Chapter 169

[500PS REACHED!! Next Goal: 1000PS!]

When an artist is suddenly inspired and filled with passion, what kind of display can be expected? The ruined mansion of the Daimyo already proved everything.

At this moment, thoughts of Sasori or the Akatsuki were completely forgotten by Deidara.

He immediately crafted a batch of clay bombs, sticking them to the barrier. Forming hand seals, he shouted:

"Ha!"

Boom!

The explosion resounded.

The barrier in front of him flickered briefly before a passageway large enough to pass through opened.

"So easy?"

Deidara had thought it would take several tries, but one explosion was enough.

Well, considering the style of this aerial fortress, it clearly didn't belong to the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Setting up such a large-scale hidden barrier was already surprising.

If its defensive strength had also been strong, such a force wouldn't have remained unknown in the ninja world.

Thinking this, Deidara, who had mostly recovered by now, smiled and controlled his clay bird, flying directly inside.

Even if it were one of the Five Great Ninja Villages, he wouldn't hesitate to barge in alone, let alone this aerial fortress that no one had ever heard of.

From this moment on, he would prepare to create an unprecedented, enormous firework here!

"Deidara."

Just as Deidara was excitedly fantasizing about the spectacular explosion of the fortress, he suddenly heard someone call his name.

He turned his head to see a young man, dressed simply in white, standing on a rooftop, level with him.

'There was no one here earlier.'

Though obsessed with his art and bold enough to invade the aerial fortress, Deidara hadn't lost his battle instincts. He remained vigilant.

When he entered, he had carefully scanned the surroundings and was sure that no one was nearby.

So, where did this man come from? How could he evade Deidara's detection?

Thinking this, Deidara quietly slipped his right hand into his ninja pouch, concealed by the wide sleeve of his Akatsuki uniform.

The person standing there was none other than Hagoromo Gensou.

He had deliberately allowed Deidara to enter and wasn't concerned about the latter's little movements.

Recalling what Hagoromo Morin had said earlier, Gensou decided to ask one question before taking action:

"Deidara, do you know the Hagoromo clan?"

Hearing this, while still preparing for combat, Deidara casually replied:

"The Hagoromo clan? Sounds artistic. Are they here? Perfect timing, I'm planning to set off a huge firework here soon. Hmm."

Gensou's mouth twitched slightly.

The response was exactly what Morin had described—almost spot on!

This brat had truly forgotten his connection to the Hagoromo clan.

Or perhaps, he had never really paid attention to it from the beginning.

Gensou had originally intended to speak to him as the clan leader.

But seeing the situation now, he decided to drop that idea.

It was better to discipline this brat first.

In the blink of an eye, Gensou disappeared from Deidara's sight.

"Where did he go?"

Deidara's expression tightened as he quickly scanned the surroundings and instinctively controlled his clay bird to fly upwards.

However, before the bird could spread its wings…

A hand pierced through it from below, tearing it in half with a ripping sound.

"So fast!"

Deidara's pupils contracted as he floated in the air, staring intently at Gensou, who had just appeared beside him and effortlessly shredded his mount.

He was about to throw the clay bombs he had prepared.

Crackle~~

Lightning surged from Gensou's body.

Unable to dodge in time, Deidara's body became paralyzed, and the clay bombs in his hands fizzled out.

With a swift motion, Gensou slapped Deidara across the forehead.

Dazed by the blow, Deidara's body tilted, and with a whoosh, he plummeted toward the ground.

Boom!

He crashed into the street below, creating a large crater.

Shortly after, Gensou descended from the sky, walking up to the crater without a scratch on him.

Due to the moderate height of the fall, Deidara hadn't lost any limbs, but his entire body was in a daze from the impact.

However, when he saw Gensou standing beside him once again, Deidara, feeling a burning pain on his forehead and enraged at such humiliation, suddenly regained his energy and shouted angrily:

"An artist can be killed, but never humiliated like this!"

"You bastard, insulting an artist. Now I'll show you my ultimate art!!"

As he spoke, Deidara's body began emitting a dazzling white light.

This was the prelude to self-destruction.

Sure enough, his body swelled up, and with a face full of fanaticism, Deidara shouted:

"Art is an explo—"

Before he could finish his iconic phrase, Gensou stomped on his head, causing it to burst.

Not far away, Morin, who had just arrived, felt his heart skip a beat at the sight.

However, he quickly noticed that the Deidara whose head had been smashed had turned into clay, and he let out a sigh of relief.

Having destroyed Deidara's self-destruct clone and silenced it with Raiton chakra, Gensou turned his attention underground and stomped again.

Crack!

A massive crack swiftly spread downward.

Deidara, who had been using Doton: Moguragakure no Jutsu (Earth Release: Hiding Like a Mole Technique) to burrow underground, was dumbfounded as he looked up at the sunlight pouring in from above and at the figure who even the sun couldn't overshadow.

He had never imagined anyone could toy with him so easily.

In their brief exchange, Gensou hadn't used Genjutsu. He had simply, and effortlessly, played with Deidara as if it were child's play.

Despite clearly seeing every move, Deidara found himself unable to dodge any of the attacks.

It was like an adult beating a child.

The gap in strength was too great!

Deidara had no idea who the man above him was.

But unlike the time he faced Uchiha Itachi, there was at least some admiration he could feel for this opponent.

However, there was one thing:

"To be defeated so easily, and without a single bit of awe from my enemy toward my art—this is a complete failure! My art is far more than what I've just shown."

"In that case, I'll make myself into the art. With a never-before-seen explosion, I'll leave an unprecedented mark here. Then, my art will receive the admiration it deserves! Hmm!"

Determined not to let his art be underestimated, this time, Deidara truly decided to self-destruct.

He tore off his shirt, preparing to release the mouth sealed on his left chest.

Of course, Gensou wasn't going to give Deidara the chance to blow himself up. In a flash, he appeared beside Deidara.

Deidara tried to evade, but no matter how he moved, he couldn't escape Gensou's incoming slap.

Once again!

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it, Deidara quickly said:

"Wait! At least give me a chance to display my art!"

It was no use.

Seeing the slap about to land, Deidara could only protest in frustration:

"Don't hit my head!"

Smack!

Same spot as before.

Gensou slapped Deidara on the forehead again.

This time, he used a bit more force.

Deidara's eyelids drooped. Just before he passed out, he gritted his teeth and muttered stubbornly:

"Art... is eternal!!"

Thud.

Deidara collapsed to the ground, completely unconscious.

(End of Chapter)