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The Konoha Village, the Root's base.
Shimura Danzo leisurely sipped his tea.
He was always very confident in his own schemes.
Especially when it came to plotting against certain ninjas of the Konoha, Shimura Danzo believed everything was under his control because he knew these people like the back of his hand.
"Have Uchiha Itachi contact the personnel in the Intelligence Department. He will inevitably come into contact with Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nono, learning that they are comrades in the village…"
"Thus."
"When Yakushi Nono and Yakushi Kabuto are seen fighting to the death in the Tsuchi River Gorge, the cleanup tasked to Uchiha Itachi will reveal the true nature of the assessment task…"
"These two comrades, whom he had only recently met, are the targets he must kill in the assessment task, awakening his determination and darkness to kill comrades."
"What we need is for Uchiha Itachi to become a high-level spy placed inside the Uchiha clan, to convey the secrets of the Uchiha clan to the higher-ups in the future…"
"Let Uchiha Itachi understand now that for the will of the Konoha, any price can be paid, even if it means killing comrades he has just met. In the future, when he betrays the Uchiha clan's intelligence for the sake of the Konoha, this young fellow will gradually adapt…"
"Conveniently."
"This also eliminates the threats posed by Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nono."
For Shimura Danzo, the key to this assessment task is to change Uchiha Itachi's psychology, gradually making him willingly tread the path of darkness to become a spy placed within the Uchiha by the Konoha's higher-ups, betraying the intelligence of the Uchiha clan.
As for Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nono, these tools have already started causing trouble and can conveniently be eliminated, allowing them to serve a final purpose before death, to awaken the darkness within Uchiha Itachi.
Inside the Rock Village.
Hatake Kakashi was too late to warn Yakushi Kabuto.
However, Hatake Kakashi believed that as a spy, Yakushi Kabuto would surely think things through comprehensively and might anticipate that Shimura Danzo was the real source of danger.
As for Hatake Kakashi himself, he needs to find the location of the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, a place within the Rock Village where the Five-Tails Jinchuriki is held.
Outside the Rock Village.
A blond young man was playing with mud.
This blond young man, named Deidara, was a disciple of the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Rock Village, and possessed an extraordinary talent for Earth Release from a young age, even mastering the Explosion Release secret technique.
However, it was also because of this that Deidara loved making explosions since he was young, frequently causing upheavals in the Rock Village, forcing the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, to finally lose his patience and cast him out to live alone outside the village.
A man in red armor stood beside Deidara.
This man in red armor was Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki of the Rock Village.
To avoid the chaos caused by the Five-Tails within the Rock Village, and to prevent him from being exposed to the villagers' disdain, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, decided to have him live outside the village. Understanding Han's gloomy personality, Ōnoki sent him to be with Deidara, hoping that the lively kid could become a bit more stable.
Of course.
Indispensable surveillance and protection were essential.
A group of ninjas dressed in the Rock Village Anbu attire were hiding in the shadows, monitoring the area. The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, had them stay here both to surveil and protect the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, and to see if they could attract Uchiha Obito.
As for whether Deidara would encounter danger...
This Kid had been the greatest danger in the Rock Village since he was a child!
"Art is an explosion! Ha!"
With a fierce shout from the blond youth, a violent explosion shook the heavens and earth, instantly blasting a huge rock apart. The fire from the explosion was so intense that one couldn't help but close their eyes!
The members of the Rock Village's Anbu had prepared earplugs in advance, fearing that their ears would become deaf from hearing too many explosions during their mission...
"Han, what do you think of my art?"
Deidara looked proudly at Han, who was dressed in red armor.
"Not bad."
The man simply nodded somberly.
"Come on, praise me more..."
Deidara's face fell slightly, his artwork, which he had completed with great effort, only warranted a single 'not bad'?
"It really is not bad."
The man's demeanor remained somber.
"You're so boring..."
Deidara shrugged and mused to himself, "The power is still not enough. I need to add a bit more explosive clay, then I'll be able to blow up the old man's Tsuchikage building!"
The man seemed to hear nothing, simply shifting his gaze slightly towards another direction. He saw a young man leading a little girl with red hair.
"What's up?"
Deidara turned his head, following the man's gaze to the young man and couldn't help being curious, "Is he from the village?"
"Absolutely not."
The man shook his head firmly.
The people from the village could not possibly give him a sense of danger, not even Uchiha Obito, who had controlled him a few days ago, could make him feel this kind of palpitation!
"Hello there!"
Akihara Kagura, leading little Karin, came over and cheerfully introduced himself, "We're here in the Land of Earth to help with tree planting and afforestation..."
In reality, Akihara Kagura was not as cheerful as he appeared.
He himself doesn't know what Hatake Kakashi is up to; the Five-tailed Jinchuriki of such a large stature lives outside the Rock Village, yet he directly sneaked inside the Rock Village?
"What reforestation..."
Deidara gave him a surprised look, curiously asking, "Aren't you people from the Land of Earth? Where did you come from?"
"No, we are from the Land of Fire."
Akihara Kagura did not hide his origin, continuing with a smile, "We usually travel around the ninja world, helping people with tree planting and reforestation to green the environment. Don't you need it here? It's all bare rocks everywhere, planting more trees would be better, right?"
"Is there such a profession in the ninja world?"
Deidara felt he gained some odd knowledge today, looking around and saying, "This place is all rocks, how can you plant trees?"
"Very quickly."
Akihara Kagura slowly brought his palms together, softly saying, "Do you want to see, what method we use for tree planting and reforestation..."
"Show me..."
Deidara nodded his little head.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"
The entire area suddenly sprouted roots and vines, the rocks unable to stop the spread of the roots and vines, quickly turning this place into an ancient forest. However, many of the trees in the forest, although thick, grew twisted and crooked.
"Be careful!"
The ever-vigilant and silent Five-tailed Jinchuriki, Han, quickly grabbed Deidara's shoulder, pulling the blond boy to leap back, but they could not escape the area affected by the Advent of a World of Trees, only stopping a short distance away, observing the young man using Wood Release and the little girl beside him!
"I'm fine!"
Deidara hadn't recovered for a moment, still seriously considering this method of reforestation: "If trees are planted this way..."
"This is Wood Release."
The Five-tailed Jinchuriki Han reminded the third Tsuchikage's little disciple, continuing, "A message came from the Land of Water, the Mizukage was captured by a Wood Release ninja."
"The Mizukage was captured?"
"Another with Wood Release Kekkei Genkai?"
Deidara's information was severely outdated.
Since Deidara moved outside the village, his sources of information relied solely on Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi, who came to visit him. Kurotsuchi was basically just a kid, and Akatsuchi, not very old, wasn't too bright, naturally unable to provide him with any news.
"What about the Anbu?"
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han did not respond to Deidara's words, but instead tried to find the figures of the Rock Village Anbu ninja within the forest. He knew the Anbu must be nearby.
"Are you looking for them?"
Akihara Kagura pointed to a giant tree in the forest.
Hanging from the tree were a group of people, with even more being hung up continuously. These people, bound by vines, were all wearing the Anbu attire of Rock Village.
The group of Rock Village Anbu had already reacted, trying to jump out and attack Akihara Kagura when they were caught up by the vines.
"Protect yourself; I'll catch him."
Han instructed Deidara, as his red armor suddenly activated, releasing a burst of steam!
With the acceleration from the steam, Han charged towards Akihara Kagura at high speed, breaking through the vines attempting to block his path with his incredible strength!
However...
Human strength has its limits!
Han's extraordinary power was eventually stopped by the vines!
A mass of vines bound him, immobilizing him on the spot, and the vines quickly began to drain his chakra!
"Go away..."
Deidara quickly spread his palms open, and tiny clay spiders started crawling in the forest, attaching to the vines that bound the Five-Tails Jinchuriki!
Boom!
An explosion sounded.
The vines were completely blown apart by the spider clay's explosion!
"Lord Kagura, be careful."
Karin warned from the side, as she could sense more clay spiders crawling towards them!
"Clay bombs, huh..."
Akihara Kagura couldn't help but glance at Deidara.
Because Akihara Kagura's Wood Release techniques were mostly powerful and large in scale, dealing with these tiny clay spiders crawling towards him through small gaps was indeed problematic.
Besides the tiny clay spiders, there was also the Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han, with steam continuously emanating from his red armor, charging towards Akihara Kagura!
"Don't worry."
Akihara Kagura's expression remained calm. He placed his hand on Karin, and the two of them instantly disappeared from the spot!
This entire forest was transformed from his chakra!
All the vines in the forest were controlled by his chakra. As long as it was a place touched by his chakra, he could instantly leave his Flying Thunder God mark. As long as Akihara Kagura was in this forest, he could move as he pleased!
"That is..."
Han's expression suddenly turned ugly!
The speed at which the kid disappeared reminded him of a person who once brought pain to the Rock Village ninja, even single-handedly destroying Rock Village's elite forces!
The last person to use this technique was named Namikaze Minato!
"This is bad…"
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, remembered the village's alertness and quickly turned around to rush back, hoping to catch Deidara in time before he escaped back to the Rock Village!
However...
His speed was too slow!
The figure of Akihara Kagura quietly appeared behind Deidara, reaching out to grab Deidara's neck and pressing the blonde youth struggling against the ground!
"You this... pfft... guy..."
Deidara strenuously twisted his body on the ground, trying to struggle to stand up, as vines wrapped around him, binding him to the ground!
Akihara Kagura slowly stood up, looking towards the Five Tails Jinchuriki, Han, rushing over: "Why not use the power of the Tailed Beast? Is the Tailed Beast inside you afraid?"
As Akihara Kagura spoke, he raised his finger.
Trees seemed to come to life, as roots and vines spread continuously within the forest, surrounding the man in red armor.
"..."
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, had no choice but to stop.
A white tail suddenly burst out from his back! "Flying Thunder God Technique..."
"And the power of Wood Release Kekkei Genkai..."
After utilizing the Tailed Beast chakra, the Five Tails Jinchuriki, Han, could feel his power further enhanced, yet still felt at a disadvantage.
Defeating a Wood Release ninja is difficult!
Escaping from a user of the Flying Thunder God Technique is even more difficult!
The armor on the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, started roaring into action, sounding like the head of a small train, as steam suddenly ejected from the armor!
With the huge propulsion provided by the steam explosion, the Five Tails Jinchuriki, Han, charged towards Akihara Kagura, smashing through countless obstructing vines and roots along the way!
Eventually...
This solemn man was forced to stop in front of Akihara Kagura!
Vines intertwined, tightly blocking his waist and body, rapidly draining his chakra!
The tail behind the Five-Tails Jinchuriki, Han, quietly disappeared, and his body gradually slumped down, his arms hanging limply.
"Don't touch him."
Deidara's voice suddenly came through.
The blonde youth was lying on the ground, his face bearing a sinister intent to kill: "If you don't let us go, I'll kill this red-haired brat!"
"..."
Karin trembled, standing under a tree.
Because a clay spider was on her head, Deidara had released this clay spider at some point, even using it to control Karin.
"I know your teleportation technique is fast..."
A smile appeared on Deidara's face as he weakly insisted, "But... let's bet on whether I'll make it explode first, or if you can save the person first."
"How old are you this year?"
Akihara Kagura asked a strange question.
"I'm nine years old..."
Deidara responded subconsciously.
"So you're already nine..."
Akihara Kagura looked at Deidara somewhat suddenly, then a look of contempt appeared in his eyes: "Then do you think it's too much for you to bully a child of six or seven?"
"I..."
Deidara's momentum halted for a moment, then he quickly retorted, "You look over ten years old, weren't you just bullying me?"
In an instant!
Taking advantage of Deidara's momentary daze, Akihara Kagura disappeared from the spot and appeared next to Karin, grabbing the clay spider on her head!
"You've been tricked!"
A gleam of joy flashed in Deidara's eyes!
Because his initial target was not Karin, but Akihara Kagura, who wanted to save her. What use was there in bullying a child?
Deidara even intentionally set a verbal trap during the conversation, luring Akihara Kagura to choose to save someone before the clay exploded!
In fact, to prevent the clay explosion from harming Karin, besides saving someone, there was another option, which was to kill Deidara, the person controlling the clay bomb, instantly!
Just as Deidara was about to joyfully trigger the clay spider to explode, Akihara Kagura grabbed the clay spider and appeared in front of Deidara in an instant!
"You this guy..."
Deidara snorted coldly, continuing carelessly, "Do you think I'd be afraid to die together with you?"
"No, you see..."
Akihara Kagura shook his head, deliberately squatting down to place the tiny clay spider in front of Deidara, breaking through his defenses with a single sentence.
"This spider is so ugly..."
"I'll fight you!"