Land of Earth.
On a narrow path leading to Iwagakure.
Sasori meticulously oiled the joints of his puppet arm while addressing Deidara beside him.
"Deidara, give me a detailed rundown of Iwagakure."
Deidara was distracted, toying with a lump of black clay as he spoke absentmindedly.
"Sasori, isn't this overkill? Hm? Didn't we finish our last mission with ease?"
The grinding sound of metal accompanied Sasori's somber tone.
"This mission is different. We can't afford to be careless."
"Neither Ōnoki nor the Steam Ninja are on the same level as the elites of Sunagakure."
The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, possessed the Dust Release, a kekkei tōta surpassing even the limits of kekkei genkai.
[Kekkei Tōta: A technique combining three chakra natures into one advanced ability.]
Among the strongest shinobi of the era, Ōnoki easily ranked in the top ten.
Their target, however, was none other than Han, the Jinchūriki of the Five-Tails, a legendary figure known as the Steam Ninja.
Even dealing with these two alone was a formidable challenge. Add to that the ever-present forces within Iwagakure, and the risks skyrocketed.
One slip, and they'd meet a grisly end.
Then again, losing one's head wasn't exactly a big deal...
Seeing Sasori's stern expression, Deidara also grew serious.
"Alright, alright. If you're so worried, I'll think it through carefully. Hm!"
After a brief moment of reflection, Deidara began rattling off Iwagakure's defenses as though reciting a catalog.
"..."
"..."
As a native of Iwagakure and a former disciple of the Tsuchikage, Deidara knew the village inside out, including some classified intel.
"The village is surrounded by high mountains and sheer rock walls, making it extremely defensible. Guard posts are everywhere."
"If we're exposed, expect a hundred ninja squads to show up within ten minutes."
"We could escape by air, but that old man can fly too... which is a pain, hm!"
Sasori frowned as he processed the information.
As expected, Iwagakure's strength far outclassed Sunagakure's.
Lost in thought, Sasori remained silent. Deidara, sensing his partner's hesitation, offered a suggestion.
"I know a secret way into Iwagakure. We can sneak in and—"
Sasori shot him a flat look.
"Last time you promised a covert operation, what happened?"
"As soon as we got in, you started blowing everything up and shouting for attention. Might as well have announced, 'Deidara is here!'"
Deidara chuckled nervously, recalling their previous mission.
"That was... for art. Hm~"
"Art is about creating a burst of passion from cold detachment, hm!"
Seeing the dark look on Sasori's face, and the way his fingers twitched as though ready to turn him into a puppet, Deidara quickly pounded his chest in mock solemnity.
"Alright, alright! I promise I won't mess around this time, hm!"
Sasori scoffed but dropped the matter.
"See that you don't."
With that, the two continued toward Iwagakure.
But just as they neared their destination, the air around them began to ripple.
Deidara immediately tensed.
"What's going on?"
Sasori narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.
"Hm... this feels like..."
Before he could finish, Obito stepped out of the distorted space created by his Kamui.
Deidara was taken aback.
"What are you doing here, hm?"
"Don't tell me you've come to admire my art!"
Sasori tapped Deidara's shoulder, signaling him to quiet down.
"What brings you here?"
Obito gave a curt nod to Sasori.
"I need your help. Put your current mission on hold for now."
[Team Assembly (2/4)]
Deidara grabbed Sasori's arm, protesting loudly.
"Leader! Sasori and I are on an important mission right now! You said we wouldn't be forced into anything outside of missions, hm!"
Sasori glanced at Deidara, then at Obito, his silence speaking volumes.
Obito sighed and said, "What if I told you about a thousand-year-old snake that can take human form?"
"The creature's muscles, skin, bones, and venom—aren't they the ultimate materials for your art?"
"If you miss this chance, you may never encounter such a perfect subject again."
Without hesitation, Sasori pushed Deidara aside and walked up to Obito.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."
Deidara gaped, stunned.
"Sasori, you...!"
Sasori turned back, unruffled.
"Deidara, as you said, it's all for art."
"We'll delay our plan for now. Wait here for two days. I'll be back, and with assistance, we'll execute our mission flawlessly. His eyes can help with infiltration and escape."
He turned to Obito.
"This won't take long, will it?"
Obito nodded.
"Two days, tops."
"Good." Sasori addressed Deidara again.
"Wait for me here. In two days, we'll complete our mission."
"Leader?"
Obito smiled.
"Fine by me. I'll help when I'm back."
Deidara scowled, clearly displeased.
"You can't just leave me out of this, hm!"
Obito shook his head.
"Where we're going isn't for you, Deidara. You'd die."
He had chosen Sasori and Hidan for their near-immortality. Deidara wouldn't survive against the White Snake Sage's lethal venom.
Deidara opened his mouth to argue.
"But—"
Obito cut him off.
"Enough. I know you're not afraid to die, but live long enough to create more art, alright?"
With that, Obito and Sasori disappeared into Kamui's space-time vortex, leaving Deidara grumbling to himself.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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