Just as everyone was pondering how to overcome the predicament, a messenger eagle flew in—Killer Bee's personal courier.
Bee tore open the message. He was so excited he wanted to jump up, but the pain from his wounds forced him back down. "Yo! My big bro's coming early to back us up! He'll be here before the fleet!"
Itachi subtly exchanged a look with Shisui.
Shisui remarked with a sigh of relief, "Then you'll be safe."
The faces of the Cloud shinobi lit up with joy. Their strongest asset, Raikage A, was their spiritual pillar. The anxiety they felt about the impending assault from the Mist vanished with the news of his early arrival, and their spirits soared.
At that moment, Itachi stood up to speak. "Although reinforcements are on their way, we should shift from defense to offense."
"Since Shisui and I could be recalled at any moment, we should take the initiative," he continued. "We can at least lighten your burden. It will make things safer for you."
Itachi's words deeply moved the two Jinchuriki of the Cloud.
Killer Bee was so earnest he forgot to rap. "But that would be very dangerous for you two."
Shisui rose to his feet. "We'll act alone, just to cause some minor disruptions for the Mist. It won't be too dangerous. Since we're allies, it's only natural to help each other. You two should focus on recovering. And don't let your guard down until the Raikage arrives; be ready to repel a Mist attack at any time."
"We'll go scout the Mist's movements and set some traps on the perimeter," he added. "If possible, we'll try to tie up more of their forces."
With that, the two of them walked out.
From behind them, Yugito Nii's voice followed. "The Cloud Village will remember the Uchiha's friendship."
Meanwhile, at the border of the Land of Fire.
After Yue reported the intelligence to Kawasaki, Kawasaki pulled him aside. Pointing to Deidara, who was busy mixing his clay, he whispered some information to Yue.
A short while later, Deidara finished preparing his clay and walked over, his face radiating confidence. "Kawasaki, I'm ready to show you Uchiha my true art... hm!"
Kawasaki glanced at the bulging clay pouches on Deidara's belt, a cunning smile playing on his lips. He then pulled Yue forward. "This here is your opponent, just an ordinary member of our clan."
Yue spoke with pride. "You dare challenge the Uchiha? I'll show you just how powerful we are."
Deidara sneered, thrusting his hands into his pouches and beginning to chew on clay pellets. "Let's see how you fight me without a Mangekyo Sharingan, hm."
Yue chuckled and drew his sword. "You'll see."
Seeing the tension mount, Kawasaki waved for everyone to back away, giving the two combatants space.
They stood extremely close. Yue activated his Sharingan and charged at Deidara, sword raised.
Deidara narrowed his eyes, intending to test his opponent. He unleashed two clay spiders from his hands, sealing off Yue's escape routes above and below.
"Katsu!" Deidara shouted.
Boom! Boom!
Two explosions erupted.
But Yue didn't retreat. Instead, he planted his sword into the ground, using it as a vault to launch himself into the air, gracefully evading the trajectories of both bombs. The movement was exceptionally fluid.
Kawasaki clicked his tongue in appreciation from the sidelines. "What exquisite form." He himself preferred practical taijutsu and disliked such flashy moves, but watching Yue now, he had to admit—the Uchiha truly were the shinobi world's greatest clan of dancers.
Deidara tossed out several more bombs, but Yue dodged every single one. Soon, Yue had closed the distance. He swung his sword down, and Deidara was instantly sliced in half.
However, there was no trace of joy on Yue's face. What lay on the ground wasn't Deidara's body, but two lumps of clay.
Bang!
Deidara burst out from a distance, flinging his hands forward. A rain of countless spiders and grasshoppers fell from the sky. The clay spiders crawled across the ground, while the clay grasshoppers were far more agile, leaping with incredible speed. The moment one got near Yue, it would detonate.
"Witness my art! Ha!"
Swoosh!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The grasshoppers leaped forward frenetically, their explosions echoing one after another. But then, Yue began to move at high speed, his weapon crackling with electricity. Every clay spider and grasshopper he struck fell powerlessly to the ground.
Deidara's gaze sharpened. A Lightning Release master, hm!
Deidara rubbed his hands together. A clay centipede formed in his left hand and burrowed underground, followed by several spiders. With his right hand, he fashioned a clay owl, more nimble than his giant bird but unable to fly as high. Deidara leaped onto the clay owl's back and shot into the sky.
Chewing for a moment, he spat out a clump of clay and molded it into a small bird, which he threw. The small bird became incredibly agile in mid-air, circling Yue without ever making contact. Deidara then created a twin-winged bird that was even faster, carving unpredictable arcs through the sky, making its flight path impossible to track.
Deidara focused on controlling the two clay birds. Seeing that Yue had dealt with his spiders and grasshoppers, he flicked a finger. "Katsu!"
A rumble came from beneath the earth, and the ground beneath Yue's feet gave way. Deidara had blasted a pitfall trap. Yue's Sharingan whirred as he adjusted his posture in mid-air. "Is that the best you can do for a trap?"
As Yue flipped to leap out of the pit, the clay centipede shot out from within and wrapped around his ankle. Yue stabbed down with his sword, instantly disabling it.
At the exact moment Yue's blade struck the centipede, Deidara's two birds made their move. The small bird shot straight for Yue's body, while the twin-winged bird slammed into the pit's wall.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Flash!"
"Art is an explosion! Katsu!"
Boom! Boom!
Two explosions rang out, and the pit collapsed in an instant. As dust and smoke filled the air, Deidara felt a sudden sense of danger. He pulled his owl up, narrowly dodging a slash from Yue.
A cold sweat broke out on Deidara's back. Was that the Lightning Release Body Flicker Technique? It was too fast. He steered his owl higher, thinking, *As long as you can't fly, I have the advantage.*
Unfortunately for him, Kawasaki had already extracted every last bit of intelligence on his abilities.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Spear!"
A blinding flash of light pierced through the clay owl, which instantly reverted to normal clay and plummeted downwards.
"Hmph!" Deidara leaped off the falling owl, ready to continue the fight.
Just then, Yue flicked his wrist and sheathed his sword. "It seems your art has quite a few limitations."
Deidara's face twisted in fury. He could accept defeat, but he would not tolerate his art being belittled. "How dare you insult my art!"
As Deidara landed, he pushed off the ground, his body rapidly expanding as chakra converged within him.
"Lightning Release: Lightning Spear."
Yue extended an index finger. A flash of lightning shot out, passing straight through Deidara and bringing his movements to an abrupt halt. A moment later, he, too, dissolved into a pile of clay.
Not far away, Deidara's head emerged from the ground. He yelled furiously at the spectating Kawasaki, "You leaked all my intel! Hm!"
Kawasaki had been enjoying the show. Yue's fighting style was a stark contrast to his usual arrogant demeanor. Hearing Deidara, Kawasaki simply shrugged. "True art isn't constrained by intelligence. If your explosions fail, they fail."
"No! Art is an explosion! It's the ultimate expression of art! Hm!" Deidara began chewing on more clay, preparing to attack again.
Kawasaki extended a hand and beckoned behind him. An Uchiha clan member stepped forward. It was Kei, the one who had lost to Sasuke and Naruto in the clan tournament and suffered public punishment.
Kei's eyes opened, revealing spinning Sharingan that immediately began to activate.
Kawasaki gestured behind him and said, "See that, Deidara? Now that is art!"
Deidara, busy mixing clay in his mouth, turned his head at the remark. His gaze met the crimson, spinning eyes.
Thud.
Deidara's eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground, stiff as a board. The unchewed clay spilled from his mouth.
...
In a cemetery nestled in the mountains.
The Hashirama cells fused with Danzo's body had reached a stalemate. The rate at which the wood was encroaching on his body had slowed considerably. Currently, Danzo had a Sharingan embedded in each of his shoulder blades.
As an experiment, Obito had even provided Danzo with a spare Sharingan from his collection. Later, however, Obito realized it was unnecessary. His own right side, made of White Zetsu's cells, could use its visual prowess to help Danzo suppress the rampaging Wood Style. So, Obito had taken the eye back. A used Sharingan suffered some wear and couldn't be immediately returned to its nutrient solution; it needed to be nourished within a body for a while. Obito had temporarily placed it in the palm of his right hand.
Through observation, Obito had figured out the pattern of Danzo's Wood Style flare-ups and no longer needed to watch over him constantly.
A figure emerged from the ground. It was Zetsu, returned from the Land of Water.
"Obito, I have bad news and even worse news. Which do you want to hear first?" White Zetsu said with a hint of schadenfreude.
Obito frowned. "What happened?"
Black Zetsu lowered his voice. "There might be a problem with Hishou. He could be a spy from the Mist Village. Juzo Biwa and the other two have returned to the Mist. Furthermore, the Uchiha aren't truly allied with the Cloud; they made a deal with Hishou. We've also lost contact with Kakuzu. It was probably the Uchiha's doing."
Obito considered this. Kakuzu was the Akatsuki's treasurer. For him to disappear was significant. "And the other news?"
White Zetsu couldn't wait to deliver it. "Yagura Karatachi is dead, and the Three-Tails was killed too!"
But the explosion of rage he expected never came. Obito merely frowned and asked coldly, "Who did the Uchiha send?"
Seeing Obito's composed reaction, White Zetsu seemed a little disappointed.
Black Zetsu answered for him. "It was Shisui and Itachi."
Obito recalled the searing pain of being burned by Amaterasu, and a flicker of hatred shone in his eye. "Perhaps it's time to add two more pairs of Sharingan to the collection."
Learning that only Itachi and Shisui were on the Land of Water's battlefield, Obito was indeed tempted. He gave an order: "You watch this place. Danzo is still useful, so don't let him die."
Zetsu was surprised to find Danzo still alive, not yet consumed by the Hashirama cells. Aside from a change in his skin tone, he seemed normal, though the Sharingan on each shoulder blade gave him an odd appearance.
Realizing Obito intended to go after Itachi and Shisui, Black Zetsu spoke in a low, ominous tone. "I have spies posted outside the Cloud and Mist strongholds. Be careful when you go. Itachi and Shisui are not to be underestimated."
"Heh..." Obito let out a soft chuckle. A swirling vortex appeared, and he vanished into it.
"The current Itachi and Shisui shouldn't be a match for Obito, right?" White Zetsu asked.
Black Zetsu certainly hoped Obito could deal with the two Uchiha. Otherwise, their future strategy would have to be re-evaluated to focus on countering the Uchiha clan.
Just then, another White Zetsu emerged from the ground. "Most of the Hyuga in Konoha have fallen victim to the Spore Technique. Hyuga Kaito's assimilation is nearly complete."
Black Zetsu was pleased. "Konoha is filled with powerful shinobi. We must act with caution. Don't use the Spore Technique recklessly. Focus on gathering as much intelligence as possible."
Suddenly, Zetsu's Akatsuki ring began to pulse. Frowning, he felt the telepathic communication. He placed a hand on his head, and his thoughts traversed space, projecting an image into the cave. The projections of Sasori, Deidara, and Juzo Biwa appeared alongside him.
Pain opened his eyes. "What is the situation on your end? Why are Hishou and Kakuzu not here?"
Juzo Biwa answered casually. "During the assault on Killer Bee, Hishou and the Jinchuriki wounded each other. He's recovering."
Pain nodded, seeming to accept the explanation. "The Eight-Tails Jinchuriki is indeed a handful."
Zetsu chuckled internally. Ever since Pain's last taunt, he'd sensed a certain disdain for himself and Obito. Now, Pain didn't even know there was a traitor in his own organization. Zetsu had no intention of telling him, preferring to let Pain suffer a major setback.
Pain then looked to Zetsu, whose intelligence-gathering capabilities were exceptional. Even if members didn't communicate, he should know what was going on.
Zetsu's voice was hoarse. "Kakuzu and his partner, Hidan, have been eliminated by the Uchiha. They sent three members, including Itachi with his Mangekyo Sharingan, Shisui of the Body Flicker, and one other I don't recognize, though he was skilled."
Pain thought for a moment, then turned to the others. "Deidara, Sasori, what about you?"
Sasori's true body was hidden within his Akatsuki cloak. "Deidara and I attacked one of their strongholds. We lost some puppets and have been restocking recently."
Deidara added, "I've replenished my clay. I'm ready to display my art again at any time! Hm!"
Pain stopped the eager Deidara. "The Uchiha are too great a threat. Don't take unnecessary risks. I will be there in a few days. Wait for me."
"I'll be sure to show the leader my art then! Hm!"
Pain nodded and gave Zetsu a meaningful glance. The other members disconnected one by one, leaving only Zetsu.
"Have you located the Mist's Jinchuriki?"
Since Pain would be arriving soon, Zetsu decided to give him the intel on the Tailed Beast. "There's bad news. The Mist's Jinchuriki is dead, and so is the Three-Tails. We'll have to wait for it to be reborn before we can proceed with the plan."
"What!?"
Pain's Rinnegan flared, and a powerful pressure radiated from him, causing Zetsu's astral projection to flicker. "How could you have only just discovered such vital intelligence?"
Pain was clearly furious.
Zetsu feigned humility. "My apologies, Leader. The Hidden Mist is entirely underwater. We only just confirmed this information."
Pain snorted,收起威压哼了一声, seeming to accept that there was nothing to be done about the Three-Tails' death. "Then complete the current mission. The profits from this task are substantial, and we cannot afford to fail. Go and monitor the Uchiha. Report to me the moment I arrive."
Zetsu bowed his head obsequiously. "Understood."
Pain asked another question. "Where has Obito gone?"
Zetsu shook his head. "I lost track of him after he went to Konoha last time."
Pain gave Zetsu a long, deep look before severing the connection.
Zetsu lowered the hand he used for the jutsu.
"Are you not going to tell Pain where Obito went?" asked White Zetsu.
"They're wary of each other. I don't want to get involved," Black Zetsu replied, shaking his head. "The Uchiha are the ones in the toughest spot right now. First Obito, now Nagato."
Black Zetsu was cut off by White Zetsu. "Oh my, does that mean the Uchiha are finished? Should we still go and join the fun?"
*Since Obito has already gone to deal with Itachi and Shisui, I'd better stay out of it for now. Besides, Obito told me to keep an eye on Danzo,* Zetsu thought with a sense of relief. Although the organization had lost a few capable members, it wasn't a huge deal. The Three-Tails would take a while to revive anyway. They could always recruit more people if they needed to.
...
Back at the Land of Fire border.
Kawasaki looked at Deidara, whom he had once again outsmarted, and shook his head with a cluck of his tongue.
"Someone get his clay and carry him with the group," he ordered. "We have business to attend to."
At his command, a few clan members came forward to collect Deidara's clay pouches. Then, they unceremoniously hoisted the unconscious Deidara onto their shoulders.
"Kei, how long until he wakes up from your genjutsu?" Kawasaki patted Kei's shoulder. The kid had proven useful after all.
Kei was still a bit intimidated by Kawasaki; the memory of being tied to a tree left a lingering shadow. "Clan Head, Deidara's resistance to genjutsu is weak. He definitely won't wake up within a day."
Kawasaki nodded. This was how you had to deal with genjutsu experts like the Uchiha. Deidara had joined the Akatsuki at twelve and had only been a member for about two and a half years. That made him fourteen or fifteen years old. He hadn't encountered many skilled genjutsu users in his life. Given his personality and experience, fooling him was easy.
Simply put, they were taking advantage of the fact that he was still young, immature, and easy to bully. In a few more years, it wouldn't be this simple.
"All units, move out!"
With Kawasaki's order, the vast procession of Uchiha warriors set off.