Hiruko, however, still lacked a few materials, so it had yet to be assembled.
"Finally, some new action, yeah!" Deidara exclaimed, having prepared a new mixture of his explosive clay. The next explosion would surely be even more powerful. However, someone in Kumogakure had noticed he used Earth Release hand signs, so he would have to be more careful.
As they walked, Sasori relayed some intel to Deidara and produced a simple map of the island. He drew two circles on it. "Kumogakure has dispatched two elite squads each to encircle and eliminate the Kirigakure ninja."
"We can intercept them here and here," Sasori pointed out.
Deidara nodded. "I'll take this side, yeah!" He casually pointed to the circle on the left.
"I'll handle the other one," Sasori agreed. "We'll meet at the usual place after the mission is complete."
High above the dense forest, Deidara descended on his giant clay bird. He glanced left and right, spotting a tall tree that would serve as a perfect observation point. He leaped to its highest branches. The mouths on his hands began to chew the explosive clay.
"You must be Deidara."
A voice came from below.
Deidara was startled. Who could be so skilled that he hadn't even noticed their approach?
Shisui recalled the intel Kawasaki had given him. "Do you know what true art is!?" he called out, following Kawasaki's instructions verbatim.
As expected, Deidara peeked out from the leaves. "An explosion is..." He had just revealed himself when his eyes met Shisui's.
Instantly, he lost consciousness. His eyes fluttered shut, and he fell from the tree. Shisui leaped forward and caught him before he hit the ground.
"Senior, how did you know he would look out when he heard those words?" Shisui had never been on such an easy mission. It was over so quickly it felt unreal.
Of course, Shisui didn't know that in a past life, Itachi's genjutsu had instantly trapped Deidara in an illusion. Moreover, Deidara was incredibly childish; he would always get excited and pop his head out at any mention of his art. For a genjutsu master even more skilled than Itachi, dealing with an unguarded Deidara was child's play.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the island, two figures had already arrived at Sasori's ambush point before he did. It was Kawasaki and Itachi. Kawasaki had already released his Transformation Technique, just in case Sasori decided to summon his puppet army on sight. He intended to end this quickly.
Their hiding spot was in a deep valley. At the bottom was a basin, the very location indicated in Sasori's intel. Before long, Sasori's figure emerged from the dense woods, the Third Kazekage puppet floating behind him. He was preparing to descend into the basin to set his trap. As he reached the entrance, he looked down at the area below.
A sudden sense of alarm struck him. This was a basin; if the entrance was blocked, wouldn't the Kirigakure ninja be completely trapped? Kumogakure would never choose such a place to slaughter them. Something was wrong.
Sasori immediately realized the operation was compromised. But seeing him hesitate at the entrance, Kawasaki and Itachi sprang into action.
Itachi rapidly formed hand seals. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Claw Crimson!"
Flames erupted from his mouth as he simultaneously threw a volley of shuriken through them. The spinning projectiles, wreathed in scorching fire, scattered like phoenix flowers as they flew toward Sasori. Sasori only had time to turn, using the Third Kazekage puppet as a shield. The puppet's left arm extended sharp claws while its right fired a spinning chakram. Sasori, meanwhile, reached for his back.
However, Itachi was not alone. Kawasaki leaped from his hiding place, took a deep breath that expanded his chest to an incredible size, and formed the Tiger hand seal.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
Boom!
A torrential wall of fire surged toward Sasori. The Third Kazekage puppet had just blocked two shuriken with its claws and knocked away two more with the chakram, but it was still struck by four others. If it weren't a puppet, it would have been destroyed. In that brief moment, however, the puppet was able to manipulate its iron sand for defense.
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand World Method!"
Iron sand poured from the Third Kazekage, forming a dense shield that directly blocked Itachi's follow-up Dragon Fire Technique. But Kawasaki's Great Fire Annihilation was already bearing down on them. Sasori had no time to unfurl his scrolls and could only retreat while holding the Third Kazekage puppet in front of him. The raging inferno struck it head-on, and the ground instantly combusted.
Kawasaki continued to spew flames. Finally, Sasori managed to open a scroll.
"Scroll: Corrosive Acid Stream!"
An extremely high-pressure, corrosive, and venomous stream of water shot out from the palms of both Sasori's puppet body and the Third Kazekage. Sasori twisted his elbows, and the stream widened, colliding directly with Kawasaki's Great Fire Annihilation.
Hiss!
The moment the fire met the water, a thick, green-tinged smoke billowed into the air, indicating a potent poison. Though Water Release was naturally superior to Fire Release, Kawasaki's immense chakra fueled the flames, causing them to violently evaporate the water. The toxic smoke grew ever denser, instantly engulfing the entire valley entrance. Kawasaki frowned; he had momentarily forgotten that Sasori's water scroll was poisoned.
Nearby, the Third Kazekage continued to gather more and more iron sand. If it managed to unleash its full arsenal, the battle would become a drawn-out affair. Just then, Sasori pulled the scroll for his Performance of a Hundred Puppets from his back.
"Heh heh heh... Uchiha. It seems my collection is about to gain two new members."
As he spoke, a Yasaka Magatama suddenly shot down from the sky. Itachi, seeing the situation turning against them, had swiftly summoned his Susano'o. At the same time, Kawasaki's hands completed their seals.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
A high-pressure jet of water erupted from Kawasaki's mouth, instantly piercing through the iron sand defenses. The Yasaka Magatama slammed directly into Sasori's puppet body. With a deafening boom, half of his torso was blown to smithereens, and the force of the impact sent him flying.
Kawasaki flickered, instantly appearing beside the airborne Sasori. He ignored the gaping hole in the puppet's chest and instead targeted the vital component that had been exposed from within. He slammed his palm onto the cylindrical piece inscribed with the character for "Sasori."
"Four Symbols Seal!"
Dense sealing formulas spiraled around the cylinder. The torrent of chakra that had been raging just moments before fell silent. With the area still shrouded in toxic smoke, Kawasaki quickly collected the spoils: the half-destroyed Third Kazekage puppet, the unopened Performance of a Hundred Puppets scroll, and Sasori's own puppet body. Once everything was packed away, he and Itachi made a swift retreat.
"Good thing he didn't get to use the Performance of a Hundred Puppets. That would have been a hassle," Kawasaki remarked once they were clear of the poison cloud. Although he and Itachi had never fought side-by-side before, Itachi's timing with the Yasaka Magatama had been perfect. Furthermore, the half-body Susano'o was difficult to detect, which had saved Kawasaki a great deal of time and prevented any further complications.
Back on the battlefield in the Land of Water, Kawasaki and Itachi, fresh from their ambush on Sasori, quickly rendezvoused with Shisui on Tsuneni Island. They met in a grotto with several hidden tunnels. Kawasaki carefully wrapped the cylinder marked "Sasori." He truly couldn't understand why Sasori would put his core in such an obvious place, clearly marked for anyone to see. It was as if he were afraid his opponents wouldn't know where his weak point was. Anyone who fought him for more than a few rounds would inevitably try attacking the "Sasori" symbol.
Seeing Shisui carrying Deidara, Kawasaki asked, "Did everything go smoothly?"
Shisui shook his head. "Senior, this Deidara fellow doesn't seem very bright."
Kawasaki nearly laughed. As if you're one to talk. You entrusted the mission to stop the Uchiha coup to Itachi, and the entire clan was wiped out. Deidara's combat intelligence was actually quite high; they were just exploiting his youthful naivete.
[Ding...] Another series of system missions?
Kawasaki cleared his throat. "He was used to no one using genjutsu on him back when he was causing trouble in Iwagakure. He naturally let his guard down."
Shisui nodded, reluctantly accepting the explanation. By then, Kawasaki had finished reading the new special mission update.
[Iwagakure Mission: Succession]
Mission Requirement: Find a suitable successor for Onoki.
Mission Reward: +1 affinity for Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, and Lightning Release.
Kawasaki checked the mission hint immediately.
Mission Hint: In times of chaos, strength is more important than virtue.
Well, isn't Deidara the perfect fit? If you wanted him to play with Kurotsuchi instead of clay, you could have just said so. This mission was feasible. After all, Onoki's health was poor during the Fourth Great Ninja War. Replacing him with a younger Kage would be a good thing.
Kawasaki suddenly realized a major loophole in these serial missions. Even if other powers grew stronger, he didn't necessarily have to confront them. As long as he played for time, how could those other villages possibly surpass the Uchiha, who were growing stronger by the day? He could selectively complete missions, moderately strengthening them while funneling all the rewards into his own faction. In the end, the Uchiha clan would still be the strongest! With this realization, Kawasaki's mood brightened considerably.
Kawasaki spread out his spoils from Sasori, sorted through them, and retrieved the "Jewel" ring. Shisui had brought Deidara, so Kawasaki took Deidara's "Blue" ring as well.
"They won't notice anything for a while," Kawasaki said, examining the rings in his hand. "Multiple Shadow Clone Technique."
Poof! Poof! Poof!
Three clones of Kawasaki appeared. "I'm counting on you guys for the next part. I need to take Deidara and Sasori back." Kawasaki left the rings with the clones.
"You can go in peace. Leave this to us," one of the clones said, making the original Kawasaki grimace. What do you mean, go in peace? Still, it was his own clone, so it must have inherited his sharp tongue.
Kawasaki waved to Shisui and Itachi. "Fighting alone is no longer the way. If something comes up, you work together. Understood?"
"Understood, Senior."
"Got it, Senior."
"Let's go! Proceed according to plan!" Kawasaki turned and headed for the coast.
The three clones he left behind each used the Transformation Technique. With a few puffs of smoke, three Akatsuki members now stood in their place. They put on their respective rings, their impersonations flawless.
"Sasori" spoke first. "I was ambushed. My puppets are severely damaged and will require time to repair."
"Deidara" followed. "I finally showed Kumogakure my art, yeah! But I was injured, so I need to rest for a while, yeah!"
Itachi and Shisui frowned. How were Senior Kawasaki's transformations of Sasori and Deidara so convincing? Hadn't he just met them for the first time?
A clone, codenamed Feipu, pointed to the items on the ground. "Itachi, you and Shisui take these back as proof. Report that Sasori of the Red Sand is dead and Deidara has escaped." Kawasaki had taken the Third Kazekage puppet and the Performance of a Hundred Puppets scroll but left the rest.
Shisui recalled what Yugito had said. "Senior, Yugito believes she already killed Deidara."
Feipu stroked his chin. Deidara was clever enough to fool even Yugito. "That's even better. Don't mention Deidara at all, then. Kumogakure suffered a great loss. Once they recover, they're sure to stir up trouble. When that happens, you can let them suffer a bit before stepping in to save them."
"As a clone, it's inconvenient for me to use summoning animals to contact you. If you need me, use your own summons to find me," Feipu instructed. He then finalized the details with Shisui and Itachi before departing. Among the clones Kawasaki had left, only Feipu had a substantial amount of chakra; the other two could only last a few days. Thus, "Deidara" and "Sasori" remained in the cave to "recuperate" and "repair puppets."
Kawasaki arrived at the seashore alone. He took out the "wool" he had acquired from Ao: a sea-faring skiff. Piloting it felt like flying a ship on water. It was the fastest way to get home with his two burdens. He had no worries about Sasori; without puppets or materials, he was truly a "lonely old man." Combined with Kawasaki's sealing jutsu, he was completely secured.
Deidara, on the other hand, was a bit more mischievous. The kid was an expert at escaping. It would be a huge embarrassment if he slipped away before meeting Onoki. So, Kawasaki resorted to the simplest, most direct method. He gagged all three of Deidara's mouths and tied him up securely. He also confiscated all his explosive clay and storage scrolls. Stranded on the vast ocean without clay, Deidara had no chance of escape. For good measure, Kawasaki applied another Four Symbols Seal to ensure he couldn't use his chakra, then tied him to a chair with rope.
After assigning a shadow clone to pilot the skiff, Kawasaki sat in the back and began to enjoy the ride.
"Water Release: Water Fang Technique!"
A whirlpool gradually formed at the stern of the boat. The skiff lurched forward, and as the vortex spun faster, the vessel's speed increased until it was kicking up a massive wake. Although Kawasaki didn't have a Byakugan, his Mangekyo Sharingan's perception was more than enough to ensure he wouldn't hit anything.
However, with no one to switch shifts with, Kawasaki had already dispatched five shadow clones—including Feipu, for whom he had reserved a significant amount of chakra. Even with the massive reserves of the Uzumaki clan, the drain was substantial.
"This won't work. If I exhaust myself and pass out, all my clones will disappear," Kawasaki muttered with a frown.
He knew plenty of ways to recover chakra, and he was currently all alone. He glanced at a skill he had yet to use since acquiring it. The count of his Cursed Seals went from five to four. Inky black markings spread out from within his body. While his body didn't physically mutate, it became covered in the same black patterns as Kimimaro when he activated his Cursed Seal.
Chakra began to surge from him like a spring. Kawasaki savored the sensation. The power of the Cursed Seal felt like a degraded version of Sage Mode. More accurately, it was a mixture of natural energy and some other power. Normally, the Cursed Seal would drain the user's body, but Kawasaki wasn't worried; the system would compensate for any negative effects. It seemed some skills truly needed to be used to be understood. Though it felt a bit wasteful, gaining the experience was worth it.
With his chakra replenished, Kawasaki pushed the Water Fang Technique to its limit. A massive vortex and wake exploded behind the skiff. With the sound of crashing waves and whistling wind, the bow of the vessel lifted as if taking flight, speeding toward the Land of Fire.
In Kirigakure, Zetsu and Obito's most familiar territory, Zetsu easily bypassed all manner of detection and sensory ninjutsu. He conducted a quiet, sweeping search of the village, but the results were completely unexpected.
Mei Terumi was gone. Utakata was gone. Yagura Karatachi was also gone. It was as if the three of them had vanished from the face of the earth.
Furthermore, the village's defenses were unusually weak. The patrol shifts for many guards were noticeably longer, a clear sign of a personnel shortage. It seemed that many of Kirigakure's jonin were not in the village. After investigating for three days, Zetsu finally gleaned some useful information from a changing of the guard.
Mei Terumi was not in Kirigakure. She was in the sea.
Zetsu grew curious. What was Mei up to? Why would she be absent from her village at such a critical time? And where had she taken the two Jinchuriki? Using his Mayfly Technique, Zetsu submerged directly into the ocean floor. If Mei was in the sea, she would have to be somewhere between the Kirigakure and Kumogakure waters. She was likely targeting Kumogakure's naval fleet. With so many Kirigakure ninja missing, they couldn't have vanished without a trace unless they were hiding in the ocean.
The Mayfly Technique's power was that it allowed Zetsu to move through the earth at incredible speeds while completely masking his presence. He traveled from Kirigakure's coast straight into the sea between the Land of Water and the Land of Lightning.
Finally, Zetsu found signs of the Kirigakure ninja. At first, it was just a few scattered individuals, but the further he went, the more he found. Eventually, he located the Fifth Mizukage, Mei Terumi, herself. They were in a relatively safe shipping lane between the two nations, at a depth of about two hundred meters.
On the seabed, hundreds of Kirigakure ninja were bustling with activity. Normally, the water pressure at such a depth would be unbearable for an ordinary person. But each of these ninja was encased in a transparent bubble. The bubbles morphed with their movements yet never broke. Zetsu observed that the ninja within could swim freely and breathe normally despite the immense pressure.