Naruto: Deidara’s Struggle

With the defection plan essentially agreed upon, the next step was securing Shibuki (Splash), the Explosive Blade. In fact, this task was arguably even more critical than the defection itself, as it directly related to Deidara's progress in his Skill Tree. Without unlocking Explosion Mastery Level 2, he would be unable to access more advanced abilities.

"After Mangetsu Hōzuki's death, all the Seven Ninja Swords were returned to the village for safekeeping," Kisame Hoshigaki explained.

"If you want to get Shibuki, you'd probably have to break into the Mizukage's Office," Kisame added with a hint of frustration. He had been instructed not to disturb the Mizukage under any circumstances. But how could retrieving Shibuki not involve the Mizukage?

Breaking into the Mizukage's Office? That's perfect! Deidara thought to himself. Though he didn't know the specifics of what Tobi and Black Zetsu were plotting in Kirigakure, it was clear that Yagura Karatachi, the Fourth Mizukage, who was under genjutsu control, was a critical piece of the puzzle. A confrontation with him, regardless of the outcome, would increase the likelihood of Yagura's exposure.

After all, Kirigakure still had someone with the Byakugan.

"Then, on the night of the defection, I'll personally storm the Mizukage's Office and take Shibuki by force," Deidara declared.

"No way! Yagura is a perfect Jinchūriki—provoking him would be a nightmare," Kisame retorted.

"Remember Jūzō Biwa? That guy lost his life here for a reason," Kisame added, referencing the former Akatsuki member as a cautionary tale.

"However," Kisame continued, offering a more cautious plan, "I still have some contacts in the ANBU. On the night of the defection, let me infiltrate the Mizukage's Office. I can steal Shibuki without causing a commotion."

Deidara smirked inwardly. To someone unaware of the bigger picture, this suggestion might seem reasonable. But Deidara, who saw through everything, wasn't so easily fooled.

On the surface, Deidara didn't reject the proposal. He knew that avoiding Yagura was likely Tobi's bottom line, the key directive he had given Kisame. If Deidara insisted on crossing that line, it would inevitably lead to conflict.

However, agreeing in appearance didn't mean he couldn't make his own moves behind the scenes. For instance, he could "accidentally" cause a larger commotion during the operation, drawing Yagura's attention. After all, that was just how his abilities worked.

Late at night, in the middle of a small river, a shark suddenly surfaced. Its jaws opened wide, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth that gleamed coldly under the moonlight. A large, pale blue hand emerged, followed by a man with a shark-like face climbing out of the creature.

It was none other than Kisame Hoshigaki's Water Clone.

Moments later, the space beside Kisame began to distort, and a man wearing a swirling mask—Tobi—stepped out.

"Kisame, what's the situation?" Tobi asked, his Sharingan scanning the distant Kirigakure. Under the night sky, the village appeared oppressive and perilous. As the mastermind behind it all, Tobi felt no emotional turmoil.

He had killed his master and mistress—why would he care about strangers?

Kisame roughly recounted Deidara's plans, including the matter of Shibuki.

"Deidara seems very fixated on obtaining Shibuki. If he doesn't get it, he likely won't let it go," Kisame concluded.

Tobi nodded indifferently. "It's just a sword. Let him have it."

"When the time comes, you can retrieve it directly from the Mizukage's Office."

"As for those defectors..." Tobi hesitated, clearly pained at the thought of losing such a large pool of "raw materials." But at this point, there didn't seem to be a better solution.

Even if he leaked information or sent Yagura to intercept them, it would likely only result in unnecessary casualties without solving the problem.

After all, Deidara's abilities were far too suited for large-scale destruction. If he went all out, he could level the entire village.

"Forget it. Letting those who refuse to submit leave might actually ease the pressure on the village's governance."

"With the continuation of the Blood Mist Policy, opposition has only grown. Allowing some people to leave could serve as a release valve," Tobi rationalized, half-convincing himself.

After all, his control extended only to Yagura. Around Yagura, he had gathered a group of opportunists and thugs to form a ruling clique that oppressed the rest of the village.

But the stronger the oppression, the stronger the resistance. Kirigakure was now like a compressed spring at its limit. Even some of the Blood Mist Policy's original supporters and beneficiaries had begun expressing dissatisfaction, secretly colluding with the opposition.

This was a dangerous sign. The last example was the Uchiha Clan in Konoha, which inevitably led to bloody conflict. As one of the masterminds behind the Uchiha massacre, Tobi was all too familiar with such situations.

Kisame nodded silently beside Tobi, refraining from further questions. His body dissolved into a stream of blue water, merging back into the river. The information from this meeting was immediately relayed to his main body.

In Kirigakure's current climate, the best course of action for Deidara and his team was to stay hidden and wait patiently for the appointed meeting time.

But things rarely go as planned, and unexpected events are always around the corner.

At the inn where the four were staying, a striking woman with reddish-brown hair walked in. She wore a blue, low-cut dress with a high slit, her voluptuous figure on full display.

Behind her were two men. One was a boy carrying two large swords, wearing glasses, and exuding an air of shyness and insecurity. The other was a much older man, dressed in a teal robe with an eyepatch covering his right eye.

It was Mei Terumī, Chōjūrō, and Ao!

Kisame immediately grew alert. The woman leading the group was not to be underestimated. Mei Terumī was likely the second strongest person in Kirigakure after Yagura.

In fact, if not for Yagura's status as the Three-Tails' Jinchūriki, the question of who was the strongest might not be so clear-cut.

"Kisame, no need to look so worried," Mei said as she walked straight to their room, gently opening the door.

"Who are you?" Kisame, disguised as an old man, feigned ignorance, hoping to bluff his way through.

"Kisame, you haven't been gone from the village long enough to forget everything, have you? Transformation Jutsu doesn't work against my Byakugan," Ao said, stepping out from behind Mei.

The veins around his right eye bulged, indicating that his Byakugan was already active.

While the Byakugan couldn't directly see through Transformation Jutsu, it could perceive a person's chakra. Skilled users could remember someone's chakra signature, rendering disguises ineffective.

"Seriously, couldn't you have said so earlier? Was it Ritsuki Hōzuki who tipped you off?" Kisame grumbled as he dispelled his Transformation Jutsu.

"It's impressive you managed to find us so quickly."

"With my Byakugan, I can see your chakra even from outside the village. Finding you was easy," Ao replied.

After all, how many people in Kirigakure had such massive chakra reserves? Aside from Kisame and Yagura, no one else came close.

And with all four of them gathered in one place, they were practically impossible to miss.

"So, why have you come looking for us? The meeting isn't until later," Kisame asked warily.

In the current environment, even acquaintances like Kisame and Mei could only be considered neutral parties rather than allies.

"To fight," Mei replied succinctly.

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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