CHAPTER 60(A Life Spared)

Read auxiliary chapter World Info before starting the story.

Please read the author's notes. (Examples and explanation of moves and changes etc)

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CHAPTER START---

Sensing everyone injured on the battlefield ahead, Jin sprints over toward team 10.

The first thing he sees is Hidan, all his limbs and head cut off, and his mouth gagged as he tries his best to run his mouth.

Not far away he sees three sets of bodies. He recognizes Kotetsu and Izumo, both men torn to shreds likely by Hidan's weapon.

Ino sits beside Asuma, the man bleeding profusely from his arms and chest, the right side of his body and face sporting intense burns.

Ino herself is panting heavily as she uses medical ninjutsu to stabilize him.

Shikamaru sits on the other side of his unconscious sensei, teary-eyed as he stares down with a hollow gaze at the man. His clothes are covered in blood, it's hard to tell what's his and what's not.

Choji lays unconscious nearby with a massive gash across his chest, his face beaten and bloodied.

"What happened?" Jin asks while flickering beside Ino and Shikamaru.

"Uh, Jin, where's the other one?" Shikamaru answers him as Ino concentrates on healing her sensei.

"Dead, dealt with him and stored the body in this," he flashes him a storage scroll.

"Damn, we felt that fight from over here, you need to go find a medic," Shikamaru's words cause Ino's eyes to flicker to her...lover? Boyfriend?... she sees half his body and clothes burnt up and winces, she wants to help him but can't afford to stop focusing on Asuma.

"I'm fine, how's Asuma, what happened here?" He helps them regain their focus.

"Hidan went crazy, when you guys left he said 'If Kakazu is worried he can't afford to play with his food', then he just, he cut down Izumo when he moved to help Asuma, then his damage transferring Jutsu almost killed Asuma but...he was so far... I didn't have enough chakra to hold him for long, that cost us Kotetsu when Hidan broke my shadow possession. That's when he rushed me, I barely lasted until Ino and Choji's team got here, she did some big attacks, but the fight cost us her teammates as well, in the end, Choji took a big hit so Ino could take control of his body, then when she switched back a moment later I cut his head off... Jin," his voice became even lower, even more tired if that were possible," be honest, if you weren't here---"

"But I am here," he cuts Shikamaru off," this is WHY I'm here, I'm betting on you remember, can't let you die and make me look dumb after that," he gives his friend a strained smile.

"I... Shikamaru... I can't..." Ino's tears began flowing freely, she knew her limits, and they were approaching.

"Damn it," Shikamaru bites out, his tears falling to the dirt.

"Jin," Ino whips her head toward Jin, her tears catching his eyes," the jutsu you used after the exams, can you do it?"

This caught Shikamaru off guard, he was clueless about what she's talking about.

"No, he'll just die, I don't have any way to heal him Ino, I'm sorry," her expression crumbles, she'd thought he could do anything, but even he has limits.

Truth be told, he really can't heal anyone not connected to his Rinnegan with the Preta path, she believes he can never use it again but it just can't be used on others. They simply don't have mastery over life and death that the Rinnegan provides to get back out.

"DAMNIT! If I just had more chakra," she sobs unabatedly, and that's when it clicks.

"I can give you chakra, but it'll hurt, a lot," Jin's voice causes Shikamaru and Ino to stare at him with hope.

"DO IT!" her panicked and hopeful voice cries out.

Moving to sit behind her, he placed his palms on her back.

"AHHH!" she cries out, two chakra rods pierce her back, a soothing sensation begins flowing through her before it becomes burning hot.

"I can do it," she grits her teeth and continues healing her sensei, her medical jutus becoming much more powerful than ever before.

After half hour of searing pain through her body, Asuma finally becomes stable, as his breathing becomes stable Ino's adrenaline finishes, she collapses forward only to be caught by Shikamaru before she falls on Asuma.

"That... what was that?" Shikamaru asks, not sure if he should even pry.

"I-I'll explain later," this was as good a time as any to get Shikamaru in on the plans anyway, and Jin really didn't want to watch Asuma die, not that he'd ever admit that. He needed certain things to happen, but he'd grown close to team 10 and his old team, he wants to be selfish, to keep these people.

Looking at all the bodies scattered about, he takes a deep breath as he feels other teams at the edge of the battlefield.

Sitting back he finally settles down, only to see the concerned Shikamaru staring at Asuma.

"I'm guessing he told you right?" Jin blurts out, immediately seeing Shikamaru look over to him in shock.

"You, he told you first?" the man seemed almost insulted," did Kurenai sensei tell you," he calmed down a bit.

"Nah, nobody told me, I sensed it... I'm not entirely honest with how absurd my abilities are if I'm being honest."

"Anything else you hiding, anything that could have prevented all this?" Shikamaru asks, gesturing about the bloody battlefield.

"If I could of I would of, look, Kakazu wasn't the only Akatsuki I had to deal with just now, there was another one, their spy I think since he wasn't much of a fighter. But for some reason, I couldn't sense him, had to see him to even know he was there," Jin says with a deep sigh.

Shikamaru's eyes widen, the idea of someone evading Jin was scary enough without them being in the Akatsuki.

"How was, the other one?" Shikamaru asks as Jin leans Ino against his chest, a hand around her waist to keep her steady.

"Kakazu, he was an assassin that was sent to kill the first Hokage," Shikamaru's eyes widen even more," yeah, guys good, five hearts. Each heart can form its own monstrous body and use one chakra nature. Plus his taijutsu was extreme and he could harden his body, and live forever by just trading out hearts when they get old, Shikamaru," Jin puts a hand on Ino's head, her breathing becomes calmer," the Akatsuki are all monsters, they've been attacking hidden villages all around, don't ever underestimate them. Always assume they're stronger than whatever force you're commanding, and try not to engage them with just team 10."

"Hey!"

"Look around you! Two teams are almost completely wiped out by their weakest member, if any other member but Hidan or that spy person were here you'd all be dead guaranteed, I know it's not what you wanna hear, but I don't wanna lose anyone else ok. I rather you guys live than die for a mission."

"I...sigh, yeah, you're right. Honestly, if you weren't here we'd all be dead right now, never thought I'd see the day where my most disrespectful friend and an annoying 'Fangirl' end up a thing..."

Looking at Jin holding Ino Shikamaru can't help but smile at them.

"Yeah well, shit happens. I had a big plan but more and more things make it difficult to execute."

"You've gotta account for all the variables after all."

"Nah, that part's fine, but when it comes to some people I'm becoming a softie," he holds Ino just a bit tighter," you guys are pretty important to me, my team too. But I guess I haven't spoken to them in a while, we've all been doing our own thing after all."

"Hm, yeah, you being a sage and all that."

"Huh, so, someone told you?"

"Lady Tsunade, she figured dad and I should know since we're most likely to be commanding whatever battlefield you're in."

"Yeah, I probably could of ended the fight with Kakazu earlier, the moment I sensed how bad things got over here I wrapped it up, trying to get a hold of the little spy took time, I'm sorry."

"As much as I'd like to be pissed at you, you made the right call, we can't hold you responsible for us being weak after all."

"I'll give you a proper explanation over dinner, just you, got it. Only Jiraiya and the sages know about this stuff."

Shikamaru's face morphs into full surprise, he never expected his friend to have this kind of secret.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you're the one I'm betting on remember, Mr Hokage."

A moment later the other teams finally arrive and battlefield cleanup begins.

END CHAPTER---