Chapter 14: True Art
"I am Deidara… Taste my art, you filthy vermin!"
After yelling at the top of his lungs, a massive explosion echoed, raising a thick cloud of dust. Deidara poured his entire being into showcasing his art. On the other side, the unit members weren't backing down either.
[Doton: Doryūheki!]
Five ninjas shouted in unison. A stone wall erupted from the ground, shielding them from the explosion. With near-perfect coordination, they launched an attack on Deidara from multiple angles, leaving him no respite. If not for his bombs detonating everywhere, he would have already been defeated.
"But that technique…?!" Watching from a distance, Temari's hands clenched as she observed the ninjas' fighting style. "Those damn Iwa bastards… They don't even bother hiding anymore."
The relationship between the village of Iwa and Suna was somewhat strained. Despite their temporary alliance during the Third Great Ninja War, a rivalry still lingered between them. Now, it seemed that Iwa had decided to take action, taking advantage of the chaos in Suna to strike a heavy blow.
"Temari…" Naruto, who had remained silent until now, spoke up. "We need to act. We don't know if reinforcements are coming. You distract them, and I'll grab Gaara so we can get out of here."
She remained silent for a moment before nodding. It was a risky plan, but feasible. She was more comfortable fighting at a distance, so diving into enemy territory wasn't a good idea. She might as well trust Naruto.
Straightening up, she pulled out her fan.
[Fūton: Daikamaitachi no Jutsu!]
The wind howled through the rocky valley as a massive tornado formed, lifting a thick cloud of dust.
Caught off guard, several ninjas were swept away, tossed like dead leaves in a storm. It was the perfect moment for Naruto.
"She's really effective, huh?" Naruto thought as he adjusted his mask before dashing forward. Activating his stealth mode, he masked his presence and chakra to the maximum. He blended into the dust cloud, leaving behind only a shadow streaking at high speed.
Perched on his clay bird, Deidara was preparing to retreat with Gaara still unconscious. His mocking laughter barely echoed through the chaotic battlefield.
"Tsk, these pawns are no match for art…"
He didn't even get to finish his sentence before a powerful spinning kick slammed into his plexus. The impact sent him crashing against a rock with incredible force. The clay bird exploded from the shock, and Deidara groaned in pain as his back met solid stone.
"Who the hell…?"
He could barely see through the still-settling dust cloud.
Gaara, who had been suspended by a chakra hold, began to fall.
Without hesitation, Naruto leaped and caught him just in time before he hit the ground. He could feel how cold his body was, drained of all energy. His heart tightened slightly. Despite everything, Gaara was the one who understood him best—they were both Jinchūriki.
But there was no time for emotions. Deidara was already getting up, his face twisted in fury. The dust cloud slowly cleared, revealing Naruto with Gaara on his back.
"Tsss… you, the kid with the mask…" Deidara spat, already reaching into his clay pouch. "I don't know who you are, but you just made a grave mistake."
"Damn, he's already back on his feet," Naruto thought, glancing at Temari, who had just folded her fan and was preparing for another attack. She had been spotted too, and several ninjas were attempting to encircle her.
"Temari, we're pulling back! I have Gaara!" he shouted, retreating.
"Where do you think you're going…?"
An Iwa ninja slipped in with a kunai, aiming straight for Temari's left eye.
She quickly stepped back and spun her fan.
[Kamaitachi no Jutsu!] she murmured, sending a powerful wind blade that slashed through the ninja's body at multiple points.
Taking advantage of the moment, she fled. Several ninjas moved to pursue her, but a rough voice rang out.
"Leave her…! Focus on the mission."
They turned and immediately sprinted toward Naruto instead.
A sudden shockwave rattled the area, kicking up a fresh cloud of dust and sending burning debris flying. Naruto, sensing the explosion's energy behind him, gritted his teeth and activated Shunshin no Jutsu just in time to avoid the impact.
As soon as he landed on more stable ground, a mocking laugh filled the air.
"You really thought you could escape so easily?" Deidara sneered, a smirk on his lips.
The Akatsuki member was once again perched on a clay bird, hovering over the battlefield. In his hands, he was already molding more explosive creatures—small clay spiders, their twitching legs hinting at imminent destruction.
Naruto clenched his teeth. "This lunatic is really starting to piss me off."
He knew he couldn't fight and protect Gaara at the same time. Quickly, he formed a hand seal.
[Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!]
Four clones appeared in a puff of smoke. He handed Gaara over to three of them, who immediately rushed away. One carried him on his back, while the other two remained in defensive stances, ready to intercept any attacks.
The fourth clone stayed by his side, adopting a combat stance.
"You really set up the perfect battlefield, huh?" Naruto muttered, trying to catch his breath.
The blond Akatsuki didn't respond immediately. Instead, he released his clay spiders, sending them diving toward Naruto and his clone.
"Instead of yapping, why don't you savor the essence of true art?"
The creatures plummeted dangerously fast. Naruto didn't waste a second—he and his clone split up, jumping in opposite directions.
His clone pulled out a kunai and launched a shuriken gale to deflect the spiders, while Naruto performed a backflip to evade a hidden mine beneath his feet.
But Deidara was one step ahead.
With a single hand seal, he activated multiple mines hidden in the ground. A barrage of explosions shattered the desert's silence, sending flames and debris flying everywhere.
Naruto rolled to the side, while his clone wasn't as lucky—it vanished in a puff of smoke.
"Tch, this guy is more dangerous than I expected," Naruto thought, slightly bruised.
He needed to end this quickly; otherwise, Gaara would be hunted down. But he had a serious problem—Deidara had the advantage of flight.
How was he going to deal with that?