Published at 17th of September 2024 12:50 am

Chapter 55 Deidara: The Explosive Path Forward

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The mountains stretched endlessly before him, bathed in the eerie twilight of a dying sun. Deidara, still simmering with frustration, descended from his perch, his cloak trailing behind him like the shadow of a forgotten legend. The village he had just reduced to rubble was nothing more than a speck in his rearview now. It had been a display of art—temporary, fleeting, and beautiful. But the feeling of satisfaction was already fading, replaced by a gnawing sense of emptiness.

Deidara’s mind raced. His quest for the ultimate art—an explosion so magnificent it would transcend time—was still incomplete. His previous works had been extraordinary, but none had yet reached the level of true perfection. There was always something missing, some intangible element that slipped through his fingers at the last moment.

As he walked, the familiar sound of clay being chewed in his palms kept him grounded, a rhythm that kept his mind from spiraling too far into dissatisfaction. The mouths in his hands bit and molded the clay with precision, their movements automatic after years of practice. His thoughts drifted to the Akatsuki, the organization he had been a part of for so long.

Tobi. Zetsu. Pain. And, of course, Itachi Uchiha.

The mere thought of Itachi brought a scowl to Deidara’s face. No matter how many villages he obliterated, how many masterpieces he created, that man’s stoic disapproval always lingered in his mind. Itachi had been the only one to truly defeat him—not physically, but mentally, breaking Deidara’s resolve in their first encounter. The genjutsu had been so flawless that even Deidara, the self-proclaimed master of art, had felt inferior.

“Damn you, Itachi,” he muttered, his voice carrying over the empty landscape. “I’ll show you what real art is, un! My art will outshine your illusions one day!”

As if in response to his anger, a large clay bird took shape in his hands. Deidara jumped onto it, allowing the creature to carry him into the sky. The wind rushed past his face as the bird soared higher and higher, the mountains shrinking beneath him. For a brief moment, the thrill of flight—the feeling of being above everything—took the edge off his frustration. But he knew it wouldn’t last.

He needed something bigger. He needed to find a place where he could truly leave his mark on the world.

As the clay bird glided through the clouds, a dark figure appeared in the distance—a lone figure standing on a cliff, watching him approach. Deidara narrowed his eyes, recognizing the silhouette instantly. It was Zetsu, the strange, half-plant member of Akatsuki, whose dual personalities made him one of the most unpredictable of their group.

Landing gracefully in front of Zetsu, Deidara hopped off his bird, which disintegrated into harmless clay dust the moment his feet touched the ground.

“What do you want, Zetsu, un?” Deidara asked, crossing his arms, clearly in no mood for company.

The black half of Zetsu, with his deep, sinister voice, spoke first. “We have orders from Pain. You’re needed for the next phase of our plan.”

The white half chimed in with its usual lighthearted tone, almost playful in contrast. “But don’t worry, it’s nothing too boring! You’ll get to blow stuff up! Maybe even bigger things than before!”

Deidara’s interest piqued despite himself. “What kind of mission?”

Zetsu’s two sides responded in unison, a rare occurrence that signaled the gravity of the situation. “A city. One of the largest in the Land of Lightning. Pain wants it gone.”

Deidara’s eyes widened. The Land of Lightning was one of the most powerful shinobi nations, and the village they were referring to was likely a massive hub. Destroying such a place would be the ultimate display of his art, a spectacle that would make the world take notice. Even Itachi would have to acknowledge the sheer scale of such destruction.

A slow, confident grin spread across his face. “Now that’s more like it, un. Finally, a mission worthy of my talents.”

The white half of Zetsu chuckled. “You’ll love it, Deidara! Just imagine the explosion!”

But before Deidara could respond, the black half of Zetsu interrupted. “Don’t get too cocky. This city isn’t undefended. The Raikage’s forces will be there, along with some very powerful shinobi. You’re not invincible.”

Deidara’s grin faltered for a moment. He knew all too well the risks of facing skilled shinobi, especially ones from a military power like the Land of Lightning. But the challenge only made the prospect more enticing.

“Let them come, un,” Deidara said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I’ll show them the beauty of my art. They won’t even know what hit them before it’s too late.”

Zetsu gave a nod, though his black half’s expression was unreadable as always. “Then prepare yourself. We leave tomorrow.”

As Zetsu vanished back into the shadows, Deidara stared out at the horizon, the city’s destruction already playing out in his mind. This would be his greatest creation, a work of art that would shake the very foundations of the shinobi world. He would mold the clay with precision, shaping every detail of the attack until it was perfect. And when the moment came, the entire city would be reduced to nothing but dust and memories.

“I’ll create something even Pain can’t ignore, un,” he muttered to himself as he sat cross-legged on the ground, beginning to mold clay for the mission ahead.

Night fell, and Deidara continued to work, his hands a blur of motion. As he crafted his explosives, his thoughts wandered to the past. The countless missions he had been on, the many lives he had taken, all in the name of art. Each explosion had been a masterpiece in its own right, but none had ever truly satisfied him.

Tomorrow, though… tomorrow would be different.

By the time the first light of dawn crept over the mountains, Deidara was ready. His clay birds, centipedes, and other creations were meticulously prepared, each one infused with enough explosive power to level entire buildings. He mounted his largest clay bird and took to the sky once more, heading toward the rendezvous point where the rest of the Akatsuki would be waiting.

As the city came into view in the distance, Deidara’s heart began to race. The sprawling metropolis sprawled across the landscape, its walls tall and imposing, its towers scraping the sky. This was it—the stage for his greatest performance.

From his vantage point in the sky, he could see the city’s defenses already mobilizing. Shinobi clad in the armor of the Land of Lightning patrolled the walls, their eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of an attack. But they wouldn’t see him. Not until it was too late.

Deidara smirked as he guided his clay bird higher, out of sight. “Let’s see how long they can last, un.”

With a flick of his wrist, he sent one of his clay creations plummeting toward the city. It was a small bird—barely noticeable from the ground—but the moment it struck the outer wall, the explosion that followed lit up the entire sky.

Flames roared as the shockwave rippled through the city, shaking the ground and crumbling the buildings closest to the wall. The initial explosion was followed by a second, larger one as Deidara’s centipede burrowed beneath the earth and detonated beneath the city’s center.

Panic spread through the streets below as shinobi scrambled to defend against the unseen threat. But Deidara wasn’t done. Not by a long shot.

“I’ll turn this entire place into dust, un,” he muttered as he prepared his final creation—a massive clay dragon, larger than any he had ever made before. It hovered above him, its body writhing with explosive power, ready to rain destruction down upon the city.

Deidara’s eyes gleamed with anticipation as he prepared to unleash his ultimate masterpiece. This was it—the culmination of everything he had worked for. One final explosion that would obliterate everything in its path, leaving behind nothing but a blank canvas for the world to remember.

With a maniacal grin, he raised his hand, ready to give the signal.

“Art… is an explosion!”

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End

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