At the thought of finally meeting Uchiha Itachi, Deidara's heart surged with excitement.
He hadn't forgotten what Yosuke once told him—that Uchiha Itachi's artistic attainments were even higher than Yosuke's. If Deidara could defeat Itachi, then that would mean he had surpassed Yosuke himself.
At this moment, Deidara couldn't wait to meet Itachi.
Once again, Yosuke set foot on the road to Konoha.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Fugaku stood before the stone tablet inside the Naka Shrine.
Fugaku asked Itachi, "Has the list of personnel been finalized?"
Itachi nodded. "Excluding Mother and Sasuke, there are fifteen others."
Fugaku frowned. "So few?"
Itachi said helplessly, "There's no helping it. Most of the clansmen who oppose launching the coup also don't want to leave Konoha."
Fugaku let out a deep sigh. "Then it can't be helped. The coup is imminent now. We'll evacuate as many clan members as we can. Is everything prepared?"
"You must understand—leaving Konoha is only the first step. The real difficulty lies in how to successfully leave the Land of Fire."
"It's already prepared," Itachi replied. "I've notified my master to come to Konoha to help me."
Fugaku looked startled. "Your master? Ubuyashiki Yosuke? He didn't die in the Nine-Tails incident?"
"Yes. Master didn't die. After the Nine-Tails incident ended, he came to see me and gave me some instructions."
Fugaku fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha! As expected of the Fourth Hokage!"
Itachi looked at him in confusion. "What do you mean, Father?"
"Itachi, that barrier your master created back then—the one resembling a flower bud—the Nine-Tails was inside it as well. You know the power of a Tailed Beast Bomb. Since your master survived, it's very likely the Fourth Hokage survived too. Most likely, the Fourth used the Flying Thunder God Technique to take your master with him and escape the blast radius of the Tailed Beast Bomb."
With his vast experience, Uchiha Fugaku quickly pieced together the truth from these scattered clues.
"But if the Fourth Hokage didn't die, why hasn't he returned to Konoha?" Itachi asked.
"Itachi," Fugaku said gravely, "the darkness within Konoha runs far deeper than you imagine. The Nine-Tails incident was riddled with suspicious points. Without assistance from someone inside Konoha, how could the Nine-Tails have been released so easily?"
"And don't forget—Orochimaru also appeared in Konoha that night."
Itachi speculated, "So the Fourth Hokage faked his death in order to investigate the true mastermind behind the Nine-Tails incident?"
"Exactly. Orochimaru showed up directly outside Kushina's delivery room. That means the person who leaked the information to him held no low position within Konoha."
A face immediately surfaced in Itachi's mind.
Shimura Danzō.
"Itachi," Fugaku said quietly, "as long as you understand this in your heart, that's enough. After all, the reason our clan has been driven to this point—he bears no small share of the blame."
Fugaku spoke with regret, "If the Fourth Hokage were still in Konoha, perhaps the Uchiha clan wouldn't be oppressed so severely. What a pity…"
"Now that you've awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan," Fugaku continued, "you've already read the contents of the stone tablet, haven't you?"
Itachi nodded. "Yes."
"Good. Then if the coup fails, I'll seal my Sharingan into a scroll and have Ninri deliver it to you. After transplanting my eyes, you should be able to awaken the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Father…?" Itachi's voice trembled slightly.
Fugaku straightened Itachi's collar and spoke earnestly, "If the coup fails, the road ahead will have to be walked by you alone. With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, that road should be a little easier. This is the last thing I can do for you—as your father."
"Remember, Itachi. Our original purpose in leaving Konoha is to give the Uchiha clan a place to belong in the ninja world. Do not seek revenge against Konoha."
Itachi's eyes burned with resolve. "I understand, Father."
The two left the Naka Shrine together.
Not long after returning to the Uchiha clan compound, a crow landed on Itachi's shoulder.
Seeing the crow, a smile appeared between Itachi's brows.
Fugaku noticed the crow and smiled faintly. "So he's here… Itachi, go. Give my regards to your master."
Following the crow, Itachi arrived at a secluded forest devoid of human presence.
In the darkness, he saw three figures standing in the shadows.
"Itachi… you've grown up," Yosuke's warm, approving voice reached his ears.
Itachi immediately knelt on one knee. "Master!"
Yosuke pulled him to his feet and scolded gently, "Why are you still so formal?"
Just as Itachi was about to reply, Deidara could no longer contain himself.
"Uchiha Itachi! Come on! As fellow artists, let's decide who's superior right now! I'll show you what true instant art is!"
With that, Deidara shoved both hands into his ninja tool pouch filled with clay.
Veins bulged on Yosuke's forehead.
A perfectly emotional reunion between master and disciple—completely ruined by this brat.
Yosuke flashed forward, appearing behind Deidara in an instant, and violently slammed his head into the ground.
"What did I tell you before we came?! Stealth infiltration! Stealth infiltration! What are you planning to do with explosive clay—announce to the whole world that we're here?!"
With his head buried in the dirt, Deidara tried to speak—but the moment he opened his mouth, he swallowed a mouthful of soil.
Yosuke loosened his grip slightly, allowing Deidara to lift his head.
Finally able to speak, Deidara complained, "I get it already! Let go of me!"
Once released, Deidara scrambled to his feet and continued pointing arrogantly at Itachi.
"The time and place aren't right now, but we'll settle this battle later!"
Itachi felt completely bewildered and looked at Yosuke in confusion.
"He's called Deidara," Yosuke explained. "The red-haired child is Karin. They're members of our organization."
"Organization?" Itachi asked.
"Yes. I founded an organization called the Crow Organization. Those two are full members. And as my disciple, Itachi, you're also a member of the Crow Organization."
Itachi looked at Deidara and asked puzzledly, "Then why does he keep calling me an artist and insisting on fighting me?"
Yosuke coughed awkwardly. "I may have told him about your Sharingan. He believes you're an artist like him… so he wants to 'exchange ideas.'"
Deidara immediately protested, "What do you mean 'may have'?! You clearly said that if I beat this guy called Uchiha Itachi, it'd count as beating you!"
Yosuke shot Deidara a sharp glare. "You talk too much."
Itachi pieced together the situation and couldn't help but smile at the scene before him.