Published at 17th of September 2024 4:38 pm

Chapter 74 The Heart of Stone: 2 Clash of Artists

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The air grew heavier as Deidara and Sasori approached the remote lake where the Three-Tails' jinchūriki was rumored to reside. The landscape around them had turned dark and oppressive, with towering cliffs casting long shadows over the mist-covered water. It was the perfect setting for a battle, and Deidara felt his heart beat faster in anticipation.

“Somewhere around here, huh?” Deidara mused as he hovered on his clay bird, scanning the area. His sharp eyes spotted movement far below, near the lake’s edge. A lone figure stood there, staring out at the water, their posture tense.

“That’s our target,” Sasori said in his cold, detached voice. He moved forward with purpose, his puppet body making no sound as it glided across the rocky ground.

The jinchūriki’s identity was no secret to the Akatsuki. They were after Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage, host to the Three-Tails. Deidara grinned. A former Mizukage and a jinchūriki? This was going to be fun.

Sasori moved ahead, his puppet, Hiruko, looming silently beside him. “Remember the plan,” he said, his voice cutting through the mist. “We take him alive. Don’t get reckless.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Deidara replied, waving a hand dismissively. “I’ll handle it. You can sit back and watch the fireworks, un.”

Sasori said nothing, but Deidara could feel his disapproval radiating in the silence. They approached the shore, and Yagura turned to face them, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. His silver hair gleamed in the fading light, and the three jagged scars that ran across his face gave him a fierce, battle-hardened look.

“You,” Yagura said, his voice low and calm. “Akatsuki.”

Deidara descended from the sky, landing gracefully on his clay bird as it flapped its wings, stirring the mist around them. “That’s right, un,” he said with a grin. “And you’re coming with us.”

Yagura’s eyes flicked between Deidara and Sasori, assessing the situation with the calm demeanor of someone who had faced death many times before. “I don’t think so,” he replied, raising his hand. “I’ve heard about you. You’re after the Tailed Beasts.”

Deidara smirked. “Smart one, aren’t ya? But it doesn’t matter. You’re outnumbered, un. Just come quietly, and I promise I won’t blow you to pieces.”

Yagura didn’t respond. Instead, his chakra flared, and the air around him seemed to thrum with power. A dark mist began to rise from the water, and the oppressive aura of the Three-Tails began to spread. The jinchūriki wasn’t going to make this easy.

“Well, I guess we’re doing this the hard way,” Deidara muttered, forming a quick hand sign. His clay bird swooped higher into the air, positioning him above Yagura. “Let’s see how you handle some real art, un!”

With a swift motion, Deidara pulled a small figure from the pouch at his side—an intricate clay sculpture shaped like a bird. He threw it into the air, and with a single word—Katsu—the clay bird exploded into a massive fireball, lighting up the misty sky.

Yagura reacted quickly, dodging the explosion with surprising agility, but Deidara wasn’t done yet. He sent another wave of clay creatures, each one flying toward Yagura with deadly precision. Birds, insects, and even a giant clay dragon—all of them designed to explode on impact.

Yagura’s response was immediate. His hands flashed through a series of hand signs, and a powerful water barrier erupted from the lake, shielding him from the brunt of the blasts. The explosions sent waves crashing against the shore, but Yagura stood his ground.

“Water Style, huh?” Deidara muttered, his grin widening. “Nice try, but let’s see you block this, un.”

He reached into his pouch once more, pulling out a larger clay figure—this time, a massive bird with detailed wings and a sleek body. It hovered above him, waiting for his command.

Sasori watched from a distance, his expression unreadable behind Hiruko’s mask. He wasn’t interested in flashy displays or showmanship. While Deidara enjoyed the spectacle, Sasori preferred precision. Still, he had to admit that Deidara’s explosive techniques were effective, even if they lacked subtlety.

Yagura, sensing the growing threat from above, made his move. With a burst of chakra, he leaped into the air, heading straight for Deidara. His speed was impressive, and for a moment, Deidara felt a flicker of surprise.

“You’re pretty fast, un!” Deidara called out as he maneuvered his clay bird to evade Yagura’s attack. “But let’s see how you handle—”

Before Deidara could finish, Yagura’s hand shot out, summoning a water whip that cracked through the air like lightning. The whip wrapped around Deidara’s bird, pulling it down toward the lake with incredible force.

“Damn!” Deidara cursed as he struggled to maintain control of his clay bird. The water whip was strong, but he wasn’t about to go down that easily. With a quick motion, he detonated the bird beneath him, using the explosion to propel himself backward and break free from the whip’s grasp.

As Deidara soared through the air, he spotted Yagura below, already preparing another attack. The jinchūriki’s chakra had intensified, and a dark, swirling aura had begun to envelop him. The power of the Three-Tails was starting to emerge.

“Looks like he’s getting serious, un,” Deidara muttered, forming another clay creation in his hand. “Time to take this up a notch.”

But before he could unleash his next attack, Sasori finally stepped forward. His fingers twitched, and Hiruko’s tail shot out, extending with lightning speed toward Yagura. The tail was tipped with poison, a deadly weapon that could paralyze anyone it touched.

Yagura dodged the tail by a hair’s breadth, but the distraction gave Deidara the opening he needed. With a wild grin, he sent a barrage of clay bombs flying toward Yagura, each one programmed to detonate with pinpoint precision.

The explosions rocked the battlefield, sending shockwaves through the air. Yagura was forced back, his defenses faltering under the relentless assault. But even as the dust settled, Deidara knew it wasn’t over. A jinchūriki wasn’t defeated so easily.

As the smoke cleared, Yagura emerged from the wreckage, his body now partially transformed by the power of the Three-Tails. A thick, protective layer of chakra surrounded him, taking on the form of the Three-Tails itself. His eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, and the sheer force of his chakra was enough to make the ground tremble.

“He’s releasing the Three-Tails,” Sasori said, his voice calm despite the growing danger. “Don’t underestimate him.”

Deidara’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Perfect, un. The bigger the target, the better the explosion!”

But Sasori wasn’t smiling. His gaze was locked on Yagura, his mind calculating the next move. Capturing a jinchūriki was no simple task, and Deidara’s explosive tendencies could easily turn the mission into a disaster.

“We have to weaken him,” Sasori said. “Focus on draining his chakra. I’ll prepare the seal.”

Deidara nodded, though his mind was already racing with ideas for how to make the next explosion even bigger. As the battle raged on, he couldn’t help but think that this was the perfect opportunity to create his greatest masterpiece yet.

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