Chapter 93: Asuma's Crisis? Teacher Kurenai, Please Change Your Outfit!
The underground space was dark and damp, and as the battle continued, the smell of blood in the air grew increasingly thick.
Hidan clutched his face, which had been clawed into a bloody mess by the Nether Cat Demon. This intense pain did not make him retreat; instead, it ignited the ruthlessness in his bones. His bloodshot eyes quickly scanned the battlefield, finally locking onto Asuma Sarutobi, who was entangled with several black tentacles.
"That fire-wielding cat girl is too freakish, physical attacks are useless... Then I'll start by carving up you bearded guy with the blades!"
Hidan let out a strange cry, dragging his large, three-bladed red scythe, and ignoring the wound on his leg, he charged toward Asuma like a madman.
"Watch out!"
Nara Shikamaru's expression changed, and he immediately activated his shadow jutsu, "Ninja Art: Shadow Possession Jutsu!"
The black shadow snaked out like a serpent, trying to lock Hidan down. But although Hidan's movements were chaotic, he was surprisingly agile. He performed an unnatural backbend, dodging the shadow's restraint by a hair's breadth.
Clang! The three-bladed scythe and Asuma's Chakra blade collided fiercely, sending sparks flying.
Asuma gritted his teeth, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead. Is this a member of the Akatsuki? This unreasonable strength and suicidal fighting style put him under immense pressure.
"It's useless! As long as I can scrape a single drop of blood from you..." Hidan sneered, suddenly retracting his scythe and using the barb on the blade to slash fiercely at Asuma's cheek.
The distance was too close; he couldn't dodge it at all!
Everyone present felt their hearts jump into their throats. As a former member of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, Asuma was very experienced, but in front of such an unknown monster, a small wound could mean the difference between life and death.
On a stone pillar not far away, Uzumaki Narutoleaned there, clutching a piece of rubble, looking like he was watching a play.
But just then, Naruto's pupils constricted. He saw a certain aesthetic disaster about to happen, and he panicked internally.
[It's over, it's over! The bearded guy is done for!]
This inner voice appeared directly in the minds of several women. Kurenai Yuhi's fingers, which were in the middle of forming hand seals, suddenly stiffened.
This kid Naruto, could he have foreseen that Asuma would die?
Then, Naruto's bizarre thoughts, which made Kurenai Yuhi want to die, popped up again with clear imagery.
[If Uncle Asuma dies here... wouldn't Teacher Kurenai become a widow?!]
[What does being a widow mean? It means she'll only be able to wear pitch-black mourning clothes and wrap herself up tightly! She'll have to cry every day, hiding all that mature charm under lifeless black clothes!]
[Not only will I not be able to see her collarbone! I won't even be able to see her calves! Her whole aura will become gloomy!]
On the other side of the battlefield, in Kurenai Yuhi's beautiful wine-red eyes, her expression became extremely complex—both angry and embarrassed—she was simply speechless.
This brat... what time is it, and you're actually worrying about what I'll be wearing in the future?!
But Naruto's thoughts continued. Driven by an obsession to change the future, he had a strong pursuit of aesthetics.
[No! Absolutely not!]
[Teacher Kurenai, such a top-tier mature older sister type, a woman full of mature charm, is born to wear bright red! To wear festive colors!]
[She should wear one of those red cheongsams with slits high up to the top of her thighs! When she walks, her snow-white long legs should appear and disappear beneath the red fabric... This is the greatest contribution to the world! And it's also the greatest comfort to Uncle Asuma's spirit in heaven (crossed out)!]
[So... in order to not see those damned black mourning clothes, Asuma, you must hold on!]
Hum—! A strange Chakra carrying a heat flow erupted out of thin air within Kurenai Yuhi's body.
Her cheeks were as red as blood, half from anger at Naruto's bastard logic of "saving people just to see legs," and half from embarrassment at his undisguised thoughts.
Although she didn't want to admit it, when Narutosaid "red cheongsam with high slits," she clearly heard the system's emotionless, mechanical voice:
[Ding! Detected that host Kurenai Yuhi is facing a "major aesthetic crisis (forced to wear mourning clothes)." The core target has issued an extremely strong "anti-mourning clothes, pro-cheongsam" fetish desire. System judgment: To protect these long legs that might be exposed to the air, reality must be distorted. Reward unlocked: S-Rank Kekkei Tota: Shura Red Lotus: Reality Override (Trial Version).]
"What kind of nonsense is this..." Kurenai took a deep breath, and a strange red light flashed instantly in her black pupils.
In the center of the battlefield.
"Die!" Hidan looked at the smear of blood on the tip of his scythe, trembling with excitement. Even if Asuma had dodged the vital spot, this shallow scratch was enough!
He extended his long, barbed tongue, greedily curling it toward the bead of blood on the blade. However, the moment his tongue tip touched that drop of blood, the world before Hidan's eyes changed. Red petals suddenly began to flutter all around.
This change was very subtle; even Kakuzu, who was nearby, didn't notice anything wrong. Finally, Hidan licked that drop of blood. It was fishy and sweet—delicious.
"The ritual begins!" Hidan laughed wildly and took a step back. The blood at his feet automatically converged into a magic circle composed of a triangle and a circle. He believed the link had been established.
Asuma covered the wound on his face, staring vigilantly at the madman: "What is he doing?"
"It's over, bearded guy from Konoha!" Hidan raised his spear, aiming at his own heart. Without a second of hesitation, driven by a craving for pain, he stabbed it in fiercely!
"No—!" Ino screamed from a distance.
Splat! Hidan spat out a mouthful of blood with satisfaction, his whole body convulsing from pleasure: "Ah... this pain! That bearded guy must be screaming in despair right now!"
He jerked his head up, wanting to see the image of Asuma falling to the ground dead. But. One second passed, two seconds passed. Opposite him, Asuma Sarutobi, apart from looking a bit pale and having an expression like he was watching a lunatic, was completely fine. He had even tightened his grip on his Chakra blade during the pause.
"Ho... how is this possible?" Hidan's eyes widened, looking at his own chest in disbelief, then looking at Asuma, "I clearly licked the blood! The link should have been established!"
"Is this your last word?" Although Asuma didn't understand the situation, as an experienced Jonin, he wouldn't miss the chance to attack his opponent while they were stunned.
"Ugh... Pfft!"
Just as Asuma prepared to counterattack, the black-robed man who hadn't made a move until now—Kakuzu—suddenly fell to his knees without any warning and spat out a mouthful of black blood.
He had been controlling the tentacles of his Earth Grudge Fear to sneak attack Naruto, but now, as if pierced through the heart by an invisible blade, he clutched his chest and roared in disbelief: "Hidan! You idiot... what are you doing?!"
"Huh? Kakuzu?" Hidan was stunned, looking at Kakuzu on the ground, then at the spear in his hand, "Why are you spitting blood? I'm killing this bearded guy!"
Naruto, on the stone pillar, saw this scene, and his nervous expression vanished instantly, replaced by a mischievous grin.
[Oh my, this is awkward.]
[Teacher Kurenai's genjutsu... is it too ruthless? Did she directly rewrite the concept of blood? Changing Asuma's blood into the blood of that old monster Kakuzu?]
[This is what you call... I didn't kill Boren, but Boren was stabbed by his teammate? This spear strike was really solid; even if Kakuzu has five hearts, he probably lost one, right?]
Kurenai Yuhi stood at the edge of the battlefield, slowly lowering her hands from the hand seals. Her Ninja vest was a bit disheveled, but set against the backdrop of the lingering genjutsu red lotus, she looked exceptionally beautiful and heart-stirring.
She turned her head slightly and glared fiercely at Naruto with those red eyes. The meaning in her gaze was clear: You didn't want me to wear mourning clothes, and I did it. As for the cheongsam... we'll see how you perform!
Naruto shivered and shrank his neck, but he was secretly overjoyed.
[Teacher Kurenai's look... tsk tsk, looks like I'll have some eye candy in the future. Uncle Asuma, no need to thank me, this is what I should do. For the sake of Konoha's fashion, this green hat... ah, no, this life-saving favor, you should accept it!]
Asuma, having just returned from the gates of hell, looked at his girlfriend whose aura had suddenly become stronger, then looked at Hidan, who had inexplicably stabbed his teammate, and finally, his gaze fell on Naruto, who wore a mischievous grin.
Although he had saved his life, he always felt that he seemed to have lost something indescribable in this rescue? For example... his dignity as a boyfriend?
"What a bunch of... incomprehensible monsters."
Asuma gave a bitter smile, and the Chakra blades in his hands ignited with blue wind blades once again. Regardless, since that self-mutilating guy had used his technique on his teammate, the counterattack could now officially begin.