Chapter 21: Hidan Concedes! Konoha Anbu's Pursuit!
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A madman isn't necessarily foolish.
A simple mind doesn't mean no brain.
Immortality doesn't mean invincibility!
Under the relentless flames of Amaterasu, Hidan found himself unable to put out the fire no matter what he tried. The pain made him realize something crucial: if he didn't make a decision soon, he might actually die!
Faced with the threat of death, Hidan, for the first time in his life, started to think things over, compromise, plead, and finally admit defeat.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! I thought you'd keep mouthing off a bit longer," Kakuzu sneered, unable to resist mocking Hidan once the situation was resolved.
"You damn bastard!"
"Say that again, and I swear I'll kill you!"
Already frustrated from being beaten down by Uchiha Yi, Hidan's temper flared at Kakuzu's taunts, and he reached for the triple-bladed scythe on his back, ready to challenge Kakuzu to a fight to the death.
However, noticing Uchiha Yi watching him from the corner of his eye, he immediately backed down.
"Tch!"
Seeing he had gotten the last word, Kakuzu decided to leave it at that. If they really started fighting, it might even draw Pain into the fray.
Though Akatsuki is an organization of rogue ninjas, it still has rules. For instance, members are forbidden from attacking each other, or they'll face punishment from Akatsuki.
As a veteran of the organization, Kakuzu knew the leader Pain's strength well and wasn't foolish enough to risk crossing that line.
With Hidan successfully recruited, all that was left was to take him back to the base and complete the mission. Uchiha Yi left only a shadow clone to accompany them on the return trip, while his real body stayed behind in the Land of Hot Water.
Compared to the rainy Land of Rain, the climate here was much better, with no gloomy weather to deal with. The Land of Hot Water is famous for its hot springs, so since he was here, why not indulge a little?
On the road from Konoha to the Land of Hot Water, three masked ninjas, identifying them as Konoha Anbu, were rushing toward their destination.
"Senpai, after this mission, are you really leaving the Anbu?"
A purple-haired kunoichi wearing a mask suddenly sped up, the wind highlighting her figure wrapped in the Anbu uniform. Soon, she was moving alongside a white-haired Anbu, her voice clear and melodic like a canary, reaching his ears.
"Ah?"
"Well, yes, that's the plan."
The white-haired ninja was momentarily taken aback by her question and replied in a low voice, though only he knew the reason behind his decision.
"That's really a shame!"
"I was hoping we'd have more missions together in the future."
The purple-haired kunoichi sighed, her hair falling over her chest, giving her an air of disappointment.
"No need to feel down."
"Your next partner will probably be a kind and reliable guy."
The white-haired ninja, unsure of how to comfort her, could only offer these words.
"By the way, be careful on this mission. I doubt it'll be easy."
Remembering that this mission involved Jashin cultists, he recalled his late father's words about the cult: "troublesome," "a bunch of lunatics," "bloodthirsty and brutal," and "utterly disregardful of life," all spoken with a hint of dread.
It was clear that this cult was no joke. Worried his teammates might underestimate the situation and get hurt, he felt compelled to warn them.
"Yes!"
With their speed, the three soon arrived in the Land of Hot Water. According to mission intel, a self-proclaimed Jashin cultist had been active nearby, frequently attacking travelers and committing heinous murders, causing widespread fear among the locals.
The situation had led to severe restrictions on movement, with people too afraid to come in or go out, affecting trade between the Land of Hot Water and other nations. With no other option, the country had commissioned Konoha for help.
After a search, the three Anbu soon found several murder scenes where evidence hadn't been cleaned up.
Despite their experience with death, the sight still sent chills down their spines, as if a cold wind were blowing through them.
What kind of person could commit such brutal and bloody acts?
"Have you found anything specific?"
After examining the scene multiple times, they noted many suspicious details. They needed to analyze this information to assess the enemy's capabilities and avoid going in blind if they encountered them.
Hearing their white-haired captain's question, the purple-haired kunoichi and the other Anbu member reported their findings.
"It seems that before we arrived, the target may have encountered an enemy."
"It's unclear which side won or if anyone stayed or fled."
After coming to this conclusion, the trail went cold. But this wasn't enough to mark the mission as a failure.
The white-haired ninja then bit his thumb, quickly forming hand signs before slamming his hand on the ground. Symbols resembling tadpoles spread from his palm, creating a mysterious pattern.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a poof, a cloud of white smoke rose, and a small dog, wearing a Konoha headband and dressed like a person, appeared.
"Pakkun, help me track where the enemy went."
"Got it! The scent's still fresh!"
Pakkun, the ninja dog, patted his chest in assurance before sniffing around, looking every bit the professional.
"Got it!"
"I've picked up four different scents here."
"Out of those four, one went in that direction."
"Strangely, one of those scents stayed here in the Land of Hot Water."
"In that case, either a shadow clone left while the original stayed behind."
Pakkun reported his findings to the white-haired ninja.
"I see!"
"Then, Pakkun, please help us find the one who stayed."
After considering the information, the white-haired ninja quickly pieced it together.
The Jashin cultists were known to act alone. Since three others had appeared, it was likely they encountered the cultist on their way here, leading to a fight. But the cultist had underestimated his opponents, was defeated, and captured.
However, the cultist was highly skilled, using an advanced shadow clone jutsu to deceive the others.
The conclusion: the cultist was most likely still hiding somewhere in the Land of Hot Water!
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