Deidara

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Isobu observed the scene in Shukaku's memory and saw the One-Tailed Beast in poor shape.

Since Shukaku had been sealed inside Senju Takuya, he was fully aware of Takuya's immense strength.

In Shukaku's memory, Isobu felt the true extent of Senju Takuya's power—a power even more formidable than that of the Sage of Six Paths in ancient times. The sheer might was terrifying.

"Alright," Isobu sighed. "I agree to your request."

Understanding Senju Takuya's strength, Isobu had no reason to doubt Shukaku, Matatabi, or Kurama's words. A ninja with such overwhelming power could easily forcefully seal him if he desired, without the need for deception.

Another point that convinced Isobu was Senju Takuya's gentle demeanor, which stood in stark contrast to other ninjas. Throughout his life, Isobu had encountered countless powerful shinobi, most of whom were arrogant and viewed the tailed beasts as mere tools. The most notable examples were Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara—Madara treated the tailed beasts as beasts of burden, while Hashirama used them as bargaining chips. But Senju Takuya was different.

"Boss, Isobu has agreed. You can begin the sealing now," Shukaku said, looking at Senju Takuya as if seeking praise. Then, he turned back to Isobu. "You're lucky. Back when we first met, we all got quite the beating from the boss."

Isobu was speechless. "Great, do you want me to get beaten too?"

"If you have any questions, we can communicate while you're inside me," Senju Takuya said, seeing Isobu agree. He immediately performed the sealing technique, sealing Isobu into his body. Now, he possessed four tailed beasts: the One-Tail Shukaku, Two-Tails Matatabi, Three-Tails Isobu, and Nine-Tails Kurama. At this rate, he would soon be able to revive the Ten-Tails and become its Jinchūriki!

After sealing Isobu, Senju Takuya activated Kamui and vanished from the scene.

In Kirigakure, inside the Mizukage's office, Mei Terumi was engrossed in a document when a familiar presence appeared before her.

"You're so focused; what's on your mind?" Senju Takuya's voice pulled her back to reality. Seeing him, Mei's face lit up with a smile.

"Husband, you're back! How did it go?"

"I took care of it myself. How could anything go wrong?" Senju Takuya replied, wrapping his arms around Mei.

"By the way, you specifically asked me to return after sealing Isobu. What's the matter?" he asked curiously.

"Husband, I'm pregnant," Mei whispered.

"Huh? You're pregnant?" Senju Takuya was taken aback. "Then last time, you were really..."

Mei blushed with embarrassment. "I missed you so much; I couldn't hold back," she admitted, hugging him tightly.

"Snort! This concerns the future of our Senju clan. Next time you do that, I'll make sure you can't sit for a week," he teased, playfully pinching her.

"Ouch! Husband, I promise I won't do it again," Mei pleaded.

"There's one more thing," she added.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Husband, I don't want to be Mizukage anymore. I want to return to Konoha with you."

"Not Mizukage anymore? Wasn't it your dream to become Mizukage and lead Kirigakure to prosperity?" Takuya asked, puzzled.

"I was young and naive back then. Besides, Kirigakure is thriving now. Please agree, husband," Mei said charmingly.

"Alright. But you'll need to wait until the next Mizukage is confirmed before you can return with me," Takuya agreed. He had no intention of taking on such responsibilities until their children were older.

"Husband, I've already chosen the candidate. I just need your approval," Mei said excitedly.

"Who is it?" Takuya asked.

"Chōjūrō," Mei replied softly. "Here's his profile." Takuya reviewed the documents and nodded in approval.

"If you've chosen him, then let's make it official," he said.

"Husband, you're the best!" Mei exclaimed, kissing him passionately.

Three days later, Senju Takuya and Mei Terumi announced Chōjūrō as the Sixth Mizukage of Kirigakure. Although young, no one dared to question Takuya's decision. However, Chōjūrō seemed less enthusiastic about his new role, looking somewhat dejected.

Takuya understood Chōjūrō's feelings and, as if asserting his dominance, publicly held Mei in his arms. Glancing at Chōjūrō, he thought, *Kid, a woman like her will always be beyond your reach. She belongs to me.*

And with that, the room once again brimmed with passion and excitement.

---

After the incident in Kirigakure, Senju Takuya returned to Konoha Village with Mei Terumi.

Upon arriving in Konoha, Mei settled into her quarters, joining the company of the Wood Golem and others. Every day, she enjoyed the services of attendants, feasted on delicacies from across the lands, and browsed through various high-end shops. The prosperity of Konoha, the heart of the ninja world, was unmatched by any other place.

With everything at her disposal, Mei found joy in the pleasures of life. The best part was no longer having to face a mountain of official duties every morning. She couldn't help but sigh in contentment, "This is how people should live."

Reflecting on her past, Mei realized that her desire to become Mizukage had been driven by youthful ambition. Now, with Kirigakure thriving, she felt at peace with her decision to step down.

After ensuring Mei was settled, Senju Takuya didn't linger long in Konoha. He headed straight for Iwagakure, the village home to the Four-Tails, Son Goku, and the Five-Tails, Kokuō. This time, he was determined to claim both tailed beasts for himself.

As he neared Iwagakure, a large white bird soared through the sky, followed by dozens of smaller clay creatures dropping from the clouds. Atop the bird, a yellow-haired ninja with a ponytail grinned excitedly.

"This time, I'll make sure everyone in the village recognizes my art. Explode!"

With a shout from the ninja, the clay creatures detonated, creating massive craters in the landscape below.

"Deidara! You're causing destruction again!" an Iwagakure ninja shouted in anger. If Deidara hadn't been the former Third Tsuchikage Onoki's apprentice, they would have restrained him long ago.

"Hmph! A bunch of artless fools. I should blow you all away!" Deidara muttered irritably, ignoring the commotion below and continuing his bombardment of the village. He wanted to level the entire place to make everyone see his explosive art. After all, there was nothing they could do to stop him.

After his barrage, Deidara flew out of the village, satisfied. "After today's display, surely many people will recognize my art. When I get the chance, I must visit Konoha. They say it's the center of the ninja world. The people there must be more discerning, right? They'll definitely appreciate my art!"

Deidara mused as he flew through the air. Suddenly, he noticed a man in plain clothes walking toward the village on a nearby road. Curiosity piqued, Deidara guided his bird to hover above the man and dropped an explosive spider in front of him.

"Explode!" With a loud bang, the explosion created a crater in the ground ahead of the man. Deidara maneuvered the bird to land in front of him. "Hey, who are you? What are you doing here?" Deidara asked.

"You... You're Deidara, aren't you?" Senju Takuya raised an eyebrow. "I didn't expect to meet you here. Fate sure has a sense of humor."

"You know who I am?" Deidara scratched the back of his head in confusion. "What's going on? How does this guy know me?"

"The ninjutsu you just used is pretty unique. I'd say you're the only one in the ninja world who can use explosive clay like that," Senju Takuya remarked casually.

"Oh, is that so?" Deidara's face lit up with pride. It seemed his self-promotion was paying off—this guy recognized him right away.

"Um... Which village are you from?" Deidara asked, his tone noticeably friendlier.

"Konoha," Senju Takuya replied as he continued walking forward.

Konoha! Deidara's heart leaped. The people of Konoha must be extraordinary and have a real appreciation for art!

"Heh... So my reputation has spread to Konoha. The explosion you just witnessed—that's my art. These... are my masterpieces," Deidara boasted, showing off an array of clay spiders, birds, centipedes, and other creatures in his hands.

"You're overthinking it. I just happened to know who you are," Senju Takuya said calmly.

Deidara's enthusiasm deflated a bit. "Oh... I see. Well, did you at least appreciate the art I just showed you?" he asked hopefully.

"Art?" Senju Takuya chuckled. "Sure."

"Maybe you didn't get a good look. Let me show you again." Deidara threw his clay creations forward.

"Explode!" Boom! Boom! Boom! A series of explosions erupted in front of them. "How about that? Impressive, right?" Deidara asked proudly.

"Well... 'Art is an explosion,' as you say, is a good mantra," Senju Takuya mused, touching his chin.

Hearing those words, Deidara's eyes lit up. Had he finally found someone who truly understood his art? But before he could savor the moment, Senju Takuya continued.

"But... the explosions you just created are nothing more than child's play."

"What?!" Deidara's pride turned to anger. He had thought he'd finally met someone who appreciated his art, only to be insulted like this! To call his art child's play was simply unforgivable!

Seeing Deidara's outraged expression, Senju Takuya chuckled. "Look at the doll-like things you made. Don't they resemble children's toys? Fortunately, there's an uninhabited Gobi desert nearby... Now, watch closely. This is what a real explosion looks like."

With that, Senju Takuya slowly ascended into the sky.

"He can fly?!" Deidara was shocked. To see someone rise into the air without any visible means of support was astounding. He watched as Senju Takuya floated higher, his silhouette glowing under the bright sunlight. In that moment, Deidara couldn't help but feel a sense of awe... The man before him seemed godlike.

Just as the sun's rays began to sting his eyes, Senju Takuya's voice rang out again.

"Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan!"

Boom! The earth trembled violently as a colossal mushroom cloud erupted in the distance!

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