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"Really ugly…"
Akihara Kagura even specifically pointed at Karin, providing an example: "Look, your clay spider has nearly scared the child into crying."
"It's from fright! Fright!"
"That's because she's too timid!"
Deidara, infuriated, defended his art vehemently, refusing to allow others to label his creations as ugly: "It can run, climb, and jump, and its explosive power is considerable. You people, whose minds are only interested in pursuing power, do you even understand what an artistic creation is?"
"I understand now."
Akihara Kagura took a few steps back, leaving the clay spider in front of Deidara: "Then blow one up, let us see your artwork!"
"Do you think I'm a fool?"
Deidara looked at Akihara Kagura as if he was looking at an idiot: "Blowing it up now would only kill me!"
Akihara Kagura spread his palms, explaining earnestly: "But your death, making a person who doesn't understand art recognize what art is, realizes your artistic value. Your death is not a true death…"
Akihara Kagura continued, looking at Deidara: "You will live forever in my heart. I will always remember that there was an artist named Deidara who, to let his art blossom, sacrificed his own life."
"..."
Deidara felt somewhat moved.
However, the blonde youth quickly came to his senses, becoming even more irritable: "Don't treat me like an idiot. Although I was always ready to dedicate myself to art, dying for this kind of art is worthless!"
"This person isn't stupid."
Akihara Kagura glanced back at Karin and then at Deidara, who was lying on the ground unable to move, and praised: "He has brains, quite smart."
"Mm."
Karin wiped her tears and quickly nodded.
"Let me go, I'm going to fight you all!"
Deidara was so angry he really wanted to perish together with Akihara Kagura!
If it weren't for the fact that Deidara hadn't yet developed that extremely terrifying technique, he would have wanted to self-detonate right then and there, taking Akihara Kagura with him to the netherworld.
"Let's see if there's someone a bit stupider…"
Akihara Kagura no longer paid attention to Deidara's roars, turning back to look at the Five-Tails Jinchuriki captured: "Have you seen a man with white hair in the Rock Village? With one Sharingan eye, one normal eye, a nose, a mouth, two arms, and two legs…"
"Are you talking about… Hatake Kakashi of Konoha?"
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han immediately recalled the list from the Rock Village intelligence report based on his own memory and remembered a man of considerable renown.
"Have you seen him?"
Akihara Kagura looked at him in surprise.
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han looked at Akihara Kagura with a somewhat solemn expression and asked, "Did Hatake Kakashi infiltrate Rock Village?"
"Yes."
Akihara Kagura nodded, revealing Hatake Kakashi's purpose: "He came to Rock Village to see you, wanting to know some information about Uchiha Obito."
"That man..."
A flash of anger immediately appeared in the eyes of the Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han!
"Yes, that man."
Akihara Kagura slowly nodded and continued, "Our goal is the same, to catch Uchiha Obito as soon as possible."
"The words I say..."
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han glanced at the group of Rock Village Anbu ninjas hanging and then at Deidara lying on the ground: "Can it lead to the release of everyone present?"
"You speak first."
Akihara Kagura moved a vine with his hand, indicating that the initiative was in his hands: "I might consider not killing them."
"I don't know what information you want to know."
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han shook his head, frowning: "Because he suddenly appeared before me, I thought he was an enemy invading the village and was instantly caught in a genjutsu…"
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han recalled his experience: "By the time I came to my senses, I had already been captured for failing to assassinate the Tsuchikage."
"I have no information..."
Akihara Kagura frowned and pressed on: "Was there anyone else with Uchiha Obito? Did he say anything special?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing at all?"
"Nothing at all."
"Alright."
Akihara Kagura was somewhat dissatisfied in her heart.
This time, Uchiha Obito had not shown any flaws. The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han knew nothing, leaving her with nothing to continue having Hatake Kakashi investigate Uchiha Obito.
"Can you let us go now?"
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han spoke his mind.
"Not really."
Akihara Kagura shook her head and said, "Send one person back to the village to report. If the Rock Village hands over Captain Kakashi, I will let everyone go."
"Let Deidara go back."
The Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han glanced at Deidara.
"No."
Akihara Kagura looked at Deidara, who was still struggling on the ground, and said, "If I let this guy go, he'll definitely want to fight me to the death..."
"Big Brother Deidara!"
A young girl's voice echoed in the forest: "Big brother Deidara! I've come to play with you! When did a forest appear here?"
"The messenger has arrived."
Akihara Kagura and the Five-Tails Jinchuriki Han exchanged glances.
In that moment, they thought of the same thing, just as they were discussing who should be sent to deliver the message, a suitable messenger arrived.
This little girl, who came to play with Deidara, named Kurotsuchi, is the granddaughter of the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki and has been Deidara's little follower since she was young.
Rock Village.
Inside the Tsuchikage's office.
The Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki dealt with some official duties for a while, stood up, and stretched his body, hammering his somewhat stiff waist.
The Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki is the oldest leader in the ninja world, having participated in three Great Ninja Wars, and even experienced the era of Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
Bang!
The door to the Tsuchikage's office was instantly pushed open!
Little Kurotsuchi rushed in, her eyes filled with tears of fear: "Big Brother Deidara and Lord Han are in trouble, along with many Anbu uncles. They've all been captured, hanging in the forest over there!"
"What!"
The Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki was immediately shocked by this news, his already uncomfortable waist seemed to hurt even more, and he couldn't help but cry out: "Cough, cough, cough... My old waist..."
"Grandpa!"
Kurotsuchi quickly stepped forward to help him sit down.
"First, tell me..."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, while pressing his own waist, still tried hard to listen clearly to what his granddaughter was saying: "What exactly is happening over there?"
"Some people have been kidnapped..."
Kurotsuchi, being too young, fumbled to recount what he had seen: "The Anbu uncles are all hung on a tree, Big Brother Deidara is lying on the ground, and Han is tied up with a bunch of vines. A person with black hair kidnapped them, told me to come over and report, to hand over Hatake Kakashi of Konoha, then they would let the people go..."
"What audacity!"
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, with his vast experience.
Combining some of the intelligence he had received, Ōnoki quickly analyzed from his granddaughter's fragmented words what had actually happened.
The newly famous Wood Release ninja from the Konoha Village had run to the Land of Earth, even kidnapping his disciple Deidara and the Five-Tails Jinchūriki, intending to use them to exchange for Hatake Kakashi!
The problem is...
Where would the Rock Village get Hatake Kakashi from?
Unless Hatake Kakashi had infiltrated the Rock Village to gather intelligence, and that Wood Release youngster, failing to meet up with Hatake Kakashi, simply kidnapped important figures from their village!
"Search for Hatake Kakashi in the village!"
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, first issued an order to capture Hatake Kakashi, then instructed: "Do not kill him, he must be taken alive."
This was for the safety of the Rock Village, also to avoid any accidents, just in case the other party really killed the hostages for Hatake Kakashi, it would not be worth it!
Kurotsuchi quickly nodded, continuing to add: "That person said, the Hatake Kakashi we hand over must not be missing a single hair, if even one hair is missing, he would pluck one of Big Brother Deidara's hairs!"
"It sounds like two children bickering..."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, frowned, supporting his waist and standing up, forcing himself to keep going: "Is there really a danger? I might have given the wrong order? It sounds like the pranks you played as children, I'll go see what's happening..."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki's body slowly floated up from the ground, directly floating out of the window, and quickly flew towards the village outskirts!
As the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki had mastered the Earth Release Ninjutsu to the pinnacle, using the Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique to greatly reduce his own weight, thus achieving the ability to freely fly in the air, a rare flying technique in the ninja world.
Obviously.
Such flying technique was easily coveted.
When the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, flew over the forest, this technique was spotted by the master of the forest, and even when he tried to approach the forest, he was already discovered.
"Lord Kagura."
Karin slightly panicked, raising her head to look towards the sky: "The enemy that is quickly approaching us, seems to be... in the sky..."
"I see."
Akihara Kagura looked up at the sky.
Humans have lived on the earth, but their longing for the sky has never ceased.
Akihara Kagura glanced at the Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, then turned to look at Deidara and the Jinchuriki of the Five-Tails, Han, and asked, "How did that old man manage to fly?"
"Tsks…"
Deidara displayed a hint of disdain, "It's just the old man's Light-Weight Rock Technique. I'm not interested in it at all. Sooner or later, my art will be able to fly too, and it will fly faster than him!"
Because the Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique not only requires a high talent and understanding of Earth Release but also necessitates learning about weight and gravity, as well as long periods of research and practice.
"You've learned…"
Akihara Kagura looked at Deidara and instantly irritated him again with a single comment, "But it seems you haven't mastered it…"
"I don't need to!"
Feeling his pride wounded, Deidara immediately retorted, "I've already grasped the essence of that technique. I can produce a flying art piece at any moment. I just don't want to waste more time continuing to learn it!"
That statement was indeed true.
Not everyone has the time and patience to learn a technique that seems to have little combat ability, especially someone with high talent.
Deidara had already mastered the essence of the Light-Weight Rock Technique and was even developing his own flying art pieces. He didn't need to waste any more time researching the Light-Weight Rock Technique.
"So, you haven't learned it."
When Akihara Kagura chats, he always focuses on the outcome.
"Can't you understand what I'm saying!"
Deidara was furious, raging like a blond lion cub, "That technique is a waste of time, and learning it is not very meaningful. I don't need to waste my time on it because I can develop a flying technique that's more suited to me!"
"Alright, alright, I get it."
Akihara Kagura quickly tried to calm Deidara down, "It doesn't matter if you don't know that technique. There are many techniques I don't understand either. Sometimes learning is indeed difficult…"
"It's not hard for me; it's just a waste of my time!"
Deidara took a deep breath and explained angrily, "The Light-Weight Rock Technique requires mastering not just ordinary Earth Release chakra but the relationship between weight and the earth's gravity. By using the technique to reduce the body's weight, one can lighten their own gravity. This requires a long time of practice to gradually reduce weight. It took the old man at least a decade to master this technique and be able to fly, which is longer than my age…"
After introducing the Light-Weight Rock Technique, Deidara became somewhat proud again, "Just give me a bit more time, and I'll be able to develop my own flying art pieces! This will take less than a tenth of the time it took the old man to learn that technique!"
Deidara is a genius in the true sense of the word.
If one were to speak seriously, by the age of nine, Deidara already possessed the combat power of a Jonin, and given another two or three years, he could have exhibited the combat abilities of a Kage.
From another perspective, this individual devoted all his energy and combat power to his artwork.
If he had focused on studying, Deidara's future was destined to surpass the Third Tsuchikage. However, geniuses often seem to believe that everything can be easily obtained, which leads them to no longer cherish what they have and gradually dislike taking the common path...
Akihara Kagura is different.
Akihara Kagura's learning is automatic, unable to judge his own talent.
[System Prompt]: [Ninja Professor] trait activated, the host possesses Earth attribute chakra, with chakra level reaching S grade and above, secretly learning the [Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique] in accordance with ninjutsu theory, [Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique] learning successful!
[Earth Release: Light-Weight Rock Technique (significantly reduces the weight of objects, can lighten one's own weight and increase one's speed, allowing for free flight in the air).]
"Deidara, your talent is really incredible, more so than anyone I've ever met."
After sincerely complimenting Deidara, Akihara Kagura's body slowly floated off the ground and flew towards the direction of the Third Tsuchikage.