, marriage-obsessed older woman does have a soft side,' Naruto noted.
Hidan scratched his head, thoroughly confused and clearly annoyed.
"Hey, hey! Am I invisible here?! You guys flirting or making battle plans?"
Naruto waved his hand.
A golden chakra chain burst forth and wrapped tightly around Hidan, locking him down.
CLANG!
The scythe dropped to the floor.
Hidan flailed like a caterpillar, losing his balance and crashing to the ground.
No matter how he twisted or struggled, the Adamantine Sealing Chains held fast.
Watching Hidan roll and thrash on the ground, Naruto couldn't help but sigh.
'This guy really is just a meat shield with attitude.'
Hidan had decent durability, but his taijutsu was trash and he had zero ninjutsu.
To Naruto, his combat rating was a generous 2.5.
As for his infamous Curse Ritual, there was no way Hidan could get his hands on Naruto's blood.
"Dammit! Let me go, coward! Fight me fair and square! I'll show you what a bag of rice—"
Still restrained, Hidan shouted random threats like he was untouchable.
It was clear he thought himself immortal and therefore had nothing to fear.
Mei's eyes widened in realization.
"That's... the Adamantine Sealing Chains! You're from the Uzumaki Clan?"
'This guy I just struggled against—he handled him with one move.'
She stared at Naruto, amazed.
"But... aren't all Uzumaki redheads? Your hair is…"
"You've got a hint of red too.
Maybe you're an Uzumaki," Naruto quipped.
That made Mei's eyes twitch slightly in surprise.
Naruto walked over to Hidan and squatted beside him.
"So this so-called Jashin you worship... what is she exactly?"
Hidan stopped squirming and broke into a fanatical grin.
"Heheheh... Lord Jashin is the greatest being in the universe!
One look at her, and you'll be helplessly enthralled by her divine charm!"
"Is that so?" Naruto said. "Then why don't you take me to see your Jashin? Maybe I'll consider joining."
But Hidan hesitated.
Naruto's strength clearly had him spooked.
Before he could reply—
A hand landed on his forehead.
Naruto activated the Yamanaka Clan's Mind Probe Technique, forcibly diving into Hidan's memories.
It was a forbidden jutsu he'd casually lifted from the Scroll of Seals.
And with Naruto's chakra and mental strength?
Even the Yamanaka Clan Head couldn't match him.
Hidan had no resistance.
His eyes rolled back. His body convulsed.
One memory after another surfaced:
A childhood of bullying and neglect
Scrubbing backs for rich women in hot springs
Finally discovering "purpose" upon joining the Jashin Cult
'No wonder he's so obsessed...'
Finally, Naruto reached the memory of Lord Jashin's true appearance.
He stared.
And then...
The corner of his mouth twitched.
"That's Jashin?"
That's what she looks like...?