Chapter 74: Deidara Brother~

"Deidara, stop messing with your clay and come practice ninjutsu with me!" A pair of long legs abruptly entered Deidara's line of sight, kicking away the clay sculpture he had been carefully crafting.

Deidara sighed and looked up, exasperation written all over his face.

"Kurotsuchi, could you be a little gentler? I've been working on that all day."

"I don't care! The things you make always look weird, and I don't like them!" Kurotsuchi pouted.

The memory of Deidara's recent experiment with creating a "mountain of meat" at home still gave her nightmares—every day, coming back to find grotesque, fleshy-looking creations had made her shiver.

"Fine, fine." Deidara gave a resigned shrug.

"Let's go!" Kurotsuchi said brightly, grabbing Deidara and pulling him outside.

The two walked for a few minutes before Kurotsuchi suddenly stopped.

"Deidara, wait here for a moment. I need to grab something."

Deidara raised an eyebrow. "I thought we were going to train. What could you possibly need?"

"Just wait, okay?" Kurotsuchi huffed and dashed off, leaving Deidara standing there, scratching his head.

Making sure she was out of sight, Kurotsuchi darted towards their home. She kicked open the door with a loud bang and yelled, "Deidara!"

Her eyes immediately locked onto another Deidara seated in the living room, meticulously working on his clay art.

"I knew it! You sent a clay clone to stall me again!" Kurotsuchi's voice rose, dripping with irritation.

"Ah, no, no, Kurotsuchi, this is the clay clone!" The Deidara in the room scratched his head awkwardly, looking a bit guilty. Why does she always sneak back to check on me? Is this some kind of innate talent women have?

"You're lying! This one has to be the real you! The one outside must be the clay clone!" Kurotsuchi crossed her arms and turned sideways, her lips forming a stubborn pout.

"I swear it's the clone! Look!" Deidara transformed his right hand into soft, squishy clay to prove his point.

"That doesn't prove anything," Kurotsuchi snapped.

"Your real body can do that too!"

Deidara sighed. "Fine. How do you want me to prove it?"

"Stand still and let me hit you with my Jutsu. If you're a clone, you'll dissolve."

Deidara wiped a nervous bead of sweat from his forehead.

"No way! That jutsu would solidify me like cement—I'd be done for!"

"Exactly! Which means you're the real one!" Kurotsuchi declared triumphantly.

"Alright, alright, you got me." Deidara raised his hands in surrender. "Looks like I'll have to come along with my real body this time."

Kurotsuchi's face lit up.

"That's more like it, Deidara! Let's go!"

The two hurried out again, leaving behind the clay clone, which emerged from another room, grinning smugly.

Hah! Outsmarted her again.

...

At the training grounds in Amegakure,

Kurotsuchi picked a spot by a lake. The water would help minimize the damage caused by any stray ninjutsu.

"Deidara, I'm starting now!" Kurotsuchi crouched slightly, holding a kunai in a ready stance. "But you're not allowed to use your clay art!"

"What?! That's totally unfair!" Deidara protested. "Without my clay, I only know basic taijutsu!"

"Ninjas need to be well-rounded. Use this as a chance to practice!" Kurotsuchi's tone was firm, leaving no room for argument. Deidara remembered the wisdom of avoiding pointless debates with women—something he'd learned the hard way from Mei Terumī.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled. "Let's get this over with."

"I'm coming, Deidara!" Kurotsuchi charged at him, her long, pale legs blurring as she closed the distance. She swung her fist at his chest.

"Earth Release: Fist Rock Jutsu!"

Deidara didn't dare take the enhanced punch head-on and quickly leapt back. Kurotsuchi pursued him relentlessly, throwing punch after punch. Unable to keep dodging, Deidara drew a kunai to block her attacks.

Finally, Kurotsuchi unleashed a spinning kick. Deidara instinctively raised his kunai, but their eyes met, and he hesitated.

This isn't worth it.

He withdrew the kunai and used his arm to block instead. Kurotsuchi followed up with a punch that sent him sprawling.

"Deidara, were you actually about to stab me with that kunai just now?" she asked, narrowing her eyes dangerously.

"This is sparring, isn't it? Using a kunai is normal," he countered.

"No way! You can't point a weapon at me, no matter what!" Kurotsuchi's tone was stubborn, almost bossy.

"Fine, how about I just stand here and let you hit me? I can turn to clay anyway, so physical attacks won't hurt."

Seeing that Deidara was starting to get irritated, Kurotsuchi softened her tone.

"Deidara~ Don't be mad, okay? It's just… that was really dangerous! Your kunai almost grazed my leg."

She adopted a playful, singsong tone, but the awkward sweetness made Deidara shudder.

Why is she trying to sound cute? It doesn't suit her at all.

"Deidara, try the lunch I made!" Kurotsuchi suddenly pulled out a bento box.

Deidara's eyes twitched.

Wait, lunch already? Isn't this a bit too soon? Now she's just exposing her real agenda…

Inside the box were rice balls and sushi—simple but earnest. Despite being a pampered girl, Kurotsuchi had gone out of her way to make this.

Deidara took a piece and ate it.

"It's good," he said quickly.

But I'm just a clay clone! I don't even have taste buds!

Kurotsuchi beamed, oblivious to his inner turmoil. Meanwhile, the real Deidara smirked in triumph from a hidden spot nearby.

This is why I'm the best.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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