Hidan, lying on his back amid the rubble, actually still had the strength to speak.
Kakuzu kept both hands moving, manipulating Earth Grudge Fear to rapidly stitch up Hidan's wounds.
While stitching, Kakuzu said in a muffled voice:
"Shut up! Get through your weakened period first."
"As for those small fry, just let them enter the city."
"If we block this breach, we'll also block their way out."
"You've already fought their only Kage Level expert to the death. The rest won't amount to much."
"Besides, Hozuki Castle has numerous areas and checkpoints everywhere. Those small fry will need quite some time to break through to the prison area!"
Hidan blinked, then could not help coughing up another mouthful of black blood.
"You really do know how to scheme!..."
There were some things Hidan did not have time to say.
For one thing, he had pierced his heart and was indeed grievously wounded.
Had Hidan not possessed his "heaven-defying" special constitution, he would probably have already breathed his last.
For another, there were some things he could not say outright.
Hidan had been in the Akatsuki for quite some time.
Although he usually behaved like a raving lunatic and disliked using his brain, that did not mean he was stupid.
The Akatsuki was full of experts. Getting along with those eccentric experts still required knowing how to handle things.
Of course, with Hidan's temperament, he disdained learning such things.
However, some experts were very good at "teaching" others the rules.
Kakuzu, for example, who had been Hidan's partner for some time, liked to "teach" Hidan a few things.
Before joining the Akatsuki, Hidan had thought very highly of himself and acknowledged no one's superiority.
Now, not only did he get along well with Kakuzu and stick close to him, he