Within the Land of Waterfalls, at a treacherous waterfall ravine, two figures stood in the shadows, wearing black cloaks with red clouds.
Hidan hoisted his three-bladed scythe onto his shoulder, tilting his head to look at his partner...
"Hey, Kakuzu, how much longer do we have to wait?"
Kakuzu kept his head lowered, his green eyes devoid of any ripples.
"Soon."
"You said that three days ago." Hidan curled his lip, tapping his shoulder with the scythe's handle.
"Didn't you say there was an inside man? Didn't you say it would be easy to lure them out? We've been squatting here for days, and we haven't seen a single shadow!"
Kakuzu raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping toward Hidan, yet he seemed somewhat distracted.
"The inside man needs time. Getting a Jinchūriki to leave their village requires a suitable reason, the arrangement of a mission, and the need to avoid other prying eyes." His voice was flat. "All of this... takes time."
"Tch." Hidan turned his face away. "What a pain. Why not just charge into the village and grab them? Those guys are..."
"No matter how small Takigakure is, it is still a ninja village," Kakuzu interrupted.
"A frontal assault would attract unnecessary attention and might invite interference from other villages. Don't forget the leader's orders... we need to remain covert."
Hidan still looked displeased but didn't retort. Watching Kakuzu's expression, he suddenly asked, "Are you still thinking about that business with Kisame?" He grinned. "If you ask me... that guy just lacked a bit of faith."
Kakuzu remained silent.
"If Kisame had been willing to join the path of Jashin back then, listen to the teachings of Lord Jashin, and obtain an immortal body..." Hidan used his free hand to make a slicing gesture across his neck...
"What would it matter if his head was chopped off? He'd still be hopping around. He wouldn't have died so miserably."
"An immortal body is not omnipotent." Kakuzu spoke, his voice flat. "Kisame lost due to a gap in strength."
"Strength?" Hidan scoffed. "Give me a break. No matter how impressive that Tejima Shinichi is, he's just a twelve-year-old brat. If it were me..."
"You would die too."
Hidan's words stuck in his throat as he glared at Kakuzu.
Kakuzu opened his eyes, his green eyes turning toward Hidan.
"Do not underestimate Kisame," he said coldly...
"His strength... even I do not have absolute certainty in defeating him."
"...Since he killed Kisame in such a short time, that Tejima Shinichi's threat level needs to be raised. Do not look down on the new power of Konoha."
Hidan scoffed and hoisted his scythe. "Look down on him? I think you're just scared. He's just a Konoha brat. No matter how good he is, can he withstand my curse ritual?"
Kakuzu couldn't be bothered to entertain his partner's brainless remarks any further. Suddenly, his expression shifted. He reached out and formed a hand seal.
A mound of earth rose from the ground as a ninja mouse wearing a Takigakure headband burrowed out, scurrying up onto Kakuzu's arm.
Kakuzu removed the tiny note from the mouse's leg and unfolded it.
Hidan leaned in. "Is it here?"
"Tomorrow at noon." Kakuzu crushed the paper in his palm. "The Seven-Tails Jinchūriki will leave Takigakure and head toward the Land of Iron to carry out an escort mission."
After speaking, Kakuzu stood up. "Prepare."
A red light flashed in Hidan's eyes as he grinned. "It's finally here," he said, tightening his fingers on the scythe handle...
"Don't interfere when the time comes, Kakuzu. I want to offer this one to Lord Jashin myself."
Kakuzu turned his head to look at him, his green eyes expressionless. "No. We must capture the target alive."
"What?" Hidan frowned. "How do I offer a sacrifice if they're alive?"
"This is an order." Kakuzu turned around. "The tailed beast sealing must be performed in sequence, starting with the One-Tail..."
"Since the One-Tail Jinchūriki has not yet been captured, the Seven-Tails must be kept alive until the sealing plan begins."
He strode toward the edge of the forest.
Hidan stood where he was, curling his lip in disgust..."Tch. What a pain."
He hoisted his three-bladed scythe and followed in Kakuzu's footsteps. The two black shadows swept across the treetops and vanished into the roaring sound of the waterfall.
...
Moments later, the shadow of the nearby rock wall twisted slightly.
A figure emerged, stepping casually onto the exact spot where Hidan and Kakuzu had just been standing.
Shinichi raised his eyes, looking in the direction where the Akatsuki duo had fled. His amber pupils reflected the dappled light filtering through the trees.
He lowered his head to inspect the ground by his feet...a sharp dent lingered in the dirt where Hidan had tapped the end of his scythe.
"Hmph." Shinichi withdrew his gaze. "Finally found them."
He turned, his gaze sweeping across the ravine. The sound of the waterfall had drowned out their voices from afar, but it could not cover up the traces they had left behind, nor... their objective.
'The intelligence from Itachi Uchiha was completely accurate,' he thought.
Shinichi gave one last look toward the path Kakuzu and Hidan had taken before darting forward in pursuit...
"Then… the hunt begins."
"Perfect. The Seven-Tails… I'll be taking it for myself."
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