That flying clay dove,
Under Deidara's control, moved as if it were alive!
It headed straight for Kyo!
Seeing this scene, Zetsu, who was off to the side, felt a stir in his gaze. His body quickly sank into the ground, swiftly making his escape.
The next moment,
he reappeared on a distant wall.
Before coming, he had naturally already known about Deidara's abilities, so he certainly didn't want to be caught in the blast.
He stared intently at the scene below.
If nothing unexpected happened, that flying object was called explosive clay.
And Deidara's ability allowed him to detonate them at will, unleashing powerful explosions of extraordinary force.
Based on past intelligence, his clay's strongest destructive power could even level an entire hill...
That meant, next...
Even Kyo would have to dodge first before he could continue fighting him.
White Zetsu analyzed in his mind.
But the next moment,
he was instantly stunned.
Down below,
the explosive clay had already flown right in front of Kyo,
Yet at this moment, Kyo still showed no sign of dodging, not even taking a single step!
Quite the opposite, he actually raised his right hand and grabbed the incoming clay!
Slap!
The flying clay dove was instantly caught in Kyo's hand!
"--?!"
Seeing this,
Zetsu on the wall had a look of utter bewilderment!
This...
Boss?!
This is explosive clay!
It's something that can explode!!
And you... just caught it with your hand???
Zetsu was completely dumbfounded!
What's...
going on...?
Didn't Obito say that this guy's specialty was using high-speed movement and weird substitution techniques to fight...
So why now, is he directly tanking it...???
Just as he was utterly confused,
Down below, Kyo,
Holding the clay dove in his hand, smiling, he brought it up to his eyes, glanced at it, then looked leisurely at Deidara ahead, and chuckled:
"As clay, it has a pretty good feel."
"...?"
At these words,
Even Deidara across from him was momentarily taken aback.
Huh?
Feel...?
I'm talking to you about art, and you're talking to me about the feel...?
After pausing for a brief moment,
Deidara still slightly grinned, then revealed a somewhat mocking smile, looking at Kyo, and said loudly:
"Tch, so this so-called 'Akatsuki' is only at this level?"
"Well then,"
"It seems that 'cannot lose' from before was just big talk..."
"Let me show you what art is--"
"For me..."
"Katsu!"
Before he finished speaking, Deidara instantly raised his hand and formed a seal!
And the next moment,
In Kyo's hand, that clay dove, which had been perfectly normal, instantly began to swell violently!
Finally, a crimson light burst forth!
Boom!!!!!!
The entire white clay instantly unleashed an incredibly fierce explosion!!
In an instant, the flames of the explosion mercilessly engulfed Kyo's entire body!!
"...!!?"
Seeing this,
Zetsu on the wall felt his pupils contract!
This...?!
He really didn't dodge???
Is he... crazy...
Zetsu clearly saw that Kyo hadn't used any substitution technique or defensive jutsu just now...
Meaning, he was tanking that explosion with his raw body!!
Realizing this,
Zetsu was instantly dumbfounded.
"..."
Meanwhile,
Witnessing this,
Deidara, with his hands still forming the seal, had an even wider smile on his face, tinged with contempt.
Ha...
Is this yellow-eyes guy out of his mind?
I just kindly told him that my art is explosion...
And now,
This guy doesn't dodge at all, just tanks my explosive clay?
Hmph,
Dream on!
No matter how tough your body is,
Before my explosion, it's still useless!
Staring at the rolling smoke ahead,
Deidara's eyes began to show a confident smile, as if waiting for the show.
However,
The next moment, as the smoke cleared,
What happened instantly froze his smile!
Ahead,
Kyo was still standing there, completely unharmed!
Neither his clothes nor his person... showed any sign of damage!!
"-!?!"
Seeing this,
Zetsu and Deidara's eyes widened almost simultaneously, their pupils contracting sharply!
No... no way...
He actually... can really tank an explosion with his body??!
This...
For a moment,
Both were frozen.
And then, Kyo looked up, casually shook his hand, and smiled:
"Try not to make too much noise."
"If you attract the Shinobi from the village over there, it'll be a headache."
"...?"
At these words, Deidara was instantly stunned again.
Huh?
Not too much noise...???
To him, my explosion... is just a bit of noise?!?!
Deidara instantly gritted his teeth, his gaze darkening!
Looks like,
The last bomb wasn't powerful enough...
Then,
Try this...!
I have to make this arrogant bastard understand the power of art!!
Thinking this,
Deidara quietly placed one hand behind his back, and from the mouth on his palm, three clay centipedes instantly emerged!
The next moment,
The three hidden centipedes quickly slithered around from a corner!
And of course, Deidara didn't idle his hands either, throwing another clay bomb as a feint from the front!
Whoosh!!
The white clay bomb instantly flew in front of Kyo!
"Katsu!"
Deidara formed a seal with one hand and muttered sharply!
Boom!!!!
Just like before, Kyo didn't dodge, and the fiery explosion from the clay instantly detonated right in front of him!!
As the smoke and dust billowed, a flash of triumph shot through Deidara's eyes!
Success!
Completely fooled him!
This way... I should be able to trap him!!
Deidara instantly raised his hand, quickly manipulating the three clay centipedes in the shadows, charging straight at Kyo ahead!
The next moment, the three centipedes began to grow huge, leaping directly to wrap around Kyo inside the smoke, binding him completely!
"--?!"
Seeing this,
Zetsu on the wall was instantly shocked.
He could clearly sense,
The special energy contained within these three centipedes was already far beyond that of the earlier dove clay!
Perhaps their power completely surpassed the previous level!
And then,
The smoke slowly cleared again.
Kyo's body was now completely entangled by the three giant clay centipedes, unable to move!
However,
This time,
Deidara gave Kyo no time to react,
He leaped backward, then instantly raised his right hand, grinning excitedly, and muttered:
"With this... it's over!"
"Katsu!!"
He yelled sharply, instantly completing the hand seal!
And the next moment,
Around Kyo, the three giant centipedes immediately began to swell violently, showing faint traces of firelight!
The next second... instant explosion!!
Boom!!!!!!!
An earth-shattering blast erupted, and the immense flames, like an overturned ocean, instantly filled the entire ancient temple!!
Finally, with overwhelming force, it completely destroyed the temple's roof!!
Blazing flames shot into the sky!!!
The fierce shockwave instantly radiated outwards in all directions!!
Both the scope and power of the explosion,
Were already far beyond the previous two small clay attacks!!
To use an analogy,
It was fundamentally the difference between an insect and a tiger!!!
Seeing this,
Zetsu on the wall was instantly shaken!
Not good!!
This guy... is he trying to blow up the whole temple?!?!
No wonder...
He actively jumped back...!
Realizing this,
Zetsu gritted his teeth, his body quickly sinking into the ground, retreating rapidly!!!
Boom!!!!
And just as his body left the temple,
In front of him, the entire building was instantly obliterated by the explosive flames!!!!
Bang!!!!
The roof collapsed, walls crumbled!!
Within seconds, the building that had just been standing was reduced to rubble!!!
The light of the explosion shot into the sky instantly, kicking up countless smoke and dust!
The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder!
And Deidara, somehow, was already riding a giant white clay bird, flying in the sky.
His mouth was wide in a grin, his gaze proudly fixed on the rubble below!
This is the power of art!!!
However,
At that moment, unknown to him...
In the distant Iwagakure, at its center.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, who had been taking a nap in his office,
Was instantly jolted awake by this skyward explosion!
"...Huh?!"