Akatsuki Suppression Mission

The Hidan and Kakuzu arc is from Part II of the series that spans from chapters 311 to 342 of the manga and episodes 72 to 88 of the Naruto: Shippuden anime. In the third databook this arc is called the. The anime DVDs for this arc call it "Immortal Devastators — Hidan and Kakuzu". In the anime, Naruto's training begins in the Fire Temple arc.

Summary
Two newly introduced Akatsuki members, Hidan and Kakuzu, are chasing after the host of the two-tailed cat, Yugito. Despite fully transforming into her two-tailed state, Hidan and Kakuzu defeat Yugito. After the battle, Hidan performs a gruesome religious ritual, greatly annoying Kakuzu, a money-obsessed bounty hunter. Zetsu appears and takes charge of Yugito, ordering the pair to proceed to the Land of Fire and their next target.

Hidan and Kakuzu stop by a nearby temple and kill the head monk Chiriku, a former bodyguard for the Land of Fire's nobility. One monk manages to escape and informs Tsunade of the incident. Tsunade orders Shizune to mobilize a new task force, the Niju Shotai. Asuma's group, consisting of himself, Shikamaru, Kotetsu Hagane, and Izumo Kamizuki, leaves for the temple.

Team Asuma arrives at the ruins of the temple and realizes that the Akatsuki pair has taken Chiriku's body to a bounty station. The team prepares to intercept the killers at the station, and a monk prays for the team's safety. When the monk expresses concern for their safety, Asuma reveals that his bounty is five million ryō higher than Chiriku's. Meanwhile, Hidan and Kakuzu collect the bounty on Chiriku's head and turn over the corpse as proof.

Elsewhere, Deidara, having regained his limbs and now paired with Tobi, confronts the three-tailed beast. Tobi acts strangely flippant before the battle with the immense aquatic beast. After subduing the monster, Tobi claims he single-handedly won the battle, provoking another comedic attack from Deidara.

Training Naruto
After the encounter with Sasuke, Naruto realizes that Sasuke is far too strong for him. Kakashi reveals a special training method which takes advantage of Naruto's high chakra. It involves the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique. Unlike an ordinary clone, a shadow clone passes back any experience it gains to the original. Naruto can create a comparatively large number of shadow clones, thus allowing him to train hundreds of times faster than a normal shinobi. Yamato also assists in Naruto's training by helping to restrain the demon fox.

Kakashi explains that there are five basic types of elemental chakra — fire, wind, water, lightning and earth. He pulls out special cards which react differently to each person's chakra: it will burn for fire, split for wind, crumple for lightning, turn to dust for earth, and turn wet for water. Naruto flows his chakra into the card and it splits, indicating he has an affinity to wind, a type that is very well suited for combat because of its ability to "blow past anything and slice things to bits."

Meanwhile, Asuma and Shikamaru are playing Shogi. Shikamaru notices that Asuma is playing differently from normal and asks if something is wrong. In describing things, Asuma describes Shikamaru in terms of shogi as a Knight, being weak in terms of power but having a unique style of movement that resembles Shikamaru and his flexibility in his thinking. Shikamaru then asks what piece Asuma resembles. Asuma then answers that he is just a pawn. Shikamaru guesses that the Hokage is the king, but Asuma tells him that it's not, and that someday Shikamaru will understand.

The first phase is for Naruto and his clones to cut a leaf with his chakra. Naruto asks if there's anyone in Konoha that can help him, and Kakashi tells him to find Asuma. Asuma gives Naruto a few pointers using his trench knives as an example. They're made of a metal that absorbs chakra, the effect of which is determined by the user's chakra nature. Asuma explains that wind chakra must be sharpened like a blade by splitting the chakra in two and bringing the parts together to form a tight edge. He demonstrates this by having Naruto toss a knife at a tree with him: Naruto's sticks in the tree while Asuma's goes straight through it and pierces a rock. If he had used his full chakra, the knife would have also gone through the rock. Using this advice, Naruto is able to completely split a leaf, but passes out after dispersing his clones. Kakashi warns him that this training is going to wear him down quickly, and that he needs to rest for the next phase of his training: slicing a waterfall in half.

The next step of Naruto's training progresses slowly. When Naruto complains, Kakashi notes that even Sasuke took several days to learn to manipulate an element, while Naruto did it in a few hours. By nightfall, Naruto hasn't managed to cut the waterfall. Naruto reflects on his fonder memories of Sasuke and decides to train through the rest of the night. By the next day, he and all his clones are able to cut the waterfall. Yamato is surprised by Naruto's progress, but Kakashi is not, since he understands how Naruto feels about Sasuke. Kakashi declares they can finally move into the final stage of Naruto's unique jutsu creation. However, the constant training has exhausted Naruto once more. Kakashi immediately rushes to his side concerned that he may have pushed Naruto too far this time. However, when Naruto moans that he's hungry, Kakashi relaxes.

After enjoying a meal at Ichiraku Ramen, Naruto is anxious to go on with his training. Kakashi and Yamato explain "nature manipulation" and "form manipulation" to Naruto again. Kakashi reminds Naruto that all the training till now has been nature manipulation and that the Rasengan is an example of extremely advanced form manipulation. By adding nature manipulation together with form manipulation, a ninja's power can grow by leaps and bounds. However, this is an extremely difficult task; even the Fourth Hokage was unable to complete the Rasengan by combining nature and form manipulation. Kakashi believes that Naruto is the one who will

Akatsuki vs. Niju Shotai
At the bounty station, Kakuzu explains to Zangei that Hidan, an immortal, is the only ninja capable of surviving Kakuzu's indiscriminate attack strategies. This is the reason for their partnership, despite their ideological differences.

As Asuma's group moves toward the bounty station, Asuma explains that he and Chiriku both belonged to the 12 Guardian Ninja of Konoha, and that their relationship was akin to Shikamaru's relationship with Choji. Asuma stopped smoking because he needs no distractions if he is to fight Chiriku's killers.

Naruto is again training with his clones, trying to infuse the Rasengan with wind chakra. Unfortunately, the jutsu consistently explodes, frustrating him to such degrees that a clone will start drawing upon demon fox's chakra. Yamato reverses the transformations, and Kakashi reminds him that success or failure rests on Yamato's ability to control the demon fox.

At the bounty station, Asuma's team attacks Hidan. Izumo and Kotetsu stab him in the chest with their large kunai; however, Hidan is merely annoyed by the attack. Asuma's team quickly realizes that Hidan cannot be killed by normal means. Kakuzu appears and prepares to join the fight, but Hidan tells him to stay out of it. Asuma proceeds to fight Hidan alone. Hidan manages to cut Asuma's cheek and licks the blood off his scythe just as the latter uses a fire jutsu. Hidan draws a seal beneath him just as the jutsu hits. It burns Hidan's robe, but he emerges unscathed. Instead, Asuma's right arm is badly burned; the damage meant for Hidan has somehow been turned back upon himself. Hidan has also transformed; his skin is black with white accents, giving him the appearance of a Grim Reaper. Hidan tells Asuma that any pain he feels is transferred to Asuma. Since he's immortal, Hidan needs only to inflict a fatal wound on himself to kill Asuma.

Luckily, Shikamaru catches Hidan in another Shadow Bind before he can do so. Kakuzu offers to help, but Hidan waves him off, claiming he can beat all four by himself. Going over every motion Hidan made to start the ritual, Shikamaru figures out Hidan's ability: Hidan first needs to consume his opponent's blood and then stand within his ceremonial circle. Shikamaru explains that in order to save Asuma, all he needs to do is move Hidan out of his circle.

After Shikamaru tests his theory, he traps Hidan with Shadow Sewing. Hidan asks Kakuzu to help him, but Kakuzu nonchalantly replies that he told Hidan to be careful. Asuma slices Hidan's head off with his chakra blades, and it falls next to Kakuzu. Rather than killing Hidan as expected, the head starts talking, calling Kakuzu a bastard for allowing him to be decapitated. Hidan asks Kakuzu to bring him his body, but Kakuzu grabs his head instead, saying that it is lighter.

Shikamaru falls from exhaustion as Hidan complains about the pain of being decapitated. Asuma, Kotetsu, and Izumo stand in amazement and plot their next move. Kakuzu suddenly attacks Asuma, then grabs Hidan's body. He reattaches Hidan's head using threads from his arms. Kotetsu and Izumo attempt to strike Kakuzu, whose forearms extend, grabbing both of them by the throat. Meanwhile, Hidan jumps back into the circle, linking himself back to Asuma, and deals himself a fatal blow to kill Asuma.

Asuma collapses as his team looks on helplessly. Hidan reverts to his normal form as Kakuzu prepares to finish off the others. A flock of crows suddenly appear, distracting the Akatsuki pair. Ino and Choji appear to assist in moving Shikamaru and Asuma to a safer location as Raido Namiashi and Aoba Yamashiro back them up. Shikamaru senses Asuma's pulse, and tells Ino and Choji to take him back to Konoha. Kakuzu isn't willing to let a bounty like Asuma go, and Hidan is similarly unwilling to let his enemies live, but the Akatsuki leader contacts them telepathically and forces the pair to retreat, wanting to seal the two-tailed beast they recently captured and the Three-Tailed Giant Turtle.

Despite the timely rescue, Asuma's wounds are fatal. Asuma dies, but not before smoking his last cigarette and sharing some final words with Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji. Shikamaru lights another of his cigarettes, which he begins to smoke himself. He tearfully mumbles that he hates cigarettes as they make his eyes water — a reference to when Team 10 first met their sensei.

As Akatsuki commences with sealing the two-tailed beast, the leader explains their goals to Hidan and Tobi. Akatsuki's overall goal is world domination. To achieve that goal, the leader has set up a three-step process to work their way to it. First, they plan to obtain a large amount of money to support their organization. Second, they plan to set up a mercenary group loyal to no village. Because there haven't been any wars in some time, they can convince the smaller countries to hire them over the larger asking prices of the five main villages. By using the tailed beasts, they can start wars and then immediately quell them, convincing every country to depend on them and monopolizing the shinobi market. Finally, after they're the only major force of shinobi in existence, they can easily conquer the world.

Team 10 returns to Konoha and informs Tsunade of what had happened. Tsunade sends out the message for the funeral to everyone, but Shikamaru has a message for Kurenai from Asuma and will tell her what has happened himself. Naruto has nearly created the jutsu when they are informed of Asuma's death and rush back to the village. Shikamaru tells Kurenai the message and she collapses from grief. At the funeral, Konohamaru cries for his uncle while Naruto comforts him. Shikamaru doesn't attend the funeral and spends his time seemingly formulating a strategy and learning how to use Asuma's trench knives. He also picks up Asuma's smoking habit.

Akatsuki vs. Team 10
The new three-man Team 10 prepares to leave and continue Asuma's mission. Tsunade refuses to let Team 10 go since they lack a captain. Kakashi volunteers, and the four-man team heads off. Later in the woods, Shikamaru devises a new attack strategy that includes Kakashi.

About three days later, Sakura volunteers her team to back up Team 10. Tsunade tells Yamato that Naruto has 24 more hours to complete his new jutsu, or she will send another Team as backup.

After Akatsuki finishes sealing the Sanbi and Nibi, so Kakuzu and Hidan are allowed to leave. Realizing the likely ambush, Hidan and Kakuzu take another route. Ino uses her Mind Body Switch Technique on a crow and finds the two. Team 10 then goes to ambush the Akatsuki.

Shikamaru sneaks his shadow near Hidan and Kakuzu, who both manage to jump out of the way. Shikimaru then throws two exploding kunai, followed by Asuma's chakra blades. Shikimaru poured his own chakra into the blades, allowing him to trap the two Akatsuki members with them. Shikimaru then uses his Shadow possession to make Hidan attak Kakuzu. However, Kakuzu thought a step ahead, and detached his arm, sending it underground. Just before Hidan's attack lands, Kakuzu frees himself with the detached arm. Just as the two are about to counter-attack, Kakashi sneaks up on Kakuzu and stabs him through the heart with his Lightning Blade. Kakashi then moved to finish off Hidan, but Kakuzu, somehow still alive, surprises Kakashi and knocks him back. Kakuzu then removes his shirt and reveals four masks. Then he splits his back apart, and four spirits come out to fight for him. However, one of the spirits dies immediately, as this was the one Kakashi stabbed.

It turns out that Kakuzu has a total of five hearts, four of which were stolen from the body of a fallen shinobi, and the one that allows him to use his Earth Element attack is his. Each heart prolongs Kakuzu's life and allows him access to the heart's elemental affinity.

Hidan then attacked Kakashi as a distraction which allowed Kakuzu enough time attack with a powerful gust of wind. He then fired two powerful bolts of lightning at Shikamaru and Choji but Kakashi blocks it with a Lightning Blade in each hand. He then attacked with fire which was dodged by Team 10 and Kakashi. Shikamaru decides to separate Hidan and Kakuzu from each other.

Once again capturing Hidan with a Shadow Imitation jutsu, Shikamaru drags Hidan to an isolated location rigged with booby traps. However, Shikamaru's chakra runs out, which frees Hidan from the jutsu. Hidan successfully attacks him and begins the voodoo ritual.

Kakuzu reveals that the first Konoha ninja he ever fought was the First Hokage. As Kakashi is about to be killed, Kakuzu grabs his chest in pain. This is due to Hidan stabbing himself as part of his curse ritual: the blood he consumed was actually Kakuzu's.

Team Kakashi's Arrival
Hidan does not immediately realize what has happened, but Shikamaru attacks him to illustrate the point. However, Shikamaru is weakened from the extended use of his shadow jutsu and cannot hold down Hidan for long, he watches Hidan advance to strike the final blow.

Kakuzu continues battling Kakashi. However, as Kakuzu prepares to strike with his Fire and Wind Element combo attack, Naruto and Yamato intervene, combining both Naruto's Wind Release: Rasengan and Yamato's Water Release: Tearing Torrent they form the Typhoon Water Vortex Technique to block the attack.

Kakashi, Ino, and Choji are relieved at Team Kakashi's arrival under Yamato's lead. Yamato orders Sai and Sakura to back Shikamaru up while Kakashi summons Pakkun to lead them. Naruto resolves to defeat Kakuzu on his own.

Hidan fails to kill Shikamaru, as the latter ensnares him with a shadow once more. Having prepared the area in advance, Shikamaru uses his shadows to pull the exploding tags onto Hidan, and open a deep pit beneath him. Hidan insists that he'll survive the attempt, even if only his head remains intact, and kill Shikamaru in turn. Shikamaru calmly explains that they are on his clan's land, and that his clan will keep Hidan buried for eternity. Lighting a cigarette, Shikamaru sees a vision of Asuma, who congratulates him before disappearing(manga). Saying his last goodbye, Shikamaru tosses the lit cigarette at Hidan, igniting the exploding tags and causing a massive explosion. Hidan survives the explosion, and insists that he will "bite" Shikamaru to death, all the while proclaiming that his god Jashin will punish Shikamaru. Shikamaru ignores the threats and tosses a kunai with exploding tags into the hole. The explosion causes the hole to cave in, burying Hidan in rubble.

Meanwhile, Naruto then begins preparing an extremely powerful jutsu. Kakashi realizes through a flashback that Naruto may indeed surpass the Fourth Hokage. Naruto then uses his Wind Release: Rasenshuriken. Kakuzu is visibly concerned by the new jutsu.

Kakuzu jumps into the air, but Naruto leaps behind him. Kakuzu is forced to sacrifice four of his hearts, and through that he is able to shield against the attack using his Earth Element shield. However, this leaves him unable to move. Kakashi realizes Naruto has surpassed him, and goes to finish Kakuzu by stabbing his last heart.

Team Kakashi and Team 10 return triumphant to Konoha. Shikamaru visits Asuma's grave with Kurenai, who is now pregnant with Asuma's child. Later, while playing shogi with his father, Shikamaru comments that the identity of the king piece is the next generation of Konoha ninja. Despite this revelation, he loses the game with his father.