Chapter 44

As Deidara agonized over what kind of gift to give that would outshine the one from the Akatsuki's Sasori, he suddenly recalled the map he had secretly drawn just before leaving, which he had tucked into his backpack.

If he gave this self-made map to the recipient, it would surely surpass Sasori's offering of a scroll containing a hundred puppets by a wide margin, wouldn't it?

Heh, who would have thought that this hastily drawn map, a spur-of-the-moment idea, would turn out to have such value?

Thus, Deidara, the second fool in the organization, decisively chose to preserve his own life over any other option.

"Big shot, compared to Sasori's useless puppets, I have something that will definitely satisfy you." As he spoke, Deidara raised an eyebrow toward Xing Liu in a knowing gesture.

"Oh? Could it be... that kind of thing?"

Originally, Xing Liu wasn't planning on accepting Sasori's scroll of puppets, but now that Deidara was offering something good, why bother with those useless puppets?

Were they uncomfortable to hold, or perhaps not as obedient and cute as his own "Xiao-chan"?

No, these worn-out puppets should remain with Sasori, the lonely man...

Of course, what Xing Liu was trying to express wasn't that she intended to use these puppets for evil purposes, but to mock Sasori for crafting so many puppets as companions due to his loneliness.

But, from what Xing Liu knew about Sasori's backstory from her original world, it was clear that he was simply a child who lacked love; otherwise, he wouldn't have purposely left weaknesses exposed in his later battle against Chiyo and Sakura, eventually leading to his defeat.

"Heh, it's definitely something that will satisfy you."

As Deidara spoke, he handed over the scroll with the Akatsuki organization's map to Xing Liu. The scroll Sasori had just tried to offer, sealed with puppets, was snatched out of his hands and thrown to the ground.

"This pile of junk can stay with you. Don't bother giving it to the boss just yet. Keep it for yourself and use it slowly." Deidara first mocked Sasori, then turned back to Xing Liu, replacing his tone with one full of sycophantic charm.

"Lady, this is a map of the current distribution of our organization's base. It not only shows the strength distribution within the base, but I've also marked all the mechanisms you'll need to enter."

"I've made sure to mark everything clearly for you."

"???"

So this "good thing" he spoke of was just this trash?

Xing Liu stared blankly at the rough, poorly drawn map of the Akatsuki organization.

At first, she thought he was giving her something like a forbidden book similar to Paradise of Affection, but to her surprise, it was just this piece of junk...

"Ahem... I say, Deidara, you can keep this distribution map of your organization for yourself."

What a joke! Even Watergate's office is filled with warehouses full of these Akatsuki distribution maps.

If Xing Liu didn't have the two undercover brothers she'd invested in, then they would be completely useless!

If this rough map was what Deidara called a "good thing," then Sasori's scroll of sealed puppets was much more practical!

However...

Xing Liu glanced at Sasori, now visibly angrier than before. If he had initially just wanted to beat Deidara up, now he seemed ready to tear him apart completely.

These puppets might be just useless junk to others, but to him—this child starved for love—they were the companions he had lived with for many years...

What would you do if someone treated your loved ones as worthless?

Not turning them into ash would already be considered a mercy.

Seeing that the fire between the two of them was nearly at its boiling point, Xing Liu decided it was time to add the final spark.

With the acting skills of a master, Xing Liu once again showcased her unparalleled talent, determined to fan the flames of fury already burning in the hearts of these two.

"Sigh, although I now understand that everything you've given me is just some so-called 'treasure' you thought highly of, it still doesn't come close to compensating for the consequences of defying our boss's orders..." Xing Liu shook her head, sighing regretfully.

While speaking, Xing Liu kept an eye on Deidara and Sasori's expressions. Sure enough, upon hearing that these items were far from enough to compensate for the cost, both of them let their heads droop in disappointment.

"However..." Now that the atmosphere was just right, it was time to bring up the main issue.

"If one of you could come back with me to report, then our boss might not punish me after all~"

Xing Liu's expression now resembled someone reluctantly making a difficult decision. Her previously elegant face was slightly furrowed in distress, and she bit her lip tightly, as though struggling with this choice.

Seeing this expression, Deidara and Sasori couldn't possibly suspect that Xing Liu, who seemed to be considering their best interests, was actually staging a scene to provoke them into fighting.

After a round of feigned refusals, the two began their fight—a battle between "eternal" art and "ephemeral" art.

"Hi-ryu-ho! Needle Eight Waves!"

"C1! Clay Spider!"

"…"

As both sides engaged in a series of attacks and defenses, Gaara arrived late, bringing Temari and Kankuro with him.

"What's going on here?"

"Why did these two Akatsuki members suddenly start fighting amongst themselves?"

Temari, who had just finished her duties, was stunned to see the once-unified Akatsuki members now brawling while Xing Liu, who was supposed to be neutralizing them, casually sat on a chair, eating sunflower seeds and watching the battle unfold.

This almost caused her not-so-bright brain to short-circuit.

"If I'm not mistaken, they must have fallen under Xing Liu-sensei's genjutsu [illusion]," Gaara, though never having witnessed Xing Liu's abilities firsthand, had done extensive research into her strength since becoming Kazekage.

"She's not a member of the Uchiha clan but has the Sharingan bloodline limit," was one of the things Gaara had uncovered during his investigation.

"Not only does she far surpass them in power, but with the Sharingan, it's likely that Xing Liu-sensei just put them into a genjutsu and got them to fight each other..."

"For her, making them fight each other in a genjutsu is probably a simple task.

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