A spark of rebellion burns brightest right before it explodes.
"Old man?!"
Deidara jolted upright, eyes wide.
"What are you doing here late at night?!"
Behind him—
Ōnoki hovered in midair.
The small, elderly Tsuchikage, with his bulbous nose and white beard, floated forward with a dark expression, robes layered over his flak jacket. Behind him stood Akatsuchi, sturdy and silent as ever.
"Forget why I'm here for a second," Ōnoki said coldly, his sharp gaze landing on the table. "…Who were you planning to blow up just now?"
"Ahahaha—!"
Deidara scratched the back of his head, forcing an awkward laugh.
"I was just saying… these bombs are for helping villagers unclog their toilets…"
…What kind of toilet needs bombs?
Bang!
Ōnoki dropped beside him, slamming his palm onto the table. The thick slabs of white explosive clay bounced into the air.
"You—!" he barked. "Do you know why you've been isolated on the outskirts of the village?!"
"Well, that was your decision, wasn't it?!" Deidara shot back, aggrieved. "With a single word from you, those idiots wouldn't dare complain about me!"
"You fool!"
Ōnoki's voice rose.
"With that attitude, how do you expect to earn the villagers' recognition? How will you inherit the Will of Stone?!"
Bang!
Another slap against the clay.
Deidara panicked. "Careful! Don't set it off!"
"Earth Release: Light-Weight Technique."
Ōnoki tapped the clay, altering its weight. The massive lump began floating as if in zero gravity.
He shot Akatsuchi a look.
Confiscate it.
"No—no, don't!!"
Deidara nearly lunged forward.
"That's a whole week of work!!"
He was furious.
Every single time—
Whenever he stockpiled enough explosive clay—
This old man would show up and take it all.
Ōnoki snorted. "When you fix your mindset, I'll return what I've taken."
"Then I'll fix it now! Right now!"
"Get lost."
Ōnoki flicked his forehead.
"Do you know what happened to the last group isolated like this?"
Deidara blinked. "…Who?"
"Konoha's Uchiha clan."
Ōnoki waved a hand dismissively.
"Think about what kind of shinobi you want to be. Whether or not you inherit the Will of Stone—you should at least have something resembling a proper goal."
Deidara lowered his head slightly.
"I already have one."
"My art."
"You just don't understand it."
Ōnoki sighed deeply.
Of all the students he had taught—
This one—
The most talented—
Was also the most impossible.
Deidara suddenly grinned.
"Well, who cares if you don't like it? I do."
"One day—"
"The entire shinobi world will recognize my art!"
Ōnoki shook his head.
Pointless.
If words or beatings worked—
Deidara would've been Tsuchikage material long ago.
"Stay here and reflect."
He turned to leave.
"Akatsuchi, leave his supplies."
Boxes were carried inside.
Then—
They departed.
"…Kurotsuchi."
Deidara suddenly called out.
"I know you're out there. Put in a good word for me, yeah?"
Silence.
Then—
From the wall outside—
A voice full of disdain.
"No."
"You begged me last time too. The next day, you stole my clothes and blew them up."
"That was because they looked bad!" Deidara protested. "I was going to make you something better!"
"That was the best thing I owned!" Kurotsuchi snapped. "And where's my replacement, huh?"
"…."
Deidara deflated.
"I got caught right after… and forgot…"
Bang.
The door shut.
Silence returned.
"…Sigh."
Deidara slumped back into his chair, staring out at the night.
Boring.
This village—
Had no place for him anymore.
But the world was big.
Sooner or later—
He'd leave.
"I refuse to believe there's nowhere for me to shine!"
He brushed his bangs aside, eyes burning as he stared toward Ōnoki's departing figure.
"Just you wait… all of you."
…
Night deepened.
Thin mist drifted over the dirt road.
Ōnoki walked ahead, hands clasped behind his back, eyes heavy with concern.
"…Sigh."
"Grandpa, don't be mad at him," Kurotsuchi said.
"You're the stone that protects Iwagakure."
"He's just a rock stuck in a toilet."
Ōnoki snorted.
"Even a rock from a toilet—clean it, polish it, place it in the Tower of Stone—and no one would notice it wasn't special."
"…Huh?"
Kurotsuchi blinked, then leaned closer, whispering, "Grandpa… that stone isn't actually—"
"Of course not!" Ōnoki snapped. "It's just a metaphor!"
"Oh…"
She laughed.
"That's good. I used to touch it a lot as a kid."
Ōnoki looked ahead.
The village lights glowed peacefully.
Then—
His gaze sharpened.
"This isn't just about Deidara."
"Konoha's Uchiha clan has been wiped out."
"Kumogakure is making moves again."
"The world… is about to change."
Kurotsuchi fell silent.
When he spoke like this—
She knew better than to interrupt.
Ōnoki glanced at Akatsuchi.
"Deidara may have noticed our surveillance. Next time, be more careful."
Akatsuchi nodded.
"And the bounty I had you post on the black market?"
"It's up," Akatsuchi replied.
"…And like last time—"
"It was taken by an organization called Akatsuki."
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Akatsuki…"
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