Aboard Deidara's White Clay Bird!
"Deidara, Sasori, those look like Konoha ninja, don't they?"
Uchiha Obito, disguised as Akatsuki intern "Tobi," pointed at Kakashi and the others ahead in an extremely exaggerated voice, shouting at the hunched Sasori and the blond Deidara, "But don't those two Konoha ninja look a lot like the First Hokage and Second Hokage on Konoha Ninja Rock?"
"Could they be... ghosts?"
As he spoke, Obito hid behind Deidara with a frightened look. "Deidara, protect me! You know I'm terrified of dirty things."
Deidara shoved Obito away with a look of disgust. "How can you be this timid as an Akatsuki intern?"
"Never mind whether those really are the First Hokage and Second Hokage—even if they are, what's there to be afraid of? Hmm."
"At this rate, when will you ever become an official member of Akatsuki?"
"Impure World Reincarnation?" Sasori ignored Obito's antics. Looking at the wary Senju Tobirama, Kakashi, and Hyuga Nozomu ahead, as well as Senju Hashirama, who was merely watching them, he said in a low voice, "Was it Hyuga Chiba, or... is there someone else in Sunagakure?"
As an S-Rank Rogue Ninja from Sunagakure, Sasori knew very well what the people of that village were capable of.
Leaving aside the fact that Impure World Reincarnation was a Konoha ninjutsu, even if Rasa and the others had been given the method to practice it, they might not have been able to learn it. They also had virtually no chance of obtaining parts of the First Hokage's and Second Hokage's bodies.
"Impure World Reincarnation? I remember, that was a technique invented by the Second Hokage that temporarily brings the dead back into the world, hmm." After hearing Sasori's words and thinking back, Deidara asked, "Brother Sasori, are you interested in the First Hokage and Second Hokage?"
Sasori shook his head, sounding somewhat disappointed. "If the First Hokage and Second Hokage were alive, I would be interested in turning them into my Human Puppets."
"Unfortunately, they are only bodies of Impure World Reincarnation now. They cannot fulfill my art."
Sasori's true age was not that great, and he had once turned the Third Kazekage into a Human Puppet.
Thus, in his eyes, Konoha's First Hokage and Second Hokage were not much different from ordinary Kage Level ninja from other villages.
"Brother Sasori, you're wrong about that." Deidara did not react much to Sasori's other words, but the moment he heard the keyword "art," he immediately retorted, "Art is explosion."
"Only the burst of flame in that instant is the most perfect art, hmm."
Sasori spoke with some displeasure. "What art can there be in something that vanishes in an instant?"
"Only by turning them into puppets, allowing them to exist eternally in this world, is it true art."
"No, art is an instant of explosion, not some eternal puppet, hmm." When it came to his art, Deidara refused to give an inch.
"Deidara, are you trying to make me angry?" Sasori's voice turned cold. From behind him extended a metallic puppet mechanism resembling a scorpion's tail, its tip dripping with some kind of venom.
"When it comes to art, I won't back down either, hmm." Deidara slipped his right hand, which had a mouth on it, into the pouch at his right hip, preparing to take out his Explosive Clay.
"Alright, alright." Seeing the atmosphere grow tense, Obito hurriedly stepped in to smooth things over. "Deidara, Sasori, don't get so worked up."
"Don't forget, the leader assigned us to recruit Konoha's S-Rank Rogue Ninja, that Hyuga brat Hyuga Chiba who possesses the Tenseigan, into Akatsuki."
"If he refuses, kill him and bring back his Tenseigan."
"According to the intelligence provided by Zetsu, Hyuga Chiba entered Sunagakure most likely to kill the One-Tailed Jinchuriki, seize One-Tail, and become the new One-Tailed Jinchuriki himself."
"That way, he can obtain an endless supply of Chakra and keep that terrifying-sounding 'Tenseigan Chakra Mode' activated indefinitely."
"If he succeeds, whether we want to recruit him or kill him and take his eye, it'll become very troublesome."
"Why don't you two wait until after the mission is complete before arguing?"
"Hmph!" Deidara pulled his right hand out of the pouch and snorted. "What Tenseigan? What One-Tailed Jinchuriki? You think I'd be afraid of him?"
"Who do you take me for? I'll fly my Explosive Giant Bird over there right now, hmm."
"As expected of Deidara! You don't even take a Tenseigan wielder with One-Tail seriously." Seeing this, Obito immediately began showering him with flattery.
"Enough nonsense." Deidara cut off Obito's flattery, then asked, "If I remember correctly, the leader only sent the two of us to recruit Hyuga Chiba. Why did an intern like you insist on coming along?"
"If we really have to fight Hyuga Chiba, we won't be able to protect you, hmm."
"That is indeed strange." Sasori also stared at Obito, his gaze becoming increasingly suspicious. "The leader suddenly recruited you, and we know nothing about your past."
"This time, you were also unusually eager to come with us. What exactly is your purpose?"
"Oh, Deidara, Sasori, don't look at me like that. I'll get embarrassed." Obito hurriedly covered the face already hidden by his mask with his hand and shouted, "It's precisely because I'm an intern that I wanted to become an official member like you two as soon as possible, so I came along to learn."
Perhaps to change the subject, or perhaps for some other purpose, Obito pointed at Kakashi and the others ahead, who were staring at them in utter confusion, and said, "The First Hokage and Second Hokage both came from Sunagakure's direction, so they must be connected to Hyuga Chiba."
"The other two Konoha ninja may also become obstacles for us."
"How about you two head to Sunagakure and recruit Hyuga Chiba first, while I deal with these Konoha ninja?"
"You want to face two Konoha Jonin, as well as the First Hokage and Second Hokage in their reincarnated bodies, by yourself?" After hearing Obito's words, Sasori became even more wary.
After all, even for him and Deidara, dealing with Kakashi and the others would not be easy.
Otherwise, they would have already dealt with those eyesores while they were at it.
"Hehe!" Obito scratched his head awkwardly. "Sasori, don't look at me like that."
"I definitely can't beat them."
"But I'm still fairly confident that I can hold them off for a while."
"Still, I can't hold them off for too long, so you two need to move quickly."
At that moment, Zetsu, or rather, Black Zetsu within him, who was observing from underground, could not help but curse inwardly, This idiot!
Obito had taken on the guise of Tobi and followed Deidara and the others in order to make it easier to strike at Hyuga Chiba.
But Black Zetsu had not expected that the moment this guy saw Kakashi, it was as if he had been bewitched. He actually dared to change the plan on the spot without discussing it with him?
Before you continue