Naruto Manga Chapter 326: "The Cursed One"

Another excitingly fast-paced and disappointingly too-short chapter from our Kishi! "The Cursed One" continues from where we left off last chappie with Asuma slicing Hidan's head off only for the Konoha shinobi to be left stunned when Hidan opens his mouth, which is attached to his decapitated supposedly left-for-dead head, to verbalize. We knew it wouldn't be that simple though, with all the hints of Akatsuki's Hidan being seemingly immortal.

So...let's get down and dirty shall we?

Kakuzu is still holding Hidan's dismembered head, Hidan still has his freaky reverse-print self going on, the Konoha shinobi are still stunned, and the fight must go on! Shika is up to his limit, Asuma-taichou's injured... Izumo and Kotetsu surmise that with Hidan out of the picture, the odds should still be in their favour though. That is until, as they watch in horror, Kakuzu unceremoniously reunites Hidan's severed head with his neck and proceeds to sew them back together! Just what are these two?! Well, we learn that Kakuzu sure has some domestic prowess there;)

Izumo and Kotetsu charges. Kotetsu wields this cool seashell-like multiple-horned weapon while Izumo casts a Suiton Jutsu ("Ensnaring Syrup Trap"/"Liquid Glue Field"). Their attack is basically: Izumo traps opponent (i.e. Kakuzu) via his glue field, and Kotetsu charges with the ferocious-looking weapon at the trapped opponent (i.e. Kakuzu). It doesn't quite work as planned, however, when the extent of Kakuzu's domestic inclinations unveil themselves as his forearms un-stitch and extend by tough threads to grasp a stunned Izumo and Kotetsu by their necks in a choke-hold.

Meanwhile, Hidan is battling it out with Asuma (surprised he didn't go straight into threatening Shika's hide!) and Shika is just stuck on the floor, at his limit, watching on helplessly. Asuma smirks and mocks Hidan's stale attacks when Hidan reminds him that the reason he keeps doing the same thing is "because it works, retard!". Asuma's expression changes to one of horror when he realizes that Hidan has managed to nick him and get his blood into the ritual circle. And that he's coughing up blood as he registers the sensation of pain. Hidan does have his three-blade impaled through his own torso, after all, and the whole mutual pain thing seems to be back in action. Which does not bode well at all as Hidan yells out that he's about to make Asuma feel the ultimate pain...death! Izumo and Kotetsu can only whisper "Captain..." in horror as Kakuzu smirks, "Too late". Shika forces himself up and begins running towards Hidan and Asuma, yelling, "Stoppp!!!". But Hidan doesn't stop. He drives his weapon through himself in a final blow and leaves a hell of a cliffie!! Kishi, you cruel, cruel man...

Aghhh, I knew I had a bad feeling about Asuma possibly dying=( I'm still hoping that it isn't going to turn out that way. That, despite the way the odds are stacked, something will come through! Maybe Asuma isn't actually under the influence of Hidan's jutsu and everything post-"The same thing again?" is an act. And aren't Konoha expecting reinforcements?! I guess we can only find out come next chapter which, hopefully, doesn't disappoint!=D (Huhu~ No Konoha deaths please! Or Itachi! Hehe I know he isn't even in the frame but just in case=p)

PS: It seems that Naruto Buzz is taking over Jinchuuriki's projects. Ah, so that's why they've been out of the pic! This week's scan is mq and it doesn't have that surreal almost-greyscale effect as per last chapter's but hey, it's the manga I'm after;) And this clean is really pretty good! And on a totally different note, Sassy-chan has decided to turn her balance-themed one-shot into a fic!=D Loved the first chp~

Naruto Manga Chapter 325: There is no "after"!

Such a powerful page eh? What with Asuma neatly slicing Hidan's head off;)

So this eagerly-awaited chappie promises to deliver a stunning plan as produced by the sheer cerebral brilliance that we have come to expect from one Nara Shikamaru. As Asuma said in Chp324: "In an instant and with his fingers like that, Shikamaru has the great analytic prowess to think of 200 different possible attacks. And he possesses a sixth sense that allows him to choose the best attack from all those." Does he disappoint? Let's find out;)

Shika has analysed the situation concerning Hidan and his freaky abilities as per last chapter and he puts his plans into motion. Using his shadow technique to bind Hidan, he starts initiating the movements that Hidan would be forced to imitate and Hidan realises that the kid had figured it out. You see, the way Shika saw it, Hidan has this huge three-blade weapon whose sole purpose is to hit the target. Why? To draw blood. One cut is all he needs and then he can start his macabre plans. As per the incident with Asuma, Hidan had managed to nick his cheek before proceeding to lick the blood off the blade. Once he did that, his appearance transformed into that weird reverse-print version of himself and he hot-footed his way to a circle he had created on the ground. Why? So he can finally begin "the curse". Sooo that's why Shika deducted that he needed to be in the circle to start his curse and finish his opponent. And that's why, by virtue of his shadow technique, Shika forced Hidan to move out of the circle in order to dispel the jutsu. Asuma, Kotetsu and Izumo look on in wonder at Shika's brilliant power of mind! (It never fails to amaze me how they give away all their knowledge in battle like that=p I know it's for our benefit and all but it's just amusing heh)

Anyway, he manages to move Hidan out! Asuma tests to see if the mutual-pain jutsu's really been lifted...and it has! (Did you ever even doubt that for a second?;D) Shika binds Hidan completely, entrapping him. He can't hold out much longer! Asuma understands and swoops in, making quick work of Hidan, ergo the descriptive pic of his slicing Hidan's head clean. And all was over...

...until Hidan's decapitated head started verbalizing to Kakuzu, indignantly asking for his body to be brought over. What. The. Fudge.??! Well, they did say Akatsuki's Hidan was invincible (did you really really think that it was over?;D) and here's to proving it! Konoha's shinobi look on in amazement as Kakuzu picks up Hidan's talking head. Uh-oh... Kakuzu hasn't even showcased his skills (wonder what that might be...), Shika's used up a chunk of his chakra (and Hidan has got it in for him!!=O), Hidan is pretty much invincible (once he gets re-attached to his body), I don't know how Kotetsu and Izumo will do and I hope Asuma's got plenty of tricks up his sleeve! I realize that the plot has to progress and reach a climax and everything but hopefully, Konoha prevails and *gulp* no one dies=( Chapter 326 preview: Hidan, Kakuzu, finally these two are getting serious!! "The cursed one".

PS: Isn't the page pretty? I dl-ed 325 done by a new group of scanlators, Naruto Buzz, and was just *blown* by their clean. It looks almost grayscale. Very neat. I'm not into dl-ing the raws so much so I can't say if there's been any hq raws circulating, but if this is what we readers can expect, then keep your oculars on this group!

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To check out a drabble I just read (implied Kakasaku): 'Pretend' by FallenXAngelXMystery. Angsty but good.

Naruto Manga Chapter 324

Just read the latest scanlated chapter of the actual Naruto plotline and it's progressing nicely. This chp continues on from the face-off between Akatsuki's Hidan and Konoha's Asuma! (Sob, I hope he doesn't die! I got a really really bad feeling following the last chapters!) Hidan is the crazy religious guy paired up with the cash-greedy Kakuzu. Hidan has this special ritual when killing his victims and he has this weird ability to somehow connect the victim's psyche with his own and so, their pain is mutually felt. So stab a spear through Hidan's thigh, cue Asuma's groan resulting from pain inflicted to Asuma's corresponding thigh! Really very sneaky.

At this point in the manga, Hidan has cursed the lot and has this foreboding black and white sort of reverse print of himself going on, remeniscent of Inner Sakura. Team still awaiting back-up and Shika, ever the cerebral wonderman, uses his shadow technique to inhibit Hidan's movements. His genius mind ticks into action as he analyses the situation and comes up with a plan of attack! Which...*sigh* we get to see only in the next chapter. Damn, these chapters are waaay too short!=( Hopefully, Kishi-sensei doesn't disappoint and blows our minds with Shika's clever, clever plan come next chap! And ooh, plus points for the current Akatsuki-Konoha shinobi face-off are the inclusion of Kotetsu and Izumo action! I mean, it was hard to think of them beyond being the Godaime's query shounen-ai/yaoi lackeys and actually doing missions and stuff! So this was a welcome eye-opener=D Admit it, you know they're bishie-licious;)