At the center of the lake.
The clay bomb Deidara had just dropped exploded right next to the Three-Tails' head.
The sudden blast struck the unprepared beast, leaving it dazed.
On the shore, Tobi and Sasori exchanged a glance.
"As expected, when it comes to dealing with giant monsters, we need someone like Deidara-senpai, whose attacks cover a huge area. ꉂ(ˊᗜˋ*)"
"One shot, perfect finish!"
Tobi cheered.
Sasori nodded in agreement.
His puppets had been badly damaged in the last battle against Konoha's shinobi. Though he had been working hard these past few days to build new ones, they were far from his former strength.
If he had to face the Three-Tails alone, there was no way he could manage it!
...
At the center of the lake.
After blowing the Three-Tails sky-high, Deidara molded several large clay birds.
Four clay birds spread their net and hauled the massive turtle out of the water.
Then, their wings beat, carrying it quickly toward the northwest.
Deidara, riding atop his own clay bird, descended slightly toward the shore. From above, he called down,
"Let's get moving! Once this big turtle wakes up, it's going to be trouble. (o´Д`o)ノ"
Tobi immediately applauded enthusiastically.
"Deidara-senpai, you're the best!"
"I knew it! Deidara-senpai is incredible! So much better than Sasori-senpai who only plays with puppets! ヾ(●´∇｀●)ﾉ"
Beside him, Sasori: (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
"Tobi! When we get back, I swear I'll turn you into a human puppet! I want to see exactly what face you're hiding under that mask!! (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ)"
From above, Deidara was speechless.
Tobi really had a knack for pushing buttons.
Give it a couple more days, and he'd probably offend everyone in Akatsuki.
Deidara sighed, then said seriously,
"Enough fooling around. Let's hurry. If the Three-Tails wakes up, I'll have to start bombing again. Too much noise, and it might attract unwanted attention..."
Sasori and Tobi both knew when to get serious. They nodded and followed after Deidara's clay bird in the sky.
...
Elsewhere, Shinju and Naruto were still on the move.
Suddenly, Shinju's expression shifted, his brows furrowing.
"The Three-Tails is moving! (●･̆⍛･̆●)"
Naruto blinked. "Isn't that normal? It's a Tailed Beast! Wouldn't it be weirder if it just stayed still? ┐(´-｀)┌"
Shinju explained patiently, "The Three-Tails is a giant turtle. Even in water, it shouldn't be moving that fast... (°ー°〃)"
"It feels more like... someone is carrying it through the air."
Just as he finished speaking, Shinju and Naruto crossed paths with Guren and Yukimaru, who were heading back.
They glanced at each other, but neither side paid much attention, continuing forward.
Suddenly, Naruto turned back!
He recognized Yukimaru as the boy he had seen not long ago in the mist.
"Who are you?!" Naruto shouted.
Hearing this, Guren stopped and turned, finally taking a good look at the two boys.
And when she did—what a shock!
That sunny blond hair! That striking, almost breathtakingly handsome face!
These two... weren't they the Shinju and Naruto that Kabuto had mentioned?!!
Guren's interest sparked instantly!
She had heard plenty about Orochimaru-sama's obsession with Shinju—an obsession bordering on perverse.
She had just failed the mission to capture the Three-Tails. But if she could take these two back, she'd definitely earn huge credit with Orochimaru-sama! (ﾉ∇︎〃 )
With that thought, Guren formed crystalline blades along her forearms.
Beside her, Yukimaru noticed her intent. Quickly raising his small hand, he pressed against her arm and shook his head.
"Don't... (｡•́︿•̀｡)"
But Guren brushed him off—this boy was only getting in the way of her mission. She flung his hand aside!
"Shhhk!"
A pink crystal blade slashed outward!
No hesitation, just attack!
Her movements were obvious, and Shinju had been observing the unique nature of her Crystal Release from the start.
The moment she struck—
"Whoosh!"
Shinju swung his right arm!
"Slash!!"
A crimson crystal blade formed along his wrist, colliding with Guren's pink one!
"Clang!!"
The crisp sound of blades striking echoed.
In the next instant—
"Crack—"
Guren's crystal shattered instantly!
Guren: ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!
He could use Crystal Release too?!
And his crystal was far stronger than hers!
Yukimaru sighed, pressing a hand to his forehead, helpless.
( ●･ˇ_ˇ･●)
I told you not to fight. But you insisted on walking into death...
Without giving her another chance, Shinju's blade flashed, cleaving Guren's body in two.
Then, true to his "humanitarian" side, he used Earth Release to create a grave and buried her.
He even crafted a crystal tombstone for her, as a courtesy to a fellow Crystal Release user.
Of course, Shinju didn't realize that one day, even this crystal tombstone would be stolen, leaving her without even that dignity...
After finishing, Shinju turned to Yukimaru.
"Have you found your destination?"
Yukimaru looked at Guren's crystal tombstone and nodded.
"I found it. Death."
Shinju nodded. "Do you want me to help? I could give you the same kind of tombstone she has."
Yukimaru nodded again.
"Could you seal a camellia flower in crystal for me? I like camellias... I'd like that to be my tombstone."
Shinju, ever helpful, nodded.
Just before death, Yukimaru suddenly asked,
"What about you? Where's your destination?"
That question stumped Shinju.
After a moment of silence, he answered seriously.
"I don't know. Maybe it's because I've never looked back... so I don't know where my destination lies."
"If I had to say, my destination is always forward. Like now—I have to find the Three-Tails..."
Yukimaru blinked. "The Three-Tails? You mean that giant turtle with three tails?"
"I just saw it. A weird guy riding a bird that makes explosions captured it..."
He pointed in a direction.
"They flew that way..."
...
The Akatsuki trio had already flown some distance.
On the ground, Tobi started pestering Sasori.
"Sasori-senpai, Deidara-senpai has so many birds, but he won't let us ride them! Isn't that just awful? (ノ°ο°)ノ"
Sasori actually thought he had a point.
"Deidara really doesn't respect his elders. Not taking you is one thing. But not taking me? That's too much!"
Tobi nodded furiously.
"Exactly! I can handle this humiliation. I can endure it. But you, Sasori-senpai... can you?" (◔◡◔)
Sasori clenched his teeth.
"I can't!! (ꐦ ಠ皿ಠ)"
He immediately lifted his head and shouted at the sky.
"Hey! Deidara! I'm tired of walking! Give me a bird to ride!! Ծ‸Ծ"
Deidara chuckled.
"I thought Sasori-senpai was being so serious for some important reason... turns out it's just something like this."
He dropped a clay bird. Sasori stepped onto its back and rose into the air.
Tobi's eyes gleamed with envy.
"Deidara-senpai, what about me? I don't want to walk anymore either!"
Deidara shot back, "Get lost! (′д｀σ)σ"
With that, he turned away, steering his clay bird onward.
But then—suddenly, in front of him, a massive wooden dragon appeared!!
----------------
Pls Drop some Power Stones
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