Naruto: The Ōtsutsuki Bloodline Development Manual

"Damn it, is my reputation really that bad?"

As dusk fell, Kitagawa Minamoto followed Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya, swiftly advancing through the Land of Earth.

The infiltration hadn't been particularly difficult, especially with someone like Kitagawa Minamoto in their group.

By leaving Flying Thunder God markers on merchant caravans or even random passersby, Minamoto could teleport them across distances with ease, allowing the group to enter the Land of Earth without much trouble.

However, Minamoto wasn't in the best mood. Reflecting on the time he had spent earlier with Kakashi reading books, he felt a wave of frustration.

Was there really no trust between teacher and student?

Thankfully, when Kakashi went to the restroom, Minamoto had used a shadow clone to sneak away for a while...

"And why did I even shout 'You will regret this!' out loud?"

Pursing his lips, Minamoto suddenly recalled his earlier outburst. Even he found it amusing in hindsight.

But then, remembering that Kakashi was likely to become the future Sixth Hokage, his laughter quickly faded.

"Alright, focus on the mission."

Kakashi patted Minamoto on the back and said softly,

"You can relax once we're back. For now, we're in the Land of Earth. This place is different from the Land of Rain; we have to be even more cautious."

"Exactly. We can't afford to let our guard down now."

Jiraiya nodded in agreement.

"When we dealt with Zabuza in Kirigakure, it was easier because he guided us. But this time, we're on our own."

"I understand. Don't worry."

Minamoto nodded. He truly didn't dare to be careless. He was well aware of the stakes of this mission.

If his memory was correct, the group sent to recruit Deidara consisted of three members: Itachi Uchiha, Kisame Hoshigaki, and Sasori.

But he also remembered that after Deidara scratched his forehead protector and donned the Akatsuki cloak, Pain and a whole crowd of others had shown up.

Even if he suspected that the animators had reused the same background for convenience, he knew better than to take any chances.

Moreover, his system had issued a mission, which made him wary of unexpected complications.

At the very least, he had to consider whether his small frame could withstand Dust Release.

For this reason, Minamoto had been setting up numerous Flying Thunder God markers along the way. Even during his earlier escape, he had taken the opportunity to double-check them.

Whether for a hasty retreat or a quick exit after completing the mission, these precautions would prove invaluable.

"It's just ahead."

After traveling for some time, they spotted a dilapidated temple in the distance. Jiraiya pulled out the intel they had received, compared it to the location, and nodded.

"It seems the Anbu were reliable this time. Kakashi, how does this compare to your past experiences?"

"..."

Kakashi thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"Hard to say. Back then, my focus was on eliminating enemies. I didn't deal with intel work."

"Kakashi-sensei, Jiraiya-sama, instead of discussing that, shouldn't we consider who might be living in this desolate place?"

Minamoto couldn't help but softly remind them.

"If that mysterious organization came all the way here, they must have a specific purpose or target. So..."

"I have an idea about that."

Jiraiya grinned, pulling out a scroll and raising an eyebrow at the two.

"You thought I was just goofing off earlier? I pretended to be a merchant to gather intel around the Land of Earth. Turns out, there's something interesting going on nearby."

"I also looked into it."

Kakashi shrugged and, noticing Minamoto's curious gaze, smiled as he explained,

"Don't give me that look. This is basic ninja protocol.

According to local merchants, there have been frequent explosions in the area recently. At first, they thought something major had happened, but it always turned out to be nothing."

"In Iwagakure, there's someone who often conducts terrifying experiments, causing public outrage."

Jiraiya glanced at Kakashi and continued with a smirk,

"He's also been involved in numerous high-risk missions, which eventually led to his exile to the outskirts of the village.

This guy is known for his obsession with explosions. And he seems to have a special identity."

"Yes, apparently he's the disciple of the Third Tsuchikage, Deidara."

Kakashi nodded gravely, clearly puzzled by the actions of this mysterious organization.

Jiraiya shared the same sentiment.

Hadn't Danzo's intel indicated that Iwagakure was one of their clients?

Why, then, was the Akatsuki here? Was Deidara their target?

Meanwhile, Minamoto rolled his eyes. So he wasn't the only one sneaking around on this mission.

"Alright, now that we have a general idea, let's move quickly."

Jiraiya clapped his hands, then turned to Minamoto and asked softly,

"Minamoto, are the Flying Thunder God markers you set up all good?"

"Don't worry. I checked them thoroughly at noon; everything's fine."

Minamoto nodded confidently, but his words made Kakashi's eyes widen.

"Noon? Weren't you reading... Wait, when I went to the restroom, you sneaked off too?"

"Kakashi-sensei, you used it too, so why are you even asking?"

"But you—"

"Isn't this basic ninja protocol? Right, Kakashi-sensei?"

"..."

Kakashi hadn't expected his words to come back to bite him so quickly. He could only sigh and lament the shortcomings of Konoha's education system.

Perhaps it was time to propose some reforms—starting with a "hard-hitting" overhaul.

As Minamoto, Jiraiya, and Kakashi accelerated toward the temple, chaos was unfolding inside.

"Feel the art! Hmph!"

Deidara tossed a series of clay spiders, shouting as he watched Itachi Uchiha leap back.

Boom!

The explosions from the clay bombs blasted a hole in the temple wall. However, Itachi seemed to have dodged in time, avoiding the blast.

Just as he landed, a clay centipede burst from the ground, coiling around him.

"Tch."

Seeing this, Deidara couldn't help but smirk.

"You talk big, but this is all you've got?"

Raising one hand, he prepared to detonate his chakra-infused clay.

"Let's end this, hm!"

Itachi's crimson Sharingan locked onto Deidara, and he spoke in a low voice,

"You should take a good look at yourself."

"Hm?"

Deidara felt something was off. As his mind grew hazy, he suddenly snapped back to reality.

"What the—?"

To his shock, the clay centipede that should have been restraining Itachi was now wrapped around him.

If he had detonated the bomb earlier...

"That was close. You almost blew yourself up."

Kisame, who had been watching from the sidelines, couldn't resist a mocking comment. Even Sasori, who rarely spoke, shook his head.

"As expected, this guy looks like he's destined for an early death."

"Genjutsu? When did he...?"

Deidara was still reeling, unable to believe he hadn't noticed the illusion.

"From the very beginning. The moment you saw Itachi's Sharingan, you were already under his genjutsu."

Deidara turned to look, just as sunlight streamed through the hole in the wall, illuminating Itachi.

The golden light, combined with the crimson Sharingan, left Deidara momentarily entranced.

"So beautiful..."

He couldn't help but murmur to himself.

"Is this... art?"

Whoosh!

Before he could process his thoughts, the sound of a kunai slicing through the air interrupted him.

"Hm?"

Itachi, who had thought the battle was over, furrowed his brow.

Turning his head slightly to dodge the kunai, he noticed something unusual: a mark etched onto the weapon.

"That's..."

In an instant, Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan activated, and red chakra flared around him.

At that moment, a figure appeared out of nowhere, wielding a short blade crackling with purple lightning.

Boom!

A thunderous explosion erupted as the blade struck, sending shockwaves through the temple.

The ground cracked beneath the impact, and a nearby statue was cleaved in two.

"What just happened?"

Deidara, now covered in dust, was full of questions. The golden sunlight had been replaced by smoke and debris, and the once-dominant Itachi was now rolling to the side in a disheveled state.

The "artistic" moment that had nearly imprinted itself in Deidara's mind was shattered.

Shielding himself from the blast's fragments, he squinted, searching for the figure responsible.

"Now that's art!"

Recalling the dazzling attack and the subsequent explosion, Deidara felt as though he had glimpsed the essence of his pursuit.

"But... where did they go?"

Deidara looked around, confused. Meanwhile, Kisame's expression darkened.

"This is trouble..."

He recognized the technique—it was the same one that had injured Obito Uchiha.

If that blade had struck him directly, he wouldn't have been standing here now.

"What was that?"

Sasori's voice remained low and emotionless, but his mind replayed Kakuzu's earlier warnings.

As Itachi, now panting, regrouped with Kisame and Sasori, the three maintained their combat stances, eyes fixed on the temple's entrance.

As the dust settled, three white-haired figures emerged, walking toward them.

"Hatake Kakashi, Jiraiya, and that..."

Seeing the trio, Itachi and Kisame's expressions grew more serious.

"So it's you... Konoha's White Fang!"

Suddenly, Sasori sprang into action. Under his control, Hiruko shifted into an offensive stance, launching a barrage of poisoned senbon at the group.

"Hm?"

Having just teleported back to Jiraiya and Kakashi's side, Minamoto was about to comment when he noticed the incoming attack.

The senbon gleamed with a toxic green hue under the setting sun, leaving no doubt about their lethality.

"Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"

Jiraiya and Kakashi quickly formed hand seals, summoning two earthen walls to block the attack.

In an instant, the walls were riddled with senbon, resembling pincushions.

But then, a sharp tail pierced through the walls with ease, heading straight for Minamoto.

"Wait a second..."

Minamoto glanced at his short blade, then at his white hair, and suddenly realized something.

"Did they just mistake me for the White Fang?!"

~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~

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