Naruto: Deidara’s Struggle

The rain continued to fall in a steady drizzle from the sky. For Deidara, this was the longest mission he had undertaken since his arrival in this world.

From the night of his defection, a full month had passed before the group finally entered Amegakure. Once closed off from the shinobi world after Hanzō's death, the village now bared its fangs to the ninja world once more.

"Deidara, Sasori, come with me," commanded the purple-haired woman with her hair tied into a bun.

Her lower body transformed into countless sheets of delicate white paper, forming large angelic wings behind her as she flew gracefully toward the tallest spire.

"Sister Konan, wait for me!" Deidara quickly mounted his Clay Bird and followed, stealthily grabbing two pieces of her paper as they fluttered past.

"What are you doing?" Konan turned her head coldly, her voice sharp with suspicion.

"Uh... just curious! I wanted to study it!" Deidara hastily put some distance between himself and Konan, then sacrificed the two pieces of paper to the system.

At last, he unlocked the Paper Release bloodline. Combined with the Hōzuki Clan bloodline he had previously acquired from Suigetsu, the prerequisites for Clayification were finally complete.

Clayification unlocked!

Deidara tested his new ability. His right hand began to soften and transform into white clay. With this, physical attacks would no longer harm him.

Not only could he detonate parts of his body at will, but he could also regrow them by consuming clay.

Although he was still vulnerable to ninjutsu, overall, this was an incredibly powerful skill.

At the top of the tower, Tendo Pain was already waiting quietly. His Rinnegan eyes gazed solemnly at the world outside.

"You've worked hard, Deidara, Sasori," he said in a flat tone, his words of praise devoid of any emotion or inflection.

"Of course it was hard work. I was doing it for free, after all," Sasori quipped. Unconsciously, he had grown more open, even learning to joke.

Nagato: "..."

It was all this brat Deidara's fault.

"Even Sister Konan is out working tirelessly every day. Leader, do you know what you look like right now?"

Pain turned to look at Deidara. Though he said nothing, his gaze clearly invited him to continue.

"You look like a useless husband living off his wife!"

"Pfft!" At those words, even the usually stoic Konan couldn't hold back. A rare smile graced her typically expressionless face.

"Deidara!"

"Almighty Push!"

"Ah! Leader, are you angry because I hit a nerve?!" Deidara's voice stretched as his body was flung into the distance.

Of course, after the playful banter, it was time to get down to business.

The group reconvened at the top of the tower. Deidara was the first to speak. "Leader, it's time you told us your true goal, don't you think?"

"My true goal? I've already told you: to dominate the ninja world," Tendo Pain replied.

"Dominate the ninja world? Don't make me laugh."

"Lying around at home every day and calling it domination?"

Deidara's repeated questioning seemed to irritate Nagato. He reiterated, "I said, we're collecting the Tailed Beasts to dominate the ninja world."

"Sasori, do you believe him?" Deidara turned to Sasori.

"I don't."

Sasori's firm response drew the attention of both Tendo and Konan.

"Ambitious individuals who truly seek to dominate the ninja world act with initiative. They have a strong desire for control and seek to manipulate everyone around them."

"In that regard, Leader, you're nothing like those power-hungry individuals."

"Your explanation might fool someone like Hidan, but I doubt anyone else in the Akatsuki believes it," Sasori concluded.

Deidara spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "See what I mean?"

"Leader, with you lazing around at home like this, claiming to dominate the ninja world is something only someone with Hidan's level of intelligence would believe."

Nagato and Konan both felt a twinge of embarrassment. After all this time, were they the clowns in this situation?

"Enough. Tell us the truth. What are you really trying to achieve?"

"And not just us. The rest of the Akatsuki deserve to know as well. They've all worked tirelessly for this organization. They have the right to the truth."

Tendo Pain turned his gaze outward. The rain, which had been falling steadily, began to cease. The dark clouds parted, and the long-lost sun emerged, casting its warm light over the land.

Below, the villagers of Amegakure looked up in confusion, squinting at the sun hanging in the sky.

"What's going on? Isn't today a weekday?"

"Why did the rain stop?" someone asked in surprise.

"It must be the mercy of Lord Pain and Lady Angel! Praise be to Lord Pain and Lady Angel!" Countless villagers knelt in prayer, offering their heartfelt gratitude.

Looking down at the scene, Tendo Pain felt a ripple of emotion. He was reminded of the days when Akatsuki was first founded, when he, Yahiko, and Konan had envisioned an ideal world together.

Unbeknownst to him, that vision had already become a reality in Amegakure.

"I want to bring peace to the entire ninja world!" he declared firmly. For some reason, saying it out loud made him feel an unexpected sense of clarity and resolve. To voice one's dream was to take the first step toward its realization.

"What? Is that funny?" Tendo turned to Deidara and Sasori.

"No. It's just... shocking," Deidara replied.

"Indeed. Peace—who wouldn't want that?" Sasori murmured, his thoughts drifting to memories of his parents and the brutal wars of the ninja world. He wasn't the only one who had lost loved ones.

Seeing his ideals acknowledged, both Nagato and Konan couldn't help but smile faintly.

Of course, Nagato's smile wasn't visible, as it was Tendo Pain who stood before them.

"Will you join me in pursuing peace for the ninja world?"

"Of course," Deidara answered.

"I have plenty of time. I might as well give it a try," Sasori said, his tone as aloof as ever.

"Then come with me, Deidara, Sasori," Tendo said, leading them into the depths of the tower.

"Pain?" Konan called out, her voice tinged with suspicion.

"Konan, they are now my like-minded companions. It's only right that I be honest with them."

Following Tendo, they arrived in a dark room deep within the tower. There, Deidara and Sasori saw Nagato's true body—a man who looked as though he had been drained of life.

"As you can see, this is my true form. My name is Nagato," the frail man said, lifting his head to meet their gaze.

Sasori's expression shifted to one of surprise. So this was the secret behind the Rinnegan?

The back of Hiruko, Sasori's puppet body, opened, revealing a young man with striking red hair.

"Allow me to introduce myself as well. I am Sasori of the Red Sand," he said, stepping out.

Seeing this, both Nagato and Konan were visibly shocked. Sasori finally felt as though he had regained the upper hand.

"Sasori, what is this?" Konan asked, astonished.

"Ah..." Sasori let out a sigh, his voice filled with countless emotions.

No longer low and raspy like Hiruko's, his voice was now clear and pure. "This is my eternal art. I turned myself into a puppet."

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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