God's Judgment!!

Pressed by Konoha's ambush team, Hidan happily confirms to Izumo and Kotetsu that death has no hold on him. That admission upends Asuma's plan, which had been to slay Hidan and take his partner alive; with the situation flipped, Asuma resolves to swap which enemy he pursues. Because Shikamaru's shadow still pins Hidan, Asuma sets off toward Kakuzu, only to find him already striking at Shikamaru in a bid to break the grip holding his teammate.

The Leaf shinobi regroup once Hidan wriggles free, and he immediately smears a circular emblem onto the ground using his own blood. Asuma steps forward to trade blows while Shikamaru watches from cover and Kakuzu, unwilling to join in, sits the clash out. A swing of the Triple-Bladed Scythe cuts Asuma, and after tasting the blood clinging to the blade, Hidan shifts his body into a dark new form.

The installment appeared in a 2006 issue of Weekly Shonen Jump that marked the thirtieth anniversary of Kochikame. As part of the tie-in, the character Kankichi Ryotsu was tucked into a panel near where Kakuzu attacks Shikamaru, though he was later erased for the collected volume. One page also drew Hidan's forehead protector bearing a Konohagakure crest by mistake.