_Kakashi_
After leaving the Hokage tower Kakashi got ready as fast as he could then reached their meet up point on time for once. Though he still felt a bit late due to the rest of the team seeming to have rushed even faster than he did and were clearly antsy to get ready; In fact, he could still remember their conversation they had before they left.
*Flash back*
"Ready to go?" Kakashi asked the team as soon as he reached them.
"Hai." They all immediately told him clearly wanting to rush out of the village.
"Good, Now I did get a location for where they are BUT let me remind you that these are S class ninja we are going after. We need a plan if we are going to have a chance at beating them." Kakashi told them completely serious. For while he was confident about his own skills he still knew that even with a team of B ranked ninja he didn't have too good of a chance.
"Actually Kakashi-sensei I have already thought of a plan." Shikamaru told him holding out a syringe.
"Hmm?" Kakashi mumbled confused but picked up the syringe.
"You see sensei as you know one of the two of them has an ability that seems to make him almost immortal while adding a strange attack…as you have read in our report. So, I am assuming that the man with him has a high chance of having some sort of weird ability that gives him 'immortality' as well. So, my plan currently is for us to drop in front of the ninja and do our best to distract them while you eventually sneak behind him as best as you can and use your famous jutsu to take care of the second or at least try to do so. Even if you don't it doesn't matter too much seeing as your goal instead is to use that syringe to get at least some blood from the man. After that we will fall back and let you fight against the cultist with the goal of making the blood collected seem to have come from you." Shikamaru explained with Kakashi nodding and putting the syringe into his pouch.
"Seems like a good idea but let's see if we can actually manage it. Though what is your plan for said cultist?" Kakashi asked not seeing any problem with the plan besides this obvious one. He then just saw Shikamaru gain an evil glint in his eye.
"Don't worry about that sensei. While you are fighting the freak to fake a cut I will leave and set up a special trap for taking care of that man." Shikamaru told him clearly wanting revenge.
"…ok but instead of you going by yourself take Choji or Ino with you…if the other somehow stays alive after I assassinate him and trick his teammate then it would be best for all of us to team up against each one of them. Remember we don't know what we are facing here." Kakashi told them making them all nod. "Okay, now let's head out." Kakashi ordered and their group sped off towards the enemy.
*Flashback end*
"He may be even lazier than I try to act but the kid does come up with some great ideas…I just hope he doesn't end up making some of the mistakes I did as a leader." Kakashi thought with a sad smile knowing that now that Asuma was dead Shikamaru will most likely be the one to take the mantel of leader of the team…seeing as he always ended up being their tactician anyways. He then refocused on the forest in front of him making sure that they saw the duo as soon as possible. For while he did get the location of them off the scanners only a fool would stay in one area of enemy territory for longer than a minute or two. So, he honestly expected it to take a while to find them in the first place.
(A/N: So, just to make it clear: 1. I am terrible with Kakashi's way of being calm/cool while being a bit witty…you know how he acts. I am trying my best to not make him sound too weird but he may be a bit strange 'as most character's will end up being from time to time'. 2. For the sake of my story I plan on making it take them a decent while to reach the target and locate them that way Naruto's team reaches them around when they do in the anime. So my way of thinking will be that Shikamaru's team is slower so it takes them longer to travel and due to movement they take a while to find the duo. Meanwhile Naruto's team not only is faster but also can follow the sound of fighting which also would spur them to go faster...just wanted to say this now before everyone gets annoyed why there is so much time between the two teams send outs.)
_Naruto_
After the meeting with Tsunade Naruto quickly rushed towards the training ground ready to train till he either got the jutsu or passed out.
"Come on Yamato-sensei let's get back to training!" Naruto told the man as he reached the field waking said ninja from his nap.
"Wha-?" Yamato asks a bit groggily before shacking off his sleepiness. "Oh, Naruto, first let me eat breakfast…what happened to Kakashi by the way?" Yamato asks while happily accepting his meal.
"Well, you see he is taking the place of leader of Asuma-sensei's team for a mission to go after the Akatsuki members who killed Asuma. A mission we will be joining them on tomorrow just as long as I finish this kata. Now, enough talking. Hurry up and eat so I can get this damn jutsu finished!" Naruto ordered Yamato who looked a bit fearful.
"O-okay Naruto but let me eat and then we can get back to it." Yamato told the teen who begrudgingly agreed. "Great so this training has been hell on earth for me already and now he is going to rev it up AGAIN to go on this mission with his girlfriend…sometimes I wish I wasn't the only wood user in Konoha" Yamato thought while trying to enjoy his food as slow as he possibly could without making the blond rage at him because of this. Still, they eventually went back to training.
_Kakashi's team_
It took them a long time to find their target due to them moving around in a seemingly random path. They were currently hiding in the trees about one hundred feet away from the Akatsuki members. Kakashi then looks over to his current team who nodded to him and jumped out of the trees.
"Well would you look at that the brats actually came back to be sacrificed." Hidan told them with a smile on his face.
"No, we came back to defeat both of you once and for all." Ino growled at the man who simply seemed even more amused with them.
*sigh* "It seems these fools won't stop pestering us even though none of them have a bounty for me to take. Just finish them fast, we have a mission to do and bounties to collect." Kakuzu told Hidan.
"Shut the hell up! My Lord demands proper sacrifices." Hidan yelled at his partner.
"Do they always argue? How are they even partners?" Choji couldn't help but think seeing as these two seemed more likely to kill each other rather than work together. He then shook his head and refocused on their plan. He then quickly threw several shuriken at Hidan who dogged them with a simple step to the side.
Hidan then began to rush towards them only to suddenly stop in the middle of the clearing.
"Shadow possession jutsu complete." Shikamaru mumbled with a smirk on his face as he felt the man struggle.
"Damn it not this shity jutsu again." Hidan complained. "Let go of me already bastard so I can sacrifice all of you to the true God."
"Now!" Shikamaru ordered his friends who quickly rushed past him. "Please let my hunch work out…or else I just put them in grave danger." Shikamaru thought. For to get his idea to work as safe as possible Kakuzu would have to not help his partner. An idea that seemed very possible due to their constant fighting.
While he was thinking Ino and Choji quickly got close to Hidan who was glaring at them while they could clearly see him straining his muscles trying to move even under the technique. Ignoring this Ino quickly grabbed the scythe from his back before getting away from Hidan. As soon as she left the area next to him Choji quickly activated his body expansion jutsu to make his arm large. He then hit Hidan away from both their group and Kakuzu slamming the man into a few trees.
"Bastards" Hidan growled out walking out of the tree line he then pulled on a chain he had attached to him actually managing to pull Ino towards him a bit before she fought back. "Hahaha come on bitch keep holding on and I will let you have the honor of being the first sacrifice." Hidan tells her through his laughter clearly amused by their attempts at fighting him. For in his eyes this was as easy as if a jonin was fighting gennin.
"Stop fooling around! Time is money." Kakuzu called out to his teammate who seemingly ignored him and instead kept on pulling his scythe towards him. A task that he was succeeding at due to being stronger than Ino; that is until Choji wrapped his arm around Ino's waist stopping her movement completely. This stand-off lasted for about a minute before they all heard a chirping sound as Kakashi finally used his chidori and ran as fast as he could towards Kakuzu who for some reason neglected his own defenses and was struck directly in the heart making his body fall limp around Kakashi's hand.
"Heh, and that's one down." Ino told Hidan cockily who hardly glanced back at his partner.
"What a fucking fool…oh well." Hidan said before giving one last tug on his weapon which pulled it from Ino's hands now that shew wasn't focused on keeping her grip. "I just will have to kill you all!" Hidan screamed with bloodlust clear in his eyes. He then swung his scythe at Shikamaru who was kneeling.
Thankfully though Kakashi was able to free himself and quickly block his attack with a kunai. Something that didn't deter Hidan at all as he attacked Kakashi with a wild frenzy of swings. An assault that only ended when Shikamaru tried to yet again connect his shadow to Hidan making the man jump away from Kakashi.
"…you actually destroyed one of my hearts." The Konoha ninja heard making all of their eyes widen and glance over at the corpse of Kakuzu. They then watched with morbid fascination as the hole in his chest got stitched up by wires that seemed to be moving on their own accord. A few seconds later his body stood up and looked at the Konoha ninja. "I suppose I will just have to take a replacement from you before I take your bounty Kakashi Hatake." Kakuzu tells them before taking his cloak off showing his bare chest that seemed to be stitched together all over the place.
He then had the four masks come off of his back with a large amount of the black wire like material. Each of the masks then had their wires form into strange body like shapes with the masks 'looking' at them making them all look even creepier. Thankfully one of the bodies fell apart soon after it formed. "Thankfully your lighting affinity will be a perfect replacement." Kakuzu told them sending shivers down all but Kakashi's backs.
"Wait you are Kakuzu. One of the oldest wanted ninja there has ever been. Who also is known for leaving his victims with large holes through their bodies." Kakashi says with his eyes widened a bit.
"B-but how you hit him through the heart." Ino asked horrified. "Just what kind of monsters are we facing?" She asked making Kakuzu chuckle.
"Girl if you want to live as long as I have you need to know how to survive. My way just happens to be harvesting what my bounties won't need any more." Kakuzu told her.
"Wait holes through bodies, talking about Kakashi as a replacement, those masks, his words…" Shikamaru thought as he put the facts together into an idea that made him pale and almost feel like throwing up in disgust. "You have stolen people's hearts and somehow use them as extra lives." Shikamaru tells Kakuzu who glancing over at him.
"I wouldn't say stolen…after all they didn't need them after I collected their bounties." He told them showing a bit of amusement to his reaction.
"S-sick" Ino mumbled horrified by the truth.
"Don't you bastards forget about me!" Hidan yelled out before returning to a wild attack frenzy at Kakashi who still only had a kunai. "All it takes is a drop." Hidan tells Kakshi knowing as well as Kakashi did that eventually he would make a mistake. A mistake that even if small would have drastic consequences. A mistake that happened about two minutes after they started where Kakashi over estimated his block.
Blood then splattered against his face and collected on the scythe.
"No!" Shikamaru called out but was too late for by the time it took him to try to begin to summon his shadow out Hidan had already formed his mark and licked the blood. The laughing man then quickly pulled out on of his collapsible stakes and stabbed himself directly in the heart.
"Finally, one of you bastards is dead!" Hidan calls out laughing at their shocked faces while Kakuzu looking on neutrally. That is until he felt a large amount of pain and looked down at his chest to see a hole formed yet again.
"H-how?" he muttered in shock before finally losing his battle and falling over lifeless yet again.
"All according to plan." Shikamaru thought with a smile. For even though they really didn't know much about him. They still managed to kill two of his five hearts. He then watched as one of the masked creatures went over to Kakuzu's body and sunk back into the man's body.
"These bastards took another one of my hearts! …and it was my wind heart as well." Kakuzu thought now furious with them. For not only have they wasted his time in this current mission but they also now have made him take the time to find a ninja whose element was wind to harvest later. Meanwhile Hidan was annoyed that his sacrifice was not 'proper'.
"Fuckers" Hidan growled out and got ready for another attack only this time he was stopped yet again by Shikamaru's shadow. Shikamaru then quickly began running away from the clearing with Hidan having no choice but to follow him.
"Damn it." Kakashi mumbled seeing Shikamaru clearly wanting to fight against Hidan by himself. "Choji help Shikamaru. We will take care of Kakuzu." He ordered the large man who quickly followed his order. "Be safe you two, even though you two have grown into strong shinobi you still have a long way to go before you can face an S threat properly." Kakashi thought knowing that there was a good chance that something may go wrong during their fight. Though for now he had to focus on his own opponent.
Kakuzu meanwhile didn't care at all that his partner was now surely going into a killing frenzy. At the current moment the only thing he cared about was killing the two ninja in front of him to collect at least a lightning style user's heart and a decent sized bounty. He only hoped that Hidan didn't take too long so that they could finish this mission in time for him to not lose too much money-making time. His masks then launched a ball of fire and water at the two remaining ninja who quickly dodged.
Their fight then began with Kakashi trying to fight Kakuzu in close range while said man did a mixture of close and long range thanks to random wires that came out from seemingly random points of his body. Meanwhile Ino was trying to kill the masked creatures and wasn't having too much luck due to their high mobility. For due to being made mostly out of wires they didn't have to worry about any pivot points. Not only that but she also was trying her hardest to dodge the random jutsu that came from the masks.
"How are these things even firing jutsu they are only ANBU masks, a heart and stuff that is like some weird ninja wire." Ino mentally complained. It also didn't help that she really too wasn't too much of a combat ninja in the first place. Still, this was for her sensei's honor so she would do her absolute best. Still, what she didn't realize was that some of the jutsu that were launched in her direction weren't actually for her but instead launched past her towards Kakashi when he had his back turned.
"Damn it this is more like fighting a team rather than one opponent" Kakashi thought annoyed seeing as he nearly got hit several times due to not being able to watch his back. The only bright side of this was that thanks to the water mask there were several puddles around them letting him use basically any jutsu he wanted. So, he quickly jumped back from the fight and went through several hand seals. As soon as he finished his hand seals, he took a deep breath and launched a massive fire dragon at Kakuzu who didn't move an inch. Instead, the water mask quickly got in front of him and created a wall of water that took the brunt of the impact while creating a lot of steam in the process. Kakashi then launched through the mist with yet another chidori aiming to hit Kakuzu in the heart again. Though much to his surprise he soon found himself with several strands of wire. Thankfully none of them were in a fatal area but still surprised the grey-haired ninja. He then noticed that the fire mask was 'looking at him from where Ino was well away from the mist.
"Damn it of course they somehow share vision as well." Kakashi thought before swinging a lighting enhanced kunai through the wires freeing himself before anymore could be launched at him. He then jumped back into the mist where even if it was quickly fading, he still had a few seconds to think.
"The mist won't help you." Kakuzu told Kakashi seeming a bit amused before turning the ground underneath the mist into mud. He then smiled to see his opponent now buried up to his ankles in the chakra enhanced mud. "And now for my second prize." He told him with a smirk as his hand disconnected from his wrist showing that his body was somehow filled with only the wires he used. Kakashi didn't get to see this for long though seeing as a large mass of these strands quickly launched out from his body and pierced through his chest creating a circle around his heart. Much to the wire ninja's surprise though Kakashi's body lost its form around his wires and reverted back into water showing it was in fact just a water clone. Kakuzu then quickly looked around the field trying to find the copy ninja only to currently see the girl he was teamed with.
"Well, if he won't show up" Kakuzu thought deciding that he would rather have a heart that had an unknown element than be down one. So, he quickly launched his strands at the un-expecting girl. Though much to his rage just as his wires were about to reach, she was pulled into the earth making his attack miss while the girl screamed in fear.
+Moments ago+
Ino was currently glaring down the two creatures beside her watching for any move they made. Currently she was at a loss for how to defeat them. Though her thoughts were interrupted by her suddenly feeling a pair of hands grip her ankles making her cry out in shock. Before she knew it, she was pulled half way down into the earth. "Damn it I was careless." Ino thought sadly with pictures of her family, friends and lastly her boyfriend. "I am sorry everyone, I was too careless." Ino thought sadly fully expecting her death.
"Ino calm down." She heard whispered to her.
"Kakashi-sensei?" She muttered out.
"Distract them for a minute." He ordered her hoping that she wouldn't do anything foolish in the process.
Ino thankfully didn't question the older ninja and instead quickly pulled herself out of the ground and quickly threw several kunai at Kakuzu who easily dodged them. She then had to jump out of the way a large blast of water took out the ground where she just was standing. Though sadly for her Kakuzu and his creatures wasted no time surrounding the girl who quickly began to feel overwhelmed as she tried to dodge or block all of the wires that were launched at her. Thankfully just as she was about to be completely overwhelmed Kakashi burst from the ground breathing out a fire dragon at the back of the masks. His attack hit the head of the creature dead on making Kakashi smirk a bit only to lose it soon after when he realized that the creature didn't even seem phased by the attack.
"Nice attack copy ninja but too bad you were unlucky enough to attack my fire mask." Kakuzu told them clearly happy by this fact. He then quickly looked back at Ino who still was stuck in a bad situation.
"Shit." Kakashi muttered trying to figure out a way to help the girl. Thankfully he didn't have to for as just before the attacks hit a wooden dome formed completely around the girl.
"phew made it just in time." Yamato muttered relieved that he could save the girl. Meanwhile a blur came from behind him and slammed into Kakuzu. A blur that turned out to be Naruto who slammed his fist into Kakuzu's face hard enough to launch the man a decent way away from where he was standing. Naruto then quickly picked Ino up in a bridal carry as soon as the wood dome went down; and quickly jumped behind Yamato while glaring at Kakuzu with his eyes already red. Meanwhile Ino held onto Naruto's shirt thankful that they came to save her.
"Kakashi-sensei are you ok?" Naruto asked the man.
"I am fine, but where is the rest of the team?"
"I noticed that you two split up so I sent Sakura and Sai to help them." Yamato told Kakashi who nodded. "Now Naruto let's see how your newest jutsu does in its field test." Yamato told the blond who smiled.
"Gladly" he told him with a large feral smile.