But Onoki merely grunted, showing no signs of displeasure.
Ever since he had learned how to communicate with Deidara, the boy's progress had been advancing by leaps and bounds. At this rate, he might even master Dust Release within a few years. This made Onoki increasingly satisfied with his apprentice. With his mood lifted, his face was practically beaming. He was also deeply grateful for Kawasaki's help, and their relationship had grown closer than before.
"Kawasaki, did you really need to trouble yourself to come all this way for such a simple jutsu?"
Kawasaki shook his head and gestured toward Kurotsuchi and Deidara nearby. "Let's talk somewhere else."
Kurotsuchi breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that Deidara was only unconscious.
"Grandpa, how could you just stand by and watch…" She was referring to the genjutsu Kawasaki had used on Deidara.
At only thirteen years old, Kurotsuchi had yet to develop the strong-willed personality she would one day be known for. For now, she was completely infatuated with Deidara.
Onoki frowned. "It's because Deidara is arrogant and ignorant of his own limits. He learns a few tricks and immediately starts showing off."
"If he keeps this up, he'll get himself killed without even knowing how."
He had been present during the exchange, just a step slower than Kurotsuchi. One moment, Deidara's boasting was ringing in his ears; the next, the boy was on the ground. It was simply naive to think an eye trained for a few days could break a genjutsu cast by an Uchiha with Mangekyo-level ocular power.
It was good for Deidara to be taught a lesson. His pride was too great, and only after taking a blow to his ego would he be able to focus on his training.
Kurotsuchi complained under her breath, helping the unconscious Deidara up with a look of displeasure.
As she walked away, she muttered, "…The Uchiha Clan Head, bullying my big brother Deidara…"
Onoki heard her but pretended not to.
Kawasaki didn't take offense. Instead, watching Kurotsuchi protectively fuss over Deidara, a plan began to form in his mind.
With Onoki leading the way, Kawasaki saw many powerful Iwagakure shinobi along the path. They all stared curiously at the rare visitor, as it was uncommon for an outsider to visit the village alone. Fortunately, the man leading him was the Tsuchikage himself. They all bowed and stepped aside, a testament to Onoki's high standing.
He himself had no selfish ambitions; he only hoped to find a worthy successor. A stark contrast to Konoha's Third Hokage.
Onoki led Kawasaki to a reception room in Iwagakure. Soon after, he produced the requested scroll for the Light-Weight Rock Technique and placed it on the table.
"Alright, out with it. What reason is so important that it warrants a personal visit?"
Kawasaki's eyes lit up at the sight of the scroll; his dream of flight was within reach. He picked it up as he replied, "The Uchiha are preparing to strike out on our own, at the location I showed you last time."
He opened the scroll to find not only a complete training guide but also numerous notes and insights handwritten by Onoki himself. It was clear he also wished to use this as an opportunity to form an alliance with Kawasaki.
Onoki was not surprised by the news. "When do you plan to act?"
"After I'm done here. Sometime within the next half-month."
After a moment of thought, Onoki said, "Once you're settled, send me a map of the terrain. I can assist with land creation."
The conversation then shifted to Deidara. "What do you think of the apprentice I sent back to you?"
"He's acceptable."
Though his words were terse, the pride in Onoki's eyes was unmistakable. The previous students he had taught were skilled in their own ways, but none had reached the level of a true genius. Deidara, however, had shown him how someone could grasp profound concepts even when starting from scratch. The only problem was that the boy learned too quickly, and his mindset remained immature.
Therefore, his mission with Kawasaki was not yet truly complete. While the current Deidara had made great strides in his techniques, he still lacked maturity in his conduct.
Remembering the way Kurotsuchi had doted on Deidara, Kawasaki felt an idea was worth trying.
"Prodigies are always harder to raise, aren't they?"
Before Onoki could answer, he continued, "Our clan has a gifted child as well—Itachi. He was just as arrogant and rebellious back then, so much so that the old village leadership almost intervened."
This genuinely piqued Onoki's interest.
"Itachi was like that?"
Kawasaki replied with a serious air, "He was incredibly stubborn. In the end, it was only thanks to Fugaku arranging for a young girl to be by his side every day that his attitude gradually changed."
The two are now a couple.
His words sent Onoki deep into thought.
"To think they would use such a method…"
Kawasaki leaned in closer with a sly expression. "Hey, would you be interested in having Deidara as your grandson-in-law?"
Onoki gave him a strange look.
Though the suggestion completely shattered the sharp image he had of Kawasaki, it sparked a thought. The two statements Kawasaki had just made were clearly part of the same train of thought.
From Onoki's perspective, Deidara was indeed a perfect candidate to be his grandson-in-law.
At his age, what did he value most?
Legacy.
Given Deidara's current trajectory, it was almost a certainty that he would one day master Dust Release. What was wrong with a talented young man like that marrying his granddaughter? Adding a familial tie on top of their master-apprentice relationship would only make their bond more secure.
Besides, his own granddaughter was so fond of Deidara.
Onoki had to admit that Kawasaki's idea was quite good.
But he couldn't help but ask a more pressing question. "You brat, you're always paying such close attention to Iwagakure's affairs. What are you really planning?"
Kawasaki knew that while Onoki understood his proposal, he would surely become suspicious without a reasonable explanation. He couldn't very well say he was there to complete a mission, so he approached it from a different angle.
His expression turned serious. "Onoki, once the Uchiha clan becomes independent, we will be a new power."
"It's a matter of strategy—form alliances with distant powers to pressure those nearby. If we want to establish a firm foothold, we naturally need more allies."
"In the future, should Konoha's strength wane, the opportunities for us to cooperate will only increase."
Onoki mulled it over and found that Kawasaki's words made a great deal of sense. He also wasn't against the idea of playing matchmaker for Deidara and Kurotsuchi.
He asked, "But Kurotsuchi is still so young. Isn't it too early for her to marry?"
After all, Kurotsuchi was only thirteen. In Iwagakure, people generally didn't consider marriage until their twenties. There was no universal standard for marriage age in the ninja world; most customs were based on local traditions.
Kawasaki shook his head dismissively. "How is that young? She's thirteen, practically fourteen. Before you know it, she'll be a young woman of sixteen. That's not young at all."
"In some places, girls are already mothers at sixteen."
"Besides, it's not like they have to get married right away. The important thing is to let them slowly deepen their feelings for each other first."
Kawasaki's spiel about age left Onoki dumbfounded.
He almost believed him.
He genuinely couldn't tell if the man was joking or sincerely trying to help him find a solution.