Why Is the Akatsuki Any More Fun Than My Jashin Cult? We've Even Got a Little Darling!

In the gloomy, oppressive woods, Kakuzu spotted a battered corpse hanging from a treetop.

He furrowed his brow and swept his sharp gaze over the gruesome scene. "That corpse in the tree was probably Hidan's handiwork." His tone was confident, though tinged with a hint of uncertainty. "I don't think that little girl from the Uchiha Clan would do something so cruel."

Konan, standing beside him, gently shook her head when she heard Kakuzu's words. Her long, paper-white hair drifted slightly in the breeze, and she seemed exceptionally composed.

"Someone who can awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan can no longer be called a little girl so casually," she replied coolly. "Do you remember that Six Paths Level powerhouse who came to Amegakure before? We witnessed the power of the Uchiha Clan's ultimate ocular technique—Susanoo—with our own eyes."

Hearing this, Itachi Uchiha gave a slight nod. "That's right. The condition for awakening Susanoo is possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan," he replied in a low voice. "That mysterious powerhouse had strength beyond ordinary people. The Susanoo he displayed had even reached its Complete Body form. With my current ocular power, I'm afraid I still can't wield that kind of strength freely."

The Masked Man chimed in from the side, a carefree grin in his voice. "Aha, who would've thought that Six Paths Level powerhouse would become a stumbling block in the Akatsuki's operations? Looks like pushing our plans forward won't be easy."

He paused and turned his gaze to the corpse in the tree. "Speaking of which, although Hidan's a new intern, his strength seems pretty impressive. Maybe we could have him face that powerhouse head-on. Or should we go around him and carry on with our mission?"

Getting around Kakuzu's question was no easy task for anyone with a shred of common sense.

Faced with their predicament, Kakuzu—a veteran Akatsuki member who had weathered countless years and accumulated five hearts in exchange for an almost eternal life—

spoke with unquestionable weight. "Intern, I'm not joking. This Six Paths Level powerhouse we're talking about has such immense power that even our leader finds him extremely difficult to deal with. You should know that the title 'Six Paths' represents a being who has touched the pinnacle of the Ninja World. It symbolizes the supreme realm of controlling the cycle of life and death and wielding the power of yin and yang. This guy not only has that kind of presence, but is also rumored to be immortal. An opponent like that won't be easy to stand against."

Just as Kakuzu was about to explain the severity of the situation further, Hidan suddenly cut in, breaking the tense atmosphere.

With his usual brash personality and disregard for life, Hidan showed the four newcomers the deadly weapon in his hand: a blood-red knife imbued with the faith of Jashin. He offered it as an enticing incentive to join the Jashin Cult. "Hey, you four little rookies, interested in joining our Jashin Cult? Take a look at my knife. Once you join, this is the grand gift waiting for you!"

He waved the weapon, his excitement and fervor impossible to hide.

Hidan looked over their matching outfits and teased them. "You're all dressed alike. Are you some kind of rock band? The most confident-looking one must be the lead singer, right? The beautiful long-haired one's probably the guitarist. The tall guy's gotta be the bassist. And the one in the mask—is he the comedian who tells jokes?"

He pointed at them and kept chattering on.

Though Konan was used to Hidan's bizarre behavior, she decided to find out what the Jashin Cult was really about. She asked calmly, "What kind of organization is the Jashin Cult, exactly? What are the requirements for joining?"

Clearly, she didn't mind Hidan's rambling and went straight to the point.

Hearing her question, Hidan grew even more pleased with himself and started sharing his "faith." "Oh, girl, it's great that you're interested in the Jashin Cult! Around here, you can do whatever you want. Like those villagers I just killed and hung in the trees—you can experience an incomparable thrill and pleasure. Lord Jashin lets us indulge ourselves in the darkness, and even death can become a path to a kind of ultimate bliss. You should know, I owe my life to Lord Jashin. Every act of killing is a way to carry out Lord Jashin's will..."

At the mention of the Jashin Cult, Kakuzu's expression remained cold, though he pondered the matter in silence.

He was indeed deeply interested in the truth behind immortality, so he suggested to Konan, "Konan, I'm willing to test it myself and see if this immortality rumor is true."

Konan nodded, showing her trust and support for Kakuzu.

The Masked Man also gave Kakuzu his full approval, raising a thumb in encouragement. "Senior Kakuzu, please show us your true strength. The Akatsuki's strength assessment is no joke."

The Masked Man leaped onto a branch and watched the contest alongside their other companion, Itachi Uchiha.

Hidan seemed completely lost in his own world. He paid no attention to their discussion and only grew more excited at the prospect of someone joining the Jashin Cult. "What are you all jabbering about over there? Are you joining or not? Come with me, Hidan, and I'll make sure you experience the taste of unrestricted killing. Lord Jashin will even personally train you. Heh heh heh..."

Kakuzu merely snorted coldly. Glancing at the Masked Man, he said, "Kid, watch closely. If you want to make it in the Akatsuki, strength is what matters." He also sneered at the man said to be immortal. "This immortal guy may have an unusual ability, but his attitude and personality are pretty annoying. He seems like he needs a good lesson."

"You know, I can put up with you insulting me, but you mustn't blaspheme Lord Jashin!" Hidan declared proudly, his gaze turning sharp in an instant.

"In that case, I suppose I'll have to sacrifice you to prove Lord Jashin's greatness." Hidan gave a sinister smile, his words heralding the start of a brutal showdown.

Hidan moved with the agility of an owl spreading its wings, tracing a strange, aggressive arc through the air. The knife in his hand gleamed with an evil light as it shot toward Kakuzu, aiming to kill the seasoned Akatsuki comrade in one lightning-fast strike.

His laughter was wild and arrogant, as if declaring that even his comrades couldn't escape the judgment of a follower of Jashin.

"An ignorant, reckless clown." Kakuzu's voice brimmed with scorn. His instincts, honed through countless battles, kicked in at once.

His right arm suddenly shot out like a snake, transforming into a black iron chain. In the blink of an eye, it pierced through the air and impaled Hidan with deadly precision.

Hidan's body froze in midair, as if time itself had stopped.

A flash of disbelief crossed Hidan's eyes. Then, amid a shower of blood, he fell from the sky and slammed into the ground. The woods fell utterly silent. Not a sound escaped him, as if that one strike had drained all life from him.

Yet just as Kakuzu began to look bored and question whether the so-called "immortality" was real, a sight that left everyone dumbfounded unfolded before them.

Only a second later, Hidan, who had been lying on the ground seemingly lifeless, slowly pushed himself upright. His twisted expression showed his extreme pain, but the words he spat out were a mix of anger and determination. "Do you know? Do you know? You think this is enough to finish me off? That really hurts, you bastard! I'm going to offer you up as a sacrifice to Lord Jashin!"

Kakuzu didn't respond. His patience was at its limit.

Without hesitation, he used his unique Kekkei Genkai again. His arm stretched out like a ghost and pierced Hidan's body once more, this time aiming for his heart. Hidan, however, seemed strangely delighted, as though pain had become a pleasure—or a necessary ritual before a sacrifice. He let the huge wound in his stomach gush blood, bore the pain, and clung tightly to the arm that had pierced his body. A twisted smile spread across his lips.

"Ha ha ha ha! That's right, just like that! The ritual begins!" Hidan seemed to have forgotten his pain. A complex, mysterious symbol suddenly appeared beneath his feet, the distinctive mark of the Jashin Cult. As he moved, it took shape on the ground, and the air filled with a dense, sinister aura.

As Kakuzu watched, an unusual glint flashed deep in his eyes. He had to admit that Hidan's claim to immortality wasn't just empty talk.

Even after suffering such a devastating injury, he could remain standing and launch a counterattack. That was undeniable proof of his "immortal body."

"Looks like you really are immortal," Kakuzu said with a flicker of interest after retracting his arm.

"Come on, the sacrificial game officially begins!" Hidan teasingly licked his finger, as though savoring the cruel feast to come.

In an instant, his body began to change dramatically. His skin quickly lost its original color.

His entire body gradually turned black as night. A deep, evil power surged within him, and the atmosphere around them suddenly grew oppressive.

Kakuzu narrowed his eyes slightly, suspicion and wariness showing in his gaze. "Is he changing into another form?"

He wondered to himself, curious about the unknown power emerging from Hidan.

"Heh heh, everything's going according to plan." Hidan gave a sinister smile, then did something utterly bizarre: he aimed his weapon at his own heart and drove it in. The blade sank into his chest.

At the same time, some strange chain reaction caused Kakuzu's body to suffer the same injury. An invisible force pierced his heart, too.

Itachi Uchiha, watching from concealment, opened his calm, keen Three-Tomoe Sharingan and fixed his gaze on the scene. "He actually stabbed himself in the heart?"

He muttered under his breath, clearly astonished by Hidan's strange ability.

Konan, standing beside Itachi, couldn't help letting out a startled exclamation. "He pierced Kakuzu's heart, too?"

Her face was full of confusion. She couldn't understand how what she was seeing could defy all reason so completely.

Itachi nodded calmly. "That's right."

Itachi knew that Kakuzu wasn't an ordinary person. He had five hearts to keep himself alive, and losing even one was a tremendous loss.

Kakuzu was now consumed by rage. This damn kid had just wasted one of the life-sustaining hearts Kakuzu had worked so hard to collect.

"You damn bastard!"

What left Kakuzu even more astonished was that although Hidan's heart had been pierced, he was still standing there, writhing in pain but not immediately dying. Hidan himself was just as shocked, his eyes wide. "Hey, hey, why aren't you dead yet? What the hell?"

Just as Kakuzu was about to unleash a ninjutsu and burn Hidan with flames, a flock of crows suddenly descended from the sky. They converged in an instant and transformed into Itachi Uchiha.

It turned out Itachi had prepared for this in advance, ready to step into the fight at any time.

"Itachi, what are you doing?" Kakuzu asked in confusion as Itachi reappeared in his true form.

A cold light flickered in Itachi's eyes. "I've confirmed that the information is genuine. I've decided to invite him to join the Akatsuki."

His words landed with force, revealing absolute confidence and determination.

At the mention of the "Akatsuki," Hidan perked up. It was the same organization, after all.

Hidan's loud voice rang through the woods as he confidently declared, "That's right! Hanabi told me ages ago that some people might consider joining my Akatsuki. She must've been talking about you guys, right?"

His confident expression made it seem as if he had some important secret.

"Hanabi?" The name caught Itachi's attention. His keen Three-Tomoe Sharingan shifted slightly. The Masked Man and Konan also stepped closer, following the conversation closely.

Itachi pressed him further. "Are you talking about Uchiha Hanabi, the one with the Mangekyō Sharingan?"

Hidan looked a little surprised, but also rather proud. He rubbed the tip of his nose and grinned. "Huh, I didn't expect you to know Hanabi, either. She's famous throughout the Ninja World. And she was the first person to answer the call of my Jashin Cult. I'm planning to make her the Jashin Cult's little darling. So, kid, how about joining too?"

Kakuzu frowned, his expression mingling concern and displeasure. "Things are getting more complicated. I can't believe that little girl from the Uchiha Clan joined this lunatic's Jashin Cult."

Hidan shrugged, looking a little impatient. "You Akatsuki guys just don't get it, do you? Hanabi told me herself that your Akatsuki is a group that can kill whoever it wants, too. You're both after that ultimate thrill of killing, so what's the difference?"

The Masked Man, Obito Uchiha, silently weighed the situation. He realized that Uchiha Hanabi's involvement might bring new complications.

To Obito, complications often meant either opportunity or risk. The best way to handle them was to use bonds to guide or control them, making them part of the Akatsuki.

Konan smoothly picked up the conversation and stated calmly, "Just as your Hanabi said, the Akatsuki is indeed an organization where members can carry out missions as they please, including missions involving killing. So, Hidan, are you willing to join the Akatsuki?"

Hidan raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of mockery, "Huh? You want me to join the Akatsuki? Why don't you join my Jashin Cult instead? Look, even a gorgeous genius like Hanabi has already joined us. I'm not short on members."

Kakuzu scratched his head helplessly, clearly baffled by Hidan's obsession with Hanabi. "This guy keeps going on about Hanabi. Could the Mangekyō Sharingan have messed with his head?"

Then Kakuzu turned to Itachi and asked in a tentative tone, "Itachi, do you think this guy's been brainwashed by the Mangekyō Sharingan?"