The Strongest Artist in Naruto

Obito used Kamui to disappear again, and Deidara didn't even attempt to attack him. For one, Kamui's activation lasts up to five minutes, for another, Obito could always use Izanagi as a backup. Deidara had no effective way to deal with him.

Instead of rescuing Kakuzu and Hidan immediately, Deidara contacted Nagato through his ring.

"Leader, it was Uchiha Madara who intervened this time," Deidara summarized the situation succinctly and shared his speculation.

He concluded with a warning: "Leader, you and Konan need to be extremely cautious from now on. Don't let him or Zetsu catch you off guard."

No matter what, as long as the Rinnegan remained out of their grasp, Obito's side would remain at a disadvantage.

"Understood," Nagato replied tersely.

"Hey, Deidara! What the hell are you doing?"

"Hurry up and get us out of here!" Hidan's impatient voice rang out, breaking the tense moment.

Seeing the sorry state of the Immortal Duo, Deidara smirked mischievously.

"Oh my, is that Kakuzu and Hidan? How did you end up like this?"

"Damn it, Deidara!"

Kakuzu snapped, his tone frustrated. "I only got taken down because my heart was damaged during the last mission in Konoha! I haven't found a suitable replacement yet!"

"Hmph," Hidan scoffed indignantly. "It's not our fault. Iwagakure sent over a hundred ninja after us, and all of them were elites. Talk about overkill!"

"Alright, let's get moving." Deidara relented, deciding not to poke fun at them any further. Hidan could handle it, but Kakuzu was already old enough—it wouldn't be kind to push him too far.

"By the way, what's the deal with that mysterious guy earlier? Why was he wearing Akatsuki robes and sporting the Sharingan?" Hidan bombarded Deidara with questions, his curiosity unrelenting.

Since they'd already encountered Obito, Deidara didn't see the harm in revealing some information.

"That guy is actually the Leader's collaborator. He was instrumental in founding Akatsuki back in the day."

"As for his identity, he claims to be Uchiha Madara."

"Uchiha Madara?!" Kakuzu exclaimed, his composure slipping for a moment.

"Why, is he that scary?" Hidan asked, his ignorance showing.

Kakuzu recalled the domineering presence of that man. Sure, Senju Hashirama was just as powerful, but his demeanor was kind, making him less fearsome. Uchiha Madara, on the other hand, was a terror—a man who delighted in bullying Tailed Beasts. Takigakure, with its Seven-Tails, had suffered plenty under his reign.

"He's on par with the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama—a truly formidable and dangerous individual," Kakuzu explained. "But this one's probably an imposter. If he were the real Uchiha Madara, he wouldn't need to resort to petty tricks like these."

Deidara nodded in agreement. "Exactly."

"But if he's a collaborator, why has it come to this? A disagreement with the Leader? Power struggles?" Kakuzu's shrewd mind quickly connected the dots. It wasn't uncommon for second-in-command types to vie for control.

"Probably both," Deidara replied vaguely, careful not to reveal how much he truly knew. "He's tried recruiting others in the organization before—me, Sasori, Itachi, and Kisame. If you run into him, be cautious."

Hidan, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly chimed in: "Wait, why didn't he try recruiting me or Kakuzu?"

Deidara scratched his head, not wanting to aggravate them.

"What do you think?"

"How dare he underestimate me!" Kakuzu's annoyance skyrocketed.

"What do I think? Deidara, I'm asking you!" Hidan retorted, fuming. "Don't answer my question with another question—that's rude!"

"I have no idea," Deidara shrugged, brushing him off.

"You liar!" Hidan persisted.

Bang!

Poor Hidan was sent flying into a nearby wall by Kakuzu's foot. Groaning as he got up, he complained, "Ow! Kakuzu, what was that for?"

"Sorry, Hidan."

"Old man's losing it…"

Outside Iwagakure, a fierce battle had raged for over an hour—an unusually long duration for a ninja fight.

On Iwagakure's side, Akatsuchi was completely incapacitated, and Kurotsuchi wasn't much better, panting heavily and clearly at her limit. Only Onoki, the Tsuchikage, remained unscathed, hovering in mid-air, though his expression was grave.

Hoshigaki Kisame, fused with Samehada, had transformed into a half-man, half-shark monstrosity. Despite the prolonged combat, he showed no signs of fatigue, exuding energy and confidence.

"Tsuchikage-sama, you won't defeat me without using Dust Release," Kisame taunted. "Let's end this pointless fight. I acknowledge Akatsuki's strength—let's have your disciple come forward and speak with you."

Onoki smirked. Truly cunning, he thought. He had initially been swayed by Obito's provocation but refused to go along with the masked man's wishes. Instead of killing Kakuzu and Hidan, he opted to capture them alive.

His original goal had been to bring Deidara back to the village. Deidara's feats had made him a strong Kage-level ninja, bringing him back and letting him develop further would ensure Iwagakure's safety for decades.

But now, his plans had shifted.

These Akatsuki members—Kakuzu, Hidan, Kisame, and Deidara—were no pushovers. Their leader must be a force to be reckoned with as well. Onoki wasn't about to stick his neck out and fight someone else's war.

From now on, whoever wanted to deal with Akatsuki could do so themselves. If their true strength turned out to be lacking, it wouldn't be too late to act. But if they were formidable, maintaining ties through Deidara could lead to mutual benefits.

Let Konoha and the Fire Country, with their rich resources, deal with Akatsuki. Iwagakure would reap the rewards in the end.

"Old man, you wanted to see me?" Deidara emerged from the village's direction, escorting Kakuzu and Hidan.

Onoki's face darkened. "So you sneaked into the village to save them! No wonder you left your comrades to handle the fight!"

"Normally, you'd have thrown those ridiculous explosives in my face by now!"

"Hey, old geezer! It's called art! Art!" Deidara snapped.

"Hmph! We'll debate your so-called art later. For now, tell me about Akatsuki," Onoki ordered, flying off.

Deidara sighed and turned to his companions. "Kisame, Kakuzu, Hidan—wait here. I'll handle this."

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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