Terrifying Secret

Kakashi, Choji, Ino, and Shikamaru come through Kakuzu's assault alive, and Choji cannot understand how the enemy withstood a Lightning Cutter driven through his chest. Shikamaru works it out: Kakuzu carries five hearts, one within his body and four more housed in the masks on his back, one of which Kakashi already destroyed. Recognizing that the only path to victory is to separate the duo, Shikamaru volunteers to draw Hidan off so Choji and Kakashi can concentrate on Kakuzu. He weaves his Shadow Sewing and Shadow Shuriken to try to bind Hidan, then closes the distance, punches him, and links their shadows with his Shadow Imitation. In command of Hidan's body, he forces him to cast aside his triple-bladed scythe and flees into the trees, dragging his captive along behind.

Kakuzu, meanwhile, fuses two of his masks together to marry their Fire and Wind Release, and Kakashi grasps that each mask grants Kakuzu a distinct chakra affinity. Intent on replacing the heart he lost, Kakuzu moves to claim the hearts of his opponents and lunges to kill Kakashi. Deep in the forest, Shikamaru rigs kunai and explosive tags into traps, but he cannot hold his Shadow-Neck Binding on Hidan for long. Loosed once more, Hidan brings out his retractable spear and nicks Shikamaru across the cheek. Swallowing the blood, he traces his Jashin circle and drives the weapon into his own heart.

Shikamaru deduces that Kakuzu survives through five hearts, four of them stored in his masks. He proposes splitting the enemy pair, hijacks Hidan's body with his shadow techniques, and lures him deep into the forest. Kakuzu combines two masks to blend Fire and Wind Release and attacks Kakashi to take his heart. Hidan breaks free, wounds Shikamaru with his retractable spear, tastes the blood, and stabs himself through the heart to begin his curse ritual.

This is the 85th episode of Naruto: Shippuden, drawn from the Akatsuki Suppression Mission arc and adapting chapters 335 and 336 of the manga. It aired in Japan on 20 November 2008 and in English on 2 July 2011. The opening theme is Closer and the ending theme is Long Kiss Goodbye.