If he really had some bloodborne disease or contagious illness, then Hidan was practically a natural transmission machine.
Not only would he infect himself—
He would infect everyone else too!
And that so-called Jashin?
Could it actually be some kind of virus aggregate?
The original carrier strain?
Although he was still standing there, Uchiha Kai's little brain had already drifted off in a completely different direction.
However, while he was spacing out, the four Akatsuki members certainly were not.
Especially Hidan.
Holding his massive three-bladed scythe, he repeatedly dragged his long tongue across the bloodstains on its blade.
His laughter echoed throughout the half-ruined battlefield like that of a complete lunatic.
And when he noticed Future Sasuke's pale, trembling body, his laughter became even more unrestrained.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"One-Armed Boy, you smell pretty good!"
"Come over here and let me eat you!"
"You're already shaking like this just from seeing me?"
"Looks like Konoha really has run out of people!"
"Don't worry!"
"I'll personally send you—and your whole family! Your brothers and sisters too!"
"Straight to the afterlife!"
"Trash!"
The insults poured out endlessly.
Like the most venomous shrew in existence.
Originally, Future Sasuke hadn't even been looking at him.
His gaze had remained fixed entirely on Itachi.
But...
The insults had become unbearable.
Sasuke slowly turned his head and glanced toward Hidan.
A chilling light flashed through his eyes.
"You..."
"Are looking for death."
His voice wasn't loud.
But it carried bone-deep coldness.
Each word sounded as though it had been squeezed through clenched teeth.
The hand gripping the Kusanagi Sword began trembling again.
For the first time in a long while—
Killing intent surfaced in his heart.
"Oh?"
"You still dare glare at me?"
Sensing Sasuke's gaze, Hidan wasn't afraid in the slightest.
Instead, he started trembling too.
Shaking from excitement!
His eyes were filled with pathological fanaticism.
"Lord Jashin is lacking sacrifices!"
"Come on!"
"Come kill me!"
"HAHAHAHA!"
As he laughed wildly, he swung his enormous bloodstained scythe.
WHOOSH!
The sound of tearing air erupted instantly.
Dark-red chakra filled with ominous energy burst forth, enveloping both Sasuke and Kai.
The angle was incredibly vicious.
Either Future Sasuke blocked it himself—
Or Kai would be cut down.
Though Hidan looked reckless, he wasn't stupid.
These two had appeared silently.
Even after stepping out into the open, nobody had noticed them immediately.
What did that mean?
Their concealment abilities were extraordinary.
And any Konoha ninja bold enough to infiltrate Kirigakure openly would possess at least some strength.
Therefore—
This strike carried Hidan's determination to claim first blood.
However—
Just as he charged forward—
A furious roar exploded behind him.
"HIDAN! STOP!"
Kisame's voice had completely changed.
His soul nearly left his body.
He had never expected Hidan to attack immediately!
The bastard actually moved without hesitation!
The next instant—
Kisame's enormous body exploded with terrifying speed completely inconsistent with his size.
BOOM!
The sheer force and acceleration blasted a crater into the ground.
A violent gale followed in his wake.
Hearing the commotion behind him, Hidan paused for a moment.
Then...
He laughed even harder.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"What?"
"Kisame, are you trying to steal my kill?"
"HAHAHAHA!"
"I won't lose to you—"
"Hm?"
"Holy shit?!"
"Are your eyes broken?!"
As he spoke, he instinctively glanced backward.
That single glance caused his voice to rise several octaves.
A scream escaped him.
Because Kisame's charge wasn't aimed at Sasuke.
It was aimed directly at him!
BANG!
BOOOOM!!
Like being hit head-on by a speeding truck—
Hidan suddenly felt his body become weightless.
At the critical moment, Kisame abandoned all restraint.
No concealment.
No holding back.
Every ounce of his strength poured into his shoulder.
Iron Mountain Lean!
His shoulder slammed directly into Hidan's chest.
The immense impact instantly sent Hidan flying.
Like a bowling ball blasted across the ground.
CRACK!
BOOM!
CRACK—CRACK!
He tore through the earth.
Smashed through trees.
Crashed into a nearby house.
Then slammed into a stone pillar.
BOOOOM!!
Debris exploded everywhere.
"PTOO! PTOO! PTOO!"
"Shark Face!"
"Have you gone insane?!"
Hidan crawled out of the rubble with difficulty.
His eyes were bloodshot as he glared at Kisame.
Spittle flew everywhere.
"What the hell are you stopping me for?!"
"Even if you want the kill, you didn't have to ram me!"
"Damn it!"
"I must've had the worst luck in eight lifetimes to end up in the same organization as bastards like you!"
At that moment, Hidan activated his specialty—
Endless nagging.
Meanwhile, Kisame completely ignored his ranting.
His tiny eyes contained nothing but shock, anger, and fear.
All his attention remained focused on the small figure in the distance.
Uchiha Kai.
That young boy who still carried traces of baby fat.
At that exact moment—
Kai turned and looked at him.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
A smile that seemed calm...
Yet carried a clear hint of amusement.
Thump!
THUMP! THUMP!
A single glance.
Just one glance.
And Kisame's entire body tightened instantly.
It felt as though an enormous hand had grabbed his heart and squeezed.
The terrifying memories of that one-sided beating at the border of the Land of Rain resurfaced uncontrollably.
CRACK!
CRACK!
His shoulders seemed to ache again.
The arm that had once been shattered had long since been restored through White Zetsu's help.
Yet he still dreamed about that battle.
That small figure.
That terrifying young man.
Descending into his world like a demon god.
And—
Overturning that world completely.
Kisame was absolutely certain.
If Akatsuki's leader hadn't appeared.
If Kai hadn't lacked killing intent.
He would never have survived until today.
This boy was the obstacle he would never overcome in his entire life.
"Gulp."
Looking at the faint smile on Kai's face, Kisame swallowed with difficulty.
Trying desperately to suppress the fear and terror inside him.
But...
The fear rooted deep within his heart had always remained dormant.
And now that he had seen Kai again—
It spread like wild weeds.
Growing wildly.
Devouring his confidence.
Tearing apart his reason.
Swallowing his strength.
Finally—
Before the incomprehensible gazes of everyone present.
Before Hidan's frozen expression of anger.
Kisame Hoshigaki—
The so-called Tailless Tailed Beast.
The infamous member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
The man who had achieved one great feat after another shortly after joining Akatsuki—
Suddenly felt his knees go weak.
And just like that—
He dropped to his knees.
THUD!!
The force was so great that the stone beneath him shattered instantly into pieces.
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