《Naruto: Deidara's Struggle》Chapter 13: Nagato's Annoyance

Hiss!

Purple poisonous gas spewed continuously from Hiruko's mouth, forcing Kakashi and Yūgao Uzuki to retreat.

Boom!

The sound of exploding tags echoed through the air, shrouding the area in dust and debris. Using the cover of the explosion, Sasori quickly controlled Hiruko to retreat. Seeing this from above, Deidara had no choice but to follow Sasori's lead and withdraw as well.

"Captain, they've escaped," one of the ANBU members reported.

"Shall we pursue them?" asked Raiken, stepping out from the forest. He and Tenzō had been searching for the puppet master's real body but had come up empty-handed.

"No, let's head back to Konoha," Kakashi replied.

Earlier, when Kakashi saw Karin's red hair, it had triggered memories of his teacher's wife—the woman known as the "Red-Hot-Blooded Habanero." Having lost his mother at a young age and his father to suicide shortly after, Kakashi had finally found a mentor and formed bonds with two teammates, only to lose them one by one.

In terms of tragedy, Kakashi's life in the world of Naruto was among the most heart-wrenching. Compared to Kakashi, even Nagato and Obito fell short in the "tragic backstory" department—especially Obito, whose pain of losing a loved one was a common occurrence in the war-torn shinobi world. One could easily find hundreds, if not thousands, of similar cases.

Such sorrow was a reflection of the era—a tragedy worthy of sympathy but not an excuse for wrongdoing. When Kakashi saw Karin, a rare warmth filled his heart, bringing back cherished memories. Perhaps that was why he had impulsively ordered the attack.

But after the intense battle, Kakashi's rationality returned.

"What a pity. They escaped too quickly, and we couldn't rescue the little girl," Sanrin remarked.

"Well, considering they were up against Captain Kakashi, retreating was their best option," Raiken replied, showing his unwavering trust in Kakashi's strength.

"No, that puppet master is incredibly strong. I suspect there's another reason for their retreat," Kakashi said. Though their exchange had been brief, as a seasoned shinobi, he could sense the overwhelming pressure Sasori exuded. In a one-on-one fight, Kakashi doubted he could emerge victorious.

The blonde one wasn't to be underestimated either. While the others might not have seen clearly from a distance, Kakashi's Sharingan had caught glimpses of the large-scale destructive ninjutsu Deidara used. Dealing with someone like that would be exceptionally troublesome.

But who were these two? Judging by their attire, they seemed to belong to some kind of organization. The sudden emergence of such a mysterious group in the ninja world was unsettling. Kakashi made a mental note to report this to the Third Hokage upon returning to the village.

Meanwhile, after confirming that Kakashi and his ANBU team were no longer pursuing them, Deidara and Sasori slowed their pace.

"Brother Sasori, I can't believe you retreated so quickly. That's so unlike you!" Deidara teased.

"Deidara! Is this how you treat your savior?" Hiruko's head tilted upward, its menacing gaze causing Karin to shiver in fear.

"Well, we're teammates, aren't we? If you're ever in trouble, Brother Sasori, I'll save you too," Deidara replied with a smirk.

Teammates? Sasori fell silent for a moment, choosing not to dwell on the topic.

"The leader instructed us to keep a low profile for now. Did you forget? That Kakashi Hatake is a prominent figure in Konoha. If we killed him, our organization would be exposed. Do you think the leader would let you off the hook?" Sasori explained, shifting the topic to their retreat's reasoning.

"Huh? Did he really say that?" Deidara looked puzzled, racking his brain to recall. He was certain he hadn't heard anything of the sort. Could it be that his memory had been erased?

"Idiot! Were you even paying attention during the Seven-Tails' sealing ritual?"

"The leader sure has a knack for bad timing. Who can focus on important matters during something like that? Isn't it normal to zone out?" Deidara pouted.

Speaking of which, the Akatsuki sure had a lot of secret bases. Deidara had thought they'd have to return to the Land of Waterfalls, but it turned out there was another base in the Land of Grass—another cave, of course.

When Nagato received the signal from Deidara's ring, he felt a wave of irritation. Most Akatsuki members spent their days slacking off, avoiding contact unless Nagato reached out to them first. But Deidara? This brat seemed to call him every other day. The Seven-Tails Jinchūriki had only been sealed two days ago, and now the kid was calling again?

"Does this brat think I'm his personal babysitter?!" Nagato thought, exasperated.

"What is it?" Pain's holographic projection appeared in the cave, his Rinnegan eyes as striking as ever.

"Well, I picked up a little girl during our mission. She's a pure-blooded Uzumaki with an extremely rare ability—she can heal injuries just by being bitten. I figured someone this talented should be brought back to the organization," Deidara explained, pulling Karin out from behind him and poking her cheek.

Nagato: "…"

Did this kid seriously think he was a babysitter? Picking up a random child and dumping her on him? Nagato was tempted to hit Deidara with an Almighty Push right then and there.

But remembering that Deidara was just a 12-year-old kid, prone to childish behavior, Nagato decided to let it slide. Besides, Deidara had played a significant role in capturing the Seven-Tails recently, so it wouldn't be fair to reprimand him too harshly.

"Deidara, you…"

"Very well. We'll take her in," a cold, composed voice interrupted. Another holographic projection appeared beside Pain—Konan, her hair styled in a bun with a paper flower.

Nagato fell silent. Since Konan had spoken, he couldn't object.

"However, it will take me a few days to get there, so you'll have to look after her in the meantime," Konan added.

"Ugh, babysitting a kid for a few days? What a hassle," Deidara grumbled, memories of a certain little girl from Iwagakure—Kurotsuchi, if he recalled correctly—surfacing in his mind. She used to cling to him all the time, leaving him with no time to study art. Kids were the worst, especially little girls.

"Though... Kurotsuchi turned out fine once she grew up," Deidara thought, a mischievous grin spreading across his face as his "transmigrator's will" began to overshadow his original memories.

"Hurry up. I hate waiting," Sasori said impatiently. This was his principle—he wouldn't compromise, not even for the leader.

In the Land of Rain, a country known for its endless tears, the rain fell as always. Atop the central tower, Nagato stood on the spire, gazing coldly at the village below.

"Konan, why did you agree to take in that little girl?" Nagato asked.

"She's from your clan, Nagato. Seeing her is like seeing the younger version of you," Konan replied simply, her words carrying a deeper meaning.

Standing amidst the wind and rain, Nagato remained silent for a long time.