IS AN EXPLOSION!!

Sasuke POV

I was glad that Ishizu took the other guy away because one Akatsuki was enough for me to fight seriously.

His ability to create bombs out of clay is nothing worth mentioning, but what makes it so dangerous is how he managed to make the best out of it.

No matter how small his bombs were, I could still see them and they were no match for me. Unfortunately, he stayed at long range and therefore had me at a disadvantage. I just had to come close and he would be dead, but it was not so easy.

I didn't know how much clay he had, but it looked like he was not going to end soon. Seeing me attack him, he made his bombs to gain distance and make what looked like a dragon.

From there on, it went from annoying to dangerous. His ability to fly high up made me unable to get him with my Raiton attacks.

"Not so easy now, Sharingan boy, huh? You won't be able to dodge all the time. You should have been dead by now if it weren't for your partner. Tobi and I are the perfect pair."

I ignored the crazy guy as I stalled for time.

My single Shadow Clone should have made enough nature energy for me to use for one attack. I saw as another one of the small projectiles came at me.

"Die!" screamed Deidara, hoping to end the life of a person who thought his art was nothing in their eyes.

Instead of dodging, I ran at it, but when it was almost near me, I dodged.

The force of the explosion still hit me, but I was near him.

I felt my Shadow Clone pop, and I felt the nature energy flowing through my body.

Running forward, I used the power-up I got from the nature energy to boost my body.

The Akatsuki was dumbfounded as he saw the earth cracking underneath me before realizing that I was almost near his dragon. He used his dragon to dodge and was lucky as my sword didn't cut his head, but only his arm.

"You bastard! I have had enough. I will finish this once and for all. I don't care if Tobi is here or not. He annoyed me enough so you both shall die by my art."

I saw how the Akatsuki vomited a sizeable amount of clay onto the ground that transformed into his own image.

"Take this! My ultimate weapon, C4!"

The massive clone exploded, and I saw a massive chakra cloud coming towards me.

The radius was enormous, but his jutsus were of Doton origin. When I saw his microscopical bombs invade my bloodstream, I shocked myself with my Raiton, therefore, deactivating them.

Just then, someone appeared behind.

"Guess I am a bit too late, but who am I to doubt you wouldn't find the weakness of his C4. My fight took some time, but I am glad Deidara used his C4. With this, his partner left, and I could help you," said Ishizu.

I turned around and for the first time; I saw those eyes.

Eyes that radiated respect. He looked like a God one had to bow to.

"I am alright," I told him because I didn't need to be held by somebody's hand.

"Do you need help or do you want to defeat him by yourself?" asked Ishizu calmly.

"I need information about Itachi. If he has some, then I need him alive."

Ishizu shook his head.

"Don't bother with him. He is way too proud to give his information away. He'd rather do suicide than give a Sharingan user the satisfaction of knowing things."

General POV

Sasuke told Ishizu to let him fight Deidara.

Both fought while Ishizu surveyed the surroundings in case Obito would emerge from somewhere.

"I've had enough of you. Give up and tell me where Itachi is," Sasuke spoke, making Ishizu look at them.

Deidara was out of chakra and laying on the floor while Sasuke was standing.

Deidara started laughing. Yep, he was going to use it. What better way to die for an artist like him?

"I'd rather die than tell an Uchiha anything. You will be the witness of my ultimate art, Sasuke Uchiha."

With that, he opened the sealed mouth and put a large mass of clay inside.

"No matter what you do, this last explosion will be your last," Deidara's chest mouth chewed on the clay, and black tendrils formed on his body.

The bomber was transforming his own body and chakra into one hug bomb. Ishizu had enough and appeared before Sasuke.

"I told you he won't give away any information."

"You both will die. My explosion will go off immediately when I die, so you either wait for the boom or die now. No matter where you go, my explosion will reach you. Say goodbye, Uchiha. My final art will kill anyone no matter if he is born with a Kekkei Genkai or not."

Ishizu smirked as he looked at Deidara with his Rinnegan.

"Maybe it would in another time, but as I am here, there we will never know."

Deidara's eyes widened as he saw Ishizu's eyes.

"Those eyes. You have the same eyes as leader-san."

Then he shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. Nobody survived my art."

"Because Art..."

Deidara's skin started going transparent as more and more chakra formed in the mouth.

Ishizu started making hand signs.

"IS AN EXPLOSION!"

Just as Deidara detonated, Ishizu slammed his hands on the ground, and smoke appeared.

Not even Obito knew what happened to Sasuke and his friend as a massive explosion erupted where they were.

"I hope you stay dead. Your presence made it hard for the Akatsuki. With you dead, project Tsuki no me will finally be achieved," said Obito as he kamuied away before the explosion reached him.

In the Akatsuki layer

"Deidara has done it. He always talked about his Art but doing something like that is just like him," commented Kisame in an amused tone.

"It is a pity that Deidara died, but we still are going to on."

"Aren't you sad that your brother died?" Kakuzu looked over at Itachi, who remained silent.

"Sasuke Uchiha was together with Yamamoto. It is unclear if they both survived or not," Zetsu informed the others.

"What happened to Tobi?" asked Hidan.

"Probably dead," answered Zetsu.

Even if it wasn't said, everyone was glad the loudmouth was gone.

With that, the Akatsuki canceled their Jutsu.

"So you think your brother is dead, Itachi?" asked Kisame as they were back in the cave.

Itachi was silent for a while as he looked into the sky.

"... No, he is alive. Isn't that right, Yamamoto?"

Kisame turned towards the trees where Itachi was looking.

"To answer your question. Yes, he is alive. I got him out of Deidara's massive suicide bomb, but I doubt he needed help. I just wanted to be safe. Unfortunately, I also doubt our mutual enemy saw our escape. 'Tobi' and I had a nice encounter, and he also escaped. I am not sure if he thinks I am dead or but let's hope he does."

"Tell Sasuke after he healed to come to the old Uchiha hideout. He will know what I mean. I will wait for him there."

Nodding, the shadow clone left to tell the original.

Amegakure

"Do you think he is dead?" asked Konan as she stood next to the Deva Path.

"It doesn't matter if he is alive or not. Zetsu found the Nanabi. Just as we thought she is in Konoha together with the Kyuubi," said Pain as he started with his Rinnegan in the direction of Konoha.

"So what shall we do?" asked Konan, but this question was not directed to Pain.

A man came out of the shadows.

"At first I had my doubt and hoped he died, but something like that won't kill him. I found Sasuke with his team but there was no trace of Yamamoto. Either way, we can hunt them as long as he isn't with the Nanabi and Kyuubi. You will get ready and go to Konoha and get both Jinchūriki. Kakuzu and Hidan will come with you. It is time that our enemies shall fear the name of Madara Uchiha again."

Time of the explosion

Sasuke looked around and saw that he was in a cave.

"Where are we?" asked the Uchiha.

"I transported us away from the explosion. Unfortunately, we have to leave. This place does not welcome strangers. There is something else," said Ishizu, gaining Sasuke's attention.

"What is it?"

"One of my Shadow Clones found your brother, but from this moment, I cannot travel with you. I have to leave for a while. My encounter with the masked man will bring attention to us if he sees you with me again after the explosion. Akatsuki should think I am dead. I will watch over you, but you have to find your brother on your own from this point on. He said something about an abandoned Uchiha compound. He will wait there for you."

Sasuke nodded, knowing where he had to go.

Ishizu grabbed his bag pack and took a seal out.

"If you find him, place this seal before entering and I will make sure nobody interrupts your conversation."

Ishizu handed Sasuke the seal and said goodbye.

With another 'poof' Sasuke was teleported to Suigetsu.

"So? Are you ready to do it?" spoke a voice in the shadow.

Ishizu stood up. A fire burned in his eyes.

"Yes. For my love, I will do everything."

Then he looked at the silhouette.

"I will prepare the things for you. I hope everything is going like I want to and the encounter with 'him' won't be as hard."