The Land of Earth.
In the office of the Tsuchikage, Ōnoki was handling some of the Land of Earth's affairs.
It was somewhat relaxing.
But recently, Konoha was about to hold the Chunin Exams again, and he felt a headache coming. Should he send someone to participate?
Their relationship with Konoha wasn't good, and war could break out at any time, so he had no intention of sending anyone to this Chunin Exam.
If someone were to be sent, it would have to be an elite—one of the younger generation's finest. Only then could the Land of Earth display its strength.
But what if the people of the Land of Fire kept the elites there? The final stage of the Chunin Exam allowed real combat.
If Konoha played even a little trick, the young elites of the Land of Earth would be completely crushed.
There was only one outcome: observe quietly and wait.
Just watch. There was no need to go, no need to participate.
The Land of Earth didn't need Konoha's exams, nor did it need Konoha's approval. So… simply not going was the solution.
"Tsuchikage-sama, Deidara has returned!" Just as Ōnoki was thinking, a ninja hurriedly ran in, his tone urgent and formal.
"Deidara has returned?" Ōnoki was surprised.
Back then, Deidara had left with that brat from the Uchiha clan. Once they left, years had passed. He even thought Deidara would never come back. But now he was back—what did he want?
"Yes, he's back!" The incoming ninja nodded.
"Where is he?" Ōnoki frowned, but he continued, "If he's back, let him in. I have something to say to him!"
At this moment,
Ōnoki remained calm as ever.
After all,
In his impression, Deidara had always respected him. If he truly returned to the Land of Earth, he would definitely come to see him.
"In the sky!" The newcomer hesitated.
"In the sky?" Ōnoki frowned. That guy hadn't changed his flamboyant personality at all. Returning so boldly—did he not fear being driven out by the villagers again?
No, as soon as he arrived, the villagers would know.
The village had been peaceful for so long. They certainly didn't want Deidara disturbing their lives.
"Have him come down and speak with me!" After a moment of thought, Ōnoki finally spoke.
"He doesn't want to come down. He asked me to deliver a message: he wants you, sir, to come out and meet him!" The reporting ninja spoke seriously, a hint of fear in his tone.
"Lord Tsuchikage, I already warned him, but he wouldn't listen!"
"Eh?" Ōnoki was taken aback, frowning, his expression darkening.
Still, in the end, he stood up, his face serious.
He pushed open the window, and could just make out the clay birds hovering outside. The flamboyant Deidara stood atop them, striking a self-important pose.
That attitude irritated Ōnoki greatly.
Yet, it had been a few years, and Deidara had grown.
"Old man, come out and meet me!" Deidara, floating in midair, saw the Tsuchikage open the window and spoke, his tone as boastful as ever.
"Deidara!" Ōnoki frowned. He hadn't expected Deidara to return to Iwagakure, let alone dare speak to him so arrogantly.
Outrageous.
After being away for so long, he acted as if he didn't have a care in the world, and still dared speak to him like this.
With a thought, Ōnoki floated out of the window, shooting straight into the sky.
He rose to meet Deidara, and they faced each other midair.
"You brat. What do you want from me?" Ōnoki asked, his voice deep and stern.
"You left with the Uchiha back then—how are you back now?"
He studied Deidara carefully, his thoughts growing heavier. He couldn't see through him this time.
How was that possible?
"My boss sent me to invite you to send someone to Konoha for a show—the Chūnin Exams!" Deidara looked at Ōnoki and tossed him a letter.
"We hope people from the Land of Earth will attend!"
"Letter?"
Ōnoki took it, noticing the words stamped on the envelope: "Atsukara? Your boss is the leader of Atsukara?"
His eyes narrowed as he stared at the words "Atsukara."
If there was any group in the ninja world shrouded in mystery recently, it was definitely the Atsukara.
They were elusive, and recently the power of Wood Ox and Phantom Tiger, who had been wreaking havoc across the ninja world, had surpassed that of ordinary elite-level jonin.
Such a force… was inviting people from Iwagakure to Konoha to "watch a show"?
Watch what kind of show?
"Of course…" Deidara looked at Ōnoki's shocked expression, lifting his head with pride. "The letter has been delivered. Make sure to send someone to Konoha during the Chunin Exams to watch the show!"
After saying that, Deidara didn't want to linger and was about to leave.
Before coming, Genya had already instructed him not to cause trouble outside, to deliver the letter, and return immediately.
He was following Genya's orders and headed back.
The clay bird flew toward the outskirts of Iwagakure.
"Wait!" Ōnoki's eyes narrowed as he hurried after him.
Deidara was the only one who could know the secrets of the Atsukara. Ōnoki naturally wouldn't let him leave so easily. He needed to know what the organization intended.
Moreover, he also wanted to know—who was this Wood Release user in the Atsukara now?
When the First Hokage had dominated the ninja world, he had witnessed it personally… If someone like the First Hokage appeared again, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Especially since such a powerful figure came from an unknown force…
He wanted to extract more information from Deidara and uncover Atsukara's plans.
The two sped toward the outskirts!
Deidara followed Genya's instructions and didn't want to argue, but Ōnoki wanted answers.
They moved one after the other!
"Lord Tsuchikage, Deidara?"
In a room next to the Tsuchikage's office, Akatsuchi saw Ōnoki chasing after Deidara and felt a twinge of worry.
After a moment of thought, Akatsuchi followed after them.
He was afraid that Deidara would lure the Tsuchikage out and then ambush him.
"Grandpa… Deidara?" A tall girl in a red dress with short hair frowned as she watched Deidara fly away.
After a moment of thought, she also gave chase.
Hmph, this Deidara is really something. He's been gone so long, and now that he's back in Iwagakure, he doesn't even bother to meet an old friend before leaving!
This time, when I catch up to him, I'll make sure he understands just how much I've grown.
It wasn't just Kurotsuchi and Akatsuchi. Several other supporters of the Tsuchikage saw him chasing after Deidara and also set off in pursuit.
Outside Iwagakure,
"The message has already been delivered, so why are you still following me?" Deidara finally lost patience with Onoki tailing him. He stopped his clay bird in midair and looked back at Onoki, unable to hold back.
If it weren't for Genya telling him not to waste words, he would have already given Onoki a piece of his mind.
Onoki also stopped in his tracks.
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