The Key To So Many Doors (Hidan Story)

Chapter 22

Hidan loved fighting.

The idea that Shima came into it and he didn't want her to get hurt only heightened his fighting spirit and made him more determined to win.

Not that it was exactly easy to defeat him in the first place.

But now...he found he wasn't doing a thing. Even though the last of those guys had showed up in the temple, still ready to fight and kill them all, Kakuzu having joined him there...Hidan couldn't move from the spot. He had watched Shima in awe as she had opened the sanctuary, thinking it was totally awesome, and had continued to watch as she took the scroll from the podium. Sure, he would have preferred it if he could have gone inside too, but he hadn't wanted anything to go wrong—so even though he hated just watching, he had attempted to content himself with just looking on as Shima did what she needed to do, focusing on the fact that she was doing it in the first place. She had come so far from how she had been before.

But Hidan hadn't thought she'd go further.

From the beginning he had figured out she would be needed in order for them to open the sanctuary and get the scroll. True, Shima had been more important than he had known to begin with, but Hidan had been certain she was vital in dealing with the scroll. But there had never been any hint for this. Clearly Shima hadn't had a clue about it either as she had turned to look at him; and he had tried to go forward; to get in and help her. But the temple hadn't let him, and once again he had been left to observe, his anger rising at the suggestion he couldn't do anything to help. He had clenched his fists, gritted his teeth, his heart beating fast as he looked on, widening his eyes as he had seen the amount of chakra that appeared around her body, her body lighting up like the sun, causing him to have to glance away. When Hidan had looked back, he had seen how her body jerked with the power—and he had known it had to hurt.

With that thought, Hidan had tried to enter the sanctuary once more, but only got thrown back just like before. Growling in frustration, he had looked back up at Shima, slowly coming to a halt in his actions as he had seen what came next. Shima's body had seemed to relax a little; although the glow had still existed in her body, it had appeared to start being contained by her skin, the light growing a little dimmer. But clearly things still hadn't been over, as her skin had begun to change; in a way that was almost familiar to Hidan. Although it wasn't the true design of his cursed form, the way that Shima's skin had altered was a reflection of it; like a skeleton design.

Like...a shinigami.

It was at that point that the guys had arrived with Kakuzu behind them, but Hidan had been unable to even turn to look, his gaze fixated on Shima, and only Shima. What had happened, he didn't quite know, but he wanted to find out, caught between a combination of shock and awe. He had never imagined this kind of thing could happen. So he remained frozen to the spot as Shima still stood there; as the men behind him edged closer and closer towards him and the sanctuary. He heard Kakuzu fighting them; calling out to him to tell him to move; to fight or at least do something. But Hidan barely heard him, enraptured by what he had seen before him. He was so focused on what had gone on with Shima, that he missed the guy sneaking up behind him completely; unaware of the kunai that swung down towards his back. But he needn't have worried.

It never reached its target.

The guy who had been attacking gaped in surprise at Shima's presence; at her hand holding back his arm. Staring in surprise at the decorations now over her body, he swallowed hard, trying to push back his fear as he started to struggle. Hidan looked over his shoulder with a smirk, having not seen her move; in a mere blink she was behind him, already knowing what she had to do without having to look over the room. Her grip was firm as the guy fought against her clutches, but nothing he did seemed to work, and his movements slowly became more panicked as his fear began to rise. Yes, he had known that Shima was a high level ninja; that had been clear with how she had escaped their grasp the first time. But he had never known about anything like this—and he didn't know what to do. So Shima took over for him, stating softly,

"It's no use," before she slammed her other hand against his chest.

Right away he froze; his eyes going glassy as chakra pooled around Shima's hand. It wasn't the normal kind of chakra Hidan knew; but a silvery light that seemed like liquid. The colour drained from the guy's face, the light fading from his eyes as Shima pulled her hand slowly away from his chest, the silvery light following. By the time her hand was parallel to her own body, the silvery light had unattached itself from the guy's body, leaving her holding a ball of it in her hand. From there, it twirled around her fingers, glowing brighter for a few seconds before she closed her fist and it disappeared into her body. Hidan narrowed his eyes at what she had done, not quite understanding it. It was nothing like any fighting he had seen—and that was saying something considering how he fought.

The whole room was brought into silence, no one knowing how to respond to this situation. Even Kakuzu was still, his eyes narrowed as well; though what he was thinking Hidan couldn't tell. But then just like before, in the space of a blink Shima was gone, appearing beside the next guy. Movement finally occurred with this action; though some guys couldn't bring themselves to move from the spot, frozen by fear, others backed up, almost tripping over themselves as they tried to get away. Not that Shima would let them; raising her arm, she made one movement towards the doors and by the time the guys reached it, just like it had been with the sanctuary, they were thrown backwards, unable to get out. So Shima returned to her main focus; the guy next to her, and repeated the process, doing the same to each guy she came across.

In the meantime, Kakuzu had made his way across the room to stand beside Hidan, both of them in silence for a few moments longer as they watched Shima on her rampage, before Kakuzu finally managed to state quietly,

"Wha—what is she doing? Is it a jutsu? And what's with the light? It can't be chakra, that's for sure."

But as Hidan had watched her; as he had seen the reaction that occurred when she used her abilities, he had begun to come up with his own theory. It made sense, after all; it all fit together. So, still keeping his gaze on Shima, Hidan finally responded just as softly as Kakuzu had been, a smile appearing on his face,

"It's their souls. Shima's taking their souls."

Kakuzu stared at Hidan in shock and almost disbelief, looking back and forth between the two. That couldn't be true. It wasn't possible for her to be able to do that...was it? Then again, Shima's abilities were very much connected to the temple. She was powerful—the fact that she could have visions, and that she was the only one who could open the temple sanctuary was proof enough for that. And she had to be special if the scroll had specifically picked her to grant its powers to. It wasn't just anyone who received that. But with those thoughts, something abruptly occurred to Kakuzu, and his face fell into a scowl of frustration. With all that had happened, there was one question that now needed to be answered.

What the hell were they supposed to do about their mission?