Naruto silently watched the fear in Hidan's eyes, his own gaze utterly unmoved.
He recalled one cycle in which he had dealt with Hidan using this Fuinjutsu very early on.
In that cycle, the sealed Hidan had been buried deep underground.
Four years later, shortly before the next cycle reset, Naruto had stumbled upon him and found that the seal remained intact.
But Hidan's life functions had nearly ceased. Without any replenishment of energy, his body had begun to shrivel and give off the stench of decay.
In a sense, that Hidan was already "dead."
Naruto did not waste any more time. Forming hand seals again, he used Earth Release to swiftly create a deep pit beneath Hidan's feet.
Then—
With a flick of the chains, he tossed Hidan, whose entire body was covered in black runes and who could only stare wide-eyed, into the pit.
The earth churned, quickly filling and compacting the hole until the ground returned to how it had been before.
Naruto paid no further attention to the evil god's follower, who would henceforth be completely forgotten and buried beneath the earth. Instead, he turned his gaze toward Kakuzu nearby.
Just as he had said before, Kakuzu still had some value.
But now was not the time to negotiate terms or recruit him.
Seeing Hidan dealt with so cleanly and decisively, especially the terror in his eyes at the end, made Kakuzu's heart tighten.
Kakuzu opened his mouth, intending to say something—perhaps to bargain, perhaps to threaten.
But in the end, he said nothing.
Nor did Naruto give Kakuzu the chance to speak.
A golden Chakra fist rapidly closed in on Kakuzu.
"Bang!"
A heavy punch struck Kakuzu on the back of the neck, and the immense force instantly knocked him unconscious.
With a muffled groan,