The Lost Princess Returns (Sequel to The Lost Princess, Kiba Inuzuka Love Story)

Chapter 41

Ayumi's P. O. V:

We all jump away and find spots to shield ourselves with.

"Choji! Ino! You guys okay?!" Shikamaru calls as I leap up.

"Yes!" Says Ino as she hits the ground.

"Yeah...!" Choji adds, tumbling to a stop.

I appear from out of the smoke. A shadow falls over me, but I already have my Diamond Excalibur in hand. I whirl around and bring it up in time to block Hidan's scythe. He lets out a crazed sound as I block another swipe, and deflect a third.

We descend towards the ground as Hidan brings his scythe down on me again. I flip backwards just as he slams it into the earth. Hidan runs at me and I deflect his scythe with my sword.

I jump back as I deflect another swing of his scythe. And another. When Hidan swings his scythe down low, I jump up and land atop it before I push away from him.

I then land on a tree and jump back to avoid the three blades as Hidan slams his scythe into the tree. He then pursues me around the tree as we race to the top. Hidan and I meet each other at the top and clash our weapons together, creating sparks.

We then jump away from one another, skidding back.

Hidan says Ashe smirks at me, "For an assassin and Princess, you're pretty good. Just like the last time we met..."

Shikamaru, Choji and Kakashi appear on either side of me.

"Ayumi-chan...!" Choji says.

"Are you okay?!" Ino asks as she leaps down with us.

"Yeah," I reply without looking.

Ino states, "They're using really good combos."

Choji inputs, "And here Kakashi Sensei definitely nailed him with the Lightning Blade... why won't he die?"

Kakashi says as he nods his head, "I'm sure I crushed his heart. He really should be dead. But what I killed was one of the monsters that came out of his body. We can assume that it died in place of his real body."

"It was the same when he broke my Shadow Possession Shuriken Jutsu..." Shikamaru murmurs. "Something that looked like a heart was attached to the arm that had been separated from his body and it was moving on its own."

"What... does that mean?" Asks Choji.

"If you include his real body," Explains the Nara, "each monster that came out of his body has a heart, and they are all his. In other words, it means he probably has five hearts."

"What?!" Gasps Ino.

"How can that be..?" Choji demands to know.

Shikamaru continues, "However, he lost one of them to Sensei's Lightning Blade just now, though."

Ino states as they look back at the Akatsuki, "Then that means we have to crush his other four hearts in order to take him out completely?"

"Yeah..." Shikamaru trails off Ashe gives a nod.

"You're very perceptive. That's exactly right..," Says Kakuzu. "I took each of these hearts from shinobi I once fought. I can always replenish my stock... with your hearts."

This makes Team Ten gasp.

"I get it..." Kakashi says to himself. "By connecting his chakra network to the others' hearts, he incorporates their chakra natures as well, right, huh? No wonder he's able to use several different natures."

Hidan slams his scythe into the ground as he asks, "By the way, does the Hidden Leaf Village bury their dead? Burials are a pain in the neck, you see. I bet Kakuzu's going to say, "We're going to dig up the body and exchange him for money."" Hidan rubs the back of his neck as he sighs. "And here I thought I could have some fun with that bearded jerk..." Hidan holds up his hand dismissively. "He was nothing special, after all."