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The Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, was reading a scroll that had been sent to him via Mabui's Heavenly Transfer Technique. When he saw the contents—especially the part about Deidara being resurrected—he let out a long, heavy sigh.
Kurotsuchi noticed the rare change in his expression and walked over. "Old man, what's wrong? What's in the scroll? You suddenly look so down!"
Ōnoki handed it over to her. "See for yourself."
She took it and scanned through it quickly. Her eyes widened. "The Akatsuki actually attacked Kumogakure... and even offered the Raikage terms for cooperation? What?! My brother was resurrected?! That's impossible!"
Akatsuchi, who had overheard, looked stunned. "Deidara... is back?"
Kurotsuchi nodded. "Yeah, and apparently, he even blew up parts of Kumogakure again!"
Ōnoki floated into the air, placing his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed. "Deidara must have been brought back using a forbidden technique. According to the intelligence from Kumogakure, the only known method of reviving someone after being completely obliterated is that particular technique..."
Kurotsuchi's face tightened. "Old man, you know what technique it is?"
Memories surged through Ōnoki's mind—memories of the battlefield, of a certain man from Konoha who had once tricked him more than once.
Senju Tobirama.
The Second Hokage.
"That jutsu... it's likely the Impure World Reincarnation," Ōnoki muttered grimly. "It was developed by Konoha's Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. He created it specifically to pair with explosive tags—revive the dead and send them into battle as bombs. I've been fooled by that jutsu more than once on the battlefield…"
He paused and looked down, a flicker of nostalgia and sadness in his expression.
"Later, the First Hokage—Senju Hashirama—banned it. Too cruel, even for a time of war."
He couldn't help but feel a trace of admiration as he spoke the First Hokage's name. Hashirama had been a great man with an idealistic vision of peace. As a boy, Ōnoki had quietly admired many of Hashirama's political ideals. But it had all died with him—killed in the climactic battle against Uchiha Madara.
Thinking back now, Hashirama had not been wrong. Madara had returned, and once again, he'd declared war on the entire shinobi world, trying to force everyone into submission.
Nothing had changed. Madara was still the same. There was never room for peace with him—only obedience to Konoha's will.
Akatsuchi stepped forward, his voice steady. "Then, Lord Tsuchikage… what do we do now?"
Ōnoki clenched his fists. "Akatsuki's assault on Kumogakure proves they fear the formation of our Allied Shinobi Forces. They want to sow discord between the Five Great Nations. That's always been their strength—dividing us while they pick us off."
He floated higher, his back straight. "But I'm no longer the man I once was. That brat from Sunagakure asked me when I gave up on my ideals. I'll prove to the new generation what it means to carry the Will of Stone!"
Kurotsuchi's eyes lit up with pride. "Wow, old man, didn't think you still had speeches like that left in you!"
Ōnoki snorted. "That fool Raikage isn't the only one with resolve. If I backed down now, would I still deserve to be called Tsuchikage?"
He turned to Akatsuchi. "The Daimyō has signed the authorization. Mobilize the troops—we'll assemble at the designated point immediately!"
Akatsuchi nodded sharply. "Yes, Lord Tsuchikage!"
Before he could take a step, a loud explosion echoed outside, shaking the ground.
Ōnoki's eyes narrowed. "What was that? Are we under attack?!"
Kurotsuchi looked to the sky and gasped. "That white clay bird... is that—my brother?!"
Akatsuchi's face darkened. "He's bombing our own village?!"
High above, riding his iconic clay bird, Deidara was crying and smiling all at once, tossing down handmade explosives.
"Ah... these are the fireworks of my hometown! Never thought I'd return after death and get to set them off again. Everyone, bask in my art!"
As he chuckled to himself, a white blur shot through the air—two powerful legs slammed into him.
"YOU BASTARD! Cut that out!"
Deidara barely caught the clay he was about to drop and blocked the kick. "Hey! That's no way to say hello to your brother! Kurotsuchi!"
"You lunatic!" she yelled. "You're bombing your own village! There are innocent people down there!"
Deidara shrugged. "I was already dead, sis. Being brought back like this... felt like a sign. I should finish what I started, y'know?"
Kurotsuchi's eye twitched. As a child, Deidara had always said he'd one day blow up the village just to prove his 'art'. Everyone thought it was a joke—until now.
"You idiot!"
She pivoted and kicked him again, hard.
Deidara's hand-to-hand skills were no match for hers. She grappled him midair, locking his head between her thighs. The clay in his hands dropped, harmless.
"Stop! If you squeeze any harder, my head's gonna explode!"
"You can't die now anyway, so what are you afraid of?"
Not far away, Obito—disguised as Madara—watched with a frown. "Deidara seems to be having trouble. Itachi, assist him."
Itachi nodded, vanishing into thin air.
Deidara suddenly froze. "Hey! I've got backup coming, sis! You better let me go or you'll be in serious trouble!"
Kurotsuchi scoffed. "Worry about yourself first."
She formed a seal. "Lava Release: Quicklime Congealing Technique!"
A stream of molten rock burst from her mouth, encasing Deidara in a stone prison. As she prepared to follow up, a pair of scarlet eyes appeared in front of her.
"Damn it!"
She didn't react in time—Itachi's Genjutsu caught her completely.
"Don't hurt my junior, Itachi!" Deidara shouted.
But Itachi, under Obito's influence, moved like a machine. He drew a kunai, ready to strike.
Deidara tried to stop him, but suddenly his own body began to move on its own.
"What the—?! My body's out of control!"
Itachi whispered, "Forgive me."
Just as the kunai was about to fall—
"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"
A blinding white beam shot from the ground. Itachi twisted to evade, but one of his arms was instantly obliterated.
From below, Akatsuchi had summoned a giant stone golem. It leapt into the air, caught the unconscious Kurotsuchi, and safely landed on the ground.
Deidara watched with a sigh.
Itachi, now one-armed, jumped onto the clay bird. Deidara shattered his stone prison with a punch and flew off to rejoin Obito.
Ōnoki floated higher into the air as Iwagakure's shinobi surrounded the area.
Suddenly, a vortex of space-time twisted open—and Obito Uchiha stepped out.
"Long time no see, little brat from Tian Tianping," he said mockingly.
Ōnoki's eyes sharpened. "Madara!"
Obito smirked beneath his mask. "Apologies. I had hoped for a peaceful negotiation. But Deidara had... other plans. My bad."
"You're not known for politeness," Ōnoki growled. "And... when did you get two Sharingan eyes?"
Obito chuckled. "People change. You've changed, too, old man."
Ōnoki stared at him, trying to read through the deception. "Ever since you made your proposal to the Five Great Nations, we've been sharing intel. According to Konoha, your second eye came from Kakashi Hatake, son of the White Fang."
Obito said nothing.
"So... the legendary Uchiha Madara is friends with Kakashi Hatake? Sounds fake to me."
The disguise shattered with that sentence. Obito laughed bitterly. "Hmph. So the truth's out... Guess there really are no secrets in this world."
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