Chapter 64: Destruction of the Land of Grass
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Deidara and Sasori were two artists with contrasting views on art.
For Deidara, art was the fleeting beauty of an explosion—the brief, intense moment of creation and destruction.
He believed that art existed in the explosion's instant of brilliance.
Sasori, on the other hand, considered art to be something eternal—lasting and unchanging over time. This difference in perspective often led to arguments between the two.
As they flew towards Iwagakure on Deidara's clay bird, Sasori asked, "Why are you so eager to bomb the Land of Earth? Aren't you a rogue ninja from there?"
Deidara smirked, curling his lips. "That old man Onoki never appreciated my art. He always dismissed my creations, so I'll show him what real art is."
Sasori scoffed. "Your so-called art is fleeting, gone in an instant."
"You just don't get it," Deidara retorted, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "The light and heat of the explosion, the energy released in that moment, the colors, the shockwave—that's true art!"
Sasori remained unconvinced, shaking his head. To him, art should be something that endures—something eternal.
After all, he had created his own version of art through his human puppets, a form of eternal preservation.
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''In Iwagakure, atop the Tsuchikage's office...''
Deidara began to mold his clay, creating small spiders that he dropped from the sky.
These spiders landed across the Tsuchikage's building, ready to explode at any moment.
The Third Tsuchikage, Onoki, had just finished dealing with some documents when he felt a twinge in his back.
"I'm getting old," he muttered, rubbing his waist as he stepped out onto the rooftop to stretch.
The sky was clear, and the sun was shining. But then, he noticed a small black dot in the distance.
"What's that?" Onoki squinted, trying to make out the object. Before he could react, he heard a familiar voice shout, "Katsu!"
His heart sank. He recognized that voice. "No, it can't be...!"
In the next moment, Onoki felt a powerful chakra surge around him, and the walls of his office began to expand and burst as the explosion detonated.
He quickly slammed his hands onto the ground, shouting,
"Earth Style: Earth Shore Return!"
Stone walls rose on all sides, enclosing Onoki at the center just as the explosion hit.
"Boom!!!"
The blast was massive, reducing the entire Tsuchikage Building to rubble.
Onoki emerged from the wreckage, alive but covered in soot. His body was blackened, and his face was darker than the rest.
"Deidara!!!" Onoki cursed, fury in his eyes. "How dare you come back just to repay your teacher by blowing up my village?!"
Onoki activated his Lightened Boulder Jutsu, soaring into the air. Surrounding debris formed into a massive fist that followed him. "Weighted Boulder Jutsu!"
The rock fist grew heavy and crashed toward Deidara's bird.
Deidara grinned, excitement evident on his face. "You fly pretty high for an old man, but not as high as me!" He quickly ascended, his bird soaring out of reach of the rock fist.
As he gained altitude, Deidara began hurling more clay bombs at Onoki.
"Katsu!" "Hah!"
Explosions erupted below, forcing Onoki to dodge and weave. He considered using his Dust Release to finish Deidara off but hesitated.
After all, Deidara had been like a son to him. Onoki had raised him, trained him, and even groomed him as a potential future Tsuchikage.
Despite Deidara's rebellious nature, Onoki had always seen him as the most talented among Iwagakure's young ninjas.
It was his strict rules and regulations that had driven Deidara away, turning him into a rogue ninja.
Deidara had never been interested in learning Dust Release; he preferred his clay bombs, which he referred to as "Explosion Release."
His body was unique, his saliva infused with chakra that made his clay explosive.
Onoki watched as Deidara flew higher and higher, becoming nothing more than a speck in the sky.
He clenched his fists, teeth grinding in frustration. Soon, members of the Anbu arrived at the scene, surveying the destruction with wide eyes.
"Lord Tsuchikage, are you alright? What happened?" one of them asked, his voice trembling.
Onoki glared at the Anbu member, his mouth twitching in anger. "Akatsuki attacked the Tsuchikage! Where were you all?!" The Anbu members lowered their heads, too frightened to answer.
"It was Deidara," Onoki continued, his voice cold. "He's back, but he didn't attack the Land of Earth directly.
Whatever you do, make sure this doesn't get out. Rebuild the Tsuchikage Building within three days!"
"Yes, Lord Tsuchikage!" the Anbu responded in unison.
Onoki floated back to his home, using his Lightened Boulder Jutsu to ease the pain in his back. As he entered, his son, Kitsuchi, noticed his charred appearance.
"Father, what happened to you?" Kitsuchi asked, concern in his voice.
"At home, just call me dad," Onoki replied wearily.
Kitsuchi's daughter, Kurotsuchi, was lounging nearby, studying ninjutsu.
She glanced over and saw Onoki looking like a burnt potato. It took all her effort to stifle a laugh.
"Kurotsuchi," Onoki said, trying to maintain his dignity. "Did Deidara come back and bomb you again?"
Kurotsuchi smirked. "How did you know?"
"You always have that scowl when you've seen Deidara. But listen, grandfather, Deidara's a rogue ninja now. He can't be the Tsuchikage. You should teach me Dust Release so I can take over instead!"
Onoki's expression hardened. "No! It's not right for a girl to be Tsuchikage!"
It wasn't that Onoki favored boys over girls, it was simply that the world was too dangerous now.
Akatsuki was growing stronger in the Land of Rain, and Sunagakure was rumored to be appointing a jinchūriki as their new Kazekage.
Konoha had the Uchiha and Hyūga clans, making them nearly invincible.
Onoki had witnessed the terror of Uchiha Madara firsthand and couldn't understand why Konoha would marginalize such a powerful clan.
Onoki sighed, realizing the grave situation. The Land of Earth was in a transitional phase, with no younger ninja capable of taking up the mantle. Deidara had been their best hope, but now he was gone.
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''In Konoha, within the Uchiha Clan compound...''
Uchiha Fugaku stood before the last three surviving ninjas from the Land of Grass, his expression stern. "What are your names?" he asked.
The three ninjas responded in unison, "Grass One, Grass Two, and Grass Three."
Fugaku smiled warmly, masking his true intentions. "Good names. I'll personally escort you back to the Land of Grass."
Sōichi, one of the ninjas, hesitated. "Uchiha Clan Leader, that seems like too much trouble..."
Fugaku waved away the concern. "No trouble at all. It was due to Konoha's negligence that your comrades died. I must apologize personally to the leader of your country."
The three ninjas exchanged glances and nodded. "Thank you, Uchiha Clan Leader."
Fugaku's smile widened as his plan began to fall into place. The Uchiha had divided their forces into three groups.
One group was seizing control of the Anbu during the transition of power in Konoha.
Another, led by Fugaku, was heading to the Land of Grass with an elite force.
The final group, led by Sasuke, was on route to the Land of Snow, where they planned to use the influence of Princess Koyuki Kazahana to expose the atrocities committed by the Land of Grass.
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''On the ship to the Land of Snow...''
Sasuke looked at Karin, who was huddled in a corner. "Karin, have you ever heard of Princess Koyuki Kazahana?"
Karin shook her head, her eyes downcast. "No, I haven't."
Sasuke smiled gently. "But you know her stage name, Fūn Koyuki, right?"
Karin's eyes brightened at the mention of the name. "Yes! I love the movies she stars in, especially 'The Adventures of Princess Gale'!"
Sasuke nodded. "We're going to find her in the Land of Snow."
When they arrived, Karin's eyes widened in awe.
The once icy and barren land was now dotted with greenery, thanks to the geothermal generators that had turned one-third of the Land of Snow into an oasis.
As they approached the palace, Koyuki Kazahana, now the ruler of the Land of Snow, greeted Sasuke with open arms. "Sasuke! It's been so long!"
She embraced him warmly, nearly suffocating him in the process.
"Princess," Sasuke gasped, "we have important matters to discuss."
Koyuki pulled back, her smile fading as she noticed Sasuke's serious expression. "What's happened?"
Sasuke took a deep breath, knowing that Koyuki would be a crucial ally in the fight against the Land of Grass.
"I need your help, Princess," he said, his voice steady. "The Land of Grass must be destroyed."
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