The Meteorite, still burning with intense heat, was far from matching Uchiha Madara's "Heavenly Obstacle Destroys Stars" in sheer scale. Upon impact, its size was only slightly larger than a Tailed Beast Ball. The resulting mushroom cloud, while impressive, didn't have the same destructive reach as two of Madara's celestial projectiles.
However, the shockwave unleashed by the Meteorite's explosion was far more potent than expected. Its power rivaled that of a Tailed Beast Ball, causing destruction that far surpassed its size.
When the cloud of smoke finally dissipated, the mountain that Sasori of the Red Sand and Deidara had hidden in was no longer recognizable. Although the mountain was significantly larger than the surrounding hills, only a small portion was destroyed, leaving behind a massive Meteorite crater in its wake. The landscape was now littered with scorching fragments, molten remnants of the meteor, and a sea of debris.
"Art, this is real art!" Deidara exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. Despite the chaos, he emerged unscathed from the layers of protection the mountain and iron ball had provided. With a burst of excitement, he created a clay bird, soaring into the sky to survey the aftermath below. His expression was one of fanatic reverence, eager to rival Izanami in a battle of explosions.
"Idiot, get down here!" Sasori of the Red Sand's scolding voice rang out beneath him.
Impressed by the devastation, Deidara replied, "Impressive! You actually survived unscathed!" As he spoke, an unfamiliar voice drifted into the air.
"Izanami's figure appeared above Deidara before either of them noticed. "Impressive indeed," he said coolly, his voice carrying over the destruction.
Startled, Deidara snapped his head upward, his eyes widening. "Hey, do you also believe that momentary beauty is true art?"
"Are you talking about explosions?" Izanami responded, his tone serious. Unlike others who might scorn explosions, he nodded with a quiet conviction. "Explosions are indeed beautiful—powerful beauty. The greater the explosion, the more beautiful it becomes. The Tailed Beasts and their Jinchuriki are terrifying because of the destructive force they wield, like the Tailed Beast Ball."
"Exactly!" Deidara shouted, clearly thrilled by the validation. "Explosions are art! Sasori, did you hear that? My art's been recognized!"
Sasori of the Red Sand scowled, his patience thinning. "Idiot, that guy's the enemy," he muttered. But even in his frustration, he couldn't resist adding, "Eternal beauty is the true art."
"No, it's momentary beauty!" Deidara shot back, undeterred.
The two bickered in midair, oblivious to the danger around them. Izanami, however, simply folded his arms and watched the exchange with mild amusement.
Finally, Deidara huffed, clearly growing impatient. "I'm done talking to you," he grumbled, before turning to Izanami with a gleam in his eye. "You get it. You really get it. How about joining our organization?"
Izanami raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at his lips. "Oh? What organization would that be?"
"We are—" Deidara began, but was quickly cut off by Sasori's sharp voice.
"Shut up! Deidara, do you want to die?" Sasori warned, his tone deadly serious.
Deidara froze, remembering the precarious situation they were in. Still, he shot a glance at Izanami and said, "If you join us, I'll tell you."
Izanami's smile remained, though his eyes glinted with something more calculating. "Joining your organization sounds interesting. But let's talk about something else. How about your Puppet Technique, and the method for creating Human Puppets? Consider it a return gift for the meeting gift you gave me earlier."
Sasori's eyes narrowed. His face hardened, but a secret thrill flickered within him. It seemed that this stranger had a deep understanding of art—at least, his art. Still, it was odd how someone who admired explosions could also value Sasori's eternal creations.
"Is this the real reason you came?" Sasori muttered, his voice betraying a hint of amusement, though his expression remained stoic. "Fine, you want my Puppet Technique? You can have it."
Izanami's head tilted slightly, a question mark mentally appearing under his mask. So easy? His thoughts raced as he glanced at Sasori, who appeared to be genuinely serious.
But then, it dawned on him. Ah, of course. Sasori's main body is already a Human Puppet.
Izanami's smile deepened, and he nodded. "Thank you."
Deidara, still soaring nearby, couldn't help but interject with a gleeful chuckle. "Hey, why settle for Puppets when you could learn Explosion Release from me?" he suggested with unrestrained enthusiasm.
Just as Deidara finished speaking, Sasori's voice rang out sharply: "Okay, I'll give it to you."
Izanami blinked beneath his mask. The ease of Sasori's consent caught him off guard. This wasn't the reaction he had expected.
A moment later, a thought flashed through his mind. Wait. Sasori's body… it's already a Puppet. That's why he didn't hesitate.
"Then, I'll gratefully accept," Izanami said, genuinely pleased at how smoothly everything had fallen into place.
Originally, Izanami had planned to eliminate Sasori and seize his Puppet techniques, maybe even incorporate him into his own army of Puppets. But after seeing Sasori's unique entries and realizing his situation, he had decided to alter his course.
As Izanami reflected on his plan, he noted the information that had appeared:
[Puppet Master (Purple)][Shadow-Level Talent (Purple)][Chakra Control (Purple)]
It seemed that Sasori's legacy had already caught his interest, but Izanami was no longer in a hurry to deal with him just yet. There was time for more games.
In a world where surpassing the Shadow level seems impossible without being connected to the Ōtsutsuki Clan, even gaining power beyond the Shadow level comes at the cost of life. The purple entries, the highest-level entries attainable, are reserved for the rarest of geniuses—those who can rise to the Shadow level.
But even among these select few, individuals like Sasori of the Red Sand—who holds three purple entries—are extremely rare. Deidara, standing beside him, possesses only two purple entries: Bloodline Limit · Explosion Release and Shadow-Level Talent. These entries place him at a high level, but still not on par with Sasori's mastery.
Yet, no one is born a Puppet Master. At best, one might start as a genius (Blue), as Izanami once was. Sasori, however, transcended his initial status as a Puppet Genius (Blue) through a drastic transformation. By turning himself into a Human Puppet, he reversed his fate, evolving into a Puppet Master (Purple).
Such a talent would be a pity to kill. In a way, he could be compared to Uchiha Sasuke, endlessly siphoning power and resources. When Izanami's Reincarnation Eye reaches its final evolution, if he wants to push forward, he must upgrade his Ōtsutsuki Bloodline, which will require a massive amount of points. A single purple entry could be broken down into a four-digit score, a valuable resource.
Since they survived the meeting gift unscathed, Izanami didn't mind letting Sasori and Deidara go for now. Though Deidara's C4 · Garuda and C0 · Self-Destruction could pose a threat, neither of them had reached the Super-Shadow level. If they weren't at that level, their battle was one of intelligence rather than brute strength.
As a transmigrator, Izanami had the advantage of knowing much more about them than they knew about him. This disparity in knowledge was likely why Sasori had agreed so easily. If a random passerby had asked Sasori to hand over his Puppet Technique and the method for creating Human Puppets, the response would likely have been different. If Sasori were in a good mood, maybe he'd humor the request and invite the person into his Puppet army. If not, the result could be a poisoned needle, a swift death, and an exposed corpse in the wilderness.
Sasori of the Red Sand then retrieved three scrolls, wrapping them with his iron tail before tossing them toward Deidara. The reason he didn't throw them at Izanami was simple—he was too far above them.
But before Deidara could descend to catch the scrolls, Izanami raised his palm. Without a sound, an invisible force pulled the scrolls from their trajectory and gently floated them into the air.
"This is... All Creation of Attraction?!" Deidara exclaimed, his voice a mix of awe and confusion. Sasori's expression shifted too, surprised by the display of power.
Deidara, still dumbfounded, stammered, "Leader?"
What an idiot, Sasori thought, his frustration mounting. Of course he'd say that.
Izanami smiled, his tone curious, "All Creation of Attraction? Interesting name. Does your Leader also have a similar ability?"
Deidara's face drained of color, and he quickly covered his mouth, realizing his slip-up. The scrolls remained suspended in the air, several meters away from Izanami. With a small gesture, the scroll opened by itself, and Izanami, with the clairvoyance of his Reincarnation Eye, peered inside, scanning the contents with calm precision.
After only a moment's glance, he nodded in satisfaction and drew the scroll toward him. He looked down at Deidara and Sasori, giving them a light wave.
"Thank you for the gift," he said, "Goodbye, my friends."
With that, Izanami took to the air, swiftly flying away.
Sasori, initially prepared to turn his back and face a deadly fight, exhaled a quiet breath of relief. He had seen the way Izanami handled the Meteorite earlier—he was the type that could easily restrain him. Without Deidara's presence, Sasori would have likely fled the scene while the smoke still lingered.
Recalling how Izanami had easily deflected the poisonous needle earlier, Sasori felt an even greater sense of despair, realizing that he couldn't win in a confrontation. Fortunately, Izanami showed no intent to kill. Still, the feeling of being robbed—of almost being killed—left a bitter taste in Sasori's mouth.